Hello all,
Bathroom is progressing quite well but I now have a problem that I
know you guys will be able to help with. We decided that for the bath
panels, we will used plywood covered with ceramic tiles to match the
rest of the bathroom.
First question: What thickness of ply should I use. I already have
a full 8x4 sheet of 6mm ply but I'm worried there might be a little too
much flex in this to affix tiles to.
Second question: What's the best way of fixing the panels to the
bath in a way that they can be removed in case of servicing later on ?


For info, the bath is a whirlpool bath so there is a greater
possibility of servicing being required than perhaps on a normal bath.


We have built a timber frame all around the bath so there is
effectively a 100mm shelf all the way around the bath. This too will
be covered in ply & tiles. The timber frame has then been pushed into
a corner and then the bath has been plumbed in/out. Obviously we can
screw into the timber frame and then cap the screws but is there are
more aesthetically pleasing method incorporating some kind of hidden
fixings that we might be able to use? If anyone canot make sense of my
description, page 21 of the current Topps Tiles catalogue shows a
similar effect to the one we are trying to achieve.

Thanks.

Kevin.

On 26 May 2005 05:01:56 -0700, babbled like a
waterfall and said:

Hello all,
Bathroom is progressing quite well but I now have a problem that I
know you guys will be able to help with. We decided that for the bath
panels, we will used plywood covered with ceramic tiles to match the
rest of the bathroom.
First question: What thickness of ply should I use. I already have
a full 8x4 sheet of 6mm ply but I'm worried there might be a little too
much flex in this to affix tiles to.
Second question: What's the best way of fixing the panels to the
bath in a way that they can be removed in case of servicing later on ?


For info, the bath is a whirlpool bath so there is a greater
possibility of servicing being required than perhaps on a normal bath.


We have built a timber frame all around the bath so there is
effectively a 100mm shelf all the way around the bath. This too will
be covered in ply & tiles. The timber frame has then been pushed into
a corner and then the bath has been plumbed in/out. Obviously we can
screw into the timber frame and then cap the screws but is there are
more aesthetically pleasing method incorporating some kind of hidden
fixings that we might be able to use? If anyone canot make sense of my
description, page 21 of the current Topps Tiles catalogue shows a
similar effect to the one we are trying to achieve.

Thanks.

Kevin.

The only other alternative to capped screws that I have come across is
the use of ceramic magnets to hold the board against the bath.

The problem with that is that the things grip so firmly that a lever
must be used to remove the panel and damage might occur to the tiles.

It does solve the panel problem though and with no visible fixings, if
you can get the level of grip needed without making it impossible to
get the thing off.

Did a similar thing last year but without the 100mm shelf around.
In other words made a panel such that face of tiles is roughly flush with
lip edge of bath.

The way I got round the access issue was to cut access squares in the
plywood panel, but keep the cutout sections. I then fitted spring catches
to the cutout sections such that they click back into place flush with main
panel (the catches used were those that you used to see on old fashioned
larder doors - not sure of the name).

Then tiled over panel making sure that tiles over the removable panels were
stuck to the removable bit only and not the main panel if they overlapped.
Made sure that the bottom edge of the lowest tiles were just above the
lowest edge of the removable panel.
Cut a notch in the bottom of the removable panel to form a slot when in
place.
Left a slightly thicker grout joint below these tiles.
Used removable gasket material rather than grout around the edges of the
tiles stuck to the removable panel.

So if the worst happens:

Remove gasket-grout.
Insert bent wire "key" into slot below removable panel.
Rotate wire key thro 90 degrees to grab back of panel.
Pull firmly trying not to snag tile edge.
Panel come off complete with fixed tiles.
When finished, push back into place and re-"grout".

Phil

"EricP" wrote in message
news
On 26 May 2005 05:01:56 -0700, babbled like a
waterfall and said:

Hello all,
Bathroom is progressing quite well but I now have a problem that I
know you guys will be able to help with. We decided that for the bath
panels, we will used plywood covered with ceramic tiles to match the
rest of the bathroom.
First question: What thickness of ply should I use. I already have
a full 8x4 sheet of 6mm ply but I'm worried there might be a little too
much flex in this to affix tiles to.
Second question: What's the best way of fixing the panels to the
bath in a way that they can be removed in case of servicing later on ?


For info, the bath is a whirlpool bath so there is a greater
possibility of servicing being required than perhaps on a normal bath.


We have built a timber frame all around the bath so there is
effectively a 100mm shelf all the way around the bath. This too will
be covered in ply & tiles. The timber frame has then been pushed into
a corner and then the bath has been plumbed in/out. Obviously we can
screw into the timber frame and then cap the screws but is there are
more aesthetically pleasing method incorporating some kind of hidden
fixings that we might be able to use? If anyone canot make sense of my
description, page 21 of the current Topps Tiles catalogue shows a
similar effect to the one we are trying to achieve.

Thanks.

Kevin.

The only other alternative to capped screws that I have come across is
the use of ceramic magnets to hold the board against the bath.

The problem with that is that the things grip so firmly that a lever
must be used to remove the panel and damage might occur to the tiles.

It does solve the panel problem though and with no visible fixings, if
you can get the level of grip needed without making it impossible to
get the thing off.



Thanks for that Eric. I was looking for a solution to hide a conduit box
behind a tile, for easy access in the future. Never thought of gluing a
magnet to the back of the tile. Brilliant!!! And it works perfectly.

Give that man a coconut. :-)

TheScullster wrote:

panel (the catches used were those that you used to see on old fashioned
larder doors - not sure of the name).

Ball or Roller catch?

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Rumm wrote:
TheScullster wrote:
panel (the catches used were those that you used to see on old
fashioned larder doors - not sure of the name).

