First job with porcelain - advice please - TilersForums.co.uk | Tile Forums

sammy j · 09-03-2008

Hi all

I'm about to start my first job on my own later this week, a small bathroom, about 8m2 of wallspace and 3m2 of floor, with porcelain tiles, 300x300s on floor and 150x200s on wall. Its on first floor and so floor is floorboards which currently has very thin board (5mm?) tacked down on it, one of walls is plaster and others are mixture of plasterboard and timber.

Was just wondering if anyone had any general advice or if theres anything I should be aware of that I might not be (particularly in terms of preparation). Powerspec recommends tanking and then using Single Part Flexible (on walls), and Gold Star on floor, so thats what I was going to do.

Any thoughts much appreciated...

m.w.tiling · 09-03-2008

sounds like may be tricky using a rapid set s.p.f on walls due to drying times, BAL ctf3 is good for porcelain. With the right primer, and allows for extra work time. Wouldn't use gold star on the floor, take up that 5mm stuff. If boards are sound use two part flex, If boards have excessive movement, creaking etc use 15-20mm wbp grade ply, screwed to 6 inch centres, with single part flex, remember to prime the edges of the ply and allow 15mm around edge of room for expansion. Use proper primer, not pva, check all walls are solid enough, and you should be fine.

**Dave** · 09-03-2008

Bal spf is not rapid setting..it takes 16 hrs to set......bal CTF3 is not suitable for porcelain unless AD1 admix is used in conjuction with it......

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What ever it is tacked on the floor needs to come up( sounds like hardboard).. and you can either ply it like m,w,tiling says or you could even use something like hardi backer if the heights are an issue.......You can use the SPF on the walls and floor and long as the right prep work is done..........good luck..

Branty · 09-03-2008

If the floor is sound and you have height issues, you could use ditra.

sammy j · 09-03-2008

Cheers for that guys, so if I'm taking up the thin boards and putting ply down, and using SPF for walls and floor, is it necessary to use a primer? And tanking? Its only a bath splashback, no shower etc...

**Dave** · 09-03-2008

No need to tank really for bath splash back.........BAL only recommend you prime the back and edges of ply and not the face side.............

...always check wot each individual supplier recommends.....

sammy j · 09-03-2008

Nice one Dave

**365drills** · 09-03-2008

Dont forget your drill bits!

Porcelain is tough stuff

**brian c** · 09-03-2008

nice one richard...lol...hows the girls?

**365drills** · 10-03-2008

Haha yes well I have to bang the drum for drills !!

The girls? All OK. Working very hard for me. You know sometimes it can be difficult working with them. They can be very demanding... But I soldier on

sammy j · 10-03-2008

Yes thanks Richard for the excellent impartial advice!

- as it happens you needn't have bothered as I've just bought one of your packs! I am almost wetting myself with excitement at the thought of using it.
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I spoke to the guy I'm doing the job for today, property developer, and it turns out he is putting a shower in, but he insisted that he doesn't normally bother with tanking, and that hes just put 6mm ply down, and thats what he normally uses, so he wanted to just go with that. I told him it should be thicker ply, but that if he was happy to go with it then its his job.

I'd like to do a proper job but he wasn't budging and I figure its up to him at the end of the day. Will I be alright using SPF without priming? - I know BAL recommends priming but this guy obviously just wants a quick job.
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Also the wall tiles are glazed porcelain - do I still need to use SPF?

**Dave** · 10-03-2008

6mm ply....oooooooohhh!!!!....

Never mind....just to add to it sammy...bal recommend not to prime the face of the ply anyway.............