Hi,

I have taken up my kitchen lyno and am planning to lay ceramic tiles... before the lyno was fitted some years ago, i took up the old style council, they came up very easily but there is a very thin layer of bitumin adhesive on the concrete floor.

Ive just bought unibond rapid set adhesive for the tiles and noticed it says not to use over bitumin on the pack... it actually said this on all the packs in the shop.

I have just had a search on this forum and come to the following conclusion, im just after some reassurance that this is the correct procedure.

I think i need to buy some SBR and paint it on the floor with a roller... wait for it to dry and then tile over.

Another question, will i be able to get SBR from my local builders merchants ie jewsons??

Is this the right stuff?

SBR Bond - UK

And do i just roller it on neat?

The bitumin is very thin, parts of it you can see the concrete floor through it.

Thanks for the help in advance.

Not sure if SBR will do the trick but I DO know that a 2 part epxoy primer will be fine. Try Ardex P82, leave it to dry (a few hours) and then you can tile away, assuming of course the rest of the floor is fine.

This is what i use over all vinyl residues and non porous surfaces then you can use any adhesive that is suitable for the tiles :Pete
PCI Primer 303

thanks for the reply.

will my local builders merchants stock that stuff? i have time off work to start the tiling weds so its too late to order by post now...

the reason i said about painting on sbr is i read it on this post.

http://www.tilersforums.co.uk/tile-a...en-dilema.html

posted by dave about half way down..

i wish i had realised before, but i suppose it would have been worse if i had tiled it all not noticing and it came up.

Originally Posted by martin1976

thanks for the reply.

will my local builders merchants stock that stuff? i have time off work to start the tiling weds so its too late to order by post now...

the reason i said about painting on sbr is i read it on this post.

http://www.tilersforums.co.uk/tile-a...en-dilema.html

posted by dave about half way down..

i wish i had realised before, but i suppose it would have been worse if i had tiled it all not noticing and it came up.

If Dave says SBR then you will be fine, as you will be if you follow Petes advice. My info came from Ardex and was to be used in conjunction with Ardex adhesives but would apply to any cement based adhesive. You have a choice, go with whatever is most convenient for you.

thanks a lot for your help mate.

as i said in my original post, i thought it was the right thing to do but was after some reassurance..

i think i should be fine now.



thanks again.

Hi martin for me either an epoxy primer or an un coupling membrane

Originally Posted by andy tiler

Hi martin for me either an epoxy primer or an un coupling membrane

Like this one Andy lol
PCI Primer 303

the unibond rapid should stick them ok then ? i start on this tomorrow so just checking..

says for ceramic on concrete, rapid set and will do underfloor heating and pools etc, so must be flexible?

Originally Posted by martin1976

the unibond rapid should stick them ok then ? i start on this tomorrow so just checking..

says for ceramic on concrete, rapid set and will do underfloor heating and pools etc, so must be flexible?

Not the best adhesive in the world I am afraid and this is a small voice of experience.....

whats the problem with it?? will it not stick properly?

Not the best stuff to use and there are much better products available for the same price or less. My only experience of it was using it (before i trained properly) was on my own kitchen floor. Cracks appeared in the grout after a few months and when I came to re-do my floor once I wsa trained, I literally swept the adhesive up of the floor. took me 30mins to remove tiles and adhesive and be ready for prepping for tiling. Was about 8m2 in area.

Won't use it again, personally.

ok thanks.. i might take it back then..

im limited to where i have near me, i really want a rapid set and have read to avoid any ready mix ones.

ive got jewson, travis perkins, homebase, or focus...

homebase have nothing bagged, so is all slow setting..

i think homebase & jewson only stock evostik, is this any better?

and i have topps tiles actually down the road...

You will get decent stuff at topps but whatch the price...BAL will be expensive but the topps own stuff is not bad stuff apparently - it is made by Palace - Seek advice form the staff as to the Topps own stuff that will be suitable.

yes ive just looked on topps site... the BAL stuff costs a fortune there...

they dont show their own brand stuff on the site eithet - not that i can see.

do you think i should take back the unibond grout too and get the topps stuff?

Yes!!!

i swapped it all for BAL stuff.... its gone down really well. seems to be stuck solid and covered well too.

i have another question now...

ive cleaned the tiles off but not got round to grouting yet. they seem to look ok if wiped with a damp cloth, but dry a bit dusty looking.

what will bring them back up? they are not a glossy finish, more of a faux stone kind of effect with a bit of a rough glaze on it.

thanks.