Gap between bath panel and wall

[Shooglepops]

Hello first post here been lurking for a few weeks and planning a bathroom renovation but want to do the planning first as to get it right. I was planning how the bath and tiling would be and noticed that there will be a gap between the bath panel and the tanked plasterboard. What can I do to fill this gap or arrange the bath to make it smaller etc. Here is a badly drawn picture to give a visual.
Thanks for any help, Lauren

[royaloakcarpentry]

You shouldn't have a gap between the tiling and bath panel, if anything it will be the opposite and this means the bath panel should need cutting in the length.

bath 1700mm, distance between boards 1705mm. tiling and adhesive 9mm minimum (depending on tiles) X two walls so that equals 18mm. Distance between finished walls 1687mm, thus bath panel should be oversized.

What gap have you got between tiles and what length is the bath panel?

[Shooglepops]

The bath panel is 1695mm this is all in the planning stages so I won't mess it up when I rip the bathroom out. Tiles are 5.5mm thick and am going to use 5mm tile spacers. I thought you tiled down onto the bathtub? So I can dot and dab the plasterboard to fit to the bath then tile on that down to the tub? I just thought that there would be a gap between the bath panel as it is 1695 and after being plasterboarded the area for the bath would be 1700. Thanks for the help feeling a bit thick at the moment.
Lauren

[royaloakcarpentry]

plasterboard down to the floor, making sure walls are done squarely so that bath fits properly. Distance from plasterboard to plasterboard can be length of bath plus 5mm so it is easier to get bath in.

Put 2x1 batten on the walls along the length and both ends of bath (taking care that taps will miss the batten). If you have timber flooring then place 4x2 timber where the legs will be as this will spread the load.

get the bath into position and plumbed in. Run taps to make sure there are no leaks to feeds and also waste. If all good, then fill bath so that water is being drawn into the overflow and check this for leaks. Now if everything is ok you can keep the bath filled for the next step.

Silicone between bath and wall with Dow Corning 785. Leave this to go off over night and in the morning you can empty the bath of water and commence tiling.

Tile down to the bath.

Are you only tiling the bath area and having the rest painted????

5mm spacers!!!!!!

[Rookery]

Agree with above. The only thing I would add is to fill bath again on completion of tiling and before final silicone seal between bath rim and tiles. Also leave a gap of 2 or 3mm between tiles and rim. I'd use 2mm spacers for the wall tiles.

[Shooglepops]

Thanks for the info, the reason I was thinking on 5mm spacers is that due to the size of the tiles it would result in less cutting. Yep gonna tank the plaster board around the bath (where I am tiling) and paint the rest of the bathroom.
Lauren

[royaloakcarpentry]

If you are only tiling above the bath then that changes the setting out slightly. battens etc stays the same advice.

Set opposing walls out so you have them the same distance apart between plasterboard as the bath.

This should mean a gap of 1700mm to fit the bath in.......bath panel 1695mm.............expansion gap either end of the bath panel of 2.5mm which will be hidden when you do the final silicone work.

Spacer size is up to you but the tiles can't be that big if they are only 5.5mm thick.

[Shooglepops]

Tiles are only 14.8cm X 14.8cm so no they are quite small but I guess if I use 2mm then less chance of water getting behind the tiles (am planning on sealing the grout) and it would look better, guess I am going to have to get a decent tile cutter.
Thanks,
Lauren

[royaloakcarpentry]

2mm or 2.5mm spacers would be better.

You don't have to buy a tile cutter, you could hire one. The cheapo tile cutters that DIY stores knock out will probably be man enough for the job.