Hi , I really need some advice on how best to go about putting right the mother of all bodge jobs! 60cm x 40 cm natural slate tiles have just been laid over a recently poured cement and levelled slab. In between we have sandwiched electric underfloor heating matts. The Tiler left grout gaps ranging between 1cm to 2cm and the tiles themselves are uneven and unlevel , overall a terrible bungled job that needs to be removed and started again. BUT HOW? How do we remove the tiles without damaging the underfloor heat matts, is this even posssible (I fear not!) or how do we remove the adhesive embedded with the matts once the tiles have been removed? Once all this has been accomplished (please tell me its possible!!) we then need to find a way to level the surface, (so we can re lay underfloor heat matts and slate tiles )without raising the overall floor height to much as the finished tiles need to be level with a threshold. Is this job even do-able? Right now it feels like an impossible problem to solve , but solve it we must as it is the floor in a brand new oak framed sunroom! Thanks for any advice or reassurance , it will be SO appreciated! Cheers Sara

the best i think you can hope for is saving the slate tiles(or most of them) getting the ufh matts up is a 50/50 chance in my opinion!

sorry it's probably not what you want to hear

sara

sounds like they didnt use self leveling compound over the ufh, I would try to lift the tiles any way, test the ufh for continuity then slc over the ufh, then have it retiled

if there is damage while taking it up it is possible to have it repaired

were are you based, it does,nt sound good as regards the heating mat ,doubt you will save that , as for the tiles depends how well he as stuck them down,got a feeling he may have dot & dabbed most of the tiles, i think if you save 50 % of the tiles you will be lucky

Originally Posted by malinki

Hi , I really need some advice on how best to go about putting right the mother of all bodge jobs! 60cm x 40 cm natural slate tiles have just been laid over a recently poured cement and levelled slab. In between we have sandwiched electric underfloor heating matts. The Tiler left grout gaps ranging between 1cm to 2cm and the tiles themselves are uneven and unlevel , overall a terrible bungled job that needs to be removed and started again. BUT HOW? How do we remove the tiles without damaging the underfloor heat matts, is this even posssible (I fear not!) or how do we remove the adhesive embedded with the matts once the tiles have been removed? Once all this has been accomplished (please tell me its possible!!) we then need to find a way to level the surface, (so we can re lay underfloor heat matts and slate tiles )without raising the overall floor height to much as the finished tiles need to be level with a threshold. Is this job even do-able? Right now it feels like an impossible problem to solve , but solve it we must as it is the floor in a brand new oak framed sunroom! Thanks for any advice or reassurance , it will be SO appreciated! Cheers Sara

as he not used any insulation boards over concrete first

how long ago was the poured cement put down is the 1st issue,it needs time to dry

i doubt you will save much slate unless its been poorly fixed,as for the mat i think you can get kits to fix breaks also so that may be an option

You could chip the slate away with a bolster to try and level the slate a bit more.(if it's not to bad). If u did this though you would just have to live with the grout lines. This might save you ripping it up.

When you say the slate is uneven and un-level some slates are supposed to be layed this way its the way they come with total different colours in them. Sometimes its what the customer is after a total random pattern, dont know about the different size grout joints though.

quote; 60cm x 40 cm natural slate tiles have just been laid over a recently poured cement and levelled slab.

Do you mean concrete or gypsum screed was poured.

Hi, got any pictures?

More info/ pictures if poss, eg, concrete, sand and cement screed, anhydrite, substrate?

I had a similar situation last week, someone had levelled over the heating mats and the my lads went in to lay the marble. It was then they found a 10mm bump in the floor and the site manager told them to build the adhesive up. I had a flipping freak out when I arrived on site, as the marble was cut for a zero joint, so the substrate had to be perfect. After Id had a freak out, all the marble laid had to be pulled up again. Luckily for us the adhesive hadnt gone off. This is not the case for you the adhesive has cured, and you have little chance of getting it up without it damaging the heating mat.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, I know the feeling of utter stupidity inflicted by others.

Pebbs

Thanks everyone for the varying tips or opinions. I have no pics at the moment but will try and get some. The slab was poured by a company that delivers ready made mixes (sorry dont know what its composition is, looks like regular cement??) It was then left for a couple of weeks to set before the tiling began. The adhesive was used to stick the electric matts down to the cement slab whilst simultaneously sticking the slate tiles down. I have little hope of rescuing many of the tiles as they seem well and truly bonded, the only hope is that they can come up without damaging the elec heat matts so that we can relevel the floor and re tile on top. If they are damaged beyond repair the biggest nightmare it seems we face is somehow removing all the old tile adhesive and embedded mats so we can begin all over again. Any ideas on how to remove the adhesive if it comes to that?? Thanks again all.
p.s we are in Mid West Wales

Thanks for feedback everyone...The slab was poured cement( I think cement)and was left several weeks before the tiling process began. I will try and get some photos soon.I hold liitle hope of saving many, if any tiles but avoiding having to remove the elec. matts and tile adhesive would be the aim, assuming they arent damaged beyond repair. If they have had it.... any tips on how best to remove the adhesive and embedded matts would be great so that I can then re level and start all over again!. Everything has been baking in a very hot unshaded sunroom since this happened so I would guess its all well and truly stuck down! Once again thanks for tips and opinions so far, all helps!! Cheers Sara