Refurbishing en-suit with new bigger shower cubical unit

[DIY Monty]

I am planning to upgrade my en-suite room 1.5 m x 1.6 m. Ripping out old shower unit and the wall tiles surrounding the shower cubical.
I will be fitting new shower enclosure 900 x 800 mm with new tray, retiling with ceramic 250 x 400 mm the shower area as well as the three full walls and half of the fourth wall that has a window.
Problem is I have honeycomb (Paramount) plasterboard wall on two walls and other walls are hard (brick) plastered wall.
Question: if I damage the honeycomb plasterboard during removing of tiles, what plastering material should I use to patch any damage?
Before retiling, I will be preparing the wall with the tanking material.
Question: what is the best tanking product and sealing the tray to the wall surround?
Other walls (currently not tiled) have matt paint and I will be tilling these walls.
Question: how best to prepare the wall before retiling?
What is the best powder adhesive and grout product I should use? The walls have about 3 to 4 mm deeps (above the buried CH pipework) so I will be using the buttering process and probably tile leveling kit with 5 mm spacer.
I am retired and want to save money by doing this project myself. I have read a lot about tiling, the above questions have not been answered properly.

[arco_iris]

I realise I am not answering your queries, but have you considered panelling the room, which is how I would do it.

Available as t&g plastic panels, faced mdf or faced ply, you can glue them (with stixall) to the existing wall with aluminium strips up the corners, round the window, etc., you do not need to strip out the existing - just make the room 20mm smaller (10mm each side).

Instant, dead flat, waterproof sheeting, much easier to maintain than grouted tiles and all that that entails to get right. DYOR, start with Respatex/Fibo, also many makes available online & delivered, another search term would be "showerwall".

[DIY Monty]

I realise I am not answering your queries, but have you considered panelling the room, which is how I would do it.

Available as t&g plastic panels, faced mdf or faced ply, you can glue them (with stixall) to the existing wall with aluminium strips up the corners, round the window, etc., you do not need to strip out the existing - just make the room 20mm smaller (10mm each side).

Instant, dead flat, waterproof sheeting, much easier to maintain than grouted tiles and all that that entails to get right. DYOR, start with Respatex/Fibo, also many makes available online & delivered, another search term would be "showerwall".

Thanks for the suggestion and I did look into paneling the shower area and then tile the rest of the wall. the paneling for 800 x 900 mm was coming to about £400 which was expensive plus the wife preferred ceramic tiles - can't argue with the boss. She has already purchased the tiles and i have just ordered the shower unit.
Thanks for the suggestion.

[OchAye]

With the caveat I do not know how thin is the plasterboard you are talking about, I would use Toupret filler to fix any damage (I find it easier to use than plaster and probably stronger and do not bother with the skim coats).

AFAIK where the tray meets the wall (after you have tanked) you fill the gap with silicone (and everyone will say Dow Corning 785 ... double check the number please). Watch out for how you bed the tray to the floor if that is the type you use that needs bedding to the floor.

Old paint (i have not had to worry about that before), wash it down first (sugar soap if you like) and rinse it. Once it is moist[*] from being washed you will have an idea of how well it is holding ... if it is lifting/bubbling scrape off as much as you can. Other than that, scratch the paint with something like an old saw blade to allow for some of the adhesive to grip at whatever is under the paint.

Finally, when I was checking similar I had found that bare plasterboard would take so much weight of tiles per square metre. Skimmed plasterboard would take less. Check what weight your plasterboard can take and you must allow for the tiles adhesive weight too.

If it helps a little (I am a DIYer).

--
[*] You may need a bit more than a wash to get the paint moist ... wet a small patch a bit more and see what happens.

[DIY Monty]

I have now started my en-suite refurbishment project.
Shower cubical out and old tray still in position.
Tiles removed and am lucky the damage to paramount plasterboard is to a minimum. Slight depression from 1 to 2 mm skim plaster coming off.
Going to remove the old adhesive by wetting with water.
Paint removed from one wall (brick and plaster).
I will use old tiles to check how good I am at cutting tiles. I have an electric tile cutter machine and manual kit.
Question:
What filler should I use to fill small damage to plasterboard? can I use the tile adhesive I am going to use for tilling? The plan is to use slow setting adhesive from Wicks or Weber make, any good suggestion.
Thank the shower walls only with Aquaseal kit and remaining walls (plasterboard and brick/plaster wall with acrylic primer. Which is the best make primer?
I will start to tile once the walls are prepared. Still, need to decide on the best slow setting advisive and grout.
As i am using 400 x 250 x 7 mm ceramic tiles from B&Q with 3 to 4 mm spacer. Are the use of leveling spacer good to use for beginner DIYer?
For plumbing, I am going to use compression isolating valves in the system for ease for future maintenance.
I still have to take the tray out and see the condition of the floor. The old tray has been with sealing strips which very watertight. has anyone use this and which is a good make that i can tile over it?

