I’ve had to take off a row of tiles to fit a new shower base. A couple of the tiles took a bit of plaster off the wall with them, but only in small areas, so there’s still plenty of flat surface to bond each new tile to. All the guides talk about filling holes in the plaster after removing tiles, but given I’m putting new tiles over the top which will sit nicely even if I don’t do that, does it really matter if there are some small voids in the plaster behind some of the tiles?

Thanks for any help – this job is already far more involved than I expected!

Don’t leave little voids in the plaster fill with tile sticky as you go…

I don’t see how it would matter one bit if there is enough surface there to bond to still – after all, aren’t all tiles fixed with dabs of adhesive anyway meaning there is always going to be gaps…

Thanks chaps – you’ve confirmed my thinking. Was just checking I wasn’t being a complete numpty and missing something. The interesting one will be the tile in the next row up that I removed whole as it had started to lift when I removed the one below it – don’t see the point in removing any of the existing adhesive or plaster stuck to the back of the tile, as it should just go back in where it was (with adhesive where there were previously voids). I’ll put new ones in where I removed the rest, as I cracked some getting them off.

Put a small camera in tne void?

UncleFred.

I have just realised your NannyCam thread was a troll and you are actually Fred Fred not UncleFred.

I would try and clean the adhesive off the existing tiles, they will never go back flush once you have 2-3mm of new adhesive on the back. Or you wont put enough adhesive on, and it will fall off in time.

I’d clean off the old adhesive as much as was easy then stick on with new adhesive, filling any gaps in the plaster with a bit extra. Leaving an air pocket somewhere subject to temperature changes sounds like a bad idea to me.

“you are actually Fred Fred not UncleFred.”

Jees did no one ever tell you, you would make an awesome detective ? 🙄

i know, i am slow

“aren’t all tiles fixed with dabs of adhesive anyway”

i have not tiled for a number of years but last time i did it i certainly didnt use dabs ….not saying im right – but it made sense and i was following the instructions on the tub….

Last time I tiled was nine years ago (all around my bath with shower over – used twice daily) and that was just dabs (with a PVA solution applied to the wall beforehand).

Just renovated the bathroom two weeks ago and a little clean and new silicon sealant and they still look good as new and absolutely no signs of any problems with them.

tiling is great as it covers all manner of bodges and holes.
as long as what you’re sticking it to is solid and won’t move around, it’ll be dandy.
I’ve tiled to a wall with holes filled in with bits of plasterboard and gaffer tape.

I’d clean off the old adhesive as much as was easy then stick on with new adhesive

Yeah – I’ve done that now with the one I’m re-using.

Leaving an air pocket somewhere subject to temperature changes sounds like a bad idea to me.

Well there were loads of air pockets before – you don’t completely cover the wall in tile adhesive (or at least the chap who did the tiles I’ve just taken off didn’t), so some air behind every tile. I’m just talking about having slightly bigger ones.

You would normally cover the whole wall with adhesive using a serrated trowel.By using just dabs of adhesive the tiles will be a lot weaker and could be prone to cracking.

Yes as above, trowel on covering the full wall!! In your case get serrated trowel and do the same between the rows, depending on the gap you can use the trowel one of two ways! This in theory will also fill the voids.

Wasn’t talking about dabs – previous adhesive was in strips.