New Member - Question re: removing tiles

[tpwuk]

Hi everyone, great mine of information this place. I've been picking up loads and loads of tips....so many thanks for sharing. 🙂

I'm an enthusiastic DIY'er and got lot's of time on my hands so am able to take my time when attempting new tasks. My latest project is to re-tile my ensuite. I started to remove the old tiles from my shower enclosure which is a studded wall construction. I got all the tiles off one wall but it totally wrecked the plasterboard.....it was a simple enough job to replace the plasterboard and make good but I'm a bit relucant to do the same on the other two walls. I'm thinking about just tiling over the existing tiles but the only problem I can forsee doing this is that the old tiles have a border tile running the length of each wall which is about 3mm thicker than the rest of the tiles. What's the best way to deal with this difference in size? I thought about grinding the border tile down but wondered if there's a less dangerous approach...I kind of like all my fingers attached to my hand! ;-)

Many thanks in advance and kudos to you all!

Glenn

 

[Perry]

its easy to replace the plasterboard, tiling on tiles can be done but lots of ifs and buts and more expensive materials, but if you have to smash the border tile out and fill the hole with cement based adhesive or an old tile ect😛ete

 

[DHTiling]

hello glenn and welcome to the forums mate............I would just remove the whole lot mate and start afresh........we will help you through the process if you so wish......

 

[devonmark]

Hello Glen, you've already took tiles off one wall, you'd be better off carrying on taking them off the other walls...as Dave say's "start afresh"..Mark.

 

[Fekin]

Aye you've done one wall propperly so it's a pitty to go sub-standard on the rest of the room.

 

[Daz]

Hi & welcome.

As it is a shower area, I would agree with the consensus and get the existing tiles off. I would suggest replacing the damaged plaster board with a backer board such as Hardie backer or Wedi as they will give better water proofing characteristics, too.

Good luck.

 

[tpwuk]

Thanks for the welcome guys and advice thus far. 🙂

My only concern about removing the rest of the tiles is that one of the walls backs onto the airing cupboard and it conceals a lot of pipework. I kind of don't want to risk damaging any of the pipes and complicating matters.

Am I just being a wuss? lol

 

[Perry]

yes :lol:

 

[robbo]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
Always start fresh, tile on tile can cause weight issues, meaning that with tile on tile you will have double the weight on the wall and if your not sure how well the old tiles are fixed there is a possibility the old tiles could give way under the extra weight of the new ones.

 

[GazTech]

Welcome to the forums.....Gaz

 

[Kobbie]

Hello and welcome

 

[tpwuk]

Again thanks for the welcomes! 🙂

I've taken your advice and removed all the tiles. Well to be honest, I removed a couple of them (which came off quite easily with a claw hammer) and then I just dragged the whole section of plasterboard down...tiles and all!! So I'm going to put up some new plasterboard tomorrow and then give it a coat of acrylic primer - some Granfix stuff.

Another question if I may:

The tiles I've got for the shower are these:

http://www.worldsendtiles.co.uk/tile-detail.asp?id=122

(the combi dark ones)

I've not started to set out yet but was wondering if it's possible to dry cut this type of tile? And I don't mean along the fake grout line but vertically through the centre of one of the sections? Or am I looking at wet cutting them?

Thanks again.
Glenn

 

[monty]

Hello and welcome to the forums...... 😉

 

[grumpygrouter]

Hi Glenn, welcome to the forums.

 

[Perry]

not such a wuss then lol check that granfix recommend to prime the plasterboard first its not plaster you are tiling to its a while since i used there adhesive but you never used to prime plasterboard if they are large tiles you may find it best to use cement based adhesive if they are porcelain you also need a admix or single part flexible adhesive regards Pete

 

[Gazzer]

Again thanks for the welcomes! 🙂

I've taken your advice and removed all the tiles. Well to be honest, I removed a couple of them (which came off quite easily with a claw hammer) and then I just dragged the whole section of plasterboard down...tiles and all!! So I'm going to put up some new plasterboard tomorrow and then give it a coat of acrylic primer - some Granfix stuff.