I still need to think of installing the tray to the wooden floor.
What is the best sealer to use around the gaps and between the tray and the wall? Dow Corning was mentioned above, but what spec.
See photos of my project.
I will keep posting until i finish the project but need some professional advice on the above question. Many thanks for spending your valuable time.

[TimB100]

If you are in a position to do so, spend a few £ and tank the area. NEVER think tiles will waterproof your shower.

[DIY Monty]

I have now started my en-suite refurbishment project.
Shower cubical out and old tray still in position.
Tiles removed and am lucky the damage to paramount plasterboard is to a minimum. Slight depression from 1 to 2 mm skim plaster coming off.
Going to remove the old adhesive by wetting with water.
Paint removed from one wall (brick and plaster).
I will use old tiles to check how good I am at cutting tiles. I have an electric tile cutter machine and manual kit.
Question:
What filler should I use to fill small damage to plasterboard? can I use the tile adhesive I am going to use for tilling? The plan is to use slow setting adhesive from Wicks or Weber make, any good suggestion.
Thank the shower walls only with Aquaseal kit and remaining walls (plasterboard and brick/plaster wall with acrylic primer. Which is the best make primer?
I will start to tile once the walls are prepared. Still, need to decide on the best slow setting advisive and grout.
As i am using 400 x 250 x 7 mm ceramic tiles from B&Q with 3 to 4 mm spacer. Are the use of leveling spacer good to use for beginner DIYer?
For plumbing, I am going to use compression isolating valves in the system for ease for future maintenance.
I still have to take the tray out and see the condition of the floor. The old tray has been with sealing strips which very watertight. has anyone use this and which is a good make that i can tile over it?

I still need to think of installing the tray to the wooden floor.
What is the best sealer to use around the gaps and between the tray and the wall? Dow Corning was mentioned above, but what spec.
See photos of my project.
I will keep posting until i finish the project but need some professional advice on the above question. Many thanks for spending your valuable time.

[DIY Monty]

The wooden floor (T&G) is level in all plans. I am planning to use 6mm Hardeibacker board by first sealing the T&G small gaps, then prime with the same primer (Weber) i will use on the wall, apply slow setting adhesive (Weber), fit the Hardie board and screw to the floor, apply adhesive and lay the tray. I will be using a 6 mm trowel to lay the adhesive unless some advice otherwise. As you can put heavy floor tiles on the 6mm Hardie board then i see no reason why a tray cannot be laid on the same surface as it does the same function to avoid cracking with heavy traffic.
Any advice on the type of primer, adhesive and thickness i should use.

[OchAye]

Question:
What filler should I use to fill small damage to plasterboard? can I use the tile adhesive I am going to use for tilling? The plan is to use slow setting adhesive from Wicks or Weber make, any good suggestion.

I don't know much about tile adhesives but if the damage is on the surface only then probably no worth using a filler. If the damage is deep and your adhesive is not suitable then I would only use Toupret powder filler (circa £7-8 available at toolstation and elsewhere). But I told you that already. See next comment too.

Thank the shower walls only with Aquaseal kit and remaining walls (plasterboard and brick/plaster wall with acrylic primer. Which is the best make primer?

Why prime the walls? I am lost, are you going to paint them or tile them. If tiling you should see what surface(s) your chosen adhesive will work with and not second guess what to put on existing surfaces.

I still need to think of installing the tray to the wooden floor.
What is the best sealer to use around the gaps and between the tray and the wall? Dow Corning was mentioned above, but what spec.

What gaps? Between tray and the sides I have already told you what silicone to use. How the tray joins with the floor depends on what tray you get and what the manufacturer says (I know it is boring to read the recommendation of the manufacturer). If it is a stone tray the chances are the manufacturer will say mortar to bed the tray to what is underneath and will also most likely specify what should be underneath. If it is plastic tray I don't know. If it is a suspended tray because you need the trap to fit underneath the tray and above the floor it is a different game. If there are other gaps you may have a problem.

See photos of my project.

OK.

I will keep posting until i finish the project but need some professional advice on the above question. Many thanks for spending your valuable time.

and you will keep posting the same question until someone takes the bait (me for example). I am not a professional BTW which you have figured out anyway. At the moment you have so many vague questions - which as you can see create more questions than give you answers. You need to do more research and come up with more precise questions as opposed to ask everything and the kitchen sink thrown in. Perhaps the professionals can give you more help at that point.