Ball or Roller catch?

"Bales catch".

If the OP can do similar, what I did was to screw a strip of
varnished MDF to the top of the panel, which hooked under the
lip of the bath, when the whole panel is lifted up. When the
panel is lifted, a strip of timber with some quadrant glued
to it is slipped under, and screwed to the floor:

Lip of bath
===./
|"
MDF strip- |#
|#
# - Bath panel
#
#
#
#
#
#@ -quadrant
=== - stripwood

To remove the panel, just undo the screws which hold the quadrant
and stripwood to the floor, pull out the quadrant/stripwood, then
the panel simply drops and can be removed.

Ball or Roller catch?

No it's kind of an incomplete ring of spring steel, with a diamond shape
male part that engages it .

Phil

The Bath Panel manufacturer I am about to install suggested velcro - so that
is the route I am taking.

Paul R

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello all,
Bathroom is progressing quite well but I now have a problem that I
know you guys will be able to help with. We decided that for the bath
panels, we will used plywood covered with ceramic tiles to match the
rest of the bathroom.
First question: What thickness of ply should I use. I already have
a full 8x4 sheet of 6mm ply but I'm worried there might be a little too
much flex in this to affix tiles to.
Second question: What's the best way of fixing the panels to the
bath in a way that they can be removed in case of servicing later on ?


For info, the bath is a whirlpool bath so there is a greater
possibility of servicing being required than perhaps on a normal bath.


We have built a timber frame all around the bath so there is
effectively a 100mm shelf all the way around the bath. This too will
be covered in ply & tiles. The timber frame has then been pushed into
a corner and then the bath has been plumbed in/out. Obviously we can
screw into the timber frame and then cap the screws but is there are
more aesthetically pleasing method incorporating some kind of hidden
fixings that we might be able to use? If anyone canot make sense of my
description, page 21 of the current Topps Tiles catalogue shows a
similar effect to the one we are trying to achieve.

Thanks.

Kevin.

The Bath Panel manufacturer I am about to install suggested velcro - so that
is the route I am taking.

Paul R

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello all,
Bathroom is progressing quite well but I now have a problem that I
know you guys will be able to help with. We decided that for the bath
panels, we will used plywood covered with ceramic tiles to match the
rest of the bathroom.
First question: What thickness of ply should I use. I already have
a full 8x4 sheet of 6mm ply but I'm worried there might be a little too
much flex in this to affix tiles to.
Second question: What's the best way of fixing the panels to the
bath in a way that they can be removed in case of servicing later on ?


For info, the bath is a whirlpool bath so there is a greater
possibility of servicing being required than perhaps on a normal bath.


We have built a timber frame all around the bath so there is
effectively a 100mm shelf all the way around the bath. This too will
be covered in ply & tiles. The timber frame has then been pushed into
a corner and then the bath has been plumbed in/out. Obviously we can
screw into the timber frame and then cap the screws but is there are
more aesthetically pleasing method incorporating some kind of hidden
fixings that we might be able to use? If anyone canot make sense of my
description, page 21 of the current Topps Tiles catalogue shows a
similar effect to the one we are trying to achieve.

Thanks.

Kevin.

Thanks guys, some good ideas already. I'm not sure that magnets or
velcro will work for me as the weight of a tiled panel might be to
much. Can't go with Chris's suggestion either because the lip of the
bath is sat on the timber frame (shelf). At the moment I'm favouring
using a number of 'double ball catches' similar to this :-

http://www.screwfix.com/sfd/i/cat/94/p1387894_x.jpg

If I use at least 4 per panel, I think that should take the weight and
keep the panels in place. The only difficulty I can perceive is in
getting all of the catches properly aligned in the first place.

As I'm writing, it's just occured to me that I might be able to hinge
the panels at the top and use these simple catches near the bottom to
help with the weight issue.

wrote:
Thanks guys, some good ideas already. I'm not sure that magnets or
velcro will work for me as the weight of a tiled panel might be to
much. Can't go with Chris's suggestion either because the lip of the
bath is sat on the timber frame (shelf). At the moment I'm favouring
using a number of 'double ball catches' similar to this :-

http://www.screwfix.com/sfd/i/cat/94/p1387894_x.jpg

If I use at least 4 per panel, I think that should take the weight and
keep the panels in place. The only difficulty I can perceive is in
getting all of the catches properly aligned in the first place.

As I'm writing, it's just occured to me that I might be able to hinge
the panels at the top and use these simple catches near the bottom to
help with the weight issue.

So you could have:

____ "shelf"
lip of bath / \ /
| ########
| |#| - "#" is a 1/2" sq. batten screwed to
|@| underside of "shelf".
MDF strip - |@| - "@" is a packing piece, screw through
| MDF strip to secure all to panel.
|
| - bath panel to be tiled.
|
|
|
[] is a timber screwed to []|\
the floor as a "stop" []== - quadrant screwed to strip to pack/
hold the bath panel into position.

The idea is quite uncomplicated, and strong - you need to try and
stop the panel bending. I should use something thicker than 1/4",
probably 1/2", and also screw a bracing frame to the back of the
panel, where it will fit - some 2x1s might do the job.

What sort of tiles are you thinking of using? How are you fixing
them on?

Going back to your first and very simple idea, could you use mirror
screws?

On Thu, 26 May 2005 12:53:12 GMT, "BigWallop"
babbled like a waterfall and said:

Thanks for that Eric. I was looking for a solution to hide a conduit box
behind a tile, for easy access in the future. Never thought of gluing a
magnet to the back of the tile. Brilliant!!! And it works perfectly.

Give that man a coconut. :-)

/me makes note in Diary.

"Helped Mr Wallop in the course of his trade"

(But the %$£^£& still wouldn't give me a discount")