Which direction to lay plank effect tiles - TilersForums.com

[Brid tiler]

Hi all Jst wondering if anyone could help me with my decision of which way to lay my plank tiles on job next week ! I started job on Thursday by removing old existing tiles off a concrete floor and before removing noticed a high point in floor ,, one row of tiles the full width of room ,, so upon removing tiles it showed that at some point an extension to concrete floor has been made ,, owner said 2o plus years ago , so I imagine that the remaining high point is where the new concrete addition has now settled and sunk a little ,, Friday I flooded out and levelled all perfectly with levelling compound and on Monday am going to lay and fix ditra matting over whole floor .. my question is this ??? Do I then lay tiles plank tiles down the length of the room that could look best but this will then span over the jointed concrete sub floors ? Or do I tile width ways and this will go along the jointed concrete sub floor ? If going length ways and Span the joint I'm not sure if ditra un coupling Matt will stop any future movement and hence crack the tiles . Anyone's experience with this will be appreciated and help me with my decision,, many thanks in advance Steve

 

[LM]

The general consensus and normal layout is to run the tile with the length of the room. This will give you an issue with your joint in the subfloor. The correct advice is to have an expansion joint right through the tiles and Ditra in line with the joint in the floor. Given that the floor is a few years old most settlement and shrinkage should have occurred by now. Nobody can advise you that if you ignore the joint and use Ditra that you'll never have a problem, but given the circumstances its more than likely that it would be fine. Before you make that decision, what are the dimensions of the floor and where about and what length is the joint in the sub floor?

 

[Brid tiler]

Hi lee ,, thanks for getting back to me on this matter , floor is 5 mtr * 8.5 mtr and the joint is along the 5mtr width about 2.5 mtrs into the length of room if that makes sense ? So it's had a 2.5 * 5 met extension 20 yrs ago . Yes I agree with all your comments.. but Jst suppose I was to go width ways across the room there's a massive chance that the sub floor joint will fall perfectly onto plank floor tile joint ,,, or within an inch or two .. so with that said and if there was to be any future movement that un coupling Matt couldn't take care of am I right in thinking it wouldn't really show if there was slight movement along the grouted joint .

 

[LM]

Hi lee ,, thanks for getting back to me on this matter , floor is 5 mtr * 8.5 mtr and the joint is along the 5mtr width about 2.5 mtrs into the length of room if that makes sense ? So it's had a 2.5 * 5 met extension 20 yrs ago . Yes I agree with all your comments.. but Jst suppose I was to go width ways across the room there's a massive chance that the sub floor joint will fall perfectly onto plank floor tile joint ,,, or within an inch or two .. so with that said and if there was to be any future movement that un coupling Matt couldn't take care of am I right in thinking it wouldn't really show if there was slight movement along the grouted joint .

Unfortunately the reality is the crack will appear exactly where the joint in the substrate is if it's gonna happen, so unless your position your exspansion joint directly in line with this then your wasting your time.

 

[Brid tiler]

Unfortunately the reality is the crack will appear exactly where the joint in the substrate is if it's gonna happen, so unless your position your exspansion joint directly in line with this then your wasting your time.

Point taken Lee ,,, yes I can't 100% rely on un coupling Matt over this joint so belts n braces is best to offer customer expansion joint to be included over joint in concrete sub base ,, I think the inclusion of one splitting across width as I lay them down length ways in the room could look a little strange that's all ,, hence maybe laying them across the width also including expansion joint might look better as it will disguise expansion joint better ?? What's your thoughts on this please ?

 

[LM]

The correct procedure is to have an exspansion joint. Personally I'd incorporate a 2mm silicone exspansion directly above the joint in the substrate and lay the planks with the length of the room. With an installation like this there has to be a compromise somewhere and I feel that this would be the least worst option.

 

[Brid tiler]

The correct procedure is to have an exspansion joint. Personally I'd incorporate a 2mm silicone exspansion directly above the joint in the substrate and lay the planks with the length of the room. With an installation like this there has to be a compromise somewhere and I feel that this would be the least worst option.

Yeah mate fair point re silicon .. but do you mean run tiles across width of room and along substrate joint to include the silicon expansion joint ? In one straight joint line ? And if I lay them down length of room I have to strike a line across and have to break the bond of random joint planks over substrate joint to then silicon .. would that look a little strange for looks wise ?

 

[LM]

I'd lay the planks running with the length of the room. Then yes cut them to allow an exspansion joint directly above the joint in the subfloor which will mean a break in the planks at 90 degrees to the running bond which will go across the floor. If you do this with a 2mm joint and use levelling clips on the floor then it won't be as unsightly as you may think.
It will have been done many times that a floor of this age and with all settlement occurred will have been laid with Ditra and no joint and has been fine.
But that's a calculated risk.
Going by the book you have to incorporate an exspansion joint and personally I think the way I've described above will leave the best overall look when incorporating an exspansion joint.

 

[Brid tiler]

I'd lay the planks running with the length of the room. Then yes cut them to allow an exspansion joint directly above the joint in the subfloor which will mean a break in the planks at 90 degrees to the running bond which will go across the floor. If you do this with a 2mm joint and use levelling clips on the floor then it won't be as unsightly as you may think.
It will have been done many times that a floor of this age and with all settlement occurred will have been laid with Ditra and no joint and has been fine.
But that's a calculated risk.
Going by the book you have to incorporate an exspansion joint and personally I think the way I've described above will leave the best overall look when incorporating an exspansion joint.

I agree and there's no way I'm going to risk having no expansion joint ,, then I've no come back and they'll be no problems should future movement occur.. thank you so much for your thoughts on this and helping my decision ,, Regards Steve

 

[Brid tiler]

Posting my pics so far ; going to be using grey flexi grout with identical colour match silicon to insert in expansion gap ,, will mask either side of joint ,, will post end result probably end of next week

 

[LM]

View attachment 86481 View attachment 86482 View attachment 86483 View attachment 86484
Posting my pics so far ; going to be using grey flexi grout with identical colour match silicon to insert in expansion gap ,, will mask either side of joint ,, will post end result probably end of next week

Good job, most people will never notice the expansion joint and you can put your mind at ease

 

[Brid tiler]

And I just love my mind being at ease !! Nice

 

[Martyn Leeds]

Looks good.
Is it a Chippy?

 

[Brid tiler]

Well spotted mate !!! Yes it's a chippy