Making mistake matt floor tiles shiney?

[Oldman2]

Posted this question on another forum, hoping for another suggestion other than living with the problem or ripping the whole lot up. 1hr adhesive was used so as they have been down now for 48hrs I cant easily lift them.

Partly my fault, bought 20mtr of Ceramic 33 x 33 Beige floor tiles from Homebase, didnt properly check that they were all the same date code.

Tiler came in and laid 5mtr, really nice and shiney. Later tiler came back and laid another 13mtr and didnt notice that half of the boxes were a matt finish so I now have Patches of tiles that are matt in amongst the glossy ones.





Apart from ripping it all back up again, I can only think that applying either some sort of sealer or shine may bring the balance closer.

B&Q have some tile shine @ £12 for a little bottle & Homebase also sell one but I really dont want to try anything without advice first.

[Sir Ramic]

I am afraid its a rip up job , can you get more of the tiles you require to match so as not to rip the lot up. I think you will be able to remove the adhesive fairly easily as it takes longer to fully harden.

[Sir Ramic]

Tiler should have checked the boxes and mixed anyway IMO

[Oldman2]

Thats the next problem, the glossy ones are the ones we want to keep and the local Homebase stores now only have the tiles in matt.
I have 8 boxes of glossy ones left but they were going to continue the kitchen area already laid first in glossy.
If I use them to replace the duff ones in the dining area I have none to finish off the kitchen with so atm I seem to be stuffed both ways.
I did try visiting other Homebase stores locally and managed to pick up a couple of boxes of glossy ones yesterday from the "damaged box area" there. I need to widen my search area I guess.

[merlecollins]

What a nightmare - looks like the lads done a decent job as well

Like Neale says I think it's a chop up job if it bothers you a lot, as it will when the sun shines through that patio door

Have you tried Homebase customer services?

[Oldman2]

Tiler should have checked the boxes and mixed anyway IMO

Yes thats why I said partly my fault, I would have thought alarm bells would have rung when he got to lay the first odd box as even with your eyes closed they feel rough compared to the glossy ones.
He did leave me to clear the grout off the tiles and ran off with his money while the wife and I spent hours cleaning the floor up, so perhaps he did know but didnt care too much.

[Sir Ramic]

Sorry to say but that is your only option, IMO these DIY sheds are of no use when it comes to helping the customer when these problems arise...afterall they already have your money

[merlecollins]

He did leave me to clear the grout off the tiles and ran off with his money while the wife and I spent hours cleaning the floor up, so perhaps he did know but didnt care too much.

Hit and run merchant

He should have been able to tell the second he put the wrong tile down, which is when he should have flagged it up.....Anyway, no good crying over spilt milk, you just need it sorting - have you rang him to come back?

[Oldman2]

Like Neale says I think it's a chop up job if it bothers you a lot, as it will when the sun shines through that patio door

Have you tried Homebase customer services?

Yes the sun really makes them look like chalk & cheese.

Homebase can only Identify the tile type and not the date code for finding stocks.
I have found over 400 boxes of the matt ones locally!

I wondered if something like LPT Floorshine would bring up the dull ones?

[Oldman2]

have you rang him to come back?

He knows we are not happy but as I dont have an alternative tile to replace them with yet getting him back isnt an option.

[merlecollins]

I wondered if something like LPT Floorshine would bring up the dull ones?

Unfortunately not - as you got a glazed tile it will just lie on the surface of the tile and foot traffic will wear it off over time and you'll be left with something aesthetically worse than what you've got now

To get a finish you WILL be happy with, you need to source the glossy tiles, but like previously mentioned you are in the hands of a company that probably couldn't give a hoot now they've got your money

The other option would be to lift the lot and replace with new from somewhere like Tile Giant - there's bond to be a store near you Expensive route to take, but may be your only answer once you're exhausted with Homebase

[Oldman2]

I cant lift the lot, its a big L shape with the middle being a kitchen extension with the glossy tiles laid wall to wall before the units went in. As you can see from this pic taken from the dining area where the matt tiles are, its all one big room really with the "old" kitchen area off to the right of the pic also needing to be done in the same tile.

[merlecollins]

I cant lift the lot, its a big L shape with the middle being a kitchen extension with the glossy tiles laid wall to wall before the units went in. As you can see from this pic taken from the dining area where the matt tiles are, its all one big room really with the "old" kitchen area off to the right of the pic also needing to be done in the same tile.

Drat

Looks like it's down to you and Homebase then

Lovely looking kitchen by the way, especially those red splashback tiles

[Sir Ramic]

Sounds like the tiler left you to clean off so as to cover the tile difference

[merlecollins]

Sounds like the tiler left you to clean off so as to cover the tile difference

Thats what I was thinking as well......

[Oldman2]

Yes kitchen does look nice, same tiler did the wall tiles, he didnt need to worry about mixing them up

I was wondering....my labour and time is free...am I likely to be able to lift the dining room tiles (powder mix rapid adhesive laid thin 2-3 days) intact and perhaps soak them in say soapy water for a while then scrape off the adhesive so I get to save the glossy tiles?
If so I could maybe then use them around the edges of the dining area and a different tile in the middle (quite large area) to make a design feature from the mistake.