If it helps a little.

[aeromech3]

Avoid 3 to 4 mm grout line, I made that mistake very difficult to level, 2 to 3mm easier.

[DIY Monty]

Question:
What filler should I use to fill small damage to plasterboard? can I use the tile adhesive I am going to use for tilling? The plan is to use slow setting adhesive from Wicks or Weber make, any good suggestion.

I don't know much about tile adhesives but if the damage is on the surface only then probably no worth using a filler. If the damage is deep and your adhesive is not suitable then I would only use Toupret powder filler (circa £7-8 available at toolstation and elsewhere). But I told you that already. See next comment too.

Thank the shower walls only with Aquaseal kit and remaining walls (plasterboard and brick/plaster wall with acrylic primer. Which is the best make primer?

Why prime the walls? I am lost, are you going to paint them or tile them. If tiling you should see what surface(s) your chosen adhesive will work with and not second guess what to put on existing surfaces.

I still need to think of installing the tray to the wooden floor.
What is the best sealer to use around the gaps and between the tray and the wall? Dow Corning was mentioned above, but what spec.

What gaps? Between tray and the sides I have already told you what silicone to use. How the tray joins with the floor depends on what tray you get and what the manufacturer says (I know it is boring to read the recommendation of the manufacturer). If it is a stone tray the chances are the manufacturer will say mortar to bed the tray to what is underneath and will also most likely specify what should be underneath. If it is plastic tray I don't know. If it is a suspended tray because you need the trap to fit underneath the tray and above the floor it is a different game. If there are other gaps you may have a problem.

See photos of my project.

OK.

I will keep posting until i finish the project but need some professional advice on the above question. Many thanks for spending your valuable time.

and you will keep posting the same question until someone takes the bait (me for example). I am not a professional BTW which you have figured out anyway. At the moment you have so many vague questions - which as you can see create more questions than give you answers. You need to do more research and come up with more precise questions as opposed to ask everything and the kitchen sink thrown in. Perhaps the professionals can give you more help at that point.

If it helps a little.

"OchAye" thanks for your reply and sorry for having asked the same questions.
1) I can not buy Toupret powder filler in my town and the damage is very minor on the plasterboard (just some top skim coat (2/3 mm) has come off with the tiles and you can see minor patched of the paper of the plasterboard. Hopefully, the Aqualseal tanking kit will cover these areas. I am going to use slow set (SPF) Weber tile adhesive.
2) I am going to tile the two plasterboard walls and two hard (Brick) plastered wall which had paint (all pint removed and the exposed plaster is very shining) Thus going to apply Weber PR360 primer as recommended.
3) "Gaps" these are small 2 /3 mm gaps between the T&G floorboards. I was thinking of sealing them with sealant before fixing a 12mm Hardiebacker board. I will use DC 785 around the tray as you recommend above.
4) it is a stone tray and i will lay 5/8mm S&C mix on hardieboard to install the tray.
Again sorry for asking the questions again and having wasted your time, but I get different recommendations when I go to the stores to buy the stuff. Some staffs are you guys with no experience, thus joined this forum. Also, lots of video says how to do the work but hardly say what type of product they use, thus too many questions.
Hopefully, no more questions from now.

[OchAye]

1. No need for filler but just for information, toolstation will give you free delivery if you order £10 worth of stuff.

3. I would not bother with the gaps you describe but I would bother with the floorboards if they move at all, to be screwed down.

4. See how often - if at all - you have to screw down the boards (I do not know).

[DIY Monty]

I have run into a problem. After marking the hole for a waste drain on the floorboard and checking under the floor, I find that there are two supporting joists across running very close to each other. There is no room to drill through. The drain is sitting right over a supporting joist and i do not want to cut the joist half way to weak its structural strength and would be difficult for maintenance. So now decided to raise the tray over the floor with raiser kit. My tray is Pearlstone resin based with a rough surface (stone & resin) at the bottom. manufactures instruct to use 6 adjustable legs to be screwed to the tray. Is this a good raiser kit compared to stick on pads, but the surface is rough?

[DIY Monty]

1. No need for filler but just for information, toolstation will give you free delivery if you order £10 worth of stuff.

3. I would not bother with the gaps you describe but I would bother with the floorboards if they move at all, to be screwed down.

4. See how often - if at all - you have to screw down the boards (I do not know).

Thanks, I am using Gypsum easy fill plaster which I had left over when repairing cracks in the ceiling in summer. I will definitely screw the board down.
Thanks again for your time.