Tiling onto existing tiles

[Plumbing Tiler]

Thanks very much for your replies everyone, I will inform the customer that it is better to remove the existing tiles, make good and then re-tile, I hope he will accept this and understand, but at least I will sleep soundly knowing I did the right (professional) thing!

 

[scott mccoll]

think your doing the right thing listening to some good sound advice, i know times can be tough but all it takes is for the ONE job to go wrong ;doesn't do the old reputation any good

 

[Discount Tile Supplies]

I dont think its fair to say retailers push "tile on tile". We supply the adhesive to the customer, granted, But its the tillers that fix the tiles!
There are many tillers not struggling for work but twice as many wanting to pay their mortgages and will tile anything. Time will tell with these guys who stick up anything and to anything. This week we are replacing 5 bathrooms for a customer because the tiller used the wrong adhesives and wrong substrates (adhesives purchased on price from SELCO).
We get plenty of guys in that say "never had a problem yet" and we say YET. Customers are price orientated, at the moment and people are willing to cut corners when quiet. I get more problems with tillers 'dot and dabbing' than tile on tile.
IMO, in an ideal world, i would not recommend tile on tile, but most customers want to keep price down and its a chance they take, like you said its only as good as the tile underneath.
Some one will tile this job, and they will fall off! And i bet it will dot and dab with ready mixed.

 

[jay]

I dont think its fair to say retailers push "tile on tile". We supply the adhesive to the customer, granted, But its the tillers that fix the tiles!
There are many tillers not struggling for work but twice as many wanting to pay their mortgages and will tile anything. Time will tell with these guys who stick up anything and to anything. This week we are replacing 5 bathrooms for a customer because the tiller used the wrong adhesives and wrong substrates (adhesives purchased on price from SELCO).
We get plenty of guys in that say "never had a problem yet" and we say YET. Customers are price orientated, at the moment and people are willing to cut corners when quiet. I get more problems with tillers 'dot and dabbing' than tile on tile.
IMO, in an ideal world, i would not recommend tile on tile, but most customers want to keep price down and its a chance they take, like you said its only as good as the tile underneath.


Some one will tile this job, and they will fall off! And i bet it will dot and dab with ready mixed.

As long as the salesman informs the customer of the dangers involved with fixing over shoddy substrates that would be fine ,but most don't (and the tiler is on the back foot to start with)

 

[garybadger]

I've been to a few jobs, where the people have been to the biggest tile suppliers and some, (NOT ALL) haven't got a clue on what they are selling.
1. customer bought natural stone, I go to look at her job, talk her through everything that's needing done, i.e cement based adhesive's, prime walls, seal the tiles, they will eventually need sealed again in roughly 2-3 years time as they are a natural product and they require maintenance.
Customer didn't know any of this, had been sold BAL GREEN STAR for a 40x40 travertine bathroom as it was the cheapest and no mention of needing to seal these tiles.
2. Last week a customer had been in picking tiles from another well known tile supplier. Had picked out 80x80 porcelain tiles to go on the existing plastered walls, told her she may not be able to do it, due to the weight of these per m2, but I'd go down and ask the necessary questions and get her a discount.
Guy in there never had a bloody clue, what I was on about. Looked at me like I had horns coming out my head, when I was quizzing them on everything.
10 mins later, I left with not 1 of my questions answered as the guy just didn't know. Said he would ask his boss to phone me, and I'm still waiting.
The people selling the stuff, should be put on some sort of course as well.
I get it's their jobs sell stuff, but they are just trying to get stuff out the door.

 

[swanman]

Never tile on tile

Even if the customer wants you to, ive walk away from jobs .yes ive lost the job but i havent got the worry that tiles will fail and get a call back

Sometimes you just have to cut your loses

 

[dave l and l]

the sales people should not give adviseunless they have been trained to do so . but they shouldnt be expected to either as its not there job to advise people, its ther job to sell to them
people dont ask the sales team in homebase how to build a house nor do they ask the staff in asda how to cook a chicken
to be honest if i worked in tile shop i would want to make my sales as they sometimes get a commision

 

[jay]

If we are talking a tile shop then the salesman or saleswoman should know what they are selling and its limitations and advice with that knowledge , commission or salary.as that is there product

somewhere like home base or hardware stores you just take pot luck unless they have someone trained in that area

 

[Jim Stradwick]

You can tile over tile that's why they make adhesives to do so , the weight is defiantly a factor. Done it a hundred times as long as the first job was level and installed with cement and not mastic.

 

[DHTiling]

You can tile over tile that's why they make adhesives to do so , the weight is defiantly a factor. Done it a hundred times as long as the first job was level and installed with cement and not mastic.

Oh! God help us, another one.