Tiling a small area of new plaster

[curium]

hi

Our kitchen is being refitted. Ripping out the old tiles damaged the plaster board and we had the worst bits replaced with hard wall and multifinish.

We're having less tiles in the new kitchen but want the window sill and area behind the sink tiled.

The area behind the sink has now been painted - mist coat and 2 coats of Dulux endurance matt - while the window sill has not been touched as we always intended to tile it. The plaster on the sill has thoroughly dried now.

I'm after advice on tiling it as you guys were so helpful when I did my bathroom 2 years ago and the tiles are still up.

I used Bal Single Part Flexible & Microflex in the bathroom.

The kitchen area to be tiled is 0.5m^2 so a bag of cementitious adhesive seems a bit expensive for such a small area.

Can you recommend an adhesive and grout that will perform well in the kitchen and that is available in small bags. Also we are considering a coloured grout, either light grey or cream.

Will I need to seal the plaster on the window with an acrylic primer, I still have some Prime APD left from the bathroom job. Or can I tile straight onto it.

The tiles are small (200x200mm) ceramic ones.

Cheers!

 

[Richard C]

The area behind the sink has now been painted - mist coat and 2 coats of Dulux endurance matt - while the window sill has not been touched as we always intended to tile it. The plaster on the sill has thoroughly dried now.

You should never paint if you’re going to tile, it can give adhesion problems. Tub mix also sets by evaporation so the drying time will be considerably extended into days before you can grout & sometimes it won’t set at all. Dulux Endurance is also a waterproof finish which makes things even worse & drying time could be a problem. The tiles are not particularly heavy but you should check paint adhesion; stick an 18” strip of gaffa tape over the paint & pull it off quickly but evenly; if the paint comes off with the tape, it’s all got to come off. If the paint stays put, you need to thoroughly roughen the surface with 120 grit paper & criss-cross score it back to the plaster 10-15mm apart to provide a key for the adhesive; don’t prime unless you remove all the paint back to the plaster.

The kitchen area to be tiled is 0.5m^2 so a bag of cementitious adhesive seems a bit expensive for such a small area. Can you recommend an adhesive and grout that will perform well in the kitchen and that is available in small bags. Also we are considering a coloured grout, either light grey or cream.

You don’t really need powder addy for tiles that size/weight & a quality tub mix should be fine Not entirely sure if you have plasterboard or solid walls so use a flexi; BAL white Star will do you well: http://www.bal-adhesives.co.uk/products/white-star

Microflex for the grout; http://www.bal-adhesives.co.uk/products/microflex but only white & ivory; or Mapei Ultracolour Plus range has a whole load of coloured grouts; personally, I usually stick with white but it depends on the colour of your tiles.

Will I need to seal the plaster on the window with an acrylic primer, I still have some Prime APD left from the bathroom job. Or can I tile straight onto it.

APD will be fine to use as a primer, dilute 1:1 when using tub mix addy.