Can I repair/ reuse old mortar bed on tub surround

I am replacing the tiles on my bathroom walls, including the tub surround. My home was built in the 1950's and the tiles were installed over a mortar bed. The mortar/cement is very solid--about 2.5" thick, and the metal lathe is extremely sharp. It would be very difficult, messy, heavy, and dangerous to remove it, and I would like to reuse it.

The problem is that the mortar bed has holes every four inches. I am not sure if water linked through the grout and eroded the bed at these locations, or if this is the way it should look. So imagine a cement wall with quarter-sized holes every 4 inches.

Can I just patch up these holes with plaster, or cement, or mortar and reuse it? If so, what should I use to patch the holes? and, once repaired, what should I use to apply the new tile to the old bed?

Thanks much, Best regards---B

Oh yeah... I forgot to mention

... I do not plan to be in this home very long, but I hope it would last at least 5 yrs.

If the holes are only 1/4", I don't think I'd play with them if the tile was sufficiently big to cover them well. You didn't say how deep they are or if it is more of a divot. Do they go all the way through? You may want to ask over at www.johnbridge.com - they specialize in tiling.

Thanks. I posted a thread there. The holes do not go all the way through to the lathe, but they go pretty deep, or more of quarter (coin) sized. I attach a photo.

All the best

Seeing the picture, I'm more inclined to remove it. Yes, the lath is sharp, and the assembly is heavy, but you can cut it into sections and pry it off the wall. Expect to find the existing studs out of alignment and it may be easiest to sister new ones on in a nice straight line and plumb. Then screw cbu on and go from there.

Thanks for the help and response... I was afraid you would say that... but oh well.

BTW, I work for Nokia and they are a great company.

They have no business asking for a SSN unless they are supplying a service requiring long-term (i.e., credit worthiness); not just to purchase a product. It makes sense if you are say buying a phone with service, or getting credit from them, but not to just buy a service or a product. Does the merchant where you buy your tv ask for a SSN when you present your credit card even if it will be connected to say cable or sattelite? They physically refuse to sell you a phone without one, regardless.

I havent noticed that they require SSNs at their website. But I'll take your word for it. I wouldn't provide my SSN over the Net. So in that regard, I agree with you.

But, we're not monsters. In fact this is the nicest, most human, company I have ever worked for. Of course, this is a free country, and we are all entitled to our own opinions.

Thanks for the advice