porcelain floor tiles on wall - TilersForums.co.uk | Tile Forums

03-07-2008

We have stuck some porcelain floor tiles 450 x 450 to the bathroom wall with Bal White Star. Since been told that we shd have used Bal spf but the White Star seems to be holding. They are on part plaster stud, part aquapanel and part solid plastered wall. Do we need to remove them and start again? Please say no!
Wendy

**grumpygrouter** · 03-07-2008

White star is an excellent adhesive but it dries by evaporation of the moisture in the adhesive. When you use large format tiles like you have, the moisture finds it difficult to get out from the centre of the tile and there is a possibility it may never dry.

In your case, and if you haven't grouted yet, you may get away with it becuase your backgrounds are porous. If you haven't grouted I would leave it at least 2 weeks before you do so.

Yes, spf would have been the better choice, it "cures" and not dries as such but if you make a mistake and use an incorrect adhesive , White Star is a good choice to use in error.

TilingLogistics · 03-07-2008

As Grumpy says if you are going to make a mistake using tubbed you have done it with one of the best. It is the only class AA or D2 (as they call it now i think) tubbed adhesive. So follow his advice and leave it for a couple of weeks before grouting to help it cure.

Kev

deanotile · 03-07-2008

Some profound advice there kev did you think that up all on your own

Quote:

Originally Posted by TilingLogistics

As Grumpy says if you are going to make a mistake using tubbed you have done it with one of the best. It is the only class AA or D2 (as they call it now i think) tubbed adhesive. So follow his advice and leave it for a couple of weeks before grouting to help it cure.

Kev

TilingLogistics · 03-07-2008

No Deano just following Grumpy!!! Because he's done a lot more fixing than me

But at the end of the day if you are going to use tubbed gear Whitestar is brilliant

Kev

**IvegotsTILE** · 04-07-2008

Ive had to use rubbish evo-stick tubbed gear on 50+50 porcelain floor tiles on walls before on mdf and there still there a year later,bear in mind this is in a showoom so there won't be any moisture.
By the way I clearly stated to the foreman and owner that this was the wrong adhesive and substrate.I made sure that they put in writing that I'd suggested different methods.

The thing is we know the proper way of putting tiles up,but I've even lifted dot and dabbed tiles that have been down 50 years and they were perfectly fine.

deanotile · 04-07-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by IvegotsTILE

Ive had to use rubbish evo-stick tubbed gear on 50+50 porcelain floor tiles on walls before on mdf and there still there a year later,bear in mind this is in a showoom so there won't be any moisture.
By the way I clearly stated to the foreman and owner that this was the wrong adhesive and substrate.I made sure that they put in writing that I'd suggested different methods.

The thing is we know the proper way of putting tiles up,but I've even lifted dot and dabbed tiles that have been down 50 years and they were perfectly fine.

As you stated you new that it was not the correct way of doing the job but the customer wanted it like that. I am sorry to say but if anything dose go wrong it is you that will get the blame and not the customer. If the customer tells the builder that they do not want any footings for there building do you think the builder will just do it or will they tell the customer sorry but if that is want you want get some other mug. If you cannot stand your ground with these people for fearer of loosing a job then you deserve every thing you get.

04-07-2008

Thanks for the prompt response. We had only tiled two walls when we found out so the others are done in spf. We will leave the grouting as long as possible as you suggest. There is no shower in this bathroom, so perhaps we will be lucky. Thanks again.

04-07-2008

Well, I would say you've dropped a big bloomer.

BAL Whit Star doesn't have BAL's PorcelBond Plus Technology so is not suitable for porcelain tiles whereas BAL SPF does.

BAL's technical department have spent a lot of time developing each of their products and state just where and how each product should be used.

Also what has to be taken into account regarding which adhesive to use and what the surfaces are that are being fixed to is per/sqmtr - the weight of the tiles+the weight of the adhesive as well as the weight of the grout.

Someone else has said that in a court of law even if you have written acceptance from the customer/builder or even uncle Tom Cobley YOU are meant to be the professional and therfore your word is law!!!

You should be back to the job - pull everything off and start again making sure you have the correct boarding/adhesive and grout before you start!

**Dave** · 05-07-2008

I wouldn't use white star tubbed dispersion adhesive on that size of porcelain tile at all....would be ok on porcelain mosaic or 100mm tiles but nothing as large as that.
I would deffo use a single part flexi ( cement based )...

**365drills** · 05-07-2008

We did the same and for a while I was worried the whole wall would collapse as I took a shower. Its been 5 years and its still up.

After Shot

In construction. Mix of plasterboard, wood, stud, ply and everything else !

R

wayne · 06-07-2008

is that nicobond adhesive in the pics richard. i have put 400x400 porcelain on plasterboard before with no problems. i wouldnt do it again though. that was about 4 years ago and no probs so far. would deffo use spf all the time now apart from 100x100 on splashbacks