Best NON floor fail ever - TilersForums.com

[smokie899]

Mate (plumber) went to strip this floor for me. Said the floor was solid and not a crack/grout split anywhere.
So he was very surprised to see how they were down, or should I say he wanted to know how easy they would come up.
Yup that is 6mm mdf they were laid on and it held up for 5 years.
I'm baffled

 

[WetSaw]

MDF or hardboard?

 

[smokie899]

MDF or hardboard?

Sorry, yes hard board, and siliconed down not screwed.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Oil tempered hardboard was often used as a base over floorboards in times of old ( late 60's - 70's) and usually fixed rough side up for grip. With the addition of ardion90 into x7 adhesive by ardurit, this combination was often flexible.

 

[smokie899]

House was built in 2005 and that floor was tiled 5 years ago.
Funny as I had to argue with the builder that I was not tiling on 6mm ply.
Hard argument to win considering what the floor was previously tiled on.

 

[White Room]

I saw one hardboard and nailed, not a single crack in the grout

 

[One Day]

I swear we totally over-think things most of the time.
For instance - my Father's place, he nailed 6mm ply down with ring shanks and expected me to tile it.
Approx 20sqm kitchen floor. It's lasted 9yrs so far with no problems. (I always look for and expect cracked grout joints at least!)

My thoughts are this: the manufacturers know/expect that 9 out of 10 tilers are idiots (i.e builders/ plumbers / diy) and I say that because I reckon if you could analyse sales and who actually installs most tiles - professional tilers account for a small percentage overall.
Knowing this, they then over-spec everything in the hope that when Bob the village-idiot-builder spot fixes tiles onto 4mm hardboard, they just might last a few years.

This whole point takes me back to the "itch" I have right now - that we need an independent fixers association who set their own standards based on common sense and collective experience.
---for the record; I would never advocate fixing onto hardboard though!

 

[Bill]

Oil tempered hardboard was often used as a base over floorboards in times of old ( late 60's - 70's) and usually fixed rough side up for grip. With the addition of ardion90 into x7 adhesive by ardurit, this combination was often flexible.

the old two part bal flex that stunk like cat pee would stick to anything.

Ardion 90 is still the best additive going.

 

[WetSaw]

This whole point takes me back to the "itch" I have right now - that we need an independent fixers association who set their own standards based on common sense and collective experience.

I thought that was more of a chronic disease than an "itch" as you've been suffering from it for quite some time!!

 

[macten]

I swear we totally over-think things most of the time.
For instance - my Father's place, he nailed 6mm ply down with ring shanks and expected me to tile it.
Approx 20sqm kitchen floor. It's lasted 9yrs so far with no problems. (I always look for and expect cracked grout joints at least!)

My thoughts are this: the manufacturers know/expect that 9 out of 10 tilers are idiots (i.e builders/ plumbers / diy) and I say that because I reckon if you could analyse sales and who actually installs most tiles - professional tilers account for a small percentage overall.
Knowing this, they then over-spec everything in the hope that when Bob the village-idiot-builder spot fixes tiles onto 4mm hardboard, they just might last a few years.

I tend to agree with you.
I'm ripping out an ensuite at the moment and I had to stop my bounce test of the floor for fear of falling through. At least I know why the old shower tray had a history of leaking despite a succession of plumbers wedging more and more blocks of wood under it (Old floor tiles and grout were fine though!). A day behind already - whole floor had to come up and £150 worth of timber and ply needed to strengthen. Wall tiles were a pain to remove and took off loads of plaster with them despite being fixed to painted lining paper