Removing tiles attached to plasterboard - Shower room renovation

[caitrionahoran]

I'm re-doing a small shower room in a timber framed building. It is fully tiled with small tiles on plasterboard over the stud walls. The shower enclosure is slightly too small for a 700mm tray and is currently just floor tiled square area under 700mm. My idea is to remove both tiles and plasterboard on all walls and use thinner waterproof sheet material. I'm hoping to be able to either fit a tray 700x 100 extending out into the room or maybe create a wetroom. Have removed tiles in a small area 4ft x 4ft and found as the plasterboard was coming away anyhow using a chisel, the quickest way was to just hammer the tiles and plasterboard with the mallet. I also want to replumb with plastic pipe and am considering running this in the wall. Any tips on any aspect of this would be welcome. Thanks

 

[Bingy man]

You could use 6mm /12 mm plywood and the fix hardie tilebacker boards and then tile away . Use waterproof adhesive and waterproof grout and you can’t go wrong.

James Hardie HardieBacker Backerboard 6mm
£16.59
Topps Tiles
(5)
By High Street One

View more

Collect tomorrow


Hardiebacker Backerboard

 

[Bingy man]

Personally as I hate plastic pipes I would use 15 mm copper with soldered joints and then tape the pipe work to protect against corrosion use 15 mm saddle clips and fix to any stud work within the wall .

 

[caitrionahoran]

Thanks. What is it about plastic pipes you hate? My own skills don't extend to soldering copper. Existing copper pipes are a labyrinth where things have been changed and added to over 50 years so I will simplify the routes when adding a new water heater.

 

[Bingy man]

Because the fittings for 15mm pipe are bulky and also can become brittle over the years also some of the fittings are not demountable meaning once fitted they can’t be undone. If you are planning to use them stick with speedfit and use the superseal inserts pushed fully home into any tube ends , don’t use any sealant or ptfe tape on the plastic fittings and use a plastic pipe cutter not a hacksaw or copper pipe slice cutter. Cut the tube square and ensure the tube end that will be within the fitting is not scratched or deformed in any way.Once your plastic pipe is fully pushed into the fitting you need to lock them off by turning the plastic nuts until hand tight only ( no tools reqd ) try to avoid any joints that will become enclosed within the wall once it’s tiled ( some will inevitably be within the wall but keep these to a minimum or where unavoidable. Finally ensure the pipes are not under any stress or tension as this over time can strain the fittings . You maybe able to incorporate some means of access for future maintenance but this will depend on your bathroom layout and what is on the other side of your shower- good luck with your project and pics of the finished job are always welcome.

 

[Ozi]

Personally I stick with copper, I may be prejudiced against plastic having seen it installed very badly by cowboy builders with the resulting leaks, I'm sure there are people who make a decent job of it just haven't seen it yet. The lead free solder used nowadays is more difficult to get to flow than the old stuff you have to be much more careful with flux etc. I tend to work in sections where I make a few solder joints but put in a compression fitting here and there so I can make the solder joints away from walls etc. to have good access and see all round.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Whether you use copper or plastic, do your best to ensure there are as few joints as possible in pipework that's buried.

 

[clogs]

never seen a plastic fitting that wont come apart.....
I only use Hep2o when in the UK....even in concrete under floor heating.....
as above no joints behind the board, better to waste pipe than have a joint ......
if u want to tile on a board use the concrete sort, it's even available in Wickes n Band Q....
it's just like plaster board but totally water PROOF....
fixing to wooden battens is easy....
counter sink the board with a large masonary drill then drill the hole for the screw....
I use it all the time.....even on bad, uneaven brick walls.....save getting a plasterer in....
you get a nice flat wall very quickly.....

 

[Adam W.]

I use Wavin Pex One, pipe in pipe and insulation, it has brass compression fittings and is very good.

Not sure if it's widely available on the island though.

 

[XTiffy]

I have used all of the above but lately have been using "foam" board" from Wickes, lightweight waterproof and easy to cut it has some kind of a mesh (glass fibre?) so great for tiling. Roger Bisby of the Skillbuilder channel is a fan of this type of board for bathrooms. What ever you do stay away from plasterboard.
One other point which ever pipe you use put in some ball valves to aid maintenance. While looking after a neighbour's house while she was away was confronted by sodden carpets one morning. The copper pipework had expanded and popped the joint and I have since seen that often. Incidentally I remember (1980s) the shortage of copper and sub-standard copper pipe was used. I had a shop where the copper pipe developed pinholes spraying water every where.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I remember working on sub standard stainless steel pipework that had been used during the S. African copper embargo in the '60s - that would spring pinhole leaks while you watched it.

 

[Fitzroy]

What happens when plasterboard is used and water gets behind the tiles! It's very easy to remove though, it fell off! Regards tray size, I though the tray sat with the tiles overhanging it, so the thickness of the board and tiles should not impact it, just the opening size?

