I've just started preparing my bathroom for a complete re-fit and
found on the main wall next to the bath the old tiles have been glued
straight onto plasterboard. Removing them is proving near impossible
with huge holes appearing in the plasterboard as I slowing get part of
the tile removed. At this rate it will take days to get them all off
and leave me with a wall needing re-plasterboarding.

Is there any way I can just skim over the existing tiles then fix the
new tiles on this surface ? In theory I presume this is possible - my
only concern would be a build up of moisture between the old tiles and
the new ?

What do people think ?

TIA,
Mike.

mikeyw wrote:

I've just started preparing my bathroom for a complete re-fit and
found on the main wall next to the bath the old tiles have been glued
straight onto plasterboard. Removing them is proving near impossible
with huge holes appearing in the plasterboard as I slowing get part of
the tile removed. At this rate it will take days to get them all off
and leave me with a wall needing re-plasterboarding.

Is there any way I can just skim over the existing tiles then fix the
new tiles on this surface ? In theory I presume this is possible - my
only concern would be a build up of moisture between the old tiles and
the new ?

If the existing tiles are well fixed and you can cope with the extra
thickness, then there is no reason why you cna not tile over the
existing ones.

Have a look at John Schmitt's Tiles and Tiling FAQ:

http://www.axp.mdx.ac.uk/~john49/tilefaq.htm

--
Cheers,

John.

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Is there any way I can just skim over the existing tiles then fix the
new tiles on this surface ?

You can (but miss out the "skimming" step), but before you give up on
removing the tiles, have you tried removing them with a flat chisel bit in
an SDS drill set to hammer only?

When removing tiles, I've always found it very difficult and damaging to
remove with cold chisel and hammer, whilst the SDS chisel sees them flinging
themselves off the wall whole, with minimal damage to the surface. I think
the high frequency hammering is the key.

Christian.

On 31 Oct 2004 11:11:26 -0800, (mikeyw) wrote:


Is there any way I can just skim over the existing tiles then fix the
new tiles on this surface ? In theory I presume this is possible - my
only concern would be a build up of moisture between the old tiles and
the new ?

Did mine earlier this year, tiled over existing tiles except on the
wall with the door. Removed those so that the door-frame trim (called
what?) remained proud. Also removed existing skirting and tiled to the
floor - you might like to consider that if relevant..

In article , "Peter
Johnson" says...
On 31 Oct 2004 11:11:26 -0800, (mikeyw) wrote:


Is there any way I can just skim over the existing tiles then fix the
new tiles on this surface ? In theory I presume this is possible - my
only concern would be a build up of moisture between the old tiles and
the new ?

Did mine earlier this year, tiled over existing tiles except on the
wall with the door. Removed those so that the door-frame trim (called
what?)

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