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Bill V, and others, could you pls help?

15 years ago

Bill and others,

Thanks for a lot of information in this great forum. I am looking at master bathroom remodeling. Currently my tube area and shower room are covered by 4x4 white tiles. I am look at changing tiles to be limestone tiles or travertine tiles, and changing faucet also.

Some people told me I need to tear down everything, including knock down the concrete wall behind 4x4 white tiles today until wood frame. Then re-build concrete wall, then travertine or limestone on the top of new concrete wall. I am told it is right way to install travertine tiles or limestone tiles.

I am so confused. I already have concrete wall and have no plan to change the lay out of bathroom. Do I need to tear down everything? Can we only demo 4x4 white tiles and keep todayÂs concrete wall, then put new be limestone tiles or travertine tiles?

Many thanks.

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Comments (6)

bill_vincent
15 years ago
So long as you can keep from cracking the subsurface (it's not actually concrete, but mortar and lath-- what's called a "mudjob") you should be able to go back over it. But if you crack the mortar at all, it should be replaced.
solution
Original Author
15 years ago
Bill,

Do you mean during demolition, we should avoid cracking subsurface (mortar)? If mortar survive from demolition, no crack, travertine or limestone tile can be installed on previous mortar, is it correct?

Have you installed travetine tile on previous mortar in shower area? How to avoid cracking mortar during demolition?

Thanks
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bill_vincent
15 years ago
Do you mean during demolition, we should avoid cracking subsurface (mortar)? If mortar survive from demolition, no crack, travertine or limestone tile can be installed on previous mortar, is it correct?

Correct.

Have you installed travetine tile on previous mortar in shower area?

Not travertine, but I HAVE installed tile over old mortar beds.

How to avoid cracking mortar during demolition?

If the mortar bed is good, it's shouldn't be too difficult. 9 times out of ten, it'd take a stick of dynamite to budge a well installed mortar installation.
MongoCT
15 years ago
How to avoid cracking mortar during demolition?

I had to chuckle over that one.

When you want to demo it, it's built like a tank. When you try to just remove the tiles and preserve the bed, it falls out in chunks.

Mongo
solution
Original Author
15 years ago
Mongo,

So in order to save mortar, people should just demo, instead of preserving the bed.... :-)

I get different quota on shower room remodeling. The difference could be triple. It seems like whether mortar could be saved makes big difference.

It looks like travertine over old mortar is very cost efficient. I am very curious that how many people use the strategy. And surprising that Bill V only did tile over old mortar, not travertine.
bill_vincent
15 years ago
Sorry about that. I TRIED to talk them into travertine. I really did!! :-)

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