A few of you may have read my post last week about the argument I was having with a project manager about ripping down or tiling over tiles. Anyway long story, ended up ripping it down. But it's got me thinking about this all week.

So question is, anyone got any first hand experience of weight limits being exceeded and a failure happening as a result? And how extensive was the failure? Any links to videos or pictures would be great if you know of any!

Thats a good question, I have'nt personally have'nt just water ingress has been the biggest problem on many jobs but as a plasterer of 30 years I have seen finish come off walls as it was applied on a dry undercoat, browning etc.

Render is also another thing, I've seen soft sand used and that has no strength for a large surface area but many have used it and that can fail...with the added weight of tiles can make it unstable over time.

Yeah It's really got me curious. He said to me well have you seen it happen and I thought wait, no I havent! And then I got to thinking where do these numbers come from anyway? How do they work it out, is the test data available, photos, videos etc. I just like to have the details, I find if you give enough technical to the point of being slightly boring people trust you! Got the whole PVA argument memorised!! I want to see it happen just so I know exactly what is going on there and how dangerous it is etc. Somebody must have something

State British Standard that what there for, the weight limits from BS are a safe level...I've read many failures on the forum over the years but most were incorrect adhesive, prep work and installation...

Never actually seen any failures due to weight but yesterday I was asked to fix 600x300 porcelain tiles to plastered walls which had old glossy paint on. I had to write a letter to the building contractor declining the 70m2 job.
Not only does this mean its 70m2 I wont be doing but could also lose further work for the building company ( Large company who give me lots of work) but I will not be worrying about tiles falling off in the infant schools toilets were the job is.

Yeah it's difficult eh. On this last job I ended up forking out about 300 quid to pull down the wall and marmox board it. Coulda just walked away but needed the work and better working for less than not working at all. Plus someone else woulda just come and done it. Walkin away means its not my responsibility but it's still dangerous and someone else would have done it. Ended up emailing the contracts manager and the boss of the company (vears, think they're quite big in the uk) saying that by trying to force this to happen they as a company would be negligent in their duty of care to the customer and to the general public. Good luck getting any more work from them!!!!!

Originally Posted by JLM Tiling

Yeah it's difficult eh. On this last job I ended up forking out about 300 quid to pull down the wall and marmox board it. Coulda just walked away but needed the work and better working for less than not working at all. Plus someone else woulda just come and done it. Walkin away means its not my responsibility but it's still dangerous and someone else would have done it. Ended up emailing the contracts manager and the boss of the company (vears, think they're quite big in the uk) saying that by trying to force this to happen they as a company would be negligent in their duty of care to the customer and to the general public. Good luck getting any more work from them!!!!!

I've done loads of jobs for the when I was working down south and to be honest never had any major problems with them. Had to tile on tile on a small estate agent refurb job but the majority of their works is for most of the major banks and those jobs were generally spot on!

I am doing a job at the moment, seven toilet blocks in a college. The builder wanted me to tile over old 150mmx150mm wall tiles, using 600mmx300mm ceramics. The original tiles had been sprayed with Portafleck, then emulsioned.

I voiced my concerns to the builder saying "I can't put my name to this job", builder says "it will be fine". I jump up and down, trying to explain the dangers of this madness. Builder says I'm being paranoid, he has done it loads of times with no probs.

Only when the college engineer tells the builder this is bad practice, the builder realizes, I am right.

They are now mechanically fixing grounds to the existing tiles, then over boarding with plasterboard. The walls are cinder block, so taking off the tiles could destroy the blocks. Why would the builder not believe me.

[QUOTE=Phil Hobson;534577]I am doing a job at the moment, seven toilet blocks in a college. The builder wanted me to tile over old 150mmx150mm wall tiles, using 600mmx300mm ceramics. The original tiles had been sprayed with Portafleck, then emulsioned.

I voiced my concerns to the builder saying "I can't put my name to this job", builder says "it will be fine". I jump up and down, trying to explain the dangers of this madness. Builder says I'm being paranoid, he has done it loads of times with no probs.

Only when the college engineer tells the builder this is bad practice, the builder realizes, I am right.

They are now mechanically fixing grounds to the existing tiles, then over boarding with plasterboard. The walls are cinder block, so taking off the tiles could destroy the blocks. Why would the builder not believe me.


Builders know everything

Originally Posted by Phil Hobson

They are now mechanically fixing grounds to the existing tiles, then over boarding with plasterboard. The walls are cinder block, so taking off the tiles could destroy the blocks. Why would the builder not believe me.

??????

The job I mentioned actually listened to me and they are now sorting it out with plasterboards. It took an email to contracts manager who actually agreed with me. He passed it on to the client who gave them the go ahead to sort it out....in my email was many links to this forum and the TTA.

Wonders will never cease...maybe they do actually listen.

No Neale it's must of been a bang on the head from a falling tile I am sure that's the only way a builder would listen lol

Started the next job for him today, get there and i discover that it's Plasterboard, layer of skim, painted, spot fixed tiles, another layer of tiles. I messed about for a few hours trying to think how to get round it and in the end I just packed up and went home. Wont be able to get hold of the contracts manager till monday morning to authorise the demolition and confirm that he'll pay me the extra and by then I wont have enough time to complete the job. Feel like I've been messed around a bit and fed up with it. Especially as I was on site yesterday from 7.30 am until 2.30 am to keep them on schedule. I'm a team player but the second I get messed about or lied to then you're on your own pal!!

My advice ; where there are contract managers or engineers involved, point out it's a latent defect. If told to continue put it in writing.

Yeah I thought that originally but I figured that if something were to happen then it could obviously be proved that I knew it wad dangerous and continued anyway. Plus I don't wanna go home at night knowing I've done that. As soon as you start cutting corners and doing gash work it's a slippery slope