I've got a shower room to re-tile. The existing tiles (6" x 6") are coming off without too much trouble but are either leaving adhesive stuck to the plaster, or are loosening/pulling off the plaster to various depths.
Do I leave the wall as it is once all the tiles are off and just stick the new (13" x 9.75") tiles on with 'plenty' of adhesive, or do I remove the remaining adhesive and risk pulling more plaster off, and then make good with patching plaster?
I know which I'd rather do!
I would say remove what you can and patch up to some kind of good working level otherwise you will battle to get a smooth flat finish for your tiles. I havent done it myself but a friend tried it and it took longer to spread different levels of adhesive and try to make a level surface. he had a couple of tiles that didn't look just right in the end.
Remove the adhesive (steam wallpaper stripper) and make good the really bad bits. The repairs don't have to be 'perfect' just something flatish with the surrounding areas so you can tile on to it.
HTH
John
Is that because the old adhesive would provide a weak base, or because it's not going to be flat?
Sounding good! I thought I might get a chorus of strip it all down and re-plaster!
Not flat
Unless it is REALLY bad you should not have to replaster. You should just be able to patch plaster any bits that are large (you decide). Small bits can be left and an allowance made with the adhesive on the relevant tiles, again you decide which are small and large. Once the tiles are up nobody will know. Just take your time and care in the laying of the tiles!
HTH
John
Sod's Law! There has been a leak through one of the grout joints below the shower valves. The wall is wet through and the plaster in that area has fallen away as I've taken the tiles off (not much effort required!).
Looks like I need to strip the entire wall and get a plasterer in.
If the wall will be tiled, there's no need (in my humble opinion) for the services of a plasterer - it doesn't need to be polished to perfection, just pretty flat and sound. Read up on plastering first (search in this newgroup).
HTH
Mungo
Should only need to do the scratch (under) coat and level it off with a straight edge. I would have thought the resulting rough surface would be fine for sticking tiles to, indeed probably better than a smooth surface. You do have to let it fully dry before tiling though.
The feeds to the shower valve are let into the wall but not far enough to be flush. The plaster allowed them to be buried a little. I could chisel out the wall out a little more to accommodate them though...
I'll do that if the chiselling isn't going to be an option.
Thanks for the help.
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