HELP! I've ruined a patch of cementboard by removing a tile

[emikomary]

Help! I've totally screwed up!

My DIY tiling job has gone pear shaped because I wanted to remove one tile that was more sunken than all the rest. Now I wish I had just lived with it.

Basically, I tried to remove the tile so I could replace it, but in doing so, chipped two others. So they came off as well, but the net result is a massive hole in the cementboard. Gutted would be an understatement And it's the shower end of the bath.

So what do I do now? I've watched some YouTube videos about repairing plasterboard but they all seem to be for easy holes. It's an awkward shape. Do I have to bash off all the rest of the tiles and start again and replace a whole panel of plasterboard or could the hole be repaired? It does cross a batten in the wall, if that makes any difference. The tiles are 20mm x 10mm.

Any advice gratefully received!

Remorseful Perfectionist

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Tt3RLGmdmMlC6LjI2 - hoping this link will show you the tragedy I am describing

 

[Old Mod]

How much have you actually tiled around that area?
Can you upload an image on here from a greater distance so that it can be put in to context please.
Just take an image with your phone and using the 'upload a file' button, enter it in to your post.

 

[emikomary]

Hi 3_fall,

I've done quite a lot unfortunately. Earlier this evening it looked like this:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tp7zVyXzAagumkj03
https://photos.app.goo.gl/IqXuoMdLcG2UHBjk1

 

[emikomary]

My thinking is I will have to do the following:

• Neaten and clean up the hole.
• Cut a piece to fit the hole, whatever odd shape it might be.
• Fix a batten of some sort behind the hole between the two joists (grab adhesive....?)
• Fix new piece to it using grab adhesive + screw on existing upright
• Tape with waterproof tape

Would this work? Would it be strong enough to hold the tiles do you think?

Oh why couldn't I just leave well alone *sob*!

 

[Old Mod]

Yeah that would work, metros are not heavy at all. You do need to make sure it's supported on all 4 sides.
Is that Aqua panel?

 

[Bond]

Hi, lots of ways of dealing with a small patch such as this, as there is fibreglass mess in place, you could buy a can of expanding foam and spray onto mesh, when set cut flush with wall, and waterproof ( the foam should be waterproof anyway) then tile, happy days

 

[emikomary]

Thanks 3-fall, yes that's aquapanel. Thanks for the advice about supporting on all four sides, I wouldn't have known to do that.

Thanks Bond - I've since cut off the mesh trying to tidy up the hole! But good to know for future reference

 

[Bond]

You could still use expanding foam, just place the likes of chicken mesh or similar into the void and spray.

 

[Old Mod]

Aqua panel isn't waterproof, only uneffected by moisture ingress. In other words it doesn't breakdown like a plaster board would if it gets wet.
If you want to ensure a trouble free shower area, once you've replaced the board, you can use your waterproof tape over the patch joints and then tank the whole area with a tanking paste like ardex wpc or Isomat SL17. It can be applied by brush and will totally waterproof the area. You could also apply it on the other parts of the wall in the wet area of your bath.