Old Codger Plumber Needs Help Tiling:-)

[silverpuma]

Hi guys I'm going to try to tile my bathroom. On the pictures you will see two old window recesses that have been blocked up on the back side as we built an extension on to the back of the bathroom (we put in roof velux for light) I would like to block up one of these widows flush with the wall and have 2 shelves in the other window/recess.

Questions:
1 what type of material should I use to block the window opening with? I have thought of studding the inside recess with say 3 x 1 1/2 and then plaster board flush (as there will be no direct water here.) But how do I make the joints between the existing wall and the new flush plasterboard strong enough to stop cracking at this weak junction or is this a problem at all

?

2. On the shelf, what materials should I use? Again I was thinking about normal studding and plasterboard?

I am a retired plumber due to ill health and I have time so I want to do a really neat tidy job with no shortcuts but I don't have the experience of tiling to know the "best" way, hence I am thankful for any help offered.

PS: The old tiles left behind adhesive I have used a steamer wallpaper stripper on a small area and scraped the adhesive off with a trowel seemed to work OK, any better ways? The wall are smooth sand and cement.....loads of more questions coming.....!!!!!

 

[Old Mod]

If u want something substantial u could board with a cement board like 12mm Hardibacker and then tape the joints.
For shelves you could use 50mm thick tile backer board like Wedi or Schluter Kerdi. With Schluter u can get tracks that it slides in to (not sure bout Wedi) and just tile it top and bottom and u can get beautiful profiles to cover the front 50mm, budget depending of course. Still tape the joints of course.
Having said that if there is no chance of moisture, as long as your stud work is solid just use green plasterboard and tape all the joints and it should be fine.

 

[silverpuma]

If u want something substantial u could board with a cement board like 12mm Hardibacker and then tape the joints.
For shelves you could use 50mm thick tile backer board like Wedi or Schluter Kerdi. With Schluter u can get tracks that it slides in to (not sure bout Wedi) and just tile it top and bottom and u can get beautiful profiles to cover the front 50mm, budget depending of course. Still tape the joints of course.
Having said that if there is no chance of moisture, as long as your stud work is solid just use green plasterboard and tape all the joints and it should be fine.

thanks 3-fall, sorry for being a numpy but when you say tape the joints what type of tape is that?

 

[Old Mod]

thanks 3-fall, sorry for being a numpy but when you say tape the joints what type of tape is that?

A wide skrim will work with the green plasterboard, but if you're gonna use Wedi or Schluter they have their own tape to compliment their board. You want to try and buy it by the metre tho, cos a full 30Lm roll is quite pricey.

 

[silverpuma]

thanks again for your info and patience

 

[Dan]

Can't beat the advice above.

Make sure you tank your shower area.

And be sure to set out well.

 

[silverpuma]

Can't beat the advice above.

Make sure you tank your shower area.

And be sure to set out well.

hadn't thought about the waterproofing behind the shower but will now, good advice I looked on a youtube video on ARDEX that looks like it would do my job, what do you think? My wall are smooth sand / cement

 

[Dan]

Is it the paint-on type?

That's good enough for me. I use BAL or Mapei.

 

[silverpuma]

paint type

 

[silverpuma]

looking at some videos and looks like these are more suited for plastered walls. I wonder will my sand and cement wall be ok as they will probably soak up more of the waterproofing liquid?

 

[Old Mod]

looking at some videos and looks like these are more suited for plastered walls. I wonder will my sand and cement wall be ok as they will probably soak up more of the waterproofing liquid?

It'll be fine, have a read of this.....

ARDEX WPC - Waterproofing 1 : Ardex

 

[Dan]

looking at some videos and looks like these are more suited for plastered walls. I wonder will my sand and cement wall be ok as they will probably soak up more of the waterproofing liquid?

Are you on our plumbing forum?

 

[silverpuma]

will do

 

[silverpuma]

Are you on our plumbing forum?

No Dan although I ran my own Plumbing and heating business 35 years ago. I then after 8 years started a construction firm and then had to retire 7 years ago so I've been out of the plumbing day to day loop for decades. All this plastic pipe instead of copper makes me nervous . An old dinosaur from the old days....LOL

 

[Dan]

No Dan although I ran my own Plumbing and heating business 35 years ago. I then after 8 years started a construction firm and then had to retire 7 years ago so I've been out of the plumbing day to day loop for decades. All this plastic pipe instead of copper makes me nervous . An old dinosaur from the old days....LOL

I think that's the general feeling for plastic to be honest. No professional likes it.

 

[p4ulo]

Don't forget to prime the walls before tiling.
If they are a bit too lumpy for you to get the tiles flat easily, you could always get the walls skimmed?
Piece of cake then....
As above, tanking in shower area (BAL do a decent priced full kit too), and Concrete boards for your other jobs. Depending on how your joinery skills are, you could make 2 thick shelves from concrete boards too which you could fully tile (Hardibacker is good for this).
Good luck, keep the questions and pictures coming.

 

[White Room]

No Dan although I ran my own Plumbing and heating business 35 years ago. I then after 8 years started a construction firm and then had to retire 7 years ago so I've been out of the plumbing day to day loop for decades. All this plastic pipe instead of copper makes me nervous . An old dinosaur from the old days....LOL

I wonder with the push fits how long before the rubber washers breakdown and there's leaks.

 

[Dan]

More work secured for future plumbers!

Doesn't take too many years before they go brittle.

 

[White Room]

Perhaps that was the alliterative motive...