Tiles coming off shower wall - any alternative?

[cbruen1]

Hi all - I have a 1960s house that I renovated a couple of years ago. I retiled the bathroom upstairs which has an electric shower in the bath (as opposed to a standalone shower). The wall the bath is attached to is an external wall, and for the second time in a year some of the tiles on the wall have become loose and are falling off. I'm not sure why this is happening as the tiler used a 'tanking system' which should have sealed the wall. He's a pretty good tiler and he said the same system is used in swimming pools. So what I'd like to know:

- What's causing the tiles to become loose
- Is there a way to permanently fix it
- Is there an alternative splashback type thing available for walls - maybe plastic or glass - that wouldn't keep coming off


Thanks in advance,

Ciaran

 

[Jister]

I would love to know if there is analternative too. I have an ensuite which leaks and I would like to get some plastic panelling which is one continuous piece that wraps around the 3 sides.

Failing that is there some kind of plastic cladding that I can screw onto 3 sides of the shower?

I want something that works, not too worried about it being pretty.

 

[PGD1]

You can get large plastic sheets that have imprints on them that look like tiles... basically if you have a shower enclosure with 3 walls you just put up 3 sheets. I think you can even just get a one piece unit that slots in.

I can't recall exactly where I saw them but most tile/bathroom places should know of them.

 

[Sue Ellen]

I would love to know if there is analternative too. I have an ensuite which leaks and I would like to get some plastic panelling which is one continuous piece that wraps around the 3 sides.

Failing that is there some kind of plastic cladding that I can screw onto 3 sides of the shower?

I want something that works, not too worried about it being pretty.

This previous thread with a reference to Grosfillex panels might help.

Your quick fix solution though will not work long term. As hubby always says 'do you know what's goin on behind those panels re mould etc.' Best to get the leak sorted even if it is a pain to sort it out.

 

[Sue Ellen]

Hi all - I have a 1960s house that I renovated a couple of years ago. I retiled the bathroom upstairs which has an electric shower in the bath (as opposed to a standalone shower). The wall the bath is attached to is an external wall, and for the second time in a year some of the tiles on the wall have become loose and are falling off. I'm not sure why this is happening as the tiler used a 'tanking system' which should have sealed the wall. He's a pretty good tiler and he said the same system is used in swimming pools. So what I'd like to know:

- What's causing the tiles to become loose
- Is there a way to permanently fix it
- Is there an alternative splashback type thing available for walls - maybe plastic or glass - that wouldn't keep coming off


Thanks in advance,

Ciaran

Hi Ciaran,

Have you gone back to tiler to see what answers he gives to the questions above? The water must be getting down behind the tiles to a large extent if its enough to lift them off the walls IMHO or else the dampness/mould is doing so.

 

[trucker26]

that panelling sounds good...can it be used on the ceiling in bathrooms? Anyone experience problems with it on the ceiling.

 

[KerryG]

I have used the Grosfillex panelling in two showers, one directly on plasterboard and the other to cover existing tiles, mind you they were not falling off the wall, just ugly. Its not the prettiest thing, bit plasticy looking but it works, there are some nice colours and I think the matt panels are nicer that the shiny ones but I was limited as I had to use the palest one I could get so went for the white/grey marble effect. Panels are approx 16 inches wide so I used 2 on each wall, fiddly job but well within reach of diy if you're careful and accurate. I also put it on the ceiling of one of the showers which was enclosed as the paint used to keep peeling off it. It worked fine.

 

[cbruen1]

Hi Ciaran,

Have you gone back to tiler to see what answers he gives to the questions above? The water must be getting down behind the tiles to a large extent if its enough to lift them off the walls IMHO or else the dampness/mould is doing so.

Hi SueEllen,

My cousin tiled it originally and he's pretty good. He doesn't live in Dublin and hasn't seen them coming off, but I have told them about it. He says it's strange, and his logic is that if it's dampness from the outside the tanking system he used should prevent that getting through. If it's not dampness from outside then there must have been a hole or crack in the tiles that the shower water is getting behind, and he wouldn't have let this happen.

After the first time it happened which was about a year ago I took off all the loose tiles, applied adhesive, stuck them back on again and re-grouted. It's happening again to the same tiles on the same part of the wall, about 3 tiles up from the bath and most of the width. The rest of the tiles up to the ceiling are sound.