large format tiles & uneven walls

[Matthew77]

Hi all

I'm starting a job tomorrow with some large tiles 550 x 320 & the walls to be tiled above the bath are quite uneven as they are rustic old cottage walls. (when putting the length of my 6ft level on the wall i could get my finger behind it in the middle) so that must be 10-15 mm

I'm going to use a 12mm trowel with some rapid set flexi addy, but was wondering if you might have some tips or advise for tiling on not so flat walls

thanks Matt

[doug boardley]

I'd be dot and dabbing plasterboard on Matthew, 12mm

[whitebeam]

If it's an old cottage there's a good chance it will be lime mortor

[Matthew77]

I'd be dot and dabbing plasterboard on Matthew, 12mm

I've already hinted at this but customer isn't keen, also the tiling will end at the end of bath so they don't want a massive step in the wall (plasterboard plus addy plus tile)

[Dave]

Use a thick bed adhesive and loads of patience....

[Matthew77]

If it's an old cottage there's a good chance it will be lime mortor

surprisingly enough its not lime plaster as its been recently skimmed with pink

[whitebeam]

Not very well then

[beanz]

You could use a feather edge or Darby with Rapid set, and try to make the wall more even. Sounds like it's gonna be a bit of a nightmare otherwise..

[Matthew77]

Use a thick bed adhesive and loads of patience....

Was thinking this might be the answer, starting from the highest point & packing the tiles out in the lowest, its going to be a beast with large formats & rapidset

[Dave]

They not that large..........A test of your skills....

[Matthew77]

Not very well then

not very no, I'm always a bit worried about doing my own plastering but some of the new plaster i have to tile onto is pretty poor sometimes, I'm pretty sure i could do just as well...probably without a trowel too

[Matthew77]

You could use a feather edge or Darby with Rapid set, and try to make the wall more even. Sounds like it's gonna be a bit of a nightmare otherwise..

might give this a go, sounds like a plan

[whitebeam]

Do a course to help yourself out

[Matthew77]

Do a course to help yourself out

I have thought of that, the only problem is I'm always too late, usually by the time my customers have phoned me they've managed to paint the whole bathroom

[Dave]

might give this a go, sounds like a plan

If you go the skim in with normal rapid set then you will have to leave to set, as it does 6mm and if you go much deeper it will shrink as it dries...

So by leaving it to set then if it does you will be ok for your tile bed as long as thts within limits...but this way will add time to your job..

[Matthew77]

If you go the skim in with normal rapid set then you will have to leave to set, as it does 6mm and if you go much deeper it will shrink as it dries...

So by leaving it to set then if it does you will be ok for your tile bed as long as thts within limits...but this way will add time to your job..

The addy I have for the job is dunlop set fast plus I think it does upto 20mm bed but I'm guessing it will still shrink back once set, I do have other tiling work to do there so it wouldn't be too much of a problem to let it dry & come back to it a bit later,also its really warm here at the moment,ths stuff was drying out really quick on the floor today