Ceramic tiles in a shower

[Flintstone]

What's your thoughts on it ? Just been talking with a customer about there up coming bathroom and ensuite re fits and I advised them against using ceramics, rightly or wrongly.

 

[Dumbo]

What's your thoughts on it ? Just been talking with a customer about there up coming bathroom and ensuite re fits and I advised them against using ceramics, rightly or wrongly.

Why I've done loads of ceramic installations with out any problems .

 

[Qwerty]

Wrongly. Ceramics are fine..... Just avoid the dreaded BCT!

 

[Flintstone]

Even tho they soak water up like a sponge ? I would just rather not fit them, although I have done loads of times

 

[Blunt Tool]

Nothing wrong with ceramics in a domestic shower if done right. Seen some whilst ripping out an absolute pain and dry as a bone!

 

[Qwerty]

If fixed, grouted & siliconed correctly then there will be no issue's.

 

[andy8758]

Correct me if I am wrong. Most ceramics have a glazed surface - that is waterproof. Yes, water soaks back through grout if not epoxy, but I think Deano tested and found you had to soak grout for seven hours before water permeated through to sub strata. And of course, water soaking through grout can also cause biscuit back of tile to soak up water.

Porcelain is not waterproof. Virtually all porcelain sold these days is sealed by the factory manufacturing them, but some of the more upmarket tile retailers suggest resealing porcelain periodically.

Discuss? (My info is second hand).

 

[hmtiling]

Correct me if I am wrong. Most ceramics have a glazed surface - that is waterproof. Yes, water soaks back through grout if not epoxy, but I think Deano tested and found you had to soak grout for seven hours before water permeated through to sub strata. And of course, water soaking through grout can also cause biscuit back of tile to soak up water.

Porcelain is not waterproof. Virtually all porcelain sold these days is sealed by the factory manufacturing them, but some of the more upmarket tile retailers suggest resealing porcelain periodically.

Discuss? (My info is second hand).

I thought porcelain and epoxy had a very similar absorption rate of less than 0.5%. which i suppose means neither are waterproof? These amounts are definitely negligible though

 

[andy8758]

I thought porcelain and epoxy had a very similar absorption rate of less than 0.5%. which i suppose means neither are waterproof? These amounts are definitely negligible though

I haven't a clue about that. But I am interested in finding out.

 

[hmtiling]

It's my understanding that for tiling purposes both porc and epoxy are waterproof as the rate at which they absorb water is so small

 

[Blunt Tool]

Everyone and everything on this earth is made of atoms, there are 3 types, protons, neutrons and electrons so if we find out once and for all if any are bloody waterproof eureka we will find the one and only true answer, and tell the tile and adhesive manufacturers which one to use!

 

[Flintstone]

Porcelain are pretty much water proof in that water wouldn't pass through them I don't think, or soak into them. If water can get into the wall, it can certainly get into the biscuit of a ceramic tile. I'm sure I read somewhere that you can't use crackle glaze in a wet area as it will let water in to the tile

 

[One Day]

Everyone and everything on this earth is made of atoms, there are 3 types, protons, neutrons and electrons so if we find out once and for all if any are bloody waterproof eureka we will find the one and only true answer, and tell the tile and adhesive manufacturers which one to use!

I thought Protons neutrons and electrons are constituent parts of atoms, not types of atoms themselves.
Then again, I'm just a tiler...

 

[Qwerty]

I know most porcs have an extremely low absorption rate so don't soak up water (<0.5%) whereas ceramics soak up water like a sponge.

I will conduct an experiment this weekend to demonstrate!

 

[hmtiling]

I know most porcs have an extremely low absorption rate so don't soak up water (<5%) whereas ceramics soak up water like a sponge.

I will conduct an experiment this weekend to demonstrate!

Think you missed the decimal point before the 5 there Geoff

 

[Qwerty]

Haha....yes I did......blooming auto correct!

 

[Qwerty]

Amended!

 

[andy8758]

I know most porcs have an extremely low absorption rate so don't soak up water (<0.5%) whereas ceramics soak up water like a sponge.

I will conduct an experiment this weekend to demonstrate!

Ah see, there are some uses for Bank Holiday weekends. If I can manage my iPad well enough I will post some tiling tool reviews to compensate for you giving up precious family time to scientifically add to this debate.

 

[Andy Allen]

Ceramics soak up water on the back of the tile.
So unless you don't read the instructions and fix them glazed side down then I don't see a problem ....
What would your concerns be Andy?

 

[Qwerty]

Shouldn't take too long. Will leave to soak for a few hours and work out % absorption

 

[Flintstone]

Ceramics soak up water on the back of the tile.
So unless you don't read the instructions and fix them glazed side down then I don't see a problem ....
What would your concerns be Andy?

My point being Andy , we tank walls because water gets past the tiles to the wall, which means, it will also get to the back of the tile and soak into a ceramic tile

 

[One Day]

My point being Andy , we tank walls because water gets past the tiles to the wall, which means, it will also get to the back of the tile and soak into a ceramic tile

Yes. If grouting is decent and fixing methods are decent then it will last twenty years under normal domestic use, two or three times a day.
Showers that are in use more, or loads more, need additional considerations. Ie tile choice, substrate choice, grout choice.
You put up cheap ceramics with tubbed adhesive onto bare plasterboard, then use the shower 20 times a day, it won't last.
Twice a day, good chance it will.

 

[hmtiling]

I believe porc absorption is found by boiling in water but you may get some strange looks in the kitchen witha 60x30 sticking out of a pan

 

[Qwerty]

Sweet thanks Harry. In that case i will try both hot & cold absorption. Shall I do stone too? (trav)

 

[Andy Allen]

Sweet thanks Harry. In that case i will try both hot & cold absorption. Shall I do stone too? (trav)

Hope you have a white coat on..

 

[Unused Account 1]

Tilers been fitting ceramics for years in showers ,ive done probably 500 like most guys on here never had one problem ,everything is porcelain now ,did my first cramics for a year last week ,got 12 houses to do

 

[Qwerty]

See my little test here.......

Ceramic - Tile water absorbtion experiment - http://www.tilersforums.com/threads/tile-water-absorbtion-experiment.83567/#post-866538

 

[Dumbo]

Tilers been fitting ceramics for years in showers ,ive done probably 500 like most guys on here never had one problem ,everything is porcelain now ,did my first cramics for a year last week ,got 12 houses to do

I did loads of units in a retirement home a couple of years back some with two bathrooms . All in ceramics with ready mix

 

[Qwerty]

ready mix

That's a dirty word on here!