Weight of Limestone & Travertine per square meter?

[des511]

Hi
Great forum with lots of good advice and know how. I am hoping to tap into this now with the question. I have an en-suite with my new loft conversion where the walls are plasterboarded with a skim on top. We had set our hearts on having either Limestone or Travertine tiles on the walls and floors and then I came across this forum where I learnt that a plasterboard wall with a skim can only take a weight of 20kg per square metre. Further reading on the forum seemed to say that the Limestone
or Travertine would be too heavy. Now here is my question, I have a sample of the actual Limestone tile which is 10mm thick and 10cm square.
I weighed the sample and it came out at 180 grams, now using my not too good maths I worked out that it would take 100 of these sample tiles to make one square metre. 100 of these tiles at 180 grams each works out at a total of 18kg which seems a lot less than I have read. Am I completely wrong with this.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreaciated and sorry about my first post being a bit long.

Thanks.

 

[MICK the Tiler]

Hi Des511,

Welcome to the forums

Don't forget your grout will be a couple of kilos at least per m2 depending on the size of the grout line, so that would put you right on the limit of what the plasterboard can take.

Go around each wall and thump the walls with the palm of your hand and if you hear the sheet rattle against the studs then more screws will need to be inserted about 200mm apart this should give you some extra support for those lovely trav or limestone tiles you desire.

 

[des511]

Thanks for the welcome and advice. The walls are new and nice and solid so thats a plus. Do you think the way I got around to the 18kg weight is correct? I do really fancy the 10mm limestone.

 

[MICK the Tiler]

Thanks for the welcome and advice. The walls are new and nice and solid so thats a plus. Do you think the way I got around to the 18kg weight is correct? I do really fancy the 10mm limestone.

In a word "YES"

 

[The D]

your tiles will be fine

 

[des511]

Thank you all for your help.

 

[grumpygrouter]

Don't forget that you need to add the weight of the adhesive as well. At around 4kg /m2, I personally would think twice. May be best if you re-boared the walls and DON'T SKIM THE BOARDS.

 

[Hardibacker Rep]

Hey!

You should use Hardibacker 500 (12mm x 1200 x 800) for the walls...the board is designed to hold 45kg per sqm of tile....

The building regs state no mre than 20kg per sqm on skimmed walls and no more than 32 kg per sqm on plasterboard...by using our board you keep yourself well within the limits....

 

[des511]

Okay now I am in 2 minds again. If the Limestone works out at 18kg per square metre using my method of weighing the sample and we allow 4kg for grout and adhesive which comes to 22kg. I think I might risk it and when I am in the bath I can stare at the walls with my hard hat on.

 

[grumpygrouter]

Okay now I am in 2 minds again. If the Limestone works out at 18kg per square metre using my method of weighing the sample and we allow 4kg for grout and adhesive which comes to 22kg. I think I might risk it and when I am in the bath I can stare at the walls with my hard hat on.

Thats 4kg for adhesive and 2kg for grout per m2 - 24kg/m2. Hard hat and body armour may be a better solution, though re-boarding as I previously suggested may be a cheaper option.