[buju]

Hi folks,

Long story short... around a bathtub (with shower) I am going to soon start tiling. Just before starting I thought that I should ask about this:

- Because my bathtub was a flange-less bathtub, as well as other issues that I had to take care off, the first 6 in around the bathtub I have used solid 2x6 planks/ beams. these are screwed into the stud pillars. Underneath them I have an add-on tiling flange, glued to the bathtub using Silicon II.
- On top of the 6 in planks I have Wonderboard backerboards.

I am using the most performant thinset that I could find at Home Depot.
Everything is very well secured with screws.

I am now about to start apply the thinset over the joints and tomorrow apply Redgard allover. Day after I will mount the tiles using the thinset.

Question: I intend to use a metal lathe around, stapled onto the wood, to provide a better substrate for the thinset that I will use.

I may go a bit over, onto the backerboard, to ensure a smooth transition.

Should I worry about anything? Such as the thinset not sticking properly to the wood+ lathe, or things moving around in time, or anything else?

Should I use mastic/ adhesive on the wood (as the previous install used), to set the tiles on it, instead of the thinset, while using the thinset only on the backerboard? I am uneasy to do that as I'd have two types of mortar underneath the tiles, which is surely not a good idea.

Note that I really have no options to change the wooden border, and also note that the tiling flange is in very good shape.

Can you please provide a word of advise on what I should do in my case?
I need to finish off this project ASAP.

Thanks a lot,
Eugen

 

[Bud Cline]

You are kidding yourself!

You cannot apply ceramic tile to dimensional lumber under any circumstances.

Got a picture of this thing?

 

[oh'mike]

Your description is hard to follow---Post a picture----I thought I read something about wood with tole over it--That won't do. Need a picture.---Mike----

 

[buju]

Pics

Here are 2 pics with the wall and the lathe.
See attachment.

BTW, the previous setup had at that border a similar layer of wood - layered plywood.

Thanks.

 

[Bud Cline]

Yup...that's what I was afraid of.:yes:

Isn't going to work like that.

Why is that board there to begin with?

What are your plans for the front of the tub where the plywood is?:whistling2:

I can answer that question for myself but I want to hear it from you.:whistling2:

 

[oh'mike]

Why didn't you bring the rock down to the top of the tub and then add the tiling flange?

That wood is in the worst place in the whole tub enclosure.

The mesh is not going to help----I suggest that you remove the wood---lower the rock to the tub deck--add the flange--and then paint on your waterproofing.

You are at risk of failure if you don't.----Mike-----

 

[buju]

Oh well... here's why

Yup...that's what I was afraid of.:yes:

Isn't going to work like that.

Why is that board there to begin with?

What are your plans for the front of the tub where the plywood is?:whistling2:

I can answer that question for myself but I want to hear it from you.:whistling2:

The board is there because the flange is NOT a match and the wood is pushing down on the flange - squarely, so that in time it will not move and become loose.

The folks who set the whole thing up way back have done some really #%*&% work and now I have to work around that.

What happens is that there is a big gap between the tub and the stud wood and, to make things worse, I found absolutely no flange that will fit my setup. And it's to be expected, given the gap. As a result I had to turn the flange the other way around - what you see as going up - IN FRONT of the setup, and when I add the tiles - BELOW the tiles. That vertical is pretty good for waterproofing the edge, BUT I will have to make sure that I do a great Sillicone II work on top of it, to the bottom of the first row of tiles.

I know that that is kind of crazy, but I don't have a choice, do I?
To make things worse, the bathtub was moving very slightly, when getting in and pushing down the thick lumber helped making the tub rock solid stable.

So, lowering the backerboard is not really an option, unless I am missing on a setup that I don't see.

Removing or repositioning the bathtub is out of question - it really bolted (almost) perfectly and any move is out of question.

I really hope that you have an idea that will work for this setup.. Thanks.

 

[buju]

See above

Why didn't you bring the rock down to the top of the tub and then add the tiling flange?

That wood is in the worst place in the whole tub enclosure.

