Advice on adhesive please, and a couple of other things - Tile Advice

[gary b]

good evening everyone
I've just got a last minute job for next week and it's actually something I haven't done before. I've got to tile wall and floor with 600x300 porcelain tiles, 10mm thick. I've only tiled walls with ceramic, so unsure what adhesive to use. It's for a bathroom, and tiles will be going into the shower cubicle on one wall. Could the same adhesive be used for both wall and floor ? Floor has been plyed and the walls are plasterboard/plaster.

Would you do the walls first or the floor. I've only ever done them separate ! There is no skirt been put on so wall tiles are going straight to the floor.

Which brings me to floor levelling clips, I'm going to use them on this job for the first time, are they all the same, the price ranges quite a lot .

And that's it(apart from cutter which I'll put in other forum)

Thank you in advance, I hope I didn't spoil you watching X factor lol

 

[Martyn Leeds]

I'm presuming you're a Tiler?

 

[Qwerty]

A number of concerns for me here..... ply on the floor, no mention of tanking in the shower, how the walls are primed. As above, I assume you are not a tiler? No problems if not, it just helps us understand.

For me personally though, walls first. Overboard ply with a tile backer board once you are sure there is minimal deflection (bounce).
Prime with and SBR or acrylic based primer (Not PVA!). Use a cement (bagged) tile adhesive with the tiles back buttered is the correct fixing method.

How flat are the walls & floor. This should really be sorted before using adhesive to pack out tiles. Any pics?

Levelling clips are all subtly different. Look at reviews and posts on this forum to help you decide.

 

[Flintstone]

What's your trade, Garry ?

 

[Bond]

Weight of tile may be a concern on skimmed plasterboard walls . Are the walls currently painted?

 

[gary b]

A number of concerns for me here..... ply on the floor, no mention of tanking in the shower, how the walls are primed. As above, I assume you are not a tiler? No problems if not, it just helps us understand.

For me personally though, walls first. Overboard ply with a tile backer board once you are sure there is minimal deflection (bounce).
Prime with and SBR or acrylic based primer (Not PVA!). Use a cement (bagged) tile adhesive with the tiles back buttered is the correct fixing method.

How flat are the walls & floor. This should really be sorted before using adhesive to pack out tiles. Any pics?

Levelling clips are all subtly different. Look at reviews and posts on this forum to help you decide.

Thank you plan tec for your reply, sorry I didn't come across very well, but I didn't realise that would be an issue on here, but I do appreciate your comments and thanks for replying. And for everyone else who think there the dogs..

I haven't got 20 years experience like you guys as I am new to the trade, late change in career, went back college got a qualification and went for it. Been working for a construction company and doing private work, trying to get as much experience and knowledge as I can. I'm sure you guys were in this position once !! I never take a job on I can't do and I always tell the customer my background. I lost count the amount of tiling I've done already and the only complaint I guess you can say was on some silicone I did as it started to peel for some reason, went back replaced and all good.

This job is for a mate who builder keeps letting him down and it's slowing the build down. I understand the process of priming the surfaces etc , in fact I had to stop them putting pva on the wall. I have a fair understanding of substrates, weight bearing etc, but again if unsure I find out, I don't blag it !! I understand the difference between tubbed and bagged adhesive, flexible etc, I was only asking the question as there is that many brands on the market and I need to get if off the shelf tomorrow., yes I understand about back buttering, back skimming, notched trowel, round trowel, size of trowel etc. But if there is something I'm unsure, I'll ask and find out, I just wanted some advice to do the best job possible, is that wrong to ask ?
I've realised in the short time I've been tiling that there is a huge huge difference in tiling on a site and tiling for private. Site work they really don't give a **** about substrate, priming etc so I can only learn so much on that side from the other tilers! that's why I'm on here as I thought that was the purpose of this forum. ( there is some helpful guys on here by the way). I would like to get it right first time, surley we are all learning, yes more than others, but everyone was in the same boat at one point. If I'm unsure I have the balls to say and ask questions , that's how we learn.

Sorry for not explaining very well the first time.
Thank you again plan tec the advice , it is great and I do appreciate the time and advice you give. and everyone else if that's the advice you feel is correct, then thank you for your time also.

I'm just trying to to it right that's all.

 

[gary b]

Weight of tile may be a concern on skimmed plasterboard walls . Are the walls currently painted?

Thanks bond, one wall has paint on it, an old wall, but I have stated the concerns about that layer of paint between wall and adhesive and he is stripping that off.

 

[TheAofT]

Hi Gary,
You've in right place to ask an advise.
Do floor first but overboard with tile backer board or decoupling membranes if wooden.
Make sure wooden floor propely fixed with no movement( main enemy ).
Then walls but again make all walls not loose and with no paint or wallpaper.
Prime all surfaces with acrylic primer diluted according absorption but not tile backer board or decoupling membrane.
In regards to tile adhesive use flexible S1 grade to accommodate all prep. imperfections solid bedding.
BAl, Ardex, Nicobond, Mapei, Weber or Ultra tile brands will help you out depending on the project budget.
You can find lots of information on official websites.
Good luck, Gary

 

[Bond]

Personally find it easier to tile and grout walls first, starting second row from floor, then tile and grout floor, then fit bottom row to floor, ( usually a cut tile) also find it easier to apply adhesive to the tile rather than the wall for this course.

Not much experience with floor levelling systems, only used them once with much larger tiles, found them easy to use once you get a handle on the tensioning pliers.

For the rest pretty much as noted above. One thing to watch for is the quality of the tile itself, in terms of shape, there was a recent thread on here about badly bowed 300x600 tiles.

All the best.