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cwalk
Citizen
Username: Cwalk
Post Number: 67
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 2:46 pm: | 
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When we moved into our home 5 yrs ago, my brother in law was cleaning out the tub, leaned on the soap dish and it was ripped out of the wall.
There was nothing but a gaping hole there--no wood, no backer board, just a hole. Since then, we covered the hole with treated antibacterial plastic and lots of duct tape.
My husband and I really outta star in our own home improvement show for married couples. . .it's hysterical. Though there may be some bad language involved we have had great successes in some large rather robust projects.
My question is, how in the heck can we replace a tile if there's nothing to attach it to? And since we can't get behind the wall to attach something that we can use to grout and stick tile to, what in the world do we do?
(We are very good at the difficult. . .the simple tends to allude us all the time |
Bailey
Citizen
Username: Baileymac
Post Number: 273
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 5:03 pm: |
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you can use construction adhesive, glue some 1x2 material to the back of the wall (or similar material), tie it in place to another 1x3 placed across the hole in front of the tile until the adhesive hardens. Then you have something at least to glue new tile to, or a new soap dish.
Just don't lean on the new soap dish too hard.  |
george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 181
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 5:22 pm: |
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Is it a old[mortar bed]installation? Do the tile appear to be thick,ie;1"or so? If so,I would consider possibly using a pc. of expanded lathe,and some portland based mortar to fill in the area,try to find either a tile that complements or is similar,install same,and then stay away from that area at all costs.A soapdish installed higher[surface mounted]is more practical for showering.The mudded in soapdishes had a bar across the front for hanging a washcloth,which some folks mistook for a handhold,which loosened them up and caused them to fail. |
cwalk
Citizen
Username: Cwalk
Post Number: 69
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 9:55 pm: |
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Thanks for the advice. So if I understand this correctly, I should use either 1x2 piece of wood or something, use construction adhesive on each end and then sort of put it through the open hole and secure to the wall that IS there holding up the other tiles. Right so far? Ok, then I need to somehow attach another piece of wood to the the other but on the outside of the tile in order to keep pressure on the inside piece until it dries completely? I had thought of this before in a more abstract way that I couldn't seem to make work, but I thought the hole would have to be covered completely (not just with a "bar" of wood) because it will need to be grouted as it is in the shower and constantly exposed to water.
And if not wood, what else would I use? and since the material would have to be larger than the hole in order to be glued to the surrounding wall, how can I do this?? |
Bailey
Citizen
Username: Baileymac
Post Number: 275
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 10:24 pm: |
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I don't know how big the hole is or how thick the wall is, but you should be able to make strips of wood or a bit longer than the hole is wide, use lots of adhesive to glue that in place. You'll then have a pretty decent wood surface to screw a piece of tile backerboard or greenboard sheetrock to, and then glue some tile to that.
A lot depends on how thick the wall is. It could be 1/2" sheetrock, wood or metal lathe and plaster which could be an inch or more, so you need to build up to the depth required to make the new tile flush.
Once the tile is glued and grouted, moisture shouldn't be a problem.
Make sense? |
Travis
Citizen
Username: Travis
Post Number: 410
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 11:13 pm: |
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Is there any water protection (plastic or felt paper) back there behind the tiles?
If not, don't take any showers in that tub, or mold may be the least of your worries. Even if you have porcelain tile, water gets behind the tiles through the grout. When I did a bathroom remodel, two of the studs behind the tub were completely rotted out from water damage. For similar reasons, I would say any quick fix involving construction glue is a bandaid until you can do a complete ripout and replacement.
If you have a mud job on the walls, I don't see how you could tear a hole in the wall with the metal lath there, unless the lath is completely rusted away. Was there a hunk of drywall stuck to the back of the tile that came off? If so, your problems just got worse, some hack did a tub surround in greenboard. Greenboard is mold food and turns to mush if it gets wet (which it will if you shower there).
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