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How to fix tiles above bath?

Some of the tiles above our bathtub ledge seem to be losing the grouting, and some of the tiles below are a little loose. How bad is this, is it a DIY-able fix?

There is a ledge above the bathtub, and it seems the grouting on the far edge (between tile and metal join) has gone. I'm worried whether this has leaked behind and caused the vertical tile below it to become loose.

On the vertical wall below the ledge, some of the grouting has come off. 3 of these small tiles (side by side) are moving when I push on them.

What should I do?

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JacobZ

Hi @androidhaig,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is wonderful to have you with us.

How loose are we talking? Are they loose enough that you could pretty easily pull them off? Or are they just rocking from side to side a little bit?

Ultimately, the best fix is going to be to scrape out the grout, pop the tiles off, clean up and remove the old tile adhesive, then stick them back in place and regrout. In saying this, popping tiles off can damage the waterproofing membrane beneath the tiles, which can lead to further issues.

Considering the proximity to your bath spout, then there is a good chance there is a waterproof membrane beneath those tiles, which would make me more inclined to recommend that you speak with a professional tiler for their assistance.

Allow me to tag @Nailbag and @Dave-1 to see what they think.

Jacob

androidhaig

The one thats falling in a bit could maybe be pulled off, the others are relatively stuck on but if I poke them they move a little. More rocking or feel a bit squishy behind when I push them, but not falling off.

EricL

Hello @androidhaig

Bathroom tiles are meant to be steady and non-moving when attached to the water proofing membrane in your wall. If they move or squish behind when pushed indicates that there may more damage than what you are seeing. It's possible that there may be a water leak behind the membrane or the membrane itself has been damage somehow. I would follow Jacob's advice and engage the services of a professional tiler to assess your tiles condition.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Dave-1

Good Afternoon @androidhaig

:/ I dislike bathroom tile issues… If only we had xray vision :/ The spongeness that you are describing makes me think that the material behind the tiles has become wet (from a leak or soaking water) I had a similar issue years ago where the tiles got to a point one fell off, the push and the wall would flex was another indication that something was not so right. I would get a professional to assess it, yes you can do things yourself but this is an area where you really want it to be right the first time and not revist it in 6 months time (my scenerio)

Is there a shower spout above/inline with the tap we can see and is it above the recess in the tiles? If theer is then that could be the location of the leak.

Dave

Nailbag

Hi @androidhaig

Typically in older homes like yours waterproofing wasn’t extended above tubs. And even if yours was I wouldn’t be too concerned about a breech as there is no water outlet above.

Looking at the condition of the grout, its deteriorating state is most likely the cause of the loose tiles. Unless you’re keen to DIY the repair yourself, I would get a tile re-grouter to remove all the old and replace with new. They will also refit any loose tiles as well as apply an epoxy grout to areas requiring waterproofing.

Nailbag

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