Shower Floor Re-Tile

My daughter is cut from my cloth, so she likes to repair everything. She removed the tile from her shower floor and wants to re-tile. OK so far.

I plan to resurface the floor to remove the inevitable chunks. I am carefully using a small angle grinder with a diamond blade. Should take every high spot off efficiently.

My question: Should we apply a bonding agent to the cement floor before re-tilling with thinset? OR, should we add the agent to the thinset so it will be mixed? OR, do we even need the agent at all?

CallMeVilla said:

My daughter is cut from my cloth, so she likes to repair everything. She removed the tile from her shower floor and wants to re-tile. OK so far.

I plan to resurface the floor to remove the inevitable chunks. I am carefully using a small angle grinder with a diamond blade. Should take every high spot off efficiently.

My question: Should we apply a bonding agent to the cement floor before re-tilling with thinset? OR, should we add the agent to the thinset so it will be mixed? OR, do we even need the agent at all?

Click to expand...

Are you tiling over the bathroom floor or the actual shower floor?

She knocked the tiles off the shower floor. The walls are intact. To avoid jacking out the concrete, we plan on sculpting the cement with a diamond saw (angle grinder) to eliminate any remaining high spots, then tiling to the existing drain cover.

Again, do I need bonding agent for the thin set or can I apply it directly?

FYI -- The latest info is that I DO NOT have to put bonding agent into the modified thinset to re-tile the shower floor. We considered a waterproofing membrane but decided against it.

CallMeVilla said:

FYI -- The latest info is that I DO NOT have to put bonding agent into the modified thinset to re-tile the shower floor. We considered a waterproofing membrane but decided against it.

Click to expand...

How many tiles came off?
Can you post picture if you didnt start project yet?
This was a prior wetbed?

The ENTIRE floor inside the shower has been removed. Yes, this is a wetbed in a pan. We are replacing ALL the tiles inside the shower floor but keeping the walls intact. I just need a tile guy to agree or not about the need for anything more than modified thinset. Right now, we are planning to tile it WITHOUT any bonding agent or new membrane.

CallMeVilla said:

The ENTIRE floor inside the shower has been removed. Yes, this is a wetbed in a pan. We are replacing ALL the tiles inside the shower floor but keeping the walls intact. I just need a tile guy to agree or not about the need for anything more than modified thinset. Right now, we are planning to tile it WITHOUT any bonding agent or new membrane.

Click to expand...

Well I can tell you that I've tiled on old plywood that still had the thin set from prior tile I had to scrap it all down but yet I still tiled on it but it held. I do t see it being a problem others will tell you no.
As long as you get it smooth should be fine.

I've done one shower floor, and several kitchen counter tops, in ceramic tile. Never used any bonding agent in the thinset, as the stuff is designed by itself to "grab" the tiles and tightly hold them.

That being said, CallMe, are you absolutely sure there's no water leakage into the shower walls? I've come across lots of tile showers in older homes where water has gotten into the walls. You might want to stab a moisture meter through the back of the walls sheetrock (in adjacent rooms) to make sure there are no surprises. Had one last summer for a Department of Human Services client (house built in '60s) that was leaking so badly that the sill plates and bottoms of all of adjoining studs were "mush"--meaning thoroughly rotted. Had to take out 2' of every stud, sister in replacements, along with new treated sill plates.

Well you can once the floor service smoothed and level out you can put the new orange membrane down to tile back over. I've never done that but they do on all the DIY shows

I take it your house is on a slab right hence that you have concrete floor?