Tiling on floating floors

[S.E Tiling]

I have recently tiled on an existing kitchen floor, which had 22mm weigh rock and 6mm ply on top screwed at 100mm intervals. Also the new kitchen floor had a concrete base, insulation, weigh rock and ply and is a floating floor. Most of this floor was screwed down except a small area were all the pipe work is.

The floor sloped from existing floor to new floor approx 1"-2". I started with the highest point and worked my way down dotting and dabbing to get as best a level as poss.

The customer is pleased with the job, but were the pipework is and therefore could not be screwed down the grout is starting to crack. The customer has said thats fine he will just re-grout every time it cracks.

I feel a bit guilty as if it was my house I would not be happy.

What can I do? He prepd the the floor and I tiled it.

Regards Scott

[GazTech]

I have recently tiled on an existing kitchen floor, which had 22mm weigh rock and 6mm ply on top screwed at 100mm intervals. Also the new kitchen floor had a concrete base, insulation, weigh rock and ply and is a floating floor. Most of this floor was screwed down except a small area were all the pipe work is.

The floor sloped from existing floor to new floor approx 1"-2". I started with the highest point and worked my way down dotting and dabbing to get as best a level as poss.

The customer is pleased with the job, but were the pipework is and therefore could not be screwed down the grout is starting to crack. The customer has said thats fine he will just re-grout every time it cracks.

I feel a bit guilty as if it was my house I would not be happy.

What can I do? He prepd the the floor and I tiled it.

Regards Scott

Sorry Scott this method of fixing is not suitable, especially on a floating timber floor....they may all come up, so be prepared for the worst....Gaz

[grumpygrouter]

Even if they don't come up they are liable to crack/break because of the voids under the tiles. Like you Gaz, I fear the worst...........

[Oli]

Scott,

Gaz and Grumps are trying to be hard on you, but they are definatley telling you what you need to know, theirs no point flowering it up, this could be a good time to take them up, strengthen the problem area and relay them, either using the fact that the grout is cracking as a reason (in the customers eyes) or by telling him it's going to have to be redone.

He may be happy to live with the grout cracking, but what about when the tiles start to crack, dot and dabbing is not suitable because it leaves voids / pockets of air underneath areas of the tile, meaning that there is nothing supporting areas of the tile, too much pressure on them and they will crack.

You need to think of your reputation as well, which judging by the slow down in the amount of work out there, is your best business tool.

Everytime someone asks him who did it he'll almost certainly say "it's a good job but i have to regrout it every so often", and if tiles start cracking then well you can guess what he'll say.


People here are more than happy to help, the following info may help produce a solution;

What type and size of tiles,

What adhesive used

What grout used

Substrate prep done including any priming

Photo's

Hope that helps a bit mate

[muffinman]

when laying tiles you are looking to get 100% coverage on the back of the tile , always ask what adhesive to use . you can always spead the adhesive on the floor and back butter the tile using the same notch trowel ,over lay with wpb ply (BS 18mm)
did you prime the over lay as well , what type of tile did you lay . some tiles need porce bond in the adhesive , gout line ,how big , (BS say min 3mm ) on floors ,2mm on walls

[Pawelzik]

Well its too late now but I would have recommanded a thin uncoupling matting.

[tiler burden]

hi

the only thing you can do is hope for the best and learn by this. if the customer is ok with regrouting then thats their decision but dont carry on a procedure that you know is inadequate even if the customer agrees because when it goes wrong (which it might) you will find the same customer will blame you!! ive seen it before.

you may get away with the tiles not breaking depending on the hardness of the tiles you laid. spotting in all 4 corners and one in the middle will improve its stabiltiy but the groutin cracking will continue due to the voids....

i always stand by 2 words in business....quality and integrity, sounds corny but its what i believe in, always have and always will...treat people how you would like to be treated

all the best and i hope it works out for you ;0)
ed

[enduro]

I tiled a floating floor a few years ago, never again.

[kilty55]

while were on the subject guys ive been asked to quote for tiling a conservatory floor which is floating would in not be suitable to tile this ?

[Dave]

Theres is one simple rule when it comes to floating floors.........

DO NOT TILE THEM..!!!!.....you are asking for an installation failure....

[enduro]

Theres is one simple rule when it comes to floating floors.........

DO NOT TILE THEM..!!!!.....you are asking for an installation failure....

I think the word floating floor says it all

[S.E Tiling]

Cheers for all your advice.

Info on the job:

Neat PVA on the plwood floor 22m2

450mm x 450mm porcelain tiles, 10mm thick

The floating floor was combed, but the uneven floor which had 6mm ply nailed onto 22mm weigh rock and screwed to the joists, was dot and dabbed and a 6mm comb on the floor.

I used 1 part flexi adhesive and flexi grout

2mm spacers

Any thoughts on my preping and materials used.

Regards Scott

[Turkish]

Get rid of the pva mate, ok for plastering but you want to use something along the lines of BAL APD or SBR. Don`t dot and dab anything (apart from drywall).

Turkish

[tiler burden]

Don`t dot and dab anything (apart from drywall).

Turkish[/quote]

and wedi board supported with dowels
oh and paving flags in pedestrian low traffic areas such as patios etc