Floor adhesive not dry after a week

chadwickthecat · Dec 21, 2019

Hello,
We had a tiler come round to tile our bathroom before a plumber comes to fit a new suite.
The tiler retiled the floor a week ago and some of the floor tiles are clearly moving and still stuck down. The tiler says it’s normal and we should leave it a few weeks to dry - but I think he might be fobbing us off. One if the tiles is not only moving, but is not flat and rocks from side to side if you walk on it. We’ve got a heater in the bathroom and it’s pretty warm in there.

He’s also left a gap of about 50mm at the top where the wall tiles meet the ceiling which he’s filled in with grout. I think it looks pretty awful, but was wondering if this is normal?

Old Mod · Dec 21, 2019

Would you be able to upload a few photos please?
The areas that concern you and also from
Distance so that they may be put in to context with the rest of the room,
Thank you.

J Sid · Dec 21, 2019

Yes fobbing you off
Hope you haven't paid him.
He has probably used tubed adhesive only suitable for small wall tiles.

Dumbo · Dec 21, 2019

JulianSidney said:
Yes fobbing you off
Hope you haven't paid him.
He has probably used tubed adhesive only suitable for small wall tiles.

My first thoughts

chadwickthecat · Dec 21, 2019

Thanks everyone. I've got a picture of the area - plus the edging (he didn't put an edging strip in when he did the tiling so the plumber tried to squeeze one in after the tiling was finished). This also shows how he's left the top of the tiles and how he's finished some of tbe plastering. His view is that the job is finished.

Never ending · Dec 21, 2019

The 50 mm gap at the top should have a cut tile put in .
Floor tiles should be sound in 24 hours with a standard set floor tile adhesive .
Sorry but a poor DIY JOB is my opinion .

chadwickthecat · Dec 22, 2019

Yeah, that’s what I thought. Does anyone have any ideas for what could be done with the edging, where he didn’t bother to put any trim in? (2nd and 3rd pictures). It’s really noticeable and the trim the plumber glued in looks like a bodge.

Dumbo · Dec 22, 2019

Get a tile trim the right size from a tile shop . Use a multi tool between wall and tile and then slide in trim sticking in place with adhesive .

J K Tiling Cornwall · Dec 22, 2019

As stated above a trim could be inserted. But to be honest why should you have to do it? The original tiler should be held to account, I'd never expect a customer or plumber to tidy up or rectify my mistakes. And no real excuse for the gap by the ceiling a 50mm cut could still be scored and snapped from split face porcelain. Sorry if I'm not sounding festive.

Dumbo · Dec 22, 2019

To be honest your plumber needs to have his wrists slapped for even thinking that was a good idea and why didn't he put the feed pipes for the shower mixer in the wall

J K Tiling Cornwall · Dec 22, 2019

Just wondering what was the original floor? Timber, concrete? If timber was there any over boarding done? No cement based adhesive would take a week to set, unless slow set in extreme cold. If timber then move likely due to movement, poor prep.

chadwickthecat · Dec 22, 2019

Thanks everyone. The original floor was concrete.
I've just had another look and ALL of the floor tiles lift up really easily, you can just lift them up with your fingers. The plumber is back on the 27th to fit the toilet - but I imagine he won't be able to do that onto a floor that isn't stuck down. Also, the grout is all cracked and there also isn't any sort of seal between the floor tiles and the wall.

I've checked the tile adhesive he used and it was MAPEI Ultimate Shower - but it says on the pot that it is suitable for wall tiles. I guess not floor tiles.... The tiler had asked me to supply the adhesive and grout and obviously he saw it before he started the job - but I wonder if some of this is now my fault. Basically, he fitted the wall tiles but ran out of adhesive at the end so asked me to supply some more before he came back and I bought the same stuff. He had said it was really good adhesive and what he would have bought, but still...
I don't mind too much about the feeder taps coming down from the ceiling. That's where they were before and I had told the plumber I was okay with it.

Dumbo · Dec 22, 2019

All your floor has to come up and be relaid using a cement based adhesive .
Your tiler is a chancer to of done that. Either he didn't know or couldn't be bothered, and to honest those wall tiles are probably to big for readymix adhesive

J K Tiling Cornwall · Dec 22, 2019

Definitely not your fault if he had asked you to supply the adhesive and grout he should have specified the correct type, as said will have to come up. But should be able to salvage all the tiles. Shame when this happens but completely avoidable.

Dan · Dec 22, 2019

This is another case of the person fixing tiles not knowing a thing about what they're doing.

You needed to get a few quotes and not go for the cheapest. Not always fool proof mind.

So sorry to hear about this. Sounds like the floor has to come up and he fixed with cement adhesive and the walls could be questionable.

Dont pay them anything else. I wouldn't even have them back to repair it. Not worth the hassle.

Now the tiles are cut, get yourself some cement based adhesive and refix them yourself perhaps? Half the job is done perhaps.

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