Hi All,

Been renovating my house for the last four years and have nearly got around to doing the bathrooms!!!

Just wanted some advice on my approach to installing the Tuff2 former...

The problem i have is that the joists the former will be sitting on are not level and to make things worse are also twisted. I spent the best part of the weekend trying the level these but still haven’t got there yet so I've decided on a different approach. I thought it would be easier to screw down some 9.5mm ply, seal and level using slc (fball 700), then place the tuff2 former over the levelled floor and screw it down along the joists.

The reason I want to use the 9.5mm ply is that head height is an issue!!

I guess my main questions are

1. Does this sound like a reasonable approach?
2. Should only the perimeter of the tuff2 former be screwed? or can i also screw in the middle of it as well? (screwing down along the joists)
3. What is the best way to cut the former? Jigsaw? What type of blade should I be using?
4. What tolerance should I be looking to achieve in terms of the "level ness" of the former?


Hopes this makes sense

Cheers
Ab

Screw just the perimeter, it should have holes pre drilled...

I cut one with a brand new saw, jig saw maybe better but it's tough old stuff to cut....

I'd be getting it as level as possible...

Thanks whitebeam

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason why I should only screw around the perimeter?

Your right about it being tuff stuff (pardon the pun). I cut a small corner section out using a jigsaw with a brand new blade... completely blunt afterwards!!!!

It's just to hold it steady and firm and the edges are the greater thickness.

Thanks.... guess that makes sense

I'm off tomorrow to get the fball stopgap 700 flex. Never mixed, poured and levelled slc before so I'm feeling a little anxious. Any comments/tips about my general approach?

Never used that one, just follow manufacturers instructions and you should be ok............

Having a eletric mixer will help and pour the powder into the liquid gradually and mix, not all at once otherwise there will lumps galore

Thanks for the tip whitebeam... been doing a lot of reading around slc... and as it turns out I didn't get around to mixing/pouring yet which is handy because I really wanted to use a spiked roller!!!

I underestimated the amount of prep work I had to do too (being a diyer). In the end I put in as many noggins as I thought sensible and covered with 12.5mm ply. The plan now is to build a strip to the right of the shower former to a similar level seal and pour the slc. Unfortunately this will probably have to wait as I need to dot and dab some wall furring downstairs first!!!

Anyway I have attached a few pictures, for those of you who may be interested Please feel free to comment!!

CRW_7119_1.jpgCRW_7118_1.jpgCRW_7125_1.jpgCRW_7122_1.jpgCRW_7124_1.jpgCRW_7117_1.jpgCRW_7123_1.jpgCRW_7116_1.jpg

BTW... I still haven't started downstairs hence the very tasteful velvet wallpaper!!!

Is the tuff2 tray sitting directly on ply or the joists

The plan is for it to sit directly on the ply (spanning the joists underneath at the same time). At the moment the ply is not completely flat (bowing slightly in places where I have screwed it down to the joists/noggins). Once the slc goes down it should sit perfectly flat... which is the theory anyway

Why the question? Is there a fundamental flaw in my approach?

I've laid directly onto joists, so it then becomes flush to the rest of the floor

That exactly what I was intending on doing!!! Unfortunately the joists are a little too twisted and not level to make this practical.

I spend the best part of the weekend trying to levelling them but was not happy with the result. I managed to get the former flat and level but it was not being property supported underneath in places. This is why I decided on this approach.

I plan to build up the rest of the floor to match the height of the former. I dont think this should be too much of an issue as I still have to lay the flooring in the rooms as well so I should be able to get them all on the same level

No problem