Hello everyone,
We have been homeowners for just under four weeks and are completely renovating a house built in 1956.
In the bathroom, we have now encountered a “problem”:
Not only were multiple layers of wallpaper glued on top of each other in every room... no, in the bathroom, it was taken to the extreme. There are three (!) layers of tiles glued on top of each other.
To me, this is a total mess. I would like to remove all the tiles and start from scratch.
The contractors have already spent the entire day trying to remove the top layer of white tiles. Regarding the other two layers (brown and underneath red), they say the effort is not worth it for the following reasons:
- The tiles are glued so firmly that it would take days or weeks to completely remove them. They spent nearly one hour just removing a 10cm by 10cm (4 inches by 4 inches) section.
- The walls underneath are very uneven. After removal, at least a few centimeters (inches) of plaster would need to be reapplied, followed by drywall installation.
- The walls (especially around the door area, which is a non-load-bearing wall with a thickness of only 70mm (3 inches)) are quite old. The tiles apparently provide “extra” stability to the structure.
In short, they advised against full removal because the cost and benefit would not be proportional. They would essentially build a new layer on top of the old tiles and then tile the new ones over that.
Of course, the electrical wiring and plumbing would be renewed. This work would only be done fully in areas where all layers need to be removed.
I would really prefer to remove the tiles, but after today’s hard work, it only makes limited sense to me.
I’m interested in hearing your opinions and suggestions on the best way to proceed if the tiles remain in place.
We have been homeowners for just under four weeks and are completely renovating a house built in 1956.
In the bathroom, we have now encountered a “problem”:
Not only were multiple layers of wallpaper glued on top of each other in every room... no, in the bathroom, it was taken to the extreme. There are three (!) layers of tiles glued on top of each other.
To me, this is a total mess. I would like to remove all the tiles and start from scratch.
The contractors have already spent the entire day trying to remove the top layer of white tiles. Regarding the other two layers (brown and underneath red), they say the effort is not worth it for the following reasons:
- The tiles are glued so firmly that it would take days or weeks to completely remove them. They spent nearly one hour just removing a 10cm by 10cm (4 inches by 4 inches) section.
- The walls underneath are very uneven. After removal, at least a few centimeters (inches) of plaster would need to be reapplied, followed by drywall installation.
- The walls (especially around the door area, which is a non-load-bearing wall with a thickness of only 70mm (3 inches)) are quite old. The tiles apparently provide “extra” stability to the structure.
In short, they advised against full removal because the cost and benefit would not be proportional. They would essentially build a new layer on top of the old tiles and then tile the new ones over that.
Of course, the electrical wiring and plumbing would be renewed. This work would only be done fully in areas where all layers need to be removed.
I would really prefer to remove the tiles, but after today’s hard work, it only makes limited sense to me.
I’m interested in hearing your opinions and suggestions on the best way to proceed if the tiles remain in place.
Dr Hix schrieb:
I would want to remove those as well, otherwise in 15 years, by the time of the first bathroom renovation, we’ll be dealing with layer number 5, and in the meantime, the room will have lost half of its living space. Layer 3 from 20 years ago should already be glued and come off easier. I don’t think it’s advisable to chip down all the way to the bare wall on the side with the thin wall (bare 7 cm (3 inches)?) I would even have left layer 3 in place and, for future retiling, only remove the glued layers again, avoiding deliberately disturbing the mortared layer.
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11ant schrieb:
Even the third layer from 20 years ago should be glued and come off more easily. I don’t think it’s reasonable to chip down to the bare wall on the side with the thin wall (bare 7 cm (3 inches)?) I would have even left the third layer on there and for future re-tiling would only remove the glued layers and avoid deliberately disturbing the mortar layer.The tiler was here today.
The remaining tiles around the door still need to be removed (half of them are already off), and then it won’t be a problem. He would do a completely new build-up there and install new layers on the existing tiles on the other four walls.
Winniefred7 Jan 2019 19:24I would also keep the last two layers. The wall is so thin that I would be afraid of making a hole in the bricks as soon as the demolition hammer slips.
And I thought our non-load-bearing walls were thin ^^. We removed all layers (2) as well, then plastered the exterior walls and used drywall on the interior walls to provide a proper base for the tiler. It took two of us two days just to remove the layers in a 5m² (54 ft²) bathroom, of course. On the floor, we had three layers of tiles. We removed everything except for the floorboards.
Good luck with the rest of your bathroom build! The bathrooms were the most time-consuming but also the most exciting projects for us.
And I thought our non-load-bearing walls were thin ^^. We removed all layers (2) as well, then plastered the exterior walls and used drywall on the interior walls to provide a proper base for the tiler. It took two of us two days just to remove the layers in a 5m² (54 ft²) bathroom, of course. On the floor, we had three layers of tiles. We removed everything except for the floorboards.
Good luck with the rest of your bathroom build! The bathrooms were the most time-consuming but also the most exciting projects for us.
I would definitely chip everything off there.
It’s not a large bathroom, I can’t believe that you can’t make proper progress with a decent hammer and a flat chisel.
In my own house, I removed two layers of tiles from the bathroom, and it only took me half a day.
It seems like they simply don’t want to do the work for you or they don’t know how to do it.
If the thin wall is too fragile, then it will just be replaced — it’s not rocket science.
Nowadays, bathrooms aren’t usually tiled all around from floor to ceiling anymore. So remove everything, have it properly plastered, and then nicely tiled. This way, you gain space and get a clean, modern result.
If you try to save a little extra effort now, you’ll end up frustrated for years, especially when it comes time for the next renovation.
It’s not a large bathroom, I can’t believe that you can’t make proper progress with a decent hammer and a flat chisel.
In my own house, I removed two layers of tiles from the bathroom, and it only took me half a day.
It seems like they simply don’t want to do the work for you or they don’t know how to do it.
If the thin wall is too fragile, then it will just be replaced — it’s not rocket science.
Nowadays, bathrooms aren’t usually tiled all around from floor to ceiling anymore. So remove everything, have it properly plastered, and then nicely tiled. This way, you gain space and get a clean, modern result.
If you try to save a little extra effort now, you’ll end up frustrated for years, especially when it comes time for the next renovation.
M
Mottenhausen8 Jan 2019 13:03Others install expensive soundproofing under the bathroom tiles, and you want to remove it. That’s just how it is.
It’s about gaining 4-5cm (1.5-2 inches) of space. Multiple layers of wallpaper are not an issue as long as none of the layers were applied poorly.
For uneven surfaces, smooth them out beforehand using leveling compound and a long straightedge.
As mentioned: multi-layer wall constructions, multi-layer tile wallpapers, etc., provide sound insulation, improve room acoustics, offer thermal insulation, and are always highlighted as a feature of high-quality workmanship because, for example, an additional fabric layer reduces cracking. But this is a typically German issue: old wallpaper must be removed, no matter the cost.
It’s about gaining 4-5cm (1.5-2 inches) of space. Multiple layers of wallpaper are not an issue as long as none of the layers were applied poorly.
For uneven surfaces, smooth them out beforehand using leveling compound and a long straightedge.
As mentioned: multi-layer wall constructions, multi-layer tile wallpapers, etc., provide sound insulation, improve room acoustics, offer thermal insulation, and are always highlighted as a feature of high-quality workmanship because, for example, an additional fabric layer reduces cracking. But this is a typically German issue: old wallpaper must be removed, no matter the cost.
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