Small bathroom refurb project

[SeatIbiza]

So, in the next couple of weeks I want to rip my bathroom out in full and replace. I've got an appointment next Friday with Active Plumbing to come and take a look with regards a design and what to order and what will fit etc. but I was chatting with a mate yesterday who said I should marine ply the shower area.

The walls in my house are solid and appear to be in good condition (it is currently tiled where the shower is so that is obviously pending ripping them off). I get that the ply would give a good flat surface to tile onto, but it will also add ~18mm to the walls here and my bathroom is small (2.174m x 1.7m with a height of 2.4m).

My plan was, until he mentioned this, to rip everything off the walls, make good where it needs with repair plaster and then tile over this. There are some pipes that I want to bury as well, so making good those chases and then tiling over. I will be renewing everything in there whilst I am at it.

Thanks, James

 

[Orifice]

Anyone that says you should use marine ply should be ignored. For a shower the only thing you want to use is a tile backer board, either the solid Hardie Board type, or the foam core Marmox type. Both are designed exactly for this job, and can be used on the wall in the 6mm variant.

Making good should be ok providing you have a sound surface, but you should still use a tanking kit at the very minimum.

 

[SeatIbiza]

So I'm thinking of going back to brickwork and then dry line it all, then plaster it all, tank etc. Some of the plaster is blown in places so I think this might be the better way forward even if it is going to be messy and laborious...

Good or bad idea?

 

[Orifice]

If by dryline you mean plasterboard, then I really wouldn't bother, definitely don't then plaster it. Plasterboard will take 32kg/m2 of tile, if you plaster it then that drops to 20kg/m2. Whilst tanking should ensure its waterproofed the fact its plasterboard means any water does get to it then it will swell and start blowing the tiles. Backer board wont do that, and doesn't need plastering.

If you're going back to brick then the tile boards can be dot/dabbed or fully bedded on tile adhesive with mech fixings, then just tank the joins and tile. Similar if not slightly less work, wont rot if water does get through and supports a greater tile weight.

 

[200sols]

So I'm thinking of going back to brickwork and then dry line it all, then plaster it all, tank etc. Some of the plaster is blown in places so I think this might be the better way forward even if it is going to be messy and laborious...

Good or bad idea?

If you want to go back to brick then fine but you dont need to. You could simply overboard with tile backer mechanically fixed through to the brick. Either way the end result is the same, forget marine ply and plaster/plasterboard just use tile boards around the shower they are fully waterproof (not hardibackers they are cement boards and not waterproof). Typically with marmox style boards you just tape the joints and washer holes, its all very easy.