I plan to redo both my bathrooms later in the year and I am going to go for hardiebacker boards, or the foam type Jackobord/Marmox board, with acrylic panels over the top. Looks less work than tiling and far less grout to clean at a later date.

 

[baldkev]

I tend to board the walls, butt a tray up to it and silicone the joint, then tile over and silicone again....

Not everyone likes them, but ive done a couple of bathrooms with shower panels / bathroom wallboards. Ive used multipanel and was happy enough. Its quick and easy

 

[Bingy man]

I tend to board the walls, butt a tray up to it and silicone the joint, then tile over and silicone again....

Not everyone likes them, but ive done a couple of bathrooms with shower panels / bathroom wallboards. Ive used multipanel and was happy enough. Its quick and easy

+1 for double silicone of the shower tray

 

[Spectric]

Personally as I hate plastic pipes I would use 15 mm copper with soldered joints

Agree with avoid plastic, but try and avoid any joints behind the shower, if possible use a bender if you can accomodate the larger radius. Also for peace of mind use a tanking kit.

 

[2sheds]

I've just done our bathroom. Used uPVC wall panels over existing plasterboard but you can fix these straight to the timber battens, quite easy to fit and a lot quicker and cheaper than tiles. Just don't use the crappy plastic corner and end trims the suppliers try to sell you, I used wood mouldings to cover the interior and exterior corners. Used plastic coving from Screwfix around the ceiling and threw the plastic trim in the bin.

For plumbing I used Hep2o plastic. Yes I had a few leaks first time round, then I got used to it and it works brilliantly, would recommend 100%. Never done much in the way of plumbing before but plastic made it very simple and quick. As said by others, get a proper plastic pipe cutter and don't forget to fit the pipe inserts (a source of many of my leaks). I'd advise practising a bit and taking your time to plan the routing of the plumbing.

Also make sure to insert the pipe into the fitting all the way, the pipe has marks on it to help you make sure it is inserted correctly, goes in about an inch. And you can twist the pipe and feel a rumble to confirm it is in correctly. If you use Hep2o you'll also need to buy a demounting tool, I ended up getting the plastic set and the thin metal one for tight spaces. Doesn't work brilliantly, I did end up chucking a couple of fittings because I could not disconnect them, but that's about the only downside I have come across.

+ another 1 for double sealing the tray. On our bath I used (very expensive) CT1 between the bath rim and the wall battens, then good quality silicone sealant around the top edge. No leaks!

Good luck
Steve

 

[HOJ]

For plumbing I used Hep2o plastic. Yes I had a few leaks first time round, then I got used to it and it works brilliantly, would recommend 100%. Never done much in the way of plumbing before but plastic made it very simple and quick. As said by others, get a proper plastic pipe cutter and don't forget to fit the pipe inserts (a source of many of my leaks). I'd advise practising a bit and taking your time to plan the routing of the plumbing.

Also make sure to insert the pipe into the fitting all the way, the pipe has marks on it to help you make sure it is inserted correctly, goes in about an inch. And you can twist the pipe and feel a rumble to confirm it is in correctly. If you use Hep2o you'll also need to buy a demounting tool, I ended up getting the plastic set and the thin metal one for tight spaces. Doesn't work brilliantly, I did end up chucking a couple of fittings because I could not disconnect them, but that's about the only downside I have come across.

To be honest, I'm speechless, no wonder water damage insurance claims are high.

 

[baldkev]

Hopefully the insurance companies arent trawling diy forums

But yes, inserts are important. You can also measure, say, 30mm from the end if the pipe, make a mark ( pencil, not knife ) and that way you know how far onto the pipe the fitting went ( with insert in place )

 

[2sheds]

To be honest, I'm speechless, no wonder water damage insurance claims are high.

Yep, builders left us in the lurch, no plumbers available for months, so did it myself. All turned out fine in the end, with plenty of advice from the local plumbers merchants and YouTube!. Luckily all leaks were quickly spotted and fixed with no damage.

 

[Dave Moore]

Because the fittings for 15mm pipe are bulky and also can become brittle over the years also some of the fittings are not demountable meaning once fitted they can’t be undone. If you are planning to use them stick with speedfit and use the superseal inserts pushed fully home into any tube ends , don’t use any sealant or ptfe tape on the plastic fittings and use a plastic pipe cutter not a hacksaw or copper pipe slice cutter. Cut the tube square and ensure the tube end that will be within the fitting is not scratched or deformed in any way.Once your plastic pipe is fully pushed into the fitting you need to lock them off by turning the plastic nuts until hand tight only ( no tools reqd ) try to avoid any joints that will become enclosed within the wall once it’s tiled ( some will inevitably be within the wall but keep these to a minimum or where unavoidable. Finally ensure the pipes are not under any stress or tension as this over time can strain the fittings . You maybe able to incorporate some means of access for future maintenance but this will depend on your bathroom layout and what is on the other side of your shower- good luck with your project and pics of the finished job are always welcome.

I would also suggest using silicon lubricant on the rubber rings to aid assembly and to ensure a good seal Just like on waste pipe assembly.