Is there any way this can be tiled?

[Daz]

I looked at a job this evening in an industrial unit.
Floors will be done with 500 x 500 polished porcelain.

Ground floor is no problem as already latexed.

The first floor is what worries me. It is a concrete sub-floor that appears to have "stilts" at every 500mm sq which support 22m "chipboard squares" (sorry for the quality of the pics but there was virtually no lighting in the unit this evening). The floor area equates to 59.5 sqm and I will have to put an expansion joint after a 10m run.
The chipboard squares are just resting on the stilts so even if I board out the floor I am not convinced that I have a solution. Would a decoupling membrane assist here? Or do I just follow my gut instsinct and advise that it can't be tiled?

Thanks in advance.

17022009.jpg 17022009(001).jpg 17022009(002).jpg 17022009(003).jpg

[brian c]

is that not classed as a floating floor?it would need to be plyed out as you say or a de coupling membrane..thats a tough one m8.

Just make sure you do your homework before giving any prices etc.....i really am unsure about this one.

[Dave]

Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole....

[brian c]

what is that floor classed as Dave?Do you know m8?never seen anything like it before.

[Alan.P]

Come across it before in a 38mm deep tongue and grove variety, used on mezzanine floors, always solid but they were fixed to steel joists, never seen it laid that way before, can you clarify the post dimensions and distances between them

[Daz]

Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole....

Thanks Dave, that was my thoughts too! Shame 'cos 60 sqm would have been a nice earner, but not when it gonna come back and bite me!

"what is that floor classed as Dave?" - Possibly very expensive when it ruins your reputation!

[Daz]

Come across it before in a 38mm deep tongue and grove variety, used on mezzanine floors, always solid but they were fixed to steel joists, never seen it laid that way before, can you clarify the post dimensions and distances between them

Alan, these suckers seem to be "free laid" there are no fixings and deffo no tongue and groove!

[Alan.P]

Alan, these suckers seem to be "free laid" there are no fixings and deffo no tongue and groove!

Yeah, spotted it, not right in my opinion, try to find a link to the guys that used to install it for us.

EDIT: haven't found the company but here's the gear.

[oldgit]

you would need someone with structural knowledge to tell the punter whats required this aint your dept.

[brian c]

Would have been a nice earner as you say Daz..

[Alan.P]

One other question, what are the 'stilts' on ? Is there a network of beams within the concrete sub-floor that they rest on ? And what was their theory on expansion and fixing. Maybe a call to the architect or a look at the specs, or both !

[Daz]

One other question, what are the 'stilts' on ? Is there a network of beams within the concrete sub-floor that they rest on ? And what was their theory on expansion and fixing. Maybe a call to the architect or a look at the specs, or both !

Yeah, good point Alan, I only took a quick look in the dark tonight so might have a chat with the business owner again tomorrow, but truth be told, I'll probably only quote to do the ground floor.

[lawrenso]

I have seen these floors a lot in Computer rooms and other locations in offices where the cabling is run underneath. Usually they are carpeted when in the office space, or with vinyl tiles when in the server room envoironment. I have never seen them tiled at all. I would suggest to your client that they look at completely replacing the complete floor solution in there to being more like a suspended floor on joists etc. and boarded over with min 18mm.

I am sure there are more experienced people on here though but that is just my thoughts

Steve

[lucius]

Its just an access floor designed to take carpet tiles for obvious reasons.
Lucius