Cant tile over painted brick??

puddy

I need a splashback and I decided that I would get 2 rows of tiles put above the worktop the whole way along it for continuity, which is about 4mtrs in length.

However, I have now been reading on tinternet that you cant tile over painted brick (which is what we have) and you have to remove the paint and make the brick level (which it isnt).

I only spent £20 on the tiles (as there are just 2 rows of them), and dont really want to spend any more than this if I need to take them back and get something else if you cant tile over the paint. We havent got the skill, money or patience to get rid of the paint on the bricks.

Is there another way of having something on the wall which wont cost that much? I could have it just on the sink bit, which is 60cm across but would have liked something that went along the whole worktop.

ormus

you dont need to remove all the paint just enough to give the adhesive some grip.
a good wire brushing should suffice. or use a hot air gun.

the wall doesnt need to be that level either, a bit of extra adhesive will do in most cases.
if its really that bad, then skim it over first with a bit of mortar mix or plaster.

keith969

You really need to tile on a level surface, which means bonding plaster over the brickwork - if you just try to put the tiles directly on the brickwork with adhesive they are unlikely to be completely flat, and it will look a mess.

Oh and make sure the tiles are waterproof - seems obvious, but I know a case where lovely looking (and very expensive) tiles were used in a kitchen but after a few years the ones round the sink started to crumble...

Chippy_Minton_2

Would PVAing the walls help?

puddy

thanks ormus, thats a relief

what does pva ing mean?

i presume they're waterproof, they are black shiny 'brick' shaped tiles from b and q, it was in the wall tiles section?

Chippy_Minton_2

Painting the wall with dilute PVA to seal it.

ormus

its also possible to use a long strip of PB or thin plywood to make a backing board, then tile over that.
good luck.

andyhop

Chippy_Minton wrote: »

Painting the wall with dilute PVA to seal it.

Do not use PVA

You will need a synthetic primer or SBR, PVA becomes fluid again when it becomes wet

Bonding plaster is also not suitable for tiling

You will need to remove most of the paint, Use a tin of nitromoors then a heat gun to get the rest off, If the wall requires straightening then use a rapid set tile adhesive

puddy

thanks, i like the idea of the strip which we will then tile, seems a bit less hassle although is probably cheating.

now ive gone off the colour though, i want white now. i hope they take them back, ive sort of torn the side of the box but not opened them completely