Bath liner buckling

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chez

93 posts

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#289213 20-Aug-2021 10:03

I went to a reputable shower company and asked them to fit a bath liner and bath screen last month. I bought their own products and hired their installer to give me a peace of mind. After the installation, I got busy and didn't get around to continue the renovation. When I got back and started painting two weeks ago, I noticed that the bath liner was buckling. I know for certain that this shouldn't be like this because my former bath acrylic wall liner of 15 years did not have any buckling like this. It's supposed to be smooth and no ripples. The bathroom has never been used since installation of bath liner. The product and installation is under a 5- year warranty. I emailed the company and they sent their installer back to check the bath liner. He himself was surprised.

My question is, will the Gib (Aqualine) get damaged when the liner is removed? I am assuming that the adhesive will rip the lining off. If that happens, I will need a new Gib. This sucks because the Gib is new, as in new. I paid a licensed builder to do the job (including Gib stopping) two months ago. On top of that, I spent a primer and has already primed the exposed Aqualine for painting later on.

Has anyone changed their shower liner or bath liner? What do you think I should do?

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#2763534 20-Aug-2021 10:27

Sounds like a warranty claim and also they should put everything right if they have to remove the liner and do any damage.

read the warranty carefully, then contact them and calmly make the claim...

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JayADee

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#2764635 22-Aug-2021 08:00

As above. They'll have to fix it for you.

nickb800

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#2764643 22-Aug-2021 09:02

There's a small chance they can remove the liner without completely ruining the gib, but it's probably not worth the time if they can just replace the gib.

They could replace the gib from 50mm inside the edge of the liner to avoid having to redo the gib stopping/primer in exposed areas.

Dont need a licensed builder to replace gib - being behind a shower it certainly won't be bracing

Bung

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#2764648 22-Aug-2021 09:26

By buckling are you referring to the vertical line that looks like it is telegraphing the gib join? It could be that the stopping compound has shrunk and pulled the liner with it. If the builder used an air drying compound and it wasn't given enough time between coats that could happen. There are alternate stopping plasters that use a chemical reaction to harden typically in 20 or 45 minutes.

eracode

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#2764674 22-Aug-2021 10:10

Bung: By buckling are you referring to the vertical line that looks like it is telegraphing the gib join? It could be that the stopping compound has shrunk and pulled the liner with it. If the builder used an air drying compound and it wasn't given enough time between coats that could happen. There are alternate stopping plasters that use a chemical reaction to harden typically in 20 or 45 minutes.

If that is the two chamfered joins in the gib sheets showing through (which it certainly looks like), it looks more likely that the gib wasn't stopped at all - and the shower lining has been installed over the unstopped gib. If that's the case, it's not that the "stopping compound has shrunk and pulled the liner with it" but that the liner adhesive has pulled the liner into the chamfers. However I wouldn't have thought that the liner would be thin enough or flexible enough to move in like that - you'd think it would just bridge across the chamfers.

Regardless of the cause, I agree with all those who have said it's got to be rectified at the contractor's expense.

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shanes

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#2764687 22-Aug-2021 10:37

eracode:

Bung: By buckling are you referring to the vertical line that looks like it is telegraphing the gib join? It could be that the stopping compound has shrunk and pulled the liner with it. If the builder used an air drying compound and it wasn't given enough time between coats that could happen. There are alternate stopping plasters that use a chemical reaction to harden typically in 20 or 45 minutes.

If that is the two chamfered joins in the gib sheets showing through (which it certainly looks like), it looks more likely that the gib wasn't stopped at all - and the shower lining has been installed over the unstopped gib. If that's the case, it's not that the "stopping compound has shrunk and pulled the liner with it" but that the liner adhesive has pulled the liner into the chamfers. However I wouldn't have thought that the liner would be thin enough or flexible enough to move in like that - you'd think it would just bridge across the chamfers.

Regardless of the cause, I agree with all those who have said it's got to be rectified at the contractor's expense.

I think you have done a great job of describing the issue, with the adhesive and unstopped gib.

I've just done my shower and the installations instructions state that the gib must not be stopped or painted.

So some fault probably lies with the builder leaving the chamfered join in a place where the liner was being installed.

Bung

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#2764787 22-Aug-2021 11:50

Which instructions are those? Gib's Aqualine instructions for rigid liners state avoid joins if possible otherwise stop and flush joins but don't seal.

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nickb800

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#2764810 22-Aug-2021 12:56

Its a bit of a grey area between the shower liner and gib instructions - as noted gib suggests to stop any joins, but most shower liner manufacturers say no plaster behind the liner (e.g. englefield, showerking).

It sounds like a setting plaster (e.g. tradeset) and joint tape is a good idea to fill the chamfer, and a 100mm wide strip is unlikely to cause the liner to fail. That said, I've done it without filling the chamfer (horizontal gib sheet join) and never had the problem the the OP has

shanes

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#2764848 22-Aug-2021 13:30

Bung: Which instructions are those? Gib's Aqualine instructions for rigid liners state avoid joins if possible otherwise stop and flush joins but don't seal.