[Oldman2]

Sounds like the tiler left you to clean off so as to cover the tile difference

Yes we figured that one out ourselves too when we were still cleaning the floor carefully as to not disturb the wet grout 4hrs later

[Oldman2]

Please could one of you pro's let me know if I can do as I suggested in post #16 to rescue the glossy tiles in that room.

Thanks

[andy allen]

lifting any floor tiles that has allready been fix is going to be impossible to do whithout damageing them (if they have been laid properly) im afraid your only opptions are to live with it or rip it all up level with slc and retile(with all the same tile)....sorry

[Dave]

Yes kitchen does look nice, same tiler did the wall tiles, he didnt need to worry about mixing them up

I was wondering....my labour and time is free...am I likely to be able to lift the dining room tiles (powder mix rapid adhesive laid thin 2-3 days) intact and perhaps soak them in say soapy water for a while then scrape off the adhesive so I get to save the glossy tiles?
If so I could maybe then use them around the edges of the dining area and a different tile in the middle (quite large area) to make a design feature from the mistake.

1:Soaking a cement based adhesive will not break in down.

2: Yes you could use another tile but the dimensions would need to be the same unless you laid them at 45dgs diamond pattern, then you could use any size tile.
Only the thickness would matter then.

[Phil Hobson]

Sorry mate, as Andy says lifting tiles that have been fixed correctly,is not easy. You would be lucky to get them up without damage, shame on the tiler who laid them. I wish there was a solution, that didn't involve a rip up. Good luck with it.

[deanotile]

Did you buy them from the shop as the same tile if so the shop is a fault firstly then the tiler then you. MO

[Sir Ramic]

Did you buy them from the shop as the same tile if so the shop is a fault firstly then the tiler then you. MO

Homebase mate....say no more

[puddle]

Sorry to hear this has happened, you have to be so careful and check everything now but would have though batch numbers would be one of the top of the list jobs because even if all mat or gloss could have been different shades
But maybe as he did not supply tiles, did not think his responsibility, which is true but thought would have checked out of habit, especially the diy stores, even if all boxes right often odd wrong batch tile fitted in box, to many sheeple running around store ,removing and putting back elsewhere
It is a matter of gritting your teeth and starting again
Or
Lighting is so important in rooms ,maybe a few well placed up lighters with good quality dimmer unit, keep curtains drawn, using your partners migraine as the reason or maybe some floor paint, believe Home base doe’s this, maybe a few well placed rugs
Seriously the rest looks great, you have done a really good job, I would be gutted but even more reason to take up and redo correctly

[IvegotsTILE]

I think if you bought the tiles its your own fault I'm afraid not the tilers,maybe he should have realised but sometimes you can't tell in a certain light.
The same has happened to me before on some bathroom walls,they were from homebase but the batch numbers were the same,We could only tell when the lights were fitted the next day.It was only about 8 tiles so I removed them and replaced them.In my opinion batch numbers mean nothing in places like b&q cause they're often mixed up.
The tiler looks like he did a good enough job on the floor and the walls,I don't think its fair to slag him off,he didn't supply the tiles.

I hope you find a soloution oldman

[Oldman2]

I have now managed to collect enough boxes of the correct batch of tiles to complete the run through the old kitchen and the hall (12mtr) with 2.5mtr left over. I may still be able to get yet more of the correct tiles by trawling the old stocks in stores further away.
I have left the mixed tile floor as is for now and will see if I manage to find enough tiles to redo it completely before finally trying to maybe lift say the last 1/3 which are all the wrong finish.
One further question...The grout level on the whole area is pretty shallow, am I going to be able to regrout straight over the top to get it level or will it not stick to the original without cutting it out?

[garythetiler]

I have now managed to collect enough boxes of the correct batch of tiles to complete the run through the old kitchen and the hall (12mtr) with 2.5mtr left over. I may still be able to get yet more of the correct tiles by trawling the old stocks in stores further away.
I have left the mixed tile floor as is for now and will see if I manage to find enough tiles to redo it completely before finally trying to maybe lift say the last 1/3 which are all the wrong finish.
One further question...The grout level on the whole area is pretty shallow, am I going to be able to regrout straight over the top to get it level or will it not stick to the original without cutting it out?

depends on how shallow the joints are, i would be inclined to get a standard grout (non flexi) then put an admix with it this will be more likely to hold in the joints than a normal bagged flexi grout ,a proper job would be to hire a multimaster and rake the joints out and then re do properly

[jay]

most tile boxes have a note in regards to mixing or shading tiles before fixing and checking batch numbers before fixing and normally state once fixed they will not accept responsibility after tiles are fixed so this brings the problem back to the tiler,

as stated above make the best of what you can with tiles available or rip the lot out and start again (check your boxes) sorry no easy fix

[garretridge]

if he did a decent job in laying them then he must have known thats why he left in a hurry no tiler should leave you to clean the grout of the tiles shame on him! i would try and find the manufacturer of the tiles go direct to them im sure they could sorce them for you good luck!

[Oldman2]

Luckily I already own one of these.



And this as well



So if I need some depth for regrouting I should be ok