Posting a question from my dad...

He's removed a strip of thin tiles which were stuck along the
bath edge horizontally, butting up against the wall, and wants
to replace them after re-sealing the gap between the bath and
the wall. It would be a better job if he could get the old tile
cement off the bath enamel (it's an enamelled cast iron bath).
Any ideas how to do it, preferably without wrecking the
enamel?

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 22 Nov 2008 23:54:05 GMT, (Andrew
Gabriel) wrote:

Posting a question from my dad...

He's removed a strip of thin tiles which were stuck along the
bath edge horizontally, butting up against the wall, and wants
to replace them after re-sealing the gap between the bath and
the wall. It would be a better job if he could get the old tile
cement off the bath enamel (it's an enamelled cast iron bath).
Any ideas how to do it, preferably without wrecking the
enamel?
Unless I am wrong tile cement softens when soaked in water but I think
that might be tricky in this situation :-)

How about slowly scraping the cement away using a sharp chisel or
Stanley knife until it is almost all away then using wet pot scourers
...those things sponge on one side and green abrasive stuff on the
other .
Unless someone knows of something that acts as a solvent on tile
cement .

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
Posting a question from my dad...

He's removed a strip of thin tiles which were stuck along the
bath edge horizontally, butting up against the wall, and wants
to replace them after re-sealing the gap between the bath and
the wall. It would be a better job if he could get the old tile
cement off the bath enamel (it's an enamelled cast iron bath).
Any ideas how to do it, preferably without wrecking the
enamel?

Andrew Gabriel


On glass enamel, use a metal scraper to chip it off. Old adhesives want
have got a good grip on glass enamel, so should chip off very easily. It's
when people panic and start to use chemicals that he damage gets done.

Just tell him to gently chip the old adhesive off with a paint scraper.

Also, just to mention an alternative to sil**** sealant around the bath, ask
Your Dad if he wants a really long lasting seal against the wall and tiles.
Then point him in the direction of these
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/na...&isSearch=true
from BandQ.

Seal along between the bath and wall with silicone first, then apply the
tile adhesive to the wall, then stick the seal strip into the adhesive and
put your tiles on top. The tiles push down onto the strip to make it a
tight fit against the bath, and no more future worries about adhesives or
grouting, or even damaging the bath.

Well worth the price to make a really neat and tidy job that will last for
years and years.

BigWallop wrote:
"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
Posting a question from my dad...

He's removed a strip of thin tiles which were stuck along the
bath edge horizontally, butting up against the wall, and wants
to replace them after re-sealing the gap between the bath and
the wall. It would be a better job if he could get the old tile
cement off the bath enamel (it's an enamelled cast iron bath).
Any ideas how to do it, preferably without wrecking the
enamel?

Andrew Gabriel


On glass enamel, use a metal scraper to chip it off. Old adhesives
want have got a good grip on glass enamel, so should chip off very
easily. It's when people panic and start to use chemicals that he
damage gets done.

Tile cement disolves in acids, but I wouldn't use them near an enamel bath,
Some acid based toilet cleaners have warnings against using them on enamel
baths.

Just tell him to gently chip the old adhesive off with a paint
scraper.

These are good used with care;
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/16530/...y-Duty-Scraper


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
Posting a question from my dad...

He's removed a strip of thin tiles which were stuck along the
bath edge horizontally, butting up against the wall, and wants
to replace them after re-sealing the gap between the bath and
the wall. It would be a better job if he could get the old tile
cement off the bath enamel (it's an enamelled cast iron bath).
Any ideas how to do it, preferably without wrecking the
enamel?

descaler or brick acid after careful chiselling of the bigger lumps.

It wont attack the enamel, but it will the underlying iron..

The Medway Handyman wrote:
BigWallop wrote:
"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
Posting a question from my dad...

He's removed a strip of thin tiles which were stuck along the
bath edge horizontally, butting up against the wall, and wants
to replace them after re-sealing the gap between the bath and
the wall. It would be a better job if he could get the old tile
cement off the bath enamel (it's an enamelled cast iron bath).
Any ideas how to do it, preferably without wrecking the
enamel?

Andrew Gabriel

On glass enamel, use a metal scraper to chip it off. Old adhesives
want have got a good grip on glass enamel, so should chip off very
easily. It's when people panic and start to use chemicals that he
damage gets done.