The mesh is not going to help----I suggest that you remove the wood---lower the rock to the tub deck--add the flange--and then paint on your waterproofing.

You are at risk of failure if you don't.----Mike-----

Hopefully the above explains it better.
I am quite depressed, I must say...

 

[oh'mike]

You should have sistered in studs to make the walls tight to the tub----

I ripped out a brand new tub like that this spring---never even used----What ever possessed the home owner to attempt using a deck mount tub in this situation I'll never know.

Let's see if Bud has a magic solution---If you asked me to fix that I'd pull the rack--sister in studs for a tight fit---re-rock it --add the flange---waterproof--then tile.---Mike---

 

[Bud Cline]

Makes my head hurt and you seem to have yourself convinced there is no other way. Where are the ideas coming from? No really, where?

What you are doing there is not a good idea.

 

[buju]

That was my rookie idea...

Makes my head hurt and you seem to have yourself convinced there is no other way. Where are the ideas coming from? No really, where?

What you are doing there is not a good idea.

What can I do to:
a) stabilize the tub (without access to the far end, where the ever so slight movement happens when one gets into the tub)
b) be able to add (or keep the current flange)? Don't forget that the flange is not even a perfect fit, so to get it to the edge of the tub, while fitting properly to the side of the tub AND stick flush (behind) the backerboard may not work.

 

[oh'mike]

Can you shoot a profile shot of the tiling flange?

 

[Bud Cline]

What are your plans for the front of the tub where the plywood is?

 

[buju]

Can you shoot a profile shot of the tiling flange?

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc441/eugenm/photo4.jpg
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc441/eugenm/photo3.jpg
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc441/eugenm/photo11.jpg

 

[buju]

See below

Here they are

 

[G-Mo]

This is a complete mess. Should be completely ripped out and started from scratch -- properly.

 

[oh'mike]

Thanks for the pictures---I'm off to bed---I'll see if I can come up with an idea----The wall need to be tight to the tub for any thing to work,however.---Mike---

 

[buju]

And do what?

This is a complete mess. Should be completely ripped out and started from scratch -- properly.

See the space behind the tub?
I sure have to use the flange add-on.
One of my attempts was to put a plank behind (to fill up the space and also use it as a spacer to level the backboard) AND then I used the flange the "right" way, but there was still a space due to rounded edge of the tub. No go.

So? What do I do?
Also, how to I stabilize the tub?

Yes, quite a mess, because I had to find a solution to the mess I found all around. As I mentioned, the tub was surrounded by 1 1/2 plywood and the tiles were stuck to plywood using adhesive.

Funny thing is that the setup has been like that for 12 yrs or longer and all I found was a bit of infiltration. Just a bit of blackened area - but no fresh black mold. Weird. I was happy that I took it all apart, but then I saw the mess I have to fix.

So, how do I fix it - without buying a new tup with flange, which is what I would need for that corner...

HELP?... Any solutions, please?

 

[buju]

What are your plans for the front of the tub where the plywood is?

Tiles on adhesive (mastic), which is what I had before - rock solid, no issues for 12 yrs or more, so there should be no issue now either.

I thought that is the last of my issues... Even after tiling the board can be removed to attend to the pump.

Any solution for the bathtub rim?

 

[Jim F]

Wow, You do have yourself a mess there. There is lots of info on tiling, thinset etc. Thay you have to eDucate yourself somwhat before taking this on. Bud and Mike are the ones to ask but these are some of the issues I see.

1. The metal mesh you are proposing to use will carode in failry short order due to the alkalinity of the thinset.

2. The wood will rot regardless.

3. You mentioned in your first post that you got the best thinset HD recommends. Be very wary of the advice you get from those guys. I don't know why they feel compelled to tell you they know about something when they do not. I have gotten so much bad advice from Lowes and HD associates.

4. You mentioned something about mastic. Do not use mastic there. It is completely inappropriate in a wet envromnent. Years ago, they used to use it but thaty have since discovered that it fails when wet.