It was for a Stella Nourea (Mitre10) shower.

I made the mistake thinking that it wouldn't matter that much as I had a chamfered horizontal join... it definitely does matter, as now when the lining heats up it expands along the stopped area bulging out a little as the glue doesn't seem to have stuck.

I'll be looking to see if I can pull mine off at some stage as well... I'll be re-gibing behind the liner just in from the edges as someone mentioned earlier.

mattwnz

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#2764974 22-Aug-2021 17:03

Bung: Which instructions are those? Gib's Aqualine instructions for rigid liners state avoid joins if possible otherwise stop and flush joins but don't seal.

I that a rigid liner though? Looks like one of those thin acrylic liners which I would think relies on the gib for it's rigidity. We recently had a similar liner replaced, and I recall they did gib stop behind it to make sure it was totally smooth.

chez

93 posts

Master Geek

#2767039 26-Aug-2021 14:53

The join isn't sealed or plastered. The builder who did my Gib knew that bath liner was going there so they didn't plaster the join. I could have made them done everything but I already committed to the Shower company before I found a builder to do my Gib.

The shower company came back to me. The manager said, "The only way to rectify this would be to remove the liner and apply a skim coat of plaster (this will need to be done by a plasterer) at the join to create a level surface, allow it to dry and fit a new liner." If I'm reading this right, they will remove the liner as carefully as they can, plaster the join and fit a new liner. Is this solution the right solution? What happens if the Gib gets ripped? Won't this a problem again?

I had a chat with a retired builder and he said that to do it properly is to replace the Gib and redo the bath liner fixing. And the company has to pay all the expenses including the paint that I used to seal the exposed Gib because it was the company's fault.

mattwnz

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#2767069 26-Aug-2021 15:53

chez:

The join isn't sealed or plastered. The builder who did my Gib knew that bath liner was going there so they didn't plaster the join. I could have made them done everything but I already committed to the Shower company before I found a builder to do my Gib.

The shower company came back to me. The manager said, "The only way to rectify this would be to remove the liner and apply a skim coat of plaster (this will need to be done by a plasterer) at the join to create a level surface, allow it to dry and fit a new liner." If I'm reading this right, they will remove the liner as carefully as they can, plaster the join and fit a new liner. Is this solution the right solution? What happens if the Gib gets ripped? Won't this a problem again?

I had a chat with a retired builder and he said that to do it properly is to replace the Gib and redo the bath liner fixing. And the company has to pay all the expenses including the paint that I used to seal the exposed Gib because it was the company's fault.

I had one of these types of liners removed on a new shower. They removed the liner and the gib under it was all damaged from them glue being pulled off. Initially they tried to repair the gib with a skim coat, but the shower installer wasn't happy with the finish, so the gib was replaced and joins plastered to a smooth finish, and anew liner was installed. It is a big job but the cost is mainly labour. One issue was a lack of the material to make the replacement liner due to material shortages, so it look a very long time to get it all done.

mattwnz

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#2767100 26-Aug-2021 16:16

nickb800: There's a small chance they can remove the liner without completely ruining the gib, but it's probably not worth the time if they can just replace the gib.

They could replace the gib from 50mm inside the edge of the liner to avoid having to redo the gib stopping/primer in exposed areas.

Dont need a licensed builder to replace gib - being behind a shower it certainly won't be bracing

If it is on an external wall, wouldn't it need a consent to replace and internal gib lining?

nickb800

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#2767167 26-Aug-2021 19:12

mattwnz:
nickb800: There's a small chance they can remove the liner without completely ruining the gib, but it's probably not worth the time if they can just replace the gib.

They could replace the gib from 50mm inside the edge of the liner to avoid having to redo the gib stopping/primer in exposed areas.

Dont need a licensed builder to replace gib - being behind a shower it certainly won't be bracing

If it is on an external wall, wouldn't it need a consent to replace and internal gib lining?

Nope, don't need consent or LBP to install internal linings. LBP comes into it if it's a bracing element, and consent if you're installing insulation.

chez

93 posts

Master Geek

#2793738 12-Oct-2021 10:41

Lockdown added to the delay of this renovation. Now, with the new level 3 restrictions, the company is going to start the remedial.

Update: The liner is only 1.5mm compared with any other liners in the market which is 2mm. The shower company sent their man to assess and took the liner off without damaging the Aqualine. The upper layer of the Gib has come off as expected. The guy said that the joint is the culprit but did not discount the fact that the thickness of the liner was not up to good in the kind of wall I have. I said that my old liner did not show anything like that with joined boards. He acknowledged that it was the thin liner. I'm waiting for what they're going to do. I don't know if they can find a one piece Gib to replace the wall. Or plaster the joint. I suggested getting a thicker 2mm liner from other supplier. I don't mind paying extra. I don't know if they'll do that. Another thing, the bath door was wrongly installed and it's good the guy picked it up and so he took that off, too. Nothing is right here by the look of it. I am thinking, I just want my money back and get another company to do the right thing here.

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