Help with awkward-shaped bathroom

[Minnie]

Hello

Hoping to get some good advice here. I'm attempting to do my first ever tiling job, and now that I'm unemployed, on a tight budget so can't afford plasterers etc.

It's a council house just over 100 years old and it looks like the current tiles have been placed onto a concrete wall. There were three courses (not sure if that's the correct word for a layer!) of 15-15cm tiles. The top two I've got off with no problem and have managed to get the adhesive off easy enough, but it looks like the bottom layer of tiles have been laid onto something more concrete based. I'm not sure why and I'm not sure whether to hack this off or if it's covering up something bad.

That's the first problem. The second problem is there's a few funny angles. Some people have said I'm better of sticking with small tiles, whereas others have said to get big ones for the horizontal parts and cut them (obviously more wastage if I go wrong)

I've plenty of pictures if anyone's interested.

 

[doug boardley]

No, Council hasn't done any decorating here for over 20 years! It's down to the tenant.



South London. You did see my comments that I was unemployed and couldn't afford anyone didn't you? :smilewinkgrin:

I did Minnie, if I wasn't at the other end of the country, I'd offer to pop round and advise on the state of your walls etc, unfortunately I'm up north:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Minnie]

I did Minnie, if I wasn't at the other end of the country, I'd offer to pop round and advise on the state of your walls etc, unfortunately I'm up north:smilewinkgrin:

The weather's much nicer down South. You should come down and get some sun on your face :smilewinkgrin:

Anyway, I'm going to stick up some more photos in a sec so you can see the current state. I took the tiles off the horizontal bits today and discovered white tiles on the left-hand side of the bath and plywood in front. No photos of those bits yet though.

Back of bath
DSCF0477.JPG - DivShare

Side
http://www.divshare.com/img/display/9270514-d70

Front
http://www.divshare.com/img/display/9270537-1c9
http://www.divshare.com/download/9270514-d70
Front again
http://www.divshare.com/download/9270351-0bf

Sink
DSCF0479.JPG - DivShare

This is what's under the bottom layer of tiles
http://www.divshare.com/img/display/9270347-f5a

 

[White Room]

So, how many tiles high will you be going to fix

 

[Minnie]

So, how many tiles high will you be going to fix

Well, the vertical from the bath up to the window ledge is 72cm. The tiles didn't originally go up that far which made it look a bit silly with the tiles above sink going higher than those above bath, and as that bit under the window's pretty crappy, I figured tiles would cover it.

I have no idea what tiles to use now. I had thought about 25x33cm as that would leave a 6cm space for a border, but people are saying I'm better off sticking with smaller tiles, but I figured that would take me forever. There were already around 120 tiles there without allowing to take it up to 72cm.

Unless I hack that what looks like cement/sand based stuff off, then I'm going to have a wonky wall, unless I fill it in to a smooth base (that's me guessing)

 

[White Room]

The tile size is not that big but you would need a cement based adhesive looking at the state of the walls, you may need to build up in certain areas.

To be fair, even a good tiler will have his work cut out for himself on those walls.

Do you have a friend/relative who could help you out

 

[Minnie]

The tile size is not that big but you would need a cement based adhesive looking at the state of the walls, you may need to build up in certain areas.

To be fair, even a good tiler will have his work cut out for himself on those walls.

Do you have a friend/relative who could help you out

Go on, fill me with confidence!

Friends/relatives? Not any that do tiling.

Why do I need a cement based adhesive when the tiles that were stuck on above the first layer weren't stuck with cement based? I'm not questioning your judgement, I just want to know the difference.

 

[White Room]

Tubbed adhesive can be fixed with a 6mm notched trowel and have a bed of 3mm max and is air drying, so for the size of your tile would need a few weeks to dry properly.

Cement based adhesive, even a slow setting one cures by chemical reaction so would be more suitible for your size tile so grouting could applied the following day

 

[Minnie]

Tubbed adhesive can be fixed with a 6mm notched trowel and have a bed of 3mm max and is air drying, so for the size of your tile would need a few weeks to dry properly.

Cement based adhesive, even a slow setting one cures by chemical reaction so would be more suitible for your size tile so grouting could applied the following day

Well I'm not necessarily going to use 25x33cm, I just figured it would be fewer tiles to lay, but then I have the problem of the horizontal surface.

Do you think every bit of wall is in a chronic condition or just certain ones?

Is the cement based adhesive to do with the size/weight of the tiles or because of the condition of the walls?

I know the one above the sink is bad. It looks like there were nails/screws in there at some point and someone's tried to fill the holes. I was thinking of putting a mirror there to disguise that certain bit of wall.

PS: Thanks for all responses so far

 

[White Room]

Under the circumstances this what could be helpfull;

Use a smaller tile, 6x6 or around that size then you use the tubbed adhesive.
Cement based is both in the curcumstance.
i would prime still where your going to tile because of any powder/dust.
Yes you may have to hide that certain area with a mirror.
You could use the remaining primer for the rest of the bathroom before you paint just to seal the surface.
A good box of filler to cover any cracks/faults in the walls.
Sand down then paint.

 

[Minnie]

Under the circumstances this what could be helpfull;

Use a smaller tile, 6x6 or around that size then you use the tubbed adhesive.
Cement based is both in the curcumstance.
i would prime still where your going to tile because of any powder/dust.
Yes you may have to hide that certain area with a mirror.
You could use the remaining primer for the rest of the bathroom before you paint just to seal the surface.
A good box of filler to cover any cracks/faults in the walls.
Sand down then paint.

Would it look silly to use 6in tiles on the horizontal and bigger tiles on the vertical?

Was planning on putting some primer on the whole wall as there's black mould on top of the paint. Didn't realise you put it underneath tiles though.

Have planned on filling in all the cracks and holes and then sanding. I know sanding's going to be a nightmare, and I know that an electric sander would cause a huge mess, but would it damage the walls? I'm not sure my wrists/shoulders are up to manual sanding.

 

[doug boardley]

black mould is a :yikes::yikes::yikes: Minnie, get the council round as there could be health issues!

 

[Minnie]

black mould is a :yikes::yikes::yikes: Minnie, get the council round as there could be health issues!

Well it's black sooty stuff and caused no doubt by the window being shut all the time. I've told the council and they've just said wipe it off with bleach

Here it is on ceiling above the window

http://www.divshare.com/download/9270452-45e

 

[White Room]

What council are you with minnie

 

[Minnie]

What council are you with minnie

Lambeth

 

[doug boardley]

bleach ain't gonna cure it Minnie (managed to open pics:hurray council have a "duty of care" and a "decent home" mandate to adhere to. Insist on a home visit with an Environmental Health Inspector, that black stuff aint gonna go away with bleach