Travertine : can/should it be laid flat? - Tile Advice

[Chalker]

Looks like a big dip in the floor.

Very poor job.

 

[gamma38]

I would tell your general builder that he has ruined your floor and he needs to reimburse you for the cost to rectify it. That is crap, plain and simple.
To be fair though, why did you employ a general builder to tile? He may be a good builder but that doesn't mean he can tile, which he obviously can't.

 

[Ttt1601]

Typical builder, I've seen many a floor like this laid by a builder who claims they can tile, poor prep prob has alot to do with but as gamma38 said he needs to reimburse you the cost for rectifying the floor to a good standard

 

[Andy Allen]

How did he fix them......did he put blobs of adhesive on the floor or spread the floor with a notched trowel...

 

[Time's Ran Out]

He is a general builder but has fitted lots of stone tile floors before. He says they are all like this, because the stone is different thicknesses.

That's all that was that was required to know!
Unfortunately it's not good.
Good luck!

 

[widler]

Without a doubt it's rough.
You have a dip in the middle of your room by the looks of it.
My eyes hurt

 

[One Day]

What a shame
sadly it's a common theme on tile forums though. fixing stone and tile to a high standard is a specialist skill.
Fixing tile and stone to a 'general' standard, well that's what you have here.
I'm still amazed though that some people view that kind of standard as acceptable!

How about grinding and polishing rather than a full rip out? Unless of course it's been spot fixed...

 

[Flintstone]

A typical builder job, poor prep, if the floor was sound to start with these lips wouldn't or shouldn't be there.

 

[AllyCa]

Thank you to everyone for all your comments. This has been very useful, and helped in my conversations with the builder. Just another quick question, if you have time : if there was any other solution for making this good which didn't involve lifting the whole floor and starting again, what would you suggest? Someone has mentioned grinding and polishing. Is there anything else? I'm just interested in knowing all the options available. Many thanks!

 

[hmtiling]

What a shame
sadly it's a common theme on tile forums though. fixing stone and tile to a high standard is a specialist skill.
Fixing tile and stone to a 'general' standard, well that's what you have here.
I'm still amazed though that some people view that kind of standard as acceptable!

How about grinding and polishing rather than a full rip out? Unless of course it's been spot fixed...

If it's been spot fixed and still that bad then the guy needs shooting!

 

[hmtiling]

Thank you to everyone for all your comments. This has been very useful, and helped in my conversations with the builder. Just another quick question, if you have time : if there was any other solution for making this good which didn't involve lifting the whole floor and starting again, what would you suggest? Someone has mentioned grinding and polishing. Is there anything else? I'm just interested in knowing all the options available. Many thanks!

I think they're your 2 options

 

[AllyCa]

I think they're your 2 options

Thank you

 

[widler]

Can you grind and polish trav that much ? Looks half of the thickness in some pics

 

[AllyCa]

Can you grind and polish trav that much ? Looks half of the thickness in some pics

That would be my worry - to level it out, tile-to-tile, would it be such a difference that the tile would then not be flat with itself? Or might even need to be ground down too far?

 

[gamma38]

Your only option really is to rip it up and start again. Unfortunately this puts all the stress your way. You have to either pay for it all again with someone else doing the job. Or go down the route of getting money out of your builder. I would say your builder would be reluctant to cough up a load of money. I wouldn't grind it down, as said above.