Balcony tiling - Tile Advice

[TimH]

While on a job tiling an exterior balcony floor, the neighbour asked about doing his balcony. The two houses are completely different in age and style and his balcony has a couple of issues I have never come across before. Just wondering if anyone else has done something similar.

The size is about 2m x 6m and it is walled on all sides. The floor is some sort of bitumen or asphalt and has been well laid; solid and with decent falls to two drain channels in the end wall. My first question is about tiling onto this surface. Has anyone had issues with this sort of surface outside. Will it move too much when it gets hot? (will it get hot when it's been tiled over?). Balcony is south facing, I have been baking doing the first balcony!

Second question is about the edges. The floor has wedge shaped edges all around, approx 2" wide by 1" high. This will no doubt be great for draining the water away and ensuring that water does not pool in any corners but is a major headache for tiling it. I'm tempted to just say I can't do it but I thought I'd ask here first if anyone has done something like this. I don't think that either ripping the asphalt out and starting again or covering the lot with SLC will be viable. Firstly because of cost; I think they just want a quick job doing not a major project and secondly, there are two doors out onto the balcony and the current floor is very close to the door sill so I can't go higher.

The only thing I thought of was cutting edge tiles to replicate the sloping edges, but this will get very complicated around the two drain outlets which are also formed in the same way with sloping edges.

Sorry but I didn't take any pictures. I could get some next week.

Any advise welcomed!

Tim

 

[White Room]

This might worth a look and they do a days course for it as well Balcony and terrace construction systems - Schlüter-Systems

 

[bugs183]

Tim H.
I've worked on a few balconies in my time and we don't build them like in Europe, where they seem to have them sussed.
In my honest opinion just tell them you are busy, really really busy.
Movement, Asphalt, no room for height gain, 'wanting a cheap quick job', it's got a big NO written all over it!!!

 

[bugs183]

This might worth a look and they do a days course for it as well Balcony and terrace construction systems - Schlüter-Systems

The Ditra System especially Ditra Drain is a great system, but you will need room for height gain.

 

[bugs183]

Here's a link to the Schluter Balcony system:
Essential Water Management in Tiled Installations - Schluter-Systems

It does say this about Asphalt:

TROBA-PLUS is Schluter's durable subsurface drainage system that supports the floor with cone-shaped studs to create continuous drainage above the waterproofing layer.

[h=2][/h]There are various types of roof membranes, such as built-up roofing using asphalt binders, modified bituminous systems, and single-ply EPDM or PVC sheets. Most roof membranes are not suitable for the direct application of thin-set ceramic and stone tile installations. First, it can be difficult or even impossible to achieve a bond to these membranes using thin-set mortar. Second, many roof membranes are relatively thick and compressible, which would leave a thin-set installation prone to vertical movement and damage under load. In such cases, it is necessary to provide a load-distribution layer, typically a wire reinforced mortar bed, over the roof membrane before setting tile.

 

[TimH]

Thanks for the replies everyone. You have confirmed my initial thought that it's probably not a good idea to take this one on.

 

[Spud]

I am using troba plus and bekotec drain on one of my jobs at the moment i will post some pictures in a minute once i have got them off my phone

 

[bugs183]

Be worth seeing that Gary, was it spec'd on a new build or doing it on an existing balcony??

 

[Spud]

its a patio terrace Bugs not a balcony, the specification was for a bonded screed and tile surface we decided to go unbonded as we didnt want any issues with frost damage ,the system we went with drains away any water out of the installation so should be resistant to frost hopefully, I had to pre screed some areas and grind out others to keep within the minimum and maximum tolerances of the bekotec matting we mechanically fixed all the haddon stone with corbels and stainless wire and the terrace has a 1;80 fall away from the house i will post the finished pictures next week when we have completed the job

 

[bugs183]

Good stuff, it that system will work a treat
Ditra drain is a great product, the guys at Schluter were saying it was developed for another use originally. Schluter had found that very large format tiles with cement based adhesive actually retained some of the moisture from when the adhesive cured (sounds odd, but this is what they told me, a bit like dispersal adhesive), so the Ditra Drain works as an uncoupling membrane but the moisture from the adhesive could escape too, then they thought of using is a self draining layer for the above usage.
Great work there, well timed with the weather!!!