Advice needed re a few things.

[Frilly]

We are needing 46sqm tiles laid to a bare concrete floor in our new shop. We had great difficulty finding anyone who could do it before September, but through an acquaintance managed to find someone who was free to start immediately, but as we didn't have the tiles he is now due to start next Monday. I guess I'm a bit worried because he was available and flexible to start whenever we needed him, whilst everyone else is rammed out, and also because I asked him a couple of questions and I wasn't convinced by his answers.
My questions:
1. Should you use some sort of levelling system to lay rectified porcelain tiles with 2mm grout lines? When I asked the question of our tiler he said no.
2. Would we need an expansion joint as the floor is 4.7m wide x 9.8m deep? Tiler said no, but we could have one if we wanted one.
3. As the tiles are 80 x 80, would you lay the tiles symmetrically, or would it look okay to have five full tiles with one tile just having approx 11cm cut off?
All advice very gratefully received.
Thank you, Frilly.

 

[faceman]

We used to lay 80x80’s before clips came along but now it just helps for a number of reasons. A tile like that will want the back spreading as well as the floor especially in commercial situations. You’ll be ok for expansion joints as It’s a complete ncreye floor with no underfloor heating. As far as setting out is concerned that’s really your choice. It’s always a good idea to cut tiles into walls as they are not always dead straight. Maybe insist on the levelling clips and back buttering as you are the customer. Don’t pay unless you’re happy and no decent tiler should need money up front. Hope that helps.

 

[Frilly]

We used to lay 80x80’s before clips came along but now it just helps for a number of reasons. A tile like that will want the back spreading as well as the floor especially in commercial situations. You’ll be ok for expansion joints as It’s a complete ncreye floor with no underfloor heating. As far as setting out is concerned that’s really your choice. It’s always a good idea to cut tiles into walls as they are not always dead straight. Maybe insist on the levelling clips and back buttering as you are the customer. Don’t pay unless you’re happy and no decent tiler should need money up front. Hope that helps.

Hi Faceman, thank you so much for your response. The tiler says he's got 20 years experience so perhaps he's used to doing things a certain way, but I've bought the Mustang tile levelling system for him and want him to use that as being a commercial setting, quite apart from aesthetics, I wouldn't want to risk any lipping that could cause a trip hazard.

Thank you for reassuring me re. the expansion joint and for the great information about it being a good idea to cut tiles into walls, in which case I will tell him we want it symmetrical. As for back buttering do you think he would be insulted if I asked him if he was going to do that, or is that a standard question a tiler would expect and be happy to answer? (What with insisting on a levelling system, I don't want him to think I am telling him how to do his job).

Thank you once again for your help and advice.

 

[faceman]

Maybe just tell him you had some cracked tiles on another property and were told back buttering would have prevented it. It’s not an insult to have piece of mind. You are paying him.

 

[angrypirate]

It wont hurt to request these things, it will show him that you have done your research and require the installation done to a specific standard.

Yes, you would expect someone with 20 years experience to know they need to back butter but you shouldn't assume he will.

Ive only been a tradesman for a few years now but I have seen some right dodgy jobs done by people who have had years and years of experience. Bottom line is you want it done the right way, and your paying him to do it the way your requesting it to be done, if he has a problem with them simple requests find another tiler

 

[Frilly]

Maybe just tell him you had some cracked tiles on another property and were told back buttering would have prevented it. It’s not an insult to have piece of mind. You are paying him.

Thank you for the suggestion, I will do that.

 

[Frilly]

It wont hurt to request these things, it will show him that you have done your research and require the installation done to a specific standard.

Yes, you would expect someone with 20 years experience to know they need to back butter but you shouldn't assume he will.

Ive only been a tradesman for a few years now but I have seen some right dodgy jobs done by people who have had years and years of experience. Bottom line is you want it done the right way, and your paying him to do it the way your requesting it to be done, if he has a problem with them simple requests find another tiler

Thank you for your help. I definitely will ask (tell) him I want him to do back buttering.
One more thing, I know this may sound like 'how long is a piece of string', but how approximately thick should the adhesive be? The reason I'm asking is because the tiles are 10mm thick but there is only a 20mm space under the front door. I am going to have a mat, but depending on the answer is how big the mat will have to be.
Thanks once again.

 

[angrypirate]

The adhesive bed might be anywhere from 6mm to over 10mm, if the floor is out of level slightly he may need to use a bit more adhesive in areas which will increase the depth.

If the door cannot be trimmed to accommodate a mat, how about a mat well?

 

[Frilly]

The adhesive bed might be anywhere from 6mm to over 10mm, if the floor is out of level slightly he may need to use a bit more adhesive in areas which will increase the depth.

If the door cannot be trimmed to accommodate a mat, how about a mat well?

The door is one of those heavy duty double glazed things, so I'm not sure it can be trimmed and the floor is concrete with a 30cm slight incline towards the door. I'm a female with no real idea about practical matters so please forgive the ignorance of this question, how hard would it be to chip away a small area of concrete to accomodate a mat well?

 

[angrypirate]

The door is one of those heavy duty double glazed things, so I'm not sure it can be trimmed and the floor is concrete with a 30cm slight incline towards the door. I'm a female with no real idea about practical matters so please forgive the ignorance of this question, how hard would it be to chip away a small area of concrete to accomodate a mat well?

You wouldn't necessarily have to chip anything away, just don't tile the area which will house the mat.

The only downside is you will always have to have a mat there.