Split Face Stone tiles - best sealer to use? and when to seal?

[James C]

Hi all,

This forum has offered some fantastic help so far, and I'm hoping I can get a quick answer to the next question!

I have our split face tiles here now, and they are going up on Saturday afternoon.

Should I seal them (back and front) before they are installed?

And what is the best sealer for the job, and best method to apply the sealer?


Thanks in advance!
James

 

[J Sid]

are they porc/ ceramic

 

[James C]

They are ‘quartz’ natural stone

 

[Albert]

Is that one piece?

 

[James C]

Is that one piece?

Sorry for the confusing photo, they are individual tiles (600x150). I had just laid out 9 tiles on the floor!

 

[Tile Shop]

Fix them, then seal them. Use a natural finish sealer such as LTP Mattstone or Lithofin Stainstop. There are also some "colour intensifying" sealers and although they can be used, I've found they can take away some of the natural quartzite sparkle.

Also just to double check, is that plaster skim on plasterboard?

 

[Matt V]

image is a little confusing, are you proposing to fix to the what appears to be MDF or the painted walls?

 

[Albert]

Saturday might be a bit to early to tile on that plaster

 

[James C]

Sorry about the confusing photo, the brown portion of the wall is to be painted, it was plastered last night when I took the photo.

The dark grey bits are having the tiles on them, and our tiler assures us we do not need the Marmox if the walls are keyed properly and good adhesive used...

 

[Albert]

Sorry about the confusing photo, the brown portion of the wall is to be painted, it was plastered last night when I took the photo.

The dark grey bits are having the tiles on them, and our tiler assures us we do not need the Marmox if the walls are keyed properly and good adhesive used...

Are the gray bits painted? if so that needs to be removed

 

[Matt V]

Are the gray bits painted? if so that needs to be removed

100% agree it needs to be removed, also have you considered the square metre weight of the tiles on the substrate? If that's just normal plaster then it can only take 20kg/m2

 

[hmtiling]

Sorry about the confusing photo, the brown portion of the wall is to be painted, it was plastered last night when I took the photo.

The dark grey bits are having the tiles on them, and our tiler assures us we do not need the Marmox if the walls are keyed properly and good adhesive used...

Those tiles are way over hanging weight for a skimmed wall.

 

[Albert]

It dosent look like it is skimmed just get the paint of and prime
you should be ok. If it is skimmed all is not lost you can overboard
with tilebacker board

 

[hmtiling]

It dosent look like it is skimmed just get the paint of and prime
you should be ok. If it is skimmed all is not lost you can overboard
with tilebacker board

There was another thread about how to tackle this. Apparently his tiler knows better. Those split face weight a lot per m2. I wouldn't do it without backer board and mechanical fixings.

 

[James C]

I agree, my logic was to mechanically fix 4mm Marmox boards through to the brickwork, but the tiler disagreed and says the weight will be taken away slightly as we are tiling from the floor boards now rather than from the skirting board!

 

[Albert]

I agree, my logic was to mechanically fix 4mm Marmox boards through to the brickwork, but the tiler disagreed and says the weight will be taken away slightly as we are tiling from the floor boards now rather than from the skirting board!

James does it tell you weight on the box or did the shop you bought from tell you the weight?

 

[Matt V]

I agree, my logic was to mechanically fix 4mm Marmox boards through to the brickwork, but the tiler disagreed and says the weight will be taken away slightly as we are tiling from the floor boards now rather than from the skirting board!

That's complete rubbish you cannot rest the tiles on the floorboards and tile. You need an expansion gap. Weight would be far too much for those walls needs overboarding as you said

 

[Waluigi]

4mm Wedi.

Score the living daylight out of the paint. Prime, tile adhesive and screws/washers. Not a lot of money the foam boards these days. Not worth the risk

 

[hmtiling]

I believe they come in at around 40kg per m2. As I explained to the op in another thread, the best way is to overboard

 

[hmtiling]

The it'll be fine shout from your tiler is always right until failure

 

[Boggs]

It’s a small outlay and an hours work or maybe your tiles will fail and you start again.

I know what I would do.

 

[James C]

So I need to insist the tiler buys boards and spends time fixing them properly? It’s difficult arguing with “an expert” with a load of 5 star reviews that I know better!

 

[Wolfie9878]

If they are painted and he has even questioned using a backer board please don’t use him, his finish may be amazing but it won’t look amazing when it’s all sat on the floor.!

 

[hmtiling]

So I need to insist the tiler buys boards and spends time fixing them properly? It’s difficult arguing with “an expert” with a load of 5 star reviews that I know better!

Aesthetics and fixed properly can be worlds apart unfortunately

 

[Waluigi]

Tell me it’s not checkatrade.

 

[James C]

I think it was rated people or check a trade!

 

[Old Mod]

5 Star ratings?

May I ask where?

It certainly wouldn’t be from on here.

If argues the point, I’m sure this information on tile weights is on the TTA website.
It’s on here too, but who are we to argue.

 

[Old Mod]

I think it was rated people or check a trade!

 

[Old Mod]

It’s not the bond between the tile and plaster that is the issue, it’s the bond between the plaster and board that is weak.

 

[James C]

I’ve just realised the tiler we have booked in is a member on the forum...

We are on such a tile schedule now I’m not sure we are going to be able to find another, we need the tiles fitted in the next 9 days and I’m sure everyone is fully booked