Tile cement disolves in acids, but I wouldn't use them near an enamel bath,
Some acid based toilet cleaners have warnings against using them on enamel
baths.

The enamel is just glass. That is proof against all but hydro fluoric acid.

Its the plastic baths that may have issues.

Nevertheless, I have used it on he ones I have an its oK.

I have blackend chrome work though with heavy duty descaler, and the cat
pee in the bath (don't ask why they prefer it as a toilet) has ruined
the plug hole chrome.




Just tell him to gently chip the old adhesive off with a paint
scraper.

These are good used with care;
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/16530/...y-Duty-Scraper

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:

The enamel is just glass. That is proof against all but hydro fluoric acid.

The polished surface of enamel on metal is wrecked
by acids. Hence all the warnings about not getting
acids on enameled baths. Since that bath replaced
an earlier enamelled bath which was damaged by using
descaler on it, my father is fortunately already aware
of this.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:
The enamel is just glass. That is proof against all but hydro fluoric acid.

The polished surface of enamel on metal is wrecked
by acids. Hence all the warnings about not getting
acids on enameled baths. Since that bath replaced
an earlier enamelled bath which was damaged by using
descaler on it, my father is fortunately already aware
of this.



well they must have changed em then. Obviously not vitreous enamel any
more on this cheap modern tat.

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:

The enamel is just glass. That is proof against all but hydro
fluoric acid.

The polished surface of enamel on metal is wrecked
by acids. Hence all the warnings about not getting
acids on enameled baths. Since that bath replaced
an earlier enamelled bath which was damaged by using
descaler on it, my father is fortunately already aware
of this.

I've seen it happen myself.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:
The enamel is just glass. That is proof against all but hydro fluoric acid.

The polished surface of enamel on metal is wrecked
by acids. Hence all the warnings about not getting
acids on enameled baths. Since that bath replaced
an earlier enamelled bath which was damaged by using
descaler on it, my father is fortunately already aware
of this.

well they must have changed em then. Obviously not vitreous enamel any
more on this cheap modern tat.

I believe the mechamsism is that vitreous enamel is devitrified
by acids, so you're back to a crystaline surface, the gloss
finish is gone, and the rougher surface is then harder to keep
clean.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

In article ,
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
He's removed a strip of thin tiles which were stuck along the
bath edge horizontally, butting up against the wall, and wants
to replace them after re-sealing the gap between the bath and
the wall. It would be a better job if he could get the old tile
cement off the bath enamel (it's an enamelled cast iron bath).
Any ideas how to do it, preferably without wrecking the
enamel?

If it's the original finish on a cast iron bath it's extremely tough so
just scrape it off with an old chisel, etc. Leaving it to soak by
covering with a damp cloth will help if ordinary tile adhesive - but not
if mortar based.

--
*Forget the Joneses, I keep us up with the Simpsons.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

You can't come on here calling Andrews Dad a sili **** ;-)



--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

"Graham." wrote in message
...

You can't come on here calling Andrews Dad a sili **** ;-)

Graham.


That's what they call it, you know, Sili**** Sealer. So that tubes can use
tubes to fill in the unnecessary holes they make. :-)

"BigWallop" wrote in message
om...

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
Posting a question from my dad...

He's removed a strip of thin tiles which were stuck along the
bath edge horizontally, butting up against the wall, and wants
to replace them after re-sealing the gap between the bath and
the wall. It would be a better job if he could get the old tile
cement off the bath enamel (it's an enamelled cast iron bath).
Any ideas how to do it, preferably without wrecking the
enamel?

Andrew Gabriel


On glass enamel, use a metal scraper to chip it off. Old adhesives want
have got a good grip on glass enamel, so should chip off very easily.
It's
when people panic and start to use chemicals that he damage gets done.

Just tell him to gently chip the old adhesive off with a paint scraper.

Also, just to mention an alternative to sil**** sealant around the bath,
ask
Your Dad if he wants a really long lasting seal against the wall and
tiles.
Then point him in the direction of these
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/na...&isSearch=true
from BandQ.


Then it discolours and goes manky and you can't do a damn thing about it for
years and years! BTDTGTTS


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not