Wall prep before aquapanel

[garethdavies]

Hi All,

Been to see a job today and am after a little bit of help please. 2 bathrooms, one small with solid walls plastered, previously tiled but following removal they have had a plasterer in to re-skim. Larger bathroom 2 solid walls as above and 2 walls boarded and skimmed.

Problem i've got is the marble tiles (they already have waiting) with adhesive come in around 35kg/mtr. On the boarded walls I will simp[ly take down and replace with aquapanel. On the solid walls though they have shower enclosures already fitted with the one piece shower wall panels so this deteremines my finished tile level at either side.

I am planning on dot and dabbing aqua panels to solid walls then fixing with washers and screws etc but will I have to take the walls right back to the blockwork or can i just take out enough as long as it is sound underneath? I ideally only need to take around 15-20mm off the walls to enable me to fit aquapanel then tile flush to the level of the shower surrounds if you understand my thinking.

I want to strip it all back as I normally would but to be honest the customers looked devastated when they knew this as they already have suite fitted etc, not a problem as i'll get them whipped out anyway but I can see they are worrying about the financial side of so much more work. I think my solution could win or lose me the job so I am trying to think of the most cost effective way to them without risking any aspect of my work. I'd rather walk away than do a cheap job but am trying to think of a solution thats cheaper for them yet sound for me.

Thanks

 

[david campbell]

if i'm reading this properly then you don't need to strip the plaster back totally,but make sure the fixings are long enough to be secure to either the stud frame or existing blockwork behind it

 

[garethdavies]

Cheers for that. Think you were reading it properly. The current plaster skim is only 10mm from the finished edge of the shower wall panels. Si to fit aquapanel i obviously need to strip wall back enough to get aquapanel, adhesive and tile to finish flush with the shower panel if you see what i mean. Tiles are 12mm thick so ideally i need to strip back the current plaster around 25mm giving me 35mm approx for aquapanel, tile, adhesive etc to then tile flush to shower wall. really wondering if its sound if its okay to just strip back this far then dot and dab and fix as you've mentioned. i've always been taught to take back to blockwork you see but trying to keep this to a minimum if possible.

 

[Colour Republic]

can the shower not be moved forward slightly?

other option is to chose a different tile, if they want to use a certain product then it has to be prep'd right but you aready know that, they didn't seek advice before have the walls replastered so sadly the mistake will cost them

 

[garethdavies]

hi cr, the shower enclosure has already been fitted and walls done with the one piece panels, not tiling in there but one wall is along the full length wall across the back of the room. Because the plastering etc was done before this that just gives me 10mm deep gap from finished shower wall level to the skim on part of wall to be tiled so obviously cant fit tiles let alone anything else on current walls. Hope you understand what i mean its always difficult to explain in words!!

 

[doug boardley]

I can't see any other way apart from removing enclosure, fix aquapanel and tiles and then shower panels flush. (ps sorry about my deleted post, kids had typed while my back was turned:incazzato

 

[Colour Republic]

hi cr, the shower enclosure has already been fitted and walls done with the one piece panels, not tiling in there but one wall is along the full length wall across the back of the room. Because the plastering etc was done before this that just gives me 10mm deep gap from finished shower wall level to the skim on part of wall to be tiled so obviously cant fit tiles let alone anything else on current walls. Hope you understand what i mean its always difficult to explain in words!!

Yeah get what you mean, I was just trying to see if removing and re-installing the shower would be less labour intensive and cheaper than hacking the plaster back, you don't know what adhesive the panels in the shower were put up with do you?

 

[garethdavies]

Cheers doug,

Its the only shower they have in the house with couple and 3 kids and they stressed to me that needs to be working at all times! that was why i was thinking about taking the rest of that wall back to then build out to that level through panels and tiles etc. it seems a lot of work but just trying to think of how to get round it under their specifics of what they need. I've tried to attach a quick sketch of the room to see if that makes it easier for anyone. darker lines in shower area are just to show the wall panels protruding 10mm or so from the rest of the wall, hope it works

 

[garethdavies]

Yeah get what you mean, I was just trying to see if removing and re-installing the shower would be less labour intensive and cheaper than hacking the plaster back, you don't know what adhesive the panels in the shower were put up with do you?

no sorry, no idea, they seem to have been doing the house as much as they can themselves, they mentioned plastering and shower fitting was done months ago

 

[Colour Republic]

ahhh. what width is the frame of the shower door? can you not tile up to this and cover it slightly by 20-30mm taking into account aquapanels and tiles, not ideal but a far cheaper option for them if they don't want to spend the money on stripping the walls, it's there call

 

[garethdavies]

ahhh. what width is the frame of the shower door? can you not tile up to this and cover it slightly by 20-30mm taking into account aquapanels and tiles, not ideal but a far cheaper option for them if they don't want to spend the money on stripping the walls, it's there call

hadnt thought of that but the shower wall panel is full height to ceiling so suppose that rules out that option as screen isnt so i'd then have problems of tiles protruding at top when they want a flush finish. suppose its back to havking away.

back to earlier in the thread do i have to take back plaster to blockwork or is it okay just to take back far enough as long as its sound then dot and dab?

 

[Colour Republic]

hadnt thought of that but the shower wall panel is full height to ceiling so suppose that rules out that option as screen isnt so i'd then have problems of tiles protruding at top when they want a flush finish. suppose its back to havking away.

back to earlier in the thread do i have to take back plaster to blockwork or is it okay just to take back far enough as long as its sound then dot and dab?

that really depends on what the plaster is made up of and how old it is, if it's solid and you're screwing, then just take off what you need, if it's shot to pieces then the whole lot off but if it's shot it should just fall off anyway, then you have the option of sticking and screwing or if plaster and undercoat are thick, framing and screwing

 

[Gazebo]

Hi Gareth

You have already had some great advice, have you considered using marmox board(very very light and easy to use, albeit it quite pricey) as this can be fixed directly to the plaster skim wall with spf adhesive (prime 1st obv)then use the metal marmox washers and stainless steels screw to drill plug and anchor to the wall, this not only increases the tile weight but also waterproofs the area, as opposed to aquapanel not being waterproof (just resistant as it prefers to be fixed to stud work as any moisture soaking through the board can then evaporate behind the board.)

Hope this helps

Gary