How To Service A Shower Mixer Valve After Tile

Afterwards many years, it is not uncommon to find out that your shower or tub valve has a leak, causing y'all to hire a plumber who will tear apart your lovely tiled wall to replace the valve. While nearly plumbers volition remove the tile to exercise the valve change, very few will repair the bodily tile work. This section will testify y'all how to complete the repair and maintain any waterproofing.

Replacement tiles

If you are fortunate enough to have tile remaining from the original installation, those tiles will be your replacement tiles, which makes your repair easy. If you don't have the original tiles (or don't have enough for the repair), you'll need to find replacement tiles. If you contracted or did the work yourself, contact the shop that supplied your tile to see if they have any remaining stock. If you don't know the origin of the tile, check with a reputable store in your area.

Take a photo of your tile, and/or, if your plumber has removed the tile, take any piece or broken chunk of the tile to the shop with you. If the tile is no longer available, you'll have to utilise a different size or color of tile to repair the surface area. If this is the example, yous might desire to employ a decorative tile or create a border to alter the size or orientation of the replacement tiles. You could too choose a tile in a contrasting colour to look more intentional, rather than have your repair look like a patch (as shown in the repair-over-mud example hither).

After the tile is removed and the valve is replaced, you'll exist able to see whether your tile was installed over a mud bed or over backerboard. The following two sections will prove you how to repair either situation. We will too deal with methods to maintain your waterproofing.

A plumber has replaced the old valves, and the wall is ready for repair. — A plumber has replaced the sometime valves, and the wall is ready for repair.

TRADE SECRET: Appraise your installation to see if there is waterproof paper effectually the valve repair. If you notice that there's paper, take intendance to go out it every bit intact equally possible.

Repair over mud bed

Y'all need to protect the surrounding area before you begin to work one. Tape off the top of the tub and comprehend the bottom with a blanket or drop cloth and/or work surface to protect the tub or shower floor from dirt, dust, h2o, and damage from a dropped tool 2. Protect the new valve stems with tape or paper-thin sleeves.

If there are additional chipped tiles to be removed, take care of those tiles first (beingness conscientious not to drill into whatsoever plumbing pipes) three, iv, five. Now, clip away any reinforcing wire, leaving nearly 1-i/2 in. around the perimeter for overlapping purposes 6. Once the area is clear, constrict waterproof paper nether the paper at the top and over any paper at the bottom of the opening 7. Cut and install a piece of backerboard for backing 8. Cutting a piece of reinforcing wire or metal lath to size and attach to the backerboard 9. Wrap the cut perimeter wires over the board 10.

Mix a modest corporeality of brick mortar mix and spread information technology over the entire area 11. Utilise a chip piece of wood or backerboard to smoothen the mud slightly below the existing mud bed 12. Concur a tile on the mortar near the existing wall tiles to bank check that you volition have room for your new tile adhered with some thinset backside information technology. Let cure overnight.

The following day, brush a generous coating of antifracture/waterproofing membrane over the entire area of the repair 13. Allow to dry according to the manufacturer'southward instructions.

Set your replacement tiles affluent with the existing installation using modified thinset fourteen, grout, and allow appropriate curing time before yous or your plumber fix the finish plumbing 15, 16.

	one. Ever protect the lesser and top of the tub before commencing work.
	2. For the repair, a work surface will be helpful for protection.
	3. Drill through the one-time thinset and tile to become to the former mortar bed with as footling impact on surrounding areas as possible.
	4. A vacuum will keep the dust at a minimum, but you may need an extra pair of hands to help you.
	5. Utilise a hammer and chisel with care to remove the remaining tiles and mortar bed for the repair.
	6. Cut any wire or lath but leave 1-i/ii in. to lap over your new wire reinforcing for your mortar bed.
	7. Overlap the existing waterproof paper with new waterproof paper, from bottom to elevation.
	viii. Fit and screw your backerboard into place.
	9. Cutting and fit reinforcing wire to lay over the backerboard.
	ten. Bend the old reinforcing wire over the new lath or wire.

	xi. Apply mortar until the wire is completely covered.
	12. Use a chip slice of board or other material to smooth out the mortar.
	13. For farther protection, apply a waterproof membrane with a brush.
	14 After the membrane has cured, lay tiles and utilize a level to ensure that they are fifty-fifty with existing areas.
	xv. Drill holes for the valves and then set the replacement tiles.
	16. The repair is grouted and finished.

Repair over backerboard

If you're making a repair over tile attack backerboard, protect the area and remove any chipped tiles as y'all did for the repair over mud i. Scrape or scrap off balance thinset from the existing backerboard ii. With a small level, marker out a rectangle or square on the backerboard only across the damaged area iii. Cut to these lines by scoring, then cutting with a utility pocketknife, and remove any boosted board with tile nippers 4, 5. Screw in blocking to reinforce and bolster the repair slice 6. Cut the repair piece to size, slightly smaller than the opening you merely created, and spiral information technology in place 7, 8.

Caulk generously around the perimeter of the patch, then flatten and let drying time 9. Add fiberglass mesh at the seams to reinforce the repair and coat with antifracture/waterproofing membrane 10, 11. Set the replacement tiles with modified thinset, checking that they lay every bit flat as possible to the existing installation. Grout and allow to cure before setting your finish plumbing.

	1. Tape and protect the new valve and the surrounding work area.
	2. Scrape the old thinset off the backerboard with the apartment edge of your margin trowel.
	3. Mark out plumb and level lines around the damaged area that will be replaced.
	4. Use a utility pocketknife to score along the marked lines.
	5. Tile nippers come in handy in these awkward places to remove the backerboard upwards to your lines.
	half-dozen. Drill screws through the existing backerboard to mount a support piece of wood.
	7. Cutting the replacement piece of backerboard and gear up information technology in identify.
	8. Screw the board into the support piece (left) and an available stud (right).
	9. Force caulk into the gaps, smooth even with the surface, and allow to dry.
	x. Place fiberglass mesh over the seams to increase the strength of the repair.