For some reason, we bought a house with one of those oversized soaking tubs that nobody ever uses. Anyway, the house was built by a concrete contractor, so the tub sits in a 2″ thick stained concrete surround.
During some demolition after a water leak, the concrete surround got badly chipped by the demo contractor. Insurance will pay to have a new one installed, but I never liked the thing. I’d rather have ceramic tile or stone tile (not to mention I can pocket the difference in cost).
Can I pull the tub and tile directly over the concrete surround if I properly prep the concrete or do I need backer board? How would you recommend I prep the concrete? Strip the finish, then acid etch to rough up?
Thanks for your advice.
Replies
All the garden tubs I've messed with DO NOT sit on the finish surface per se. The lip is not meant to bear weight. You'll have to shim up (probably) the thickness of your finished goods under the tub, then bed the thing in a plaster morter base. As to the thinset sticking to the old concrete, I would think so, but will defer to tile guys.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
You bought the house cuz your wife liked it ... you're just to vain to admit that.
Does the concrete form a complete basin, or just the front side? Tile grout is pourus, so you need something to keepo the bath water from getting to the concrete. Not that the water will hurt the concrete, but I doubt that it is waterproof ... it was just there to hold the tub. I have seen a product called, I think, Red Guard which is supposed to be a paint-on waterproofing membrane. Saw it at my tile store. To answer your question, yes you can apply tile directly to the concrete. But you won't have a water-tight tub.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
This is basically a fiberglass tub sitting in a wood-frame box. the box is covered with tile on the front edge and has a concrete slab as the top with a cutout that the tub sits in. I would pull the tub out, tile over the concrete top, shim up the floor to bear the weight of the tub and set the tub back in. I would waterproof all the grout, just like I would with a tile shower.
Thanks for your advice.
bb
I would pull the tub out, tile over the concrete top, shim up the floor to bear the weight of the tub and set the tub back in.
The tub should be set in a huge blob of Structolite.
EricIt's Never Too Late
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Ok, that's clear now. Yes, you can just apply tile directly to the concrete. Seal the grout well, caulk the joint well between the tile and the tub, and you're in business.
And like Eric says, fully support the bottom of the tub. The top flange should not be supporting the tub.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Edited 8/2/2005 6:38 pm ET by Ed Hilton
Yep, that'll work. Tiling over concrete is not a problem; one could even say it's the ideal substrate.
I have used mastic on tile-over-concrete jobs in non-wet interior applications; but for your application you should use thinset. Also check out some of the new epoxy grouts for water-resistance; you might find it just what you need.
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
"You bought the house cuz your wife liked it ... you're just to vain to admit that."
I'm not to vain to admit that. When my wife ain't happy, ain't nobody happy...
Doesn't mean I have to like it. I just have to go along...