Bathroom Walls - Prep Advice before tiling

[Deleted member 9966]

After the relative success of tiling my kitchen floor and the tremendous advice and expertise from all you guys and gals on here, I thought I would be selfish again and ask for more help! :smash:

Right, in my main bathroom, there is part tiling around the bath and one row of tiles around the sink unit. I want to install an electric shower in the bathroom but as the tiles only go up by 3 tiles (unsure of size of tiles) I need to tile up to the ceiling at the tap-end.
Pics attached below.

I want to take all the old tiles off and start again. I shall delicately knock the old tiles off so as not to damage the plasterboard behind. But I need advice about the prep work needed to successfully tile over the paint.

The paint is almost definitely silk or bathroom emulsion and I know there's a layer of blue paint underneath too. Beyond that, probably just the thin magnolia splashed on by the builders. However I am just guessing as it was this way when we moved in.

So guys, what's the best idea with the paint?

When the tiles are off and the paint is dealt with, we'll be getting our plumber in to sort out the pipework for the shower and reset the bath as the bath is not level.

It is my intention to use similar sized tiles or slightly larger than what is already there, nothing flash, just simple white tiles and perhaps a thin black border tile around the middle of the room too. I realise I'll have to tile the entire tap-end of the bath, and think it would make sense to tile up to the window recess too but not necessarily inside it.

GRR

 

[beanz]

Gonna have light issues as the room will be long and narrow

Skylights would be the way to go here i reckon; lets face it, you won't really need another attic! 😉

 

[Deleted member 9966]

Skylights would be the way to go here i reckon; lets face it, you won't really need another attic! 😉

Believe me, I'll always need more attic space! To have the extension built, I'll be losing the attic's above the garage and utility room. Good thing you mentioned it as its reminded me to consider it in the building plans.

And skylights raise another question - do you need planning permission for these?

 

[medlar]

Hi GRR, you could also try a awll paper stripper (the steamer kind) and steam the paint off.

Jimmy

 

[cornish_crofter]

Don't know about PP for the skylights, probably not unless you're in a conservation area. I would phone the council and ask - can't do any harm.

 

[Deleted member 9966]

To be honest, I don't think skylights are what I'm looking for, although it was a cracking idea from Beanz and will be kept tucked away at the back of my brain until Project East Wing starts.

Just got to sort out Project Bathroom first. Hubby thinks I'm seriously sad now for having sought advice about how to tile onto paint. He was of the view that we could tile straight onto the existing paint. And lo and behold his response when I said it would need sanding right back - you can do that then. cheers.

 

[user123]

You can tile onto paint if it's solid enough. To check if it is stick a good lenght, (say 2 foot) of the silver plumbing tape or one sided carpet tape on the wall, leave it for a few hours or overnight and then pull off. If all/most of the paint comes with it, it's got to come off, if only bits come off but overall its solid you can tile onto it. Scoring it will still be a good idea to provide more of a key. Alternatively, if finances allow, why not cover the whole lot in wediboard? Great stuff, very light and easy enough to work with.

 

[bigandy]

if you try the paint stripper way just becareful as this can also blow the plaster!Thats why i dont like that way off removing it.

 

[Deleted member 9966]

if you try the paint stripper way just becareful as this can also blow the plaster!Thats why i dont like that way off removing it.

To be honest, I'll probably get the sander out and take as much paint off as I can first. It will be just my luck that I try the tape method and the paint will come off easily. And as for paint stripper liquids, I wouldn't even go there as I don't think I'd have much control over that. And as for using a steam stripper, don't have one so that solves that one!

And to know that the prep work is done to the highest of standards, I shall be doing it myself! ha ha! 😛unk:

 

[doug boardley]

GRR take the plasterboards off, let plumber do his first fix and re level bath, re plasterboard and tank and then let the blind naked tiler do his thang!!😛unk:

 

[Deleted member 9966]

right Doug, dumbass question now - how do I take the plasterboards off?