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Tiling removable tub facing

13 years ago

I've read the posts Bill & Mongo have shared about tiling a secret removable panel on the tub front for plumbing access, and have seen the different options you guys have done.

Mr. Weedy has a customer whose grout on their tub front was cracked. Upon removal, he found the tiler had tiled sheets of plywood and attached them to the framing with 4 magnets each (2 top, 2 bottom), then caulked the edges to hold them in. So the boards had play and the grout cracked. In addition, they hadn't sufficiently framed the tub front: some portions of missing top or bottom plates and too widely spaced vertical studs.

Mr. Weedy added framing, but doesn't want to cut a hole and caulk in a tile. As someone who has done lots of plumbing, he says a small hole is not enough to do any real work, and if he were repairing/replacing down the road he'd want better access. So he wants to screw 1/2" cement board in 4 places to the studs so that it can be removed in one piece. He'd tile the whole thing and grout most, caulking over the screws (leaving instructions to any subsequent owners about how he's hidden them, lol).

He insists the cement board is more rigid than plywood and with the added framing there's no way it'll give and crack the grout again. I've talked until I'm blue in the face about needing to have more than 4 points secured and the fact that the purpose of cement board is water resistance, not rigidity, but he won't bite.

Someone help me explain more precisely so that he won't do a fix that'll end up with cracked grout again.

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Comments (5)

bill_vincent
13 years ago
It sounds like his way will work. I don't agree about the rigidity issue, but we each have our own ways and opinions. Re the magnets, that was my first introduction to Schluter in the late 80's. The way I do my access panels is exactly the same-- except I don't use the magnets. There's no need for them. Caulk in the perimeter of the panel, and you don't have to worry about the grout cracking, you also don't have to worry about being able to carve out the grout cleanly if you DO have to remove the panel later on down the road, and the caulking is MORE than sufficient to hold the panel in place indefinitely.
weedyacres
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Bill. But the grout cracked before, with the single panel caulked in place option. Isn't there a likelihood that it will again? Or is it true that additional studs will provide sufficient added rigidity, even without the board being attached to it?
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The vertical wall seams crack more readily because the house shifts and moves. Ive tried grouting only and going back to caulk with sanded grout caulk or silicon only after a crack develops, hoping in some cases it will not. Sometimes it does not crack. Some contractors caulk all seams as a matter of course, no callbacks, safer. I liked the idea of sanded grout caulk to match your grout color It has not held up for me in wet conditions, such as the top of the bathtub where the wall tile starts, etc. , definitely not along the shower floor where the wall tile starts. It has held up in other areas though, and looks nicer when it all ties in. I agree, mildew on silicon is unsightly. Every bathroom has different conditions, including ventilation, moisture, etc. Some people have to clean out and recaulk the silicon every year or two. Whether its allegedly mildewproof silicon or not.
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pricklypearcactus
13 years ago
I'm no expert on the subject, but would it help to actually screw studs (not attached to the frame holding up the tub) directly to the plywood prior to tiling? It seems that combining structural studs with the plywood would help the rigidity. Additionally, could a product like Ditra over the plywood help isolate flexing in the plywood?
bill_vincent
13 years ago
would it help to actually screw studs (not attached to the frame holding up the tub) directly to the plywood prior to tiling? It seems that combining structural studs with the plywood would help the rigidity.

I've thought about doing that. The only thing that makes me reluctant to try it is that would be more weight pulling at the back of the panel, in an "other than straight up and down force". Meaning that it would tend to pull in on the top of the panel, and conversely, push out on the bottom, which, over time, would weaken and subsequently tear the caulk joint, making the panel fail.

Additionally, could a product like Ditra over the plywood help isolate flexing in the plywood?

I don't think it would make a difference, and quite frankly, I haven't found a problem with plywood panels.
kenneth_golson_apd_state_fl_us
13 years ago
Here on my break : I have a question about placing tile directly on to verticle and horizontal studs to do a trim job around Glass Block which is framed on all sides by said studs. Could I use a flexibond mortar and then tile around the glass? If I were to use 1/4" backer board and then tile it the face of the tile would stick out too far beyond the face of the glass block

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