Replies

1. 
   rez | Jun 27, 2005 11:12pm | #1

   Greetings NIK, As a first time poster Welcome to Breaktime.   If you scroll down in the lower left corner of your screen there is an EZ search function that will take you to previous threads dealing with whatever you type in the search bar. If you type in 'tub surround'  or other keywords of the subject matter you'll get a supply of data from those old threads. Or a theoretically said more advanced search function can be found by clicking on the View ImageAdvanced Search tab found on the lefthand of your screen a top of the column listings which is pretty self explanatory. Good Luck. Cheers

    

    

   A person with no sense of humor about themselves is fullashid
   
   

    

1. 
   jndalex | Jun 28, 2005 12:36am | #3

   thanks. i know about EZ & advanced searching but haven't had much success. for example when i received your message i tried EZ search (again) using "acrylic tub surround" for key words & this time i got no matches! something wrong there because before i've gotten hundreds of matches most of which were totally irrelevant, others that were marginally relevant - very little about installing pre-fab tub surrounds over tile & that little didn't give any useful details. i also tried looking on "outline" to sift thru the thousands of discussions from the beginning of time but was not able to open any promising looking entries by clicking. hence i've initiated my own discussion.  i've noticed already that you are a regular on BT so would it be all right to ask you more about navigating around the BT site or should i ask taunton these ?'s.

1. 
   rez | Jun 28, 2005 06:57am | #14

   ...would it be all right to ask you more about navigating around the BT site...

   Sure, fire away. You got 5 minutes and I'll tell you all I know. Roar!

   I typed in 'acrylic tub surround' on the EZ search and got 25 hits but nothing on acrylic over tile.

   Seems it could be done but wouldn't want to experiment on a paying gig somewhere tho'.

   If it were my place or the client insisted, ya.

   If you had too or were just sold on the idea maybe a substrate could be secured to the tile first.

   As to definitive advice bout everyone is going to tell you to rip it out and do it right cause this is fine homebuilding, they're pros, liability and call backs, etc.

   But if tile can go over tile and you're willing to chance cracking acrylic you might roll the dice. I'd like to hear how it went.

   Not at the home puter now or you'd have the link to the johnbridge...something tile site.

   I'd feel more comfortable with a fiberglass surround myself.

   be cursing thin acrylic  

    

    

   A person with no sense of humor about themselves is fullashid 

1. 
   jndalex | Jun 29, 2005 02:16am | #17

   wow, tile over tile! good thinking. i just want to avoid demoing the old tile on plaster on terra cotta block. & i know the johnbridge site. so thanks a lot, NIK 

2. 
   EricPaulson | Jun 27, 2005 11:24pm | #2

   As long as the walls and floor are sound, I don't see any reason why you could not do that.

   The plumbing may become difficult though unless you have access from below the floor or from the back of the wall that the faucet is located.

   Eric

   I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,

   With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.

   [email protected]

1. 
   jndalex | Jun 28, 2005 12:49am | #5

   thanks. I already suspect that i can do it but i need details on which products to use & the best way to install them: which mastic; using a few strategicallyy placed mechanical fasteners to augment the mastic; etc.

   also, there is no plumbing involved. i'm talking about a tub surround on the surrounding walls; nothing is happening to the tub itself. thanks again

1. 
   EricPaulson | Jun 28, 2005 01:24am | #7

   i'm talking about a tub surround on the surrounding walls; nothing is happening to the tub itself.

   Not familiar with any product such as that................all I've seen comes as a kit; tub + three piece surround.

    

   Good Luck,

   EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,

   With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.

   [email protected]

1. 
   jndalex | Jun 28, 2005 02:15am | #8

   thanks again. who was the manufacturer of the kit(s) that you saw? maybe they also carry kits without the tub insert - i could go their web-site & look around.

    

1. 
   EricPaulson | Jun 28, 2005 02:51am | #9

   not a clue, although I might recognize a name.

   Google tub surounds (sp) and see what you get?I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,

   With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.