Another question if I may:

The tiles I've got for the shower are these:

http://www.worldsendtiles.co.uk/tile-detail.asp?id=122

(the combi dark ones)

I've not started to set out yet but was wondering if it's possible to dry cut this type of tile? And I don't mean along the fake grout line but vertically through the centre of one of the sections? Or am I looking at wet cutting them?

Thanks again.
Glenn

I have used this tile many times and the only problem you may encounter is if your vertical cut is too close to that centre fake grout line. You may find that when trying to snap the tile it will want to follow the fake line and not your scribed line. Using a decent cutter (Rubi , Sigma etc ) will help but as long as the breaker on the cutter applies even pressure then you should be fine.

 

[tpwuk]

Thanks for the tip Sir Ramic! 🙂

I'm grouting these tiles with a grey coloured grout, am I right in saying the grout should be applied to the fake grout lines also? Also, what size spacers do you use?

Many thanks,
Glenn

 

[Turkish]

Hi Glenn and welcome!

Turkish

 

[tpwuk]

not such a wuss then lol check that granfix recommend to prime the plasterboard first its not plaster you are tiling to its a while since i used there adhesive but you never used to prime plasterboard if they are large tiles you may find it best to use cement based adhesive if they are porcelain you also need a admix or single part flexible adhesive regards Pete

hehe...yeah, I thought sod it! What's the worse that can happen!!? ;-)

I'm using this adhesive:

http://tileadhesive.co.uk/products/ready_mixed/supergrip.html

Tiles are 300 x 216.

Cheers,
Glenn

 

[Perry]

hehe...yeah, I thought sod it! What's the worse that can happen!!? ;-)

I'm using this adhesive:

http://tileadhesive.co.uk/products/ready_mixed/supergrip.html

Tiles are 300 x 216.

Cheers,
Glenn

sounds like a good company on there data sheet they tell you not to prime thats why i stopped using them but it will still be ok i think lol
http://tileadhesive.co.uk/PDF%20files/Granfix%20Data.pdf

 

[DHTiling]

Glenn . I have used those tiles loads of times and my advice is ...don't wash off to early or it washes the grout back out the fake grout line....and the trick is to wash by hand sponge and not a wash-boy.........light strokes of the sponge does the trick.........

 

[tpwuk]

sounds like a good company on there data sheet they tell you not to prime thats why i stopped using them but it will still be ok i think lol
http://tileadhesive.co.uk/PDF files/Granfix Data.pdf

Hi PJC....on this datasheet it says you have to prime: :huh2:

http://tileadhesive.co.uk/PDF files/Supergrip Adhesive.pdf


I would always prime any surface before applying anything to it, I think it's common sense and essential if you want a good finish. 🙂
----

Glenn . I have used those tiles loads of times and my advice is ...don't wash off to early or it washes the grout back out the fake grout line....and the trick is to wash by hand sponge and not a wash-boy.........light strokes of the sponge does the trick.........

Thanks for the tip Dave....what size spacers did you use with them?

 

[DHTiling]

I use rubi wedges on that type of tile to give it as tight as poss a joint without butting..this will give a better mosaic effect.........other wise you see a wide joint around each tile if you see what i mean........

 

[tpwuk]

I use rubi wedges on that type of tile to give it as tight as poss a joint without butting..this will give a better mosaic effect.........other wise you see a wide joint around each tile if you see what i mean........

Cheers Dave. I actually bought some 1mm spacers. Do you think a smaller gap is achievable with a rubi wedge?

 

[DHTiling]

Those will be fine..i just use the wedges because i carry them all the time , so no point in buying small spacers.............I think it looks better to try and blend them in, rather than let the joints stand out , otherwise you lose the effect........they look great when done though......i have used all the colours...........

 

[tpwuk]

Those will be fine..i just use the wedges because i carry them all the time , so no point in buying small spacers.............I think it looks better to try and blend them in, rather than let the joints stand out , otherwise you lose the effect........they look great when done though......i have used all the colours...........

My Missus is insistant on me using a grey coloured grout, although I'm not convinced. Have you used this colour grout on the combi dark before?

 

[TheWrightTiler]

grey grout on dark tiles looks nice when done but if thats what the wife wants on your head mate if dont do it

beware all men the wrath of a pissed of wife lol

andy