Replies

1. 
   FastEddie | May 05, 2008 11:42pm | #1

   If it's really just a bump, shave it off and cover it with tile.  Chances are that the tile is much larger than the area you need to adjust, so it will span right over.

   "Put your creed in your deed."   Emerson

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

2. 
   Talisker2 | May 05, 2008 11:44pm | #2

   I will throw my 2c in here, first let me say I am not a "pro" just a diy'er.

     How big of an area are we talking about ?  Foot or less or much larger?  If small I would go ahead and shave. If it is larger and I could get to the back I would glue/bond some additional sheetrock to the back to provide stability in case something bumps into the tile. If that is impractical possibly covering the entire area with a thin "hardi backer or duroc" and adding tile edging to the vertical ends to cover the additional thickness.

   Jim

3. 
   JeffBuck | May 05, 2008 11:50pm | #3

   if it was my kitchen I'd just smack it with a hammer and get on with the tiling.

   Jeff

       Buck Construction

    Artistry In Carpentry

        Pittsburgh Pa

1. 
   FNbenthayer | May 06, 2008 02:36am | #6

   I'm with Buck on this one. Make the bump a dent and tile away. The mesh and durabond are superfluous as you have tile and thinset.Jim 

    

    

    

   The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.- Fyodor Dostoyevski

2. 
   DanT | May 06, 2008 04:26am | #8

   Yep, what Buck said.  Back splash, not damp, not wet, just there.  DanT

4. 
   DonCanDo | May 05, 2008 11:51pm | #4

   It depends on the cause and shape of the bump, but generally speaking, you shouldn't have any problem.  I would recommend sanding/shaving/scraping (whatever works) to remove the 1/4", then a layer of fiberglass mesh a few inches beyond the "damaged" area, then Durabond setting compound.  Regular mud would probably work too, but Durabond is stronger.

   However, based on what I'm visualizing, I would think that getting the tiles to lay flat would be a bigger problem than a crooked grout line.  Got any pictures?

1. 
   ElmTreeBen | May 06, 2008 04:42am | #9

   thanks for your help, that's what I needed. The area is about 14 inches long that rises the 1/4 inch..the tiles will lay flat but the line at the base of the splash would be crooked.

1. 
   Ted W. | May 06, 2008 06:16am | #10

   Is that to say there is a stud sticking out that wasn't addressed before the drywall went up? That's what is sounds like. If that's the case I would cut the drywall at the center of the 2 adjacent studs to remove that piece, plane down that stud, then put the drywall back. Optionally, you can cut the drywall about 8 or 10 inches on each side of the protruding stud and use a couple of plywood or 1x scraps glued and screwes behind the cuts to splice the drywall back in after you plane down that stud.

   Basically, if the stud sticks out too much it needs fixed.

   Or is it a cast iron waste stack, with the hub pushing out on the drywall. If so, the quick way is to cut out a little rectangle to let the hub pop out, then plaster it over with durobond or something. The right way is to remove the drywall as described above and gouge out the back of the drywall where the hub hits it.

   Is this what you're dealing with?--------------------------------------------------------

   Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at AWorkOfWood.com

1. 
   ElmTreeBen | May 06, 2008 06:38am | #11

   It is a stud that was not dressed before the drywall. I had the base cabinets in before I realized that the problem was that bad. Am trying not to have to remove the cabinet again, though I can. I know how to repair the drywall if I decide to do that, and may.
   Thanks much.

1. 
   Ted W. | May 06, 2008 07:34am | #12

   You could just shave the stud down between the cabinets. But there's no fixing the drywall from the surface. That's way too large an area to shave the surface off the drywall, it would be too weak. On the bright side, it shouldn't take more than a half hour. I would use a power planer crossways to get it to level, then use a chissel to get what the planer couldn't reach. Hope that's helpful. :)--------------------------------------------------------

   Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at AWorkOfWood.com

2. 
   calvin | May 06, 2008 12:58pm | #13

   Cut the drywall on the two studs either side of the bulge.  Install a nailing strip on each side of the bogus stud that will drop back the drywall to the proper plane when you re-install it.  Cut the drywall so it hits the nailers, leaving a space over the bogus stud-mud and tape that gap.

   Or, hack the bogus stud-glue the drywall to it-nail it off to the good ones on either side.  The glue will bond the board and keep it firm.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   http://www.quittintime.com/

    

5. 
   Dinosaur | May 06, 2008 02:22am | #5

   A kitchen backsplash can be rated as a 'damp' area, not a 'wet' one, so you would be okay working over greenboard (moisture-resistant gyprock). If your gyprock is not greenboard, you should use a Kerdi membrane under the entire tile job. (And in either case, you should definitely be using thinset and not mastic for the tile job.)

   It would be tempting to say that if you are on greenboard you don't need the Kerdi, but: by shaving the bump you would remove the moisture-resistant green paper from the gypsum core, and leave a vulnerable spot that moisture will eventually penetrate. So, it looks like you need to shave it, tape it with repair mesh and setting compound, and then lay Kerdi over the whole area before tiling.

   Dinosaur

   How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
   low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
   foolish men call Justice....
   

   

1. 
   calvin | May 06, 2008 04:15am | #7

   Come on, it's a backsplash.  Do what you need to do to make it flatter and let it happen.

   And, so you know I'm good naturedly replying-you playing golf at the fest?

    

   thanks.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   http://www.quittintime.com/

    

1. 
   Dinosaur | May 07, 2008 01:10am | #14

   Come on, it's a backsplash.  Do what you need to do to make it flatter and let it happen.

   Yeah, it's a backsplash, and yeah, I agree with Jeff Buck who said, "If it were my backsplash, I'd smack it with a hammer and tile it." Or words to that effect.

   But the operative word in that statement is 'my'. I'd probably do the quick-fix thing on my own place, but I wouldn't at a client's unless he/she specifically signed-off on the quick-fix. I purely hate callbacks, especially on tile jobs where the materials can really cost you.

   The OP here can make his own decision based on all the info we've jointly thrown at him, but minimum industry standard for damp areas is greenboard or membrane with thinset, and I just thought somebody oughta mention that to him.

    

   -you playing golf at the fest?

   At this point, I don't even know if I'm gonna be alive at the fest--Murphy done gimme a major truck-whack yestiddy and I might be having to leave tomorrow morning on my bicycle in order to make it out there on time....

   But--if we make it, we're playing golf.

   Dinosaur

   How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....

1. 
   JeffBuck | May 07, 2008 02:14am | #15

   OK ... I'd do it at the clients house too if they left the room for a second ...

    

   Bang! ... "what was that? Nothing!" ... Done!

   if it was something offensive in there I'd maybe think about making a small square cut and backing it with some 1/4" drywall or backerboard.

   but I'd probably just bash it and scrape it down then tile away.

   Jeff    Buck Construction

    Artistry In Carpentry

        Pittsburgh Pa

1. 
   Dinosaur | May 07, 2008 02:31am | #16

   Yer braver than me.

   Dinosaur

   How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....

2. 
   FNbenthayer | May 07, 2008 02:33am | #17

   I agree with the backer board or membrane (or red guard) when the backsplash tile goes to the countertop. Most of the kitchens we do have stone back splashes with tile above, IMHO drywall is fine in that case.Jim 

    

    

    

   The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.- Fyodor Dostoyevski