Hi
We would like to change the tile surrounding our bathtub and have been advised that we can tile over the existing tile, since the walls are in good shape.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Thanks
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Why do you not want to tear it out?
[email protected]
We were told it would be easier, faster & less costly.
Easier and faster for the contractor, less oney from you, at least hopefully.
Now, maybe what you want to know is what is the right way of doing it.
If you write up some details of the existing situation we might be able to give you a better answer.
Eric[email protected]
You can get a new car with a can of paint too.
When we do a bathroom we gut it. You can update everything and have a better product at the end.
You get what you pay for.
I was told this. Take the shine off the existing tiles by sanding with 40 or 60 sandpaper. You should do this with electric sander. I assume a hand sanding won't make much difference. You can tile over with ceramic tile but not with natural stone. You can use mastic, but, over time, thinset would keep the adhesion better. Scrape over the existing tile with thinset for best adhesion and then install the tiles with thinset. You have to be sure that all of the existing tiles are not loose and the condition of the backer is good. If you can't be sure of these, then you should gut the room.
I am renovating my bathroom. I gutted the walls, upgraded the plumbing, electric and insulation. I am keeping the ceiling and fairly new exhaust fan. The floor tiles were installed over a mud floor. I am confident that 12x12 tile with modified thinset will stand the test of time.
If you plan to tile over, walls and floor will become thicker. You may have to change the threshold trim, window and door jambs. There may be issue with how deep the existing electric switch and outlet boxes become recessed. You have to be careful about recessing the toilet flange.
I don't know if you need building permit for this. If you were planning to do this without the permit, you should be sure about how understanding your neighbors are, and that if a wandering inspector or even a cop sees construction material or garbage, they may ask to see a permit. I hope this helps.
Thanks for yr comments and insights. The issue of preparing the existing tile was/is my biggest concern. No point in doing this to have it all slide off in a year or so.
Actually, we are planning to do this just around the bathtub, so there will be no concerns about trim or electrical outlets.
The existing tile and backing are in good shape. All that is really needed is to have the area regrouted and caulked. However, there is a band of decorative tile about half way up the wall that my wife has decided has no right to live. It must be eliminated in some way. We were told that to try to remove just these tiles would most likely result in damage to either ( or both ) the ajoining tiles or the backing - resulting in the need for a gut job in the area. Simply retiling over the existing tile seems to be the easiest and most cost effective way to achieve decorative harmony - as long as it will work. I'm not looking to buy trouble a short while down the road.
How is the new tile going to effect the existing setting of the plumbing? The shower head is usually not a problem.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Calvin,
My wife has also decided that the spout and taps could do with some improving. The tiling contractor that is proposing the re-tile approach has advised that we get a plumber to take a look at the job and make any changes we want in that respect before they do their part.
Best of luck.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
"Actually, we are planning to do this just around the bathtub, so there will be no concerns about trim or electrical outlets."
How will you finish the ends of the walls? I'm guessing there's a bullnose tile there now, how will you tile over that bullnose with a new bullnose and have it look good?Sounds like a trimming issue.
Replacing the offending accent tile should actually be fairly simple, albeit dusty, with a 4 1/2" grinder and an abrasive wheel, and a cold chisel.
What is your current backer material? If cement board this is a piece of cake, if drywall, then a little more finesse is needed, but stil doable.
Your shower valve will be a bit of a sticky wicket too, and probably will chew up any savings a tile-over will return, if not cost you a lot more.
Get a second opinion, then decide
Geoff
P.S. You will need to find a replacement tile to fit the removed accent tile space before you remove the accent tile, if you can't, then I would just gut and go new.
You're right with two exceptions: you can use stone over ceramic, and you should not use mastic around the tub. Mapei makes a thinset designed for going over old tile ... check their website. To the OP: the best solution would be to remove all the old tile and start over. In the long run it will not cost much more, considering the extra work involved in adapting o the old tilestill in place."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Thanks on Mapei info. To doughhead5, if changing the faucet, it's good time to find out the condition of the tile. Break just enough tile to redo the faucet plumbing. Line to shower head usually does not have to be replaced. Save enough backing to attach a nailer and patch with cement backer, level the repair area with driest thinset that will stick to verticle wall then tile. If the shower faucet can be accessed from the wall behind, repair would be even easier. This is also good time to use the pipe insulation or spray foam to reduce the water noise. Use non-expanding foam.
Personally, in the future, I would use bath faucet valves with ceramic washers and parts that are easy to remove. I use to think Moen (from Homedepot) was a good value, but I am finding that their one stem washer system resists removal for repair or replacement, although there is no apparent corrosion on the stem. Can anybody recommend a good brand with ceramic washers and easy (from experience) to remove parts? I am aware of Delta but I believe they still use rubber washers. Thank you in advance.
Two things come to mind: One, when I just redid my m/bath, after tearing out the walls I found a crimp in the hot water supply line. This was from the original construction of the house, and is why the hot water took so long to get there. Boy, was I surprised. Cut that out and replaced it correctly and wa-la we have great hot water now. You never know what was originally done or redone in them thar walls. Two, the plumber will make more work for you by opening large holes to change anything he can sell you on.
Thomas Jefferson
3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)
I would not recommend it for a long term solution. If the tile is that old and outdated, I would remove it and take the opportunity to update the old plumbing valves also.
If you do end up ripping out the tile,cut right above it in the plaster and fur out the studs to match the plaster thickness.Unless of course you're running lots of new wiring.
My company has done probably over a thousand showers and although we have done quite a few tile overs don
't come up that often because they always start as a tile over then there is a plumbing issue or someone wants accent tile or some change that client thinks is easy> you have some good advice from several people here and it has me wondering if I might have call backs coming to me in the future for all the ones we have done< we always scarrify the surface and use a product from I think Laticrete called 333 it will stick 2 steel trowels together never had a failure yet, but once you start taking tile off just take it all off and start over. im not sure why any permit would be needed for this but I have been bit many times with inspectors having them explain why I did. goodluck