Help!: Problem floor

[jimd]

Hi Guys - have a problem with an office reception floor - the keope 600 x 300 tiles were laid about 2 years ago by a 'tiler' unknown onto a timber floor. Not long after the job was done there was signs of movement - grout beginning to break up on the entry and exit points. Since then it has got worse with most of the walkway grout breaking up. I lifted a tile last week to see what the problem was - tiles have been stuck down with five dobs of adhesive about 12mm thick onto thin ply sheet (guess 6mm by the way it can be pushed down near joint) So it is not surprising that the floor is beginning to break up. The total area is 50+sqm so the tennants don't want to lift the whole floor. Can anybody come up with a repair scheme? I do most of the building maintenance for this company but also do a bit of tiling if I have bathroom or kitchen work

[bigandy]

For me and my peice of mind i would say the lot has to come up. Sorry.i would rip the tiles and the ply up(you may be lucky with the tiles if they have been fixed this way) fasten all loose floor boards down with screws then recover with 18mm ply and retile using flexible adhesive and grout. If you loose some of the tiles whilst removing or cleaning.why not try and get the same tile maybe of a different colour and work these into a pattern? I know this is a lot of work but if done correctly it should last years!(always keep some spares)

[jimd]

Thanks bigandy - unfortunately not an option as they are tennants and are likely to be moving in 2-3 years

[bigandy]

you can try and patch it up but this can lead to more tiles come up. however if they only want patching. then with patching do same method. remove offending tiles and ply secure floor boards reboard and retile. but warn your customer that as its not been laid on the correct stuff to start with odds on its going to cost them again and again and again. as you have a movement problem that has not been addressed.

[David - Tradetiler]

Lay top quality carpet over the tiles??

[GazTech]

I agree with above, carpet it until they move out...then address the main problem which is poor fixing....Gaz

[deanotile]

If they don’t want the job don properly then stick the tiles with bluetac and be don with it

[murf]

You could try repairing with bal fastflex and grout with a flexigrout with additive. When you prepare an area to be retiled put in plenty of screws
to help strengthen the plywood.

[GazTech]

You could try repairing with bal fastflex and grout with a flexigrout with additive. When you prepare an area to be retiled put in plenty of screws
to help strengthen the plywood.

By all accounts if tiles are replaced as they come up with 2 part flexi and securing under each one, the job will be re-tiled eventually by the year 2525 AD....lol
Seriously though, if carpet goes over the top for now, it wont be an emmediate trip hazard....Gaz

[woodie]

i totally agree with BigAndy, from the sound of it this floor was laid by a cowboy not a tiler try drumming it in to the tenants that it's just going to keep getting worse until it's done right

[jimd]

Guys - Thanks for all the replies. I am going to get a couple of boxes of tiles and try the bal fastflex. Will this still work ok at 12mm thickness? The company I do the work for are paying people off at the moment and want to keep short term maintenance costs to a minimum. Hopefully they will have taken on board that the tiles will have to be lifted if they extend the lease.