Tiles debonding--replace all or just some?

Question

On the shower wall there are about 15 or 20 4X4 tiles that have a hollow sound when you knock on them, so I know those need to be replaced (water seeped in from the window sill above the tiles).

Is there a way of telling how many other adjacent tiles need to be replaced? Or does the large size of the new hardiboard or backerboard dictate that all or most must be replaced? (If I replace the entire area it will be upwards of 160 tiles so that will be a lot more expensive.) Should I assume that the entire area has been damaged by water? Thanks.

Mark H. · Answer

here's a pic of a tub surround with a window on the top - the sides and sill have been "wrapped" in cultured marble.

James H. · Answer

Michael Siekerka, I have looked at that material and passed because it is paper based. Would not want it in a rental. For a little extra money you can get this:

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=8566-293-FTSTF.1&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3162499&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

This is what I used in my rental bath an even as a wainscoting throughout the bathroom. It looks a little commercial but it looked fine considering my rental is a550/month SFH. I was all paranoid that tenants would be peeing all over the walls and stuff, lol! Ended up with possibly the neatest tenants in the state...at least this time around.

Then again, your product "looks" nicer so it might work better in a flip. I wouldn't feel right about it though and unless it was installed immaculately, I bet it would look kind of cheesy, Try to envision what the edges and corners will look like. What will you trim it with and how will faux tile look with "trim" on it?

David Niles · Answer

I used it once in a flip where I needed to fix only one wall in a bathroom, didnt really care for it, its a hardboard ( paper interior ) so if you have to cut it, make sure you caulk well or its history. Its also pretty heavy for gluing so you need to use a real heavy duty adhesive ( loctite grabber or such ) and make sure you can keep it taped or propped in place while it sets. I had a tube of regular construction adhesive and it kept sagging so I ran and got a tube of grabber which holds fast and strong.

Michael Seeker · Answer

I'm about to use this: http://www.lowes.com/pd_17312-46498-627_4294715689__?productId=3040451&Ns=p_product_avg_rating|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_avg_rating%7C1&facetInfo=

in a house I'm flipping.  I've never used it before, but it looks like a pretty great alternative to the 4x4 tiles.  It comes in large sheets at $20 each.  An entire shower will take 4 sheets and there will be some leftover...I am just going to use an adhesive on the back and caulk the seams.  This should go in in a matter of hours and have the same look and feel as the 4x4 tiles (without a groutline to crack and/or get dirty).  I plan on using this stuff every time I redo the shower in a rental.

Does anybody else have experience with it?

Bienes Raices · Answer

Mark H.

Thank you Mark for the photo and information. It's nice to have options.

Steve Babiak

Actually I was able to match it--the color of the tile is bone, luckily. I'll have to call around and see how the cost of cultured marble compares to the tile re-do cost.

Brian Hoyt

The house was built in the '80s so I don't know if that qualifies as old. I agree that the window is stupid. Because of where it's located on the house it lets in little light and anyway we keep our windows closed here with the AC on most of the year.

James H. · Answer

This is one of the things I don't like about older houses - windows in the shower stall. It is an inevitiblity that water will get behind that window and rot the framing eventually.

Although I didn't follow my own advice on my own rental (decided it could wait a few turnovers), my philosophy is that if you are going to jack with the shower surround, you should wall off the window and put in a vent - or a very high window (vent would be cheaper and less hassle probably). Because no matter how good you do it, you WILL get water behind the window.

That shower stall that Mark H. posted is a great example of how to do it right IMO. But I would not accept a lower window if I paid to have all that done. It must be above the "shower splash zone".

Steve Babiak · Answer

These days, the match of the tile exactly isn't such a big deal, if somebody is going to be doing a re-surfacing.  In fact, this is one of the selling points that the re-surfacing companies use - that those old green tiles that are missing can be replaced with tiles of any color (as long as they are the same size) because the re-surfacing will make them all white (or whatever color choice was made).

Mark H. · Answer

They can "wrap" the window frame in cultured marble & set the angle of the sill for you.  The price I got didn't include any demo or  replacing the drywall, but that shouldn't be much, since your drywall is getting covered anyway.  They just need a firm/smooth surface to adhere the cultured marble to.

Bienes Raices · Answer

Mark,
Thanks--so I would not need to fix the window slope problem if I did a cultured surround? And I believe you said it costs about $500 to do a basic surround--does that price usually include removing the existing tiles as well (I know I will need to check with my local vendors on this too, of course).

Tiles debonding--replace all or just some?

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