"Dry mix" vs. concrete screed and which is stronger and price differences? - Tile Advice

[Bill]

Dry fix should cost more because you are having your 100mm of top up from the base added as the tiler fixes his tiles so you are saving on the concrete screed, the labour of the concrete screed and then the waiting time for the concrete screed to dry.

Personally, I think you are not explaining everything to us and you most certainly don't understand what different methods work.

 

[Ronin63]

The LPO was signed and issued to the ceramic tile contractor, so cost and time savings is not the issue. LPO was issued for concrete screed. This one i believe in, since a concrete surface is reliable against earth shifting and causing movement in the soil, and it is just plain stronger.
I was simply inquiring on others' professional opinion, on the strength of this method of dry fix, and if you felt i was able to reduce the payment for less, since the dry fix, in my opinion, isn't stronger, and takes far less time to install.
Also, logic tells me, that this method would only be believable, if i saw the installer doing a concentrated effort at compacting the soil, and, based upon the situation of the install, and please correct me, but it seems there should be a minimum of 75 mm of dry mix sand/cement material, to have something to compact, because i'm sure it must be difficult to compact material that is any less in thickness.
After all, as i said earlier, typical scenario, is that i'm given 100mm from concrete slab to top of finish material, and i've got my 20mm conduit to cover, which is secured to the concrete slab.

 

[WetSaw]

 

[Ajax123]

I' not quite clear here. Are you saying that ggdvtiles were fixed to a sand cement screed laid direct to soil?

 

[Ronin63]

Not sure what "ggdvtiles" are, but they were porcelain, 600mm2 tiles, laid on 75mm of dry mix, white cement type liquid splashed down, then the tiles laid/installed immediately.

 

[Ajax123]

But what was the 75mm dry mix laid on?

 

[Dumbo]

The LPO was signed and issued to the ceramic tile contractor, so cost and time savings is not the issue. LPO was issued for concrete screed. This one i believe in, since a concrete surface is reliable against earth shifting and causing movement in the soil, and it is just plain stronger.
I was simply inquiring on others' professional opinion, on the strength of this method of dry fix, and if you felt i was able to reduce the payment for less, since the dry fix, in my opinion, isn't stronger, and takes far less time to install.
Also, logic tells me, that this method would only be believable, if i saw the installer doing a concentrated effort at compacting the soil, and, based upon the situation of the install, and please correct me, but it seems there should be a minimum of 75 mm of dry mix sand/cement material, to have something to compact, because i'm sure it must be difficult to compact material that is any less in thickness.
After all, as i said earlier, typical scenario, is that i'm given 100mm from concrete slab to top of finish material, and i've got my 20mm conduit to cover, which is secured to the concrete slab.

There it is . You are not happy with the method he is using because you believe it isn't as strong but if you can get some money all of a sudden it's ok .

 

[Simon Dale]

Did A drive Monolithic, still there rock hard. You don't see that word often Gary .

 

[Julian 'Farmer' Bonsall]

Ronin - I will start by saying I am not a professional tiler (and you can tell this by the questions I ask here). I am an experienced and well qualified engineer. Anyway I used to have an apartment in Dubai as I had some work there and the way in which our bathroom floor was fitted was like this. I remember saying it was similar to how I heard my father said our kitchen floor was done (marble onto sand/cement screed circa 50/55 years ago). I hadnt seen it before and your post caught my eye.