Mobile home

[sstilingservice]

Hi chaps

I have been asked by a customer if I can tile her mobile home. Problem is that the walls are made of very thin hardboard. So was thinking about over boarding but would need something very thin as to not add to much depth. and weight to the walls. Don't want to cause her problems later. Someone must have come across this befor any pointers greatly recieved.

[cornish_crofter]

Depending on the thickness/weight of the tiles, you could consider hardibacker.

Normally if I were faced with a situation where I were to tile onto such a thin substrate, I would use the 12mm in place of the hardboard that is there now, so you are probably only increasing the total thickness by 6mm or so, before you start tiling.

However, you will need the hardibacker to be properly supported, joists at 400mm centres would help.

If the thickness/weight is really an issue, you could use 6mm hardibacker in place of the 12mm with extra supports. I would stud every 200mm with this stuff. 6mm hardibacker isn't really intended for this use but it would work if you choose your tiles carefully.

Beware though, depending on the age of the mobile home, you may be looking at asbestos walls!

[Leatherface]

Just make sure you get paid on completion, otherwise she might drive away
Can just picture you chasing her down the motorway trying to get your money

[chris.tiling]

As Hugo says, would use Hardibacker. Also Pilkingtons do a similar board (almost twice the size and similar price per board but is 6mm thick rather than the 12mm Hardibacker walls) called primaliner - never used it, so cant tell you what it is like, but looks good

[simhopper]

theres a reason why motorhomes use laminated boards

the chassis maybe rigid but the sides and roof are fibreglass

Tiling is a big no no

[Colour Republic]

how much of it is she wanting tiling? is it just a splash back? and i suppose is it really a mobile home or one of those static carvan jobbies? If it is just your bog standard carvan then surely the walls will twist and ping your tiles off when it's hurtling down some country road

[sstilingservice]

It's not mobile just one of those retirement type homes. I would rather not do it than cause the lady problems later. I'm worried about the walls not being able to cope with the wieght. they are only about 2" thick at best. The lady said that some of her nieghbours have tiles.Not sure if she is telling me the truth though.

[Swanseajack]

I looked at a mobile home/static job a few years ago, after the previous tiling job had failed. After investigation, the studs were 45x45mm @ 600 centres with 4mm hardboard, and then overboarded with 9mm ply, to replace with 3x2 stud wall would have been to costly ( altering ajoining walls), plus I couldn't gaurantee this would be fail proof, due to flex in mobile home. I would walk away from this job, or possibly recommend PVC cladding, if you can fit that.

[cornish_crofter]

It's not mobile just one of those retirement type homes. I would rather not do it than cause the lady problems later. I'm worried about the walls not being able to cope with the wieght. they are only about 2" thick at best. The lady said that some of her nieghbours have tiles.Not sure if she is telling me the truth though.

It really depends on the weight of the tiles. B&Q are doing some really thin 6x6 tiles at the moment. I would have thought that replacing the wall with well supported hardibacker would suffice for these.

Why not ask the lady if her friends would show you exactly what tiles they have?