# Forum Home Renovation Tiling  Fitting fibre sheet to shower wall (hole)

## Project1080

Hoping someone has a brilliant idea. Shower in IP developed a leak behind wall. Turned out to be the breeching piece behind the taps. Plumber has fixed but now a sizable hole in the wall (i'd post pics but wife's out with camera).  
The hole is 400mm x 300 mm (4 tiles) and taps are in middle of hole. Taps are fixed to timber noggin behind. I wave a wall stud down one side but nowhere else to fix the board to.
Firstly, can I use standard fibre cement sheet or do I need the aqua stuff?
Secondly, I can nail the villaboard to the wall stud and thinking of using an offcut of villaboard to sit behind sheet using liquid nails.
Thirdly, after I've tidyed up the hole and fitted the sheet, how do I fill the gaps around the sheet to waterproof it prior to tiling? 
Any advice is appreciated. 
Project 1080

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## Gooner

I would "back-block" the existing wall using some pieces of Villaboard, wait for the adhesive to dry, and then patch the hole with another piece of villaboard nailed to the stud and glued to the back blocking on the existing wall. I would then get some plaster base coat and fill the gaps to give you a smooth wall. Then I would go and grab myself a small 4 liter tub of waterproofer (smallest size I've seen) and waterproof the lot a few times to make sure there will be no leaks. Then re-tile and you're done. 
Just remember to silicone the gap between the taps and the hole in the wall for the taps. You can buy special flanges to help you do this, but I simply used plenty of silicone and it does the job.

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## Project1080

Thanks Gooner,
It's the same process I use for patching gyprock. My biggest concern was how to seal the joins. I wasn't sure about using plaster in a wet area.  
Notification of interest for others: I found out villaboard is 6mm think and fibre cement sheets are 4.5mm thick and the compositions are slightly different. Off to do some work. 
Regards,
Project 1080.

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## Rod Dyson

PROJECT 1080 I would cut the hole back to a stud and fix stud to stud and back block the top and bottom joins. The reason for this is that even a back blocked repair will be weaker. If someone sliped in the shower and knocked the wall it will possibly give way.  
I would be looking for the strongest repair in this area as possible.   
You won't need to seal with basecoat all you need to do is silicone seal the joints and the tap holes. 
You will need to use 6mm villaboard to match the existing. 
Cheers Rod

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## Haveago1

This may seem a bit off centre...but what is in the room behind the shower taps?  
Can you get access to the back of the taps by cutting a hole in the wall from the back? If so you may be able to put in the extra support needed from there without having to increase the size of the tile repair needed.

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## multiblade

Hi, I would use polyurathane at the joints and taps. Its a better bond breaker and if you end waterproofing with a polyeurathane they are chemically similar, bond well, and wont delaminate.
cheers

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## gerry71

> I would "back-block" the existing wall using some pieces of Villaboard, wait for the adhesive to dry, and then patch the hole with another piece of villaboard nailed to the stud and glued to the back blocking on the existing wall. I would then get some plaster base coat and fill the gaps to give you a smooth wall. Then I would go and grab myself a small 4 liter tub of waterproofer (smallest size I've seen) and waterproof the lot a few times to make sure there will be no leaks. Then re-tile and you're done. 
> Just remember to silicone the gap between the taps and the hole in the wall for the taps. You can buy special flanges to help you do this, but I simply used plenty of silicone and it does the job.

  Hey Paul, i am new to this forum, not new to renos, but have to say i have never seen or heard of silicone or sealing around a tap and the hole that it protrudes from :Blush7:  how do you go about replacing a washer if the tap is siliconed in? do you need to redo the silicone each time? any more info regarding the seals you mentioned would be appreciated. :Wink 1: 
Gerry

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## multiblade

(I think) He is talking about sealing around the breaches in the wall (the rough in). The gaps around the rough-in copper / brass should be sealed, with silicon (OR Polyurathane, like sikaflex)
The spindle, which holds the washer screws into these breeches. So whether they are sealed or not, makes no difference to changing a washer, just affects whether the bedroom on the other side of the wall is mouldy or not.  :Smilie:  
Cheers
Mick

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## watson

G'day Fellers,
It might be a while before you get an answer.
The OP hasn't been on the forum since the 27th December 2009.
Just a heads up.

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## multiblade

LMAO.err, yeah like Watson said...
But my answer still applies to the question Gerry71 asked of Gooner 
Cheers
mick

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## watson

There ya go.........Its the Mother Complex that makes me do it  :Rotfl:

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## murray44

> Hey Paul, i am new to this forum, not new to renos, but have to say i have never seen or heard of silicone or sealing around a tap and the hole that it protrudes from how do you go about replacing a washer if the tap is siliconed in? do you need to redo the silicone each time? any more info regarding the seals you mentioned would be appreciated.
> Gerry

  Gerry, I think you silicone between the tap body and the penetration so that if you have a leaking spindle it doesn't end up wetting the wall internals. I think you can buy proper seals or just lay a big ring of silicone to seal it up. And yep, you'd just hack it out when you needed to replace a washer.

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## multiblade

> Gerry, I think you silicone between the tap body and the penetration so that if you have a leaking spindle it doesn't end up wetting the wall internals. I think you can buy proper seals or just lay a big ring of silicone to seal it up. And yep, you'd just hack it out when you needed to replace a washer.

  Err.. Normally you would seal the gap between the edge of the breech and the surrounding wall. A spindle (holding the washer) then screws into the breech. Unscrewing the spindle does not affect the seal as it is between the *outside* of the breech and the wall  where as the spindle screws into the inner threaded female opening of the breech. (the inside edge) Err sorry for pedantic moment

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## Oldsaltoz

> Notification of interest for others: I found out villaboard is 6mm think and fibre cement sheets are 4.5mm thick and the compositions are slightly different. Off to do some work.
> Regards,
> Project 1080.

  Villaboard is rated as 'water resistant' but fibre cement sheets are not, so must be waterproofed if used. 
The extra cost to waterproof the Fibre sheets (Gyprock) is above the cost of buying Villaboard in the first place, so a bit of a no brainer.

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