How to repair bathroom wall after removing tiles?

shinjisux

long time lurker - first time poster

as expected when removing the wall tiles a lot of the plaster is coming off with the adhesive, and the board behind seems super flimsy! Will I need to remove sections of the wall and redo the villaboard?
im taking on this project alone so if i should be engaging with a plasterer for this advice is certainly appreciated

Thanks!

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @shinjisux. It's sensational to have you join us and many thanks for your question on repairing plasterboard.

What you’re seeing is actually fairly common when removing old wall tiles. Tile adhesive often bonds stronger than the surface paper/plaster layer of the sheet, so when the tiles come off it pulls chunks of the face with it.

From what you’ve described and the images, it appears like the board is structurally compromised in that area. It’s usually not worth trying to patch and build it back up with compound alone.

At this stage, it would probably make more sense to cut out the damaged section and replace it with a new repair panel rather than trying to skim over everything. Trying to fill and sand that large an area can be more work, and it still may not restore proper rigidity.

The usual approach would be:

1. Cut the damaged section back to the centre of the nearest studs so you have solid fixing points.
2. Remove that section cleanly.
3. Install a new piece of plasterboard of the same thickness, screwing it securely into the studs.
4. Tape the joints using paper tape.
5. Apply a base coat over the taped joins and screw heads.
6. Once dry, apply a skim/top coat to feather the edges out smoothly.
7. Lightly sand, prime, and then it’s ready for waterproofing (if in a wet area) and re-tiling.

If you’re not familiar with plastering or setting joints, it might be worth getting a quote from a plasterer. For a professional, this is a small job and they’d likely have it sorted very quickly, which can save you a lot of sanding and frustration.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell