Tiling on plasterboard

Argyll_2

I'm about to plasterboard my bathroom and want to tile over it. However I was told that I would have to skim the plasterboard first as the tiles would eventually fall off the plasterboard. Is this true or can I treat the plasterboard with something before I tile?

heatherw_01

I have tiles on plaster board that have not come off.

aliasojo

As long as you seal the plasterboard first with a proprietary sealer (B&Q and the likes have off the shelf stuff) or paint it with a watered down coat or two of emulsion, it will be fine.

The problem arises if the boards aren't sealed as they will draw the moisture out of the adhesive and this is why the tiles may not have as strong a hold as they should have. Really not a huge issue though.

Done it before and doing it again at present. (It's not fun is it? )

grumbler

FAQ's :

'Can I tile directly onto plasterboard?
It is feasible to tile directly to a plasterboard substrate as long as the following criteria are met. Plasterboard should be a minimum of 12.5mm thick and should be securely screw fixed, preferably at 300mm centres maximum, to a seasoned timber framework incorporating stiffening noggins where necessary. The board junctions should be fully supported and then taped and filled using the tile adhesive. The weight of tiling to a plasterboard background should not exceed 32kg/m2. The plasterboard substrate must be capable of supporting the rigid ceramic wall tile without any undue deflection. At all times the plasterboard and tile adhesive manufacturers recommendations should be followed. The type of adhesive to use would depend upon the type of tile that was to be fixed and the area that it was to be fixed to. If for instance it were a glazed biscuit bodied wall tile in a shower area, then new tiles may be fixed in a 3mm solid bed (i.e. ensuring no voids are left beneath the tiles). Where tiles are to be fixed in shower areas to plasterboard, some consideration should be given to applying a tanking membrane to protect the underlying gypsum substrate, this would depend upon the degree of use, type of shower etc. '

I have tiles on the plasterboard. No problems.

newfunk

If i was doing this job, i would replace plasterboard with WBP or exterior grade 12 mm plywood, and where this sits on the bath or anywhere it comes into contact with water seal it with a good quality sanitary silicone sealant. Also it is advisable to seal the ply witha watered down PVA mix.....Then tile on to this when dry, and seal the tiles that are in contact with water again with silicone. do it this way and you totally eliminate any chance of having to rip it all out again....

robv_3

would use tile board / aqua panel