H
hpandlou
Hello - apologies from a complete techno-phobe, so if this is in the wrong place, please advise! This is also my first visit and I am hoping someone may be able to give some much-needed advise!
As part of a kitchen extension (5mx4m), a new concrete floor slab was laid by a builder at the beginning of last year, with all requisite insulations etc. Piped water underfloor heating was installed to manufacturer's instructions and my plasterer/screeder recommended a floor screed with fibres to improve strength etc. This came pre-mixed in August and was duly laid to a depth of 65mm. Screed was left to dry and u/f heating was gradually turned on after approx 5 weeks - as we were recommended - to a max room temperature of 18 degrees. Tiler - highly recommended by a number of trades and shops as being 'the one you have to have' - came to lay the floor in mid-October. