Masonry Experts - Do you know what this wall is made of and its properties:

sho_me_da_money

Hi Bear,

Unfortunately I did not insulate it and a double unfortunate as its also a no regarding filling the hole in the wall. What a numpty I am.

Would you say this is my best course of action:

1. Remove the Hardie backer board in just the section where the hole is and do what you say and get it properly filled in.

2. Re-Haride backer the section

3. Remove the Hardie backer for the entire partition wall where I'd like to place the shower and sink as per my original post.

4. Install the 2" lumber across the entire wall (height to floor) on the partition wall making sure to install two of the lumber beams to line up with where the sink fixings are going to go.

Side Question 1 - should I place the lumber across the entire wall or should I install the beams only where the sink is going? I think that will look weird but figured I'd ask.

Side Question 2 - I assume we are talking about 2 x 4 timber and I lay it horizontally meaning it will increase the depth of that wall by 2 inches? I say 2 inches but in reality its like 1.5 inches.

5. Re-Hardie backer the entire partition wall

6. Tank the entire wall or entire bathroom??? Someone mentioned this earlier and I had no idea what 'tanking meant until I googled it.

7. Tile the entire room.

8. Fix the fixtures (toilet, shower, sink, mirror) as intended.

This is a mock design I was intending of implementing. Notice I had the sink on the other side to what we have been discussing. I later realised that if I install a shower screen next to the shower there would be very little space to squeeze past the sink and into the shower area. I think the same is true if the sink is installed under the window:





Would you kind gents commenting on this thread confirm that I have the right steps (listed above) to sort this out or is there something i am missing?

In fact I would be extremely grateful for what step of actions I should take. Perhaps someone would list them and add (optional) or (mandatory) next to each step proposed. 

I am truly in no mans land and would appreciate your support.

Thank you

stuart45

If you batten out a wall, do them vertically. You can probably get a decent fix in the joints on the clay block wall. 2x2 is fine for studs. You can always stick in a 4x2 noggin where needed. Make sure you position the studs to take the edges of the boards. 

sho_me_da_money

I just spoke to the guy who installed the Hardie Backer and his concern is that removing all the boards from that existing hollow stud wall is a big risk. He feels that doing this could result in the entire wall coming down.

Whats are your thoughts guys?

travis-powers

I don’t know what adhesive they have used but with modern adhesives it’s a possibility.
 Do you have the vanity unit for the basin?
 I would at least try to see if I could get a fixing before demolishing a wall and starting again.

FreeBear

sho_me_da_money said: Hi Bear,

That will be FreeBear if you don't mind.

You only need to cut the Hardibacker board around the hole so that it can be filled in properly. Once tiled, you'll never notice the patch.

As for sink location. The picture above avoids the need to fix to those clay blocks. Hang the sink with resin fixings, and it will never move. Shower screens can always be hinged. They don't need to be bolted down. Just make sure the screen can't be bashed into anything hard, or you risk having broken glass everywhere.

Eldi_Dos

This is a bit industrial so might not be to your taste but might fit in with the concrete sink.

Stainless steel unistrut (41x21x2.5) attached to ceiling joists and floor after the tiling is done then sink hung on unistrut .

CEF webpage has good selection and the one's without slots look not to bad when installed.

sho_me_da_money

Thanks all,

Travis - I wasn't planning on having a vanity unit. The idea was to hang something like this - https://kastconcretebasins.com/products/p/nilo. The measurement of this would be 450 x 260mm.

FREEBear - I would 100% just go with this but I am concerned about the size of the gap available to walk past the sink and into the shower. I really dont want it to be a Slalom course. 

Eldi - All ideas are welcome and this is not something I considered but having thought about it, i dont think this is right for me.

ALL - It might actually help if I show the items we plan on getting:

1) Basin - https://kastconcretebasins.com/products/p/nilo (450 x 260)
2) Wet Room Screen - https://www.tapnshower.com/merlyn-8-series-hinged-wet-room-glass-panel-700-350mm-wide-8mm-glass-m8sw251 - this hinges at 700mm. If my math is correct then the gap between the sink and where the door hinges is 490mm. I would say perhaps closer to 450mm if we consider tiles need to go on etc.
3) Shower - https://www.victorianplumbing.co.uk/hansgrohe-raindance-select-e-showerpipe-300-with-showertablet-select-300-thermostatic-shower-chrome-27127000. Don't worry I am not going to spend that much money. I can get this much cheaper from a friend. My concern is how this fixes to the clay wall. The installation video is here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssW1K4HbOrU. I can see there are pipes that need to be buried into the wall. Do I need them as the copper pipes are already nestled behind the backer board and protuding out already?

Considering the fixings. What do you reckon I should do? Sorry about the millions of questions. I like learning and you guys are helping me provide food for thought.

Thank you!

travis-powers

That’s 31kg dry I would be uncomfortable fitting that basin to that wall plus you really should have hot and cold feed and the waste in the wall so the minimum is on show, Freebears solution would be the cheapest less hassle way!
 You can get threaded fittings which fit over pipes for your shower but they have flanges and I don’t know if they will work with the shower you want, bit late in the day but it’s best to buy all the bathroom items before starting work.
Another thing the pipes feeding the shower at floor level will be in the way for the tray unless your are sitting the tray on a plinth.

Gavin83

Could you change the orientation of the shower so the entrance is where the screen currently is and vice versa with the shower on the back wall? You might be able to fit the sink on the back wall between the window and shower this way.

It was me that mentioned tanking earlier. Essentially you do it to make things waterproof and the tiled surface nor the hardiebacker are waterproof. 

You need to tank the areas that’ll actually be in contact with water. For a sealed shower it’ll be the shower area itself. For a wetroom you’re meant to tank the whole room as the idea of a wetroom is the whole thing can get wet. If you’ve got a screen and an area you’re confident won’t get wet though you could probably skip some of it, although this is a bit of a bodge.

FreeBear

Gavin83 said: Could you change the orientation of the shower so the entrance is where the screen currently is and vice versa with the shower on the back wall? You might be able to fit the sink on the back wall between the window and shower this way.

It is the back wall that is the problem - This is the one constructed from the clay blocks and may struggle with the loading of the sink.