How to repair a damaged wall after removing tiles

While the best way to gain enviable plastering and/or tiling skills would be to take one of our bespoke courses and become a qualified plasterer and tiler, Access Training also have a few handy tips to share to DIY enthusiasts looking to improve their work.

You've Removed the Tiles... Now What?

When removing tiles, often the surface underneath is also inadvertently pulled off with them. The amount that comes off depends on what material the wall is - it may be plasterboard, a sand/cement render that's been plastered or a variety of different surfaces. The most likely is plaster, as that tends to be the most common. So where do we start?

1. Firstly, check that the surrounding area of plaster is in a good state by lightly tapping the wall with a hammer. If you hear a hollow sound you will need to take off more plaster.
   
   
2. You then need to prepare the background surface. Firstly thoroughly clean the surface using a wire brush or something similar, being careful not to catch your hand on the bare surface.
   
   
3. Because the surface is now very porous you will need to "prime" the wall. The purpose of this is to reduce the porosity of the background to prevent it absorbing too much moisture from the filler you are going to use. Remember to use an acrylic prime, as this is far superior to the usual PVA.
   
   
4. You will now need to fill in the damaged area. If the damage is only minimal, plaster the thickness then apply a coat of plaster. You don't need to get a perfect finish as eventually you're going to tile on top of it. If the background requires a somewhat thicker fill, I personally use a product named Easyfill, which can be purchased from most building suppliers.
   
   
5. Once the surface is filled and dried (any high spots can be sanded back), prime it for a second time. Then you will be all ready to replace the tiles.

Want to Learn More About Tiling?

If you are interested in learning more, have you considered a career as a professionally qualified plasterer and tiler?

Here at Access Training, we have a variety of tiling and plastering courses available, each giving you recognised qualifications and the knowledge and skills you'll need to get qualified. For more information, please contact Access Training today.

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Read more:

• Prime or PVA Before Tiling?
• The 7 Most Common Plumbing Problems
• Expand Your Skills with an Access Training Tiling Course