Tiling over 22mm T&G chipboard - TilersForums.com

[Rookery]

So you want to fix big expensive quartz tiles onto a suspended unheated timber floor measuring about 7.0 x 6.0. Is that right? My method would be to:
1. Screw timber floor boards to joists.
2. Overlay timber floor with 6mm Hardie backer board.
3. Fix Hardie with appropriate screws and rapid set flexible adhesive.
4. Fix Ditra matting to Hardie with appropriate adhesive.
5. Tile away following manufacturers advice especially following grout size etc but I would imagine minimum 5mm joint. I would expect to see a similar movement joints too - both perimeter and intermediate ones. This is an expensive product so no short measures. Back skim every tile and set in with min 15mm notched trowel.


Of course others may disagree .......

 

[Rookery]

Adhesives wise, there are many good ones on the market. I almost always use Mapei products which in my eyes are a good comprise between cost, performance, quality and availability.

 

[Flintstone]

Of course others may disagree .......

Yes, me!

 

[Mark1979]

So you want to fix big expensive quartz tiles onto a suspended unheated timber floor measuring about 7.0 x 6.0. Is that right? My method would be to:
1. Screw timber floor boards to joists.
2. Overlay timber floor with 6mm Hardie backer board.
3. Fix Hardie with appropriate screws and rapid set flexible adhesive.
4. Fix Ditra matting to Hardie with appropriate adhesive.
5. Tile away following manufacturers advice especially following grout size etc but I would imagine minimum 5mm joint. I would expect to see a similar movement joints too - both perimeter and intermediate ones. This is an expensive product so no short measures. Back skim every tile and set in with min 15mm notched trowel.


Of course others may disagree .......

Thanks Rookery, interesting you mention back skimming, I used to think it was overkill as pushing down would fill voids without but watched a utube demo on various substrates that convinced me of the merits of covering the back of the tile - much stronger bond - some of the non buttered ones could just be popped whole a week later. I presume you just cover the back of the tile to eliminate voids rather than using the notched bit of the trowel on the tiles like you do for the floor?

In terms of Ditra over the top of Hardie, would that have any material benefit. I initially chose the Hardie route because it was suggested you get a much better bond than with the Ditra and wouldnt the flexible adhesive under the Hardie be doing the same decoupling job that the Ditra is doing?

 

[MarshallTile]

Try Nicobond plastic ply, it's the future!

 

[LM]

Try Nicobond plastic ply, it's the future!

I’ve never heard of it, could you tell me why it’s so good? I love learning about new materials.

 

[Mark1979]

Try Nicobond plastic ply, it's the future!

Hi, I've just googled it and am no expert so please ignore my ignorance, but I'm struggling to understand how this works if everything I've been told about Ditra/Hardie method is correct. How is it better then just tiling on chipboard as surely the plastic mesh just transfers any movement from the wood to the tile?

 

[LM]

Schlüter®-DITRA 25 | Function | Schlüter-Systems - http://www.schluter.co.uk/ditra-25.aspx

Have a read through this and hopefully it will help. It explains how the Ditra separates the movement from the substrate and the tiles.

 

[Mark1979]

Schlüter®-DITRA 25 | Function | Schlüter-Systems - http://www.schluter.co.uk/ditra-25.aspx

Have a read through this and hopefully it will help. It explains how the Ditra separates the movement from the substrate and the tiles.

Thanks Lee Mac, sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear, I do understand the logic of the Ditra and Hardie, it's the logic of the plastic ply I'm struggling with. I just dont see how it's any better than just using thicker adhesive on chipboard as the adhesive fills the mesh.

 

[Blunt Tool]

I’ve never heard of it, could you tell me why it’s so good? I love learning about new materials.

It’s just a plastic self adhesive grid just like the stuff that you can put on the back of mosaics to stiffen them up. Not very impressive tbh