looking for a 'not-so-messy-fix'

We just did a complete (and expensive) remodel on the master bath, as well as a kitchen remodel. We have new flooring throughout the house and fresh paint on all the walls. So....I want to 'help' the full bath in the hallway. However, we have broken the bank already AND I do not want something that is going to mess up the entire house. So here is my thought:

We have a tub that definitely needs to be re-glazed, and the walls around the tub are the usual 4" cermic tiles. The tiles are not in great shape now and the grout lines look awful. I want to know if, since the present tile should already have the necessary moisture barrier behind it to 'seal' the water out of the walls, etc...can I just put up hardy board over the tiled area according to directions (attaching to studs THRU the cermic tile) and caulking corners and area near tub rim...THEN after taping seams with fiberglass tape and doing the skim coating, can I put up a 12x12 ceramic tile? I HAVE done 12x12 ceramic tile on a vertical surface before, as I covered our huge but out-dated brick fireplace years ago and it still looks perfect....so I am not completely ignorant on that part of the plan.

I realize that I will be actually bringing the wall 'in' the 1/2" depth of the hardy board and the depth of the tile. I don't see that as a problem, as I can choose an edge finish tile type that will work with the added thickness.

I DO NOT want to take the present tile down because, of course, that was done in the master bath and I'm familiar with just what that means (gutting and a LOT of dirt and debris). I've read online about putting ceramic tile OVER ceramic tile and what is necessary in preparation...however, I was thinking that the perfectly flat surface of the hardy board would provide a better substrate to attach the 12x12 tiles.

Yea or Nay folks??

Unfortunately you will have to take the walls down or the era.
It is possible to just put your cement board up over it but it will never work in the long run tile is not a structural sound meaning you can't revers the tile cement board and you will find your self having to take it down anyway do to alot of reasons if you do this If you want to replace the tub you will have to take the walls out any way as the exciting bedrock or sheet should be sitting on the tub lip and the tiles cover that gap
Sorry I hate for some one to was a lot of money by doing that I say hold off another year.

Sent from my iPhone iOS5

I'm not a professional tile person, but I'll stick my neck out and go against the grain on this one anyway.

I would be very tempted to skip the backer board, and simply apply new tile to a layer of modified thinset on properly-prepared existing tiles. One of my work buddies years ago (too many moves since then, can't remember which buddy) did it on his kitchen backsplash, and I don't think he ever had a problem with it. It's important to make absolutely sure that the existing tile are solidly attached to the walls, everywhere. A good way to check for delaminations is to lightly tap each tile with a small tack hammer, moving around in a random pattern, while lightly holding (and moving) the fingertips of your other hand on the same tile. Unbonded tiles should be easy to find, giving off a totally different sound (much "duller"), and will feel different to the fingertips as well.

If your tiles are all sound, with no "holidays" (large areas missing adhesive or thinset on the backs), your next step would be to lightly roughen the faces. You could use a belt sander, but I'd be inclined to use a small angle grinder with a masonry wheel or disk. Keep it moving, as there's a tendency for the tile to glow red and break from the heat if kept in one place too long. This will be a messy operation, so wear a mask, and keep the door closed. If the room has a window, a box fan pushing the dusty stuff out through the open window will help minimize dust in the rest of the house. If no window, turn on the exhaust fan. And tape all of the door frame gaps with wide painter's tape.

Work the thinset into the existing tiles' faces by pushing down hard with the trowel's smooth edge first; then reverse it and apply the "toothed" pattern to the mud. I always butter the back of each new tile I set, and like to uniformly tap each tile with a rubber mallet to help make sure it's bonded. Tile spacers at the corners will help keep things in place as you work your way around.

If any tile professionals disagree with any of the foregoing, please chime in and set me straight.

It's almost never a good idea to go over old tile. And drywall is never to be used behind any wet area tile and has failed time and agin on every old bathroom done this way. And trying to grind it with a grinder to prep it is the completly wrong way to do it.
A back splash is one thing but a bathroom shower area is completly a differant thing all together.
The old needs to come out and be redone with tile board.

BridgeMan if I would have to say that is just crazy?!?... but I like it!! Lol.
I can tell you the way I tile is not the professional way there are about 15 ways to tile and only a few work in the real world
When I tile a floor I use 1/2" BC ply not backer board unless it's going to be a wet bed now for alot of tile people that is considered sticking my neck out lol

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