Bathroom Redecorating: Can you Tile Over Tiles?

SarahBrown8360

I am getting my bathroom fitted in a few weeks. Saw a reasonably priced and modern bathroom from B&Q. Now I am just looking for tiles to go with my bathroom.

The other day a bathroom fitter came round and told me it would be better to tile over our existing tiles as it would mean if we took the old tiles off the plaster work may come and more work.

I have never heard of someone doing this but I was wondering if anyone else had? Would love to get someone's opinion on whether it is feasible. Obviously it sounds much easier then taking the old tiles off but I don't want problems later on...

Thanks!
Sarah

evoke

Jeez.

Get a proper bathroom fitter.

You should remove all the old tiles and skim or make good the walls again. You current bathroom fitter is trying to cut a lot of important corners.

McKneff

He's not a professional tiler then, no tiler worth his salt would suggest this.

A diyer might but like you say, there could be problems down the line.

Get it done properly for your own peace of mind.

bungle4by4

you can tile over tiles. its perfectly fine. its not as good as stripping back and reboarding. and certainly it will look poor at windows, and door frames.

personally i wouldn't its half a job.

denisiw

Tiling over tiles is perfectly acceptable if the existing tiles are securely fixed. He is right in what he says, removing secure tiles will more than likely pull off the plaster and cause you more expense.

I have tiled over tiles in my shower cubicle and in my kitchen, I don't consider it a bodge, I don't do bodges. You wouldn't know that I'd done it that way unless I told you and they were both done over ten years ago. However, recently I completely retiled my bathroom and removed the tiles as it was only part-tiled.

As long as the joints don't coincide there should be no problem at all.

Regarding the post above and mention of windows looking poor, if corner strips are used it looks good. If I could post you some pics I would.

Denis

evoke

And the new tiles laid over the old ones will protrude over the skirting board. Sorry, it's an abominable bodge IMO.

bungle4by4

you can reskirt over the old, to remove this though. it all depends on cost. and what you want to achieve from the job.

ic

My parents did this in their bathroom, you'd never know they had.

cddc

As other posters have said there really is no reason if you are just using regular ceramic tiles that you cannot tile over tiles if the grout joints are not in the same place, and the original tiles are still securely fixed.

If you are using full body porcelain or natural stone, you do need to be careful as the weight of the material might end up pulling the tiles underneath away from the wall. In those cases I would strip back and start again.

If done properly and well it is not a bodge it is actually quite MSE!

More often than not if you strip back you will have to make good and often replaster!

keystone

Of course he told you that - it makes his job easier. Otrherwise he'll have to wait to do his bit until the old tiles are off and the room prepared. Sorry if that mucks up your schedules Mr Fitter.

Tiling over tile is NOT professional for one single solitary minute. Its acceptable DIY but it is a bodge.

Cheers

evoke

LOL. Get the job done properly.

A PROPER bathroom fitter will remove and dispose of all the old tiles, make good the walls and re-skim if necessary (it may not be required). If new plaster is required he'll got off to another job for a week whilst the plaster dries and then prep and tile the walls.

All other options are a bodge that make life easy for the fitter.