Shower room again.

Don't want to mess this damm room up, last time it was done about 5 years ago, it was done bad and all the floor rotted and some joists...

So I have placed the marine ply down today, it is 1" 18mm, so what exact screws should I be using at what intervals???. Should I be pilot drilling small holes. A builder said just hit some screws in with a hammer, but I don't want to take his advice.

The shower bit, I have been reading that I shouldn't use basic plasterboard!!. Hardiebacker500 whatever that is may be a good idea??. Also read that I should use some plastic sheets? Where do they do, between the wooden battens and the plasterboard??.

Do I tile up to the top of the shower tray?? If so, do I squirt some silicone between the shower tray and the plasterboard before tiling??

Any more bright ideas please??.

Thanks Phil

Reply to
PhilÅ
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Phil,

As I've just posted in another thread regarding plasterboard replacement for shower areas.

Or similarly Aquapanel.

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also available a Wickes - same stuff but with a Wickes label stuck on.

I've used this in both bathrooms and have been very satisfied with the results. Fantastically heavy though, compared to plasterboard.

AND, my previous post regarding what to do at the bottom of the wall where the shower tray tucks behind the tiles:

In my two bathrooms that I've done fairly recently i have:

- planned where the top of the enclosure and top of tray will be - in one case I was doing the "different colour tiles inside the shower" thing so I wanted the tops of the "second colour" tiles to end at the top of the enclosure and also the change of colour to occur where it would be hidden by the shower frame.

- based on the above, carefull decided where to start tiling both walls (a corner enclosure in both cases)

- put horizontal battens on the wall to support the SECOND row of tiles up from the bottom (i.e. the first row of whole tiles)

- tiled everything starting on these battens

- When done, fitted the shower tray (both were Matki with built-in tiling upstand edges on the "stone" resin trays.

- Then cut and fitted the bottom row of part tiles. With these I cut everything beforehand then did the following :

- Whacked on a load of silicone on maybe the bottom inch of the tile, rest normal tile adhesive

- Got them all on the wall as quick as possible

- Applied the main bead of silicone between the tiles and tray (well actually most of this was what squidged out from behond the tiles). I also had masking tape on the edges of the tray in anticipation.

- After it had all set, grouted (mix-it-yourself grout of course - a pleasure to use compared to previous attempts with ready mixed grout or, heaven forbid, "tile and grout")

- Fitted enclosure as per instructions, including sealing to tile surface.

- Job done.

(one of them ended up like

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course if you already have your tray fitted so the only bit of advice I'd give you is to be VERY careful not to drop any tiles into it!

... to which the reply from another expert was ...

"Which is exactly how it should be done"

Good luck.

Regards, Simon.

Reply to
Simon Stroud

Which one is you???

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Reply to
PhilÅ

Simon, what's actually the problem with "tile-and-grout"? We've always used it without problem AFAICS so would be interested to hear!

David

Reply to
Lobster

To be honest I haven't used it for a LONG time so maybe it's improved.

The last time I used it must have been over 10 years ago. The main problem was in the grouting stage where I hadn't quite got the hang of getting the excess off the joints quickly enough. ISTR having to actually sand all the joints to get it to the right shape! Later on I discovered Wickes ready mixed waterproof grout in a tub, which seemed pretty good. I think the sturdiest tool I had to use then was a "green scourer" to clean it off the tiles. BUT on the latest tiling projects I have used powdered mix-it-yourself grout in a bag, and that is a complete pleasure to use. Squishes into the joints beautifully and the excess on the front of the tiles wipes off with just a dry cloth and a bit of a rub.

But as I said, "tile and grout" may be better nowadays!

Regards, Simon.

Reply to
Simon Stroud

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>Curses, forgot that.

Far right.

Regards, Simon.

Reply to
Simon Stroud

I would go along with that... I think having used tile'n'grout in the past was one of the main contributing factors to my mental rating of tiling as pretty tedious and unpleasant job.

For a recent big project however, I got some decent readymixed adhesive, and some Nicobond dry powdered waterproof grout, and a decent grout float. The result was the grouting job was very quick and easy and actually quite theraputic. Easy to apply, most of the grout you can squeegy nicely into all the cracks and then cleanly off the tiles with the float, the remaining residue wiped off once dry. Unlike the combination products the "real" grout is not sticky, and hence so much nicer to work with.

I found a nice "rubber finger" in wicks which was also great for getting a nice concave finish on all the grout lines...

Reply to
John Rumm

I followed a slightly different approach - but with the same goals in mind. Not saying this is any better or worse, just different.

I started by working out where the tray was going, and building the plinth for it (in my case it needed to be raised 4" from the floor to allow enough fall on the waste pipe). I then clad the base of the plinth, and both walls with 19mm WBP ply.

The cast stone tray went in next on a 1/2" bed of mortar on top of the ply plinth. This was butted up against the ply walls.

Once the tray base was set, I then pumped plenty of silicone between the outside of the tray and the ply walls.

Next I stapled expanded metal lath sheets over both walls. then rendered over the lath with approx a 1/2" depth of mortar (with waterproofing admixture). Hence the "walls" of the shower now drain directly onto the top of the shower tray, rather than beside it.

Finally I tiled (laying the tiles on a 3mm bed of waterproof adhesive). I used some scrap bits of tile at the base of the wall to space the bottom row of tiles away from the tray by about 6mm.

Once the tiles were in place, and the spacers at the bottom removed, there was now a good key into which could be pumped the finishing bead of silicone.

Hopefully a belt, braces, and susspenders solution!

The one complication with this solution is that the ply walls are a little thicker than the plasterboard used in the rest of the room (and that is without the render!). This change in wall thickness however can be lost at the frame of the enclosure.

Reply to
John Rumm

That's a nice finish, but with ours the joint between ceiling and wall got a small coving to make the room look taller. We have a false ceiling to hide the tanks and things, so the room, although originally nearly 3mtrs high, was brought down almost 1mtr to make space for all the bitsos and bobsos.

Looking at the pic', now I wish I'd gone with putting the tanks in another room. Oh well. :-))

Reply to
BigWallop

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