   [email protected]

2. 
   jndalex | Jun 28, 2005 03:42am | #11

   thanks eric. if you look @ entry # 59889.4 above & also my initial entry, the part about me not being an on-line whiz, you might understand that i have the same trouble w/ google which is where i started my acrylic tub surround quest: i got around a million matches including sites offering vacations in timbuktu & very little useful stuff. if you or anyone can offer tips on efficiently doing on-line research I'd be soooo grateful. NIK

3. 
   NickNukeEm | Jun 28, 2005 12:42am | #4

   The only surround that you could get away with doing that with is a 3-5 piece sectional surround that uses an adhesive.  Any type of surround with a flange that is intended to be fixed to studs wouldn't work, obviously (alcove would be too short due to the tile.)   And the makers of the surrounds that use adhesvie suggest drywall/cbu for better adhesion characteristics. 

   Adhesive might work fine on tile, then again, it might not, I don't know.  Since they aren't that great to begin with (it's recommended the walls be dead plumb) and have a tendency to pull away when there are bumps/dips/valleys in the wall, I'm guessing it wouldn't last too long.

   Personally, I think you'd be better served to rip out the old tile to the studs, put up cbu, then the surround.  Better yet, pull out the old tub & tile and get a tub/surround set such as a Kohler Sterling.  It nails to the studs and you drywall over the flange.  A little more work, but it will look a whole lot nicer.

    

   I never met a tool I didn't like!
1. 
   jndalex | Jun 28, 2005 12:58am | #6

   thanks. there are no studs; tiles are set to plaster, plaster is on terra cotta block. i need TNT to demo (or nukes! - wanna help?). i'm trying to cut some corners but w/ something that will satisfy - no callbacks.

1. 
   NickNukeEm | Jun 28, 2005 03:15am | #10

   Musty I believe makes a three or 5 piece unit that adheres to the walls.  Read the installation instructions prior to buying, or buy from HD and read, if you discover it isn't gonna work, return it in its entirety (including instructions.)

   The whole tile on terracotta thing is gonna be hard to get over, without help from the 3rd Armored Brigade, as you suspect.

   If you go the adhesive surround route, use as many braces as you can cram in there (cover the ends with scraps of carpet to prevent scratching) to ensure the adhesive has time to set with the surround in place; the most I've used is 13, I believe, but that was a few years ago, I try to encourage total replacement.

    I never met a tool I didn't like!

1. 
   jndalex | Jun 28, 2005 03:45am | #12

   thanks. i'm off to the musty web-site. wish me luck. NIK

1. 
   NickNukeEm | Jun 28, 2005 03:50am | #13

   Try Mustee.  Sorry.

   Edit, just read their instructions, they're pretty emphatic about not installing over tile.  Don't know of any others, but I'm guessing if they exist, they would have the same precaution.  Time to look elsewhere, or stick your neck out and try it.  Sorry.

    

   I never met a tool I didn't like!

   Edited 6/27/2005 8:56 pm ET by NickNuke'em

2. 
   jndalex | Jun 29, 2005 02:08am | #16

   thanks nick. yeah, american shower & bath gave same advice but i'm still considering the idea using a latex adhesive & grinding the tiles. Or new tile over old - a good suggestion from razzman. NIK

4. 
   steve | Jun 29, 2005 01:19am | #15

   you are on the right track for posting questions and welcome!!

   for your situation i would definetly go with the one piece fibreglass surround

   aggresively sand or grind the tile to provide "tooth" for the adhesive a 36 grit belt sander works great

   most 1 piece surrounds are available in 59 or 60 inch so measure carefully and use the eight adhesive

   caulking is not a piece of trim

1. 
   jndalex | Jun 29, 2005 02:23am | #18

   thanks for the encouragement & suggestion about roughing up tile (w/ a beltsander -wouldn't have thought of that) NIK

1. 
   steve | Jun 29, 2005 02:32am | #19

   no problem, you will really need to provide a tooth for the adhesive and clamp it well for 24 hrscaulking is not a piece of trim

1. 
   jndalex | Jun 29, 2005 02:49am | #20

   thanks again, nik (am i being too polite w/ all these thank you's)