Crystalstone tiles from tilesporcelain, curl, a cautionary tale.

[Stevoe]

Two years ago we had an extension built and part of that was the garage conversion. We raised the floor of the garage with 75mm of kingspan followed by visqueen then UFH pipes and finally 50-90mm of anhydrous screed. The resultant floor was tiled with 600x600mm Crystalstone quartz tiles from Tilesporcelain, I used their cement and grout, can't remember the name of it, laying a 10-12mm solid bed, sometimes putting adhesive on the floor and sometimes buttering the tile (buttering the tile is my prefered method).
All was well for about a year then we noticed that a portion of the floor near the door was uneven, it had started to raise and investigation with a straight edge showed that the tiles were curling at the corners, it eventually got so bad that the door couldn't be closed and the grout popped out. We removed 4 tiles and then refitted 3 and replaced one (broke) we used Bal slow set flexible waterproof adhesive, no further problems with those tiles. elsewhere in the room though the same thing started to happen, the tiles have now bowed up to such an extent that they peek about 15+mm where 4 come together, one tile has actually snapped. I am going to replace four tiles this time, there are 8 tiles that sound hollow during a tap test. Tilesporcelain have explained that the tiles are a composite material and are not recommended for UFH, their terms and conditions state that they would be fitted at the buyers risk, they also stated that I would have been advised of this at the time. I can catagorically state that I was not told of their unsuitability but they remain steadfast, nothing to do with them or their products. I have asked if they would consider a goodwill gesture of the refund of the five replacement tiles bought recently, where again I was not told that they were not suitable for any area with UFH, no answer yet.
My question other than the cautionary tale is, has anyone else had this problem? What did you do to rectify the situation? Does anybody know of any Black sparkly tiles that are stable (fit for purpose) and what would the forum suggest. I guess that at some point in the future it may happen again, in that case I will rip up the tiles and start again. I am reluctant to do this though as the kitchen units are stood on the tiles and a good tonne of granite is sat on the kitchen units. So Help, what to do ??

[Dave]

Hi Stevoe..

Those tiles are not suitable for use with in-screed heating or UFH.. the resins in the tiles cannot cope with the heat and hence they curl.. I have heard on here and other forums that Tiles porcelain deny it is a tile fault but if they are curling then it is a tile that is not suitable for heated floors... simple as that..

If you get no joy then contact the Tile Association to come and inspect and get a report done.. that will help you if a wrong product was supplied.. but you also must have said at the time of purchase that you were going to install them on a heated screed.

[whitebeam]

After a year it's going to be a tough call to get the shop to admit liability IMO

[Dave]

After a year it's going to be a tough call to get the shop to admit liability IMO

Why? If they were sold unsuitable product


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[whitebeam]

It's just there word against the customers, all there've got to say they advised against underfloor heating with the tiles at the time...I hope I'm wrong but they will try there best to wriggle out of it....as heard before.

[Dave]

Yep, that is what I have heard, shame really.
But worth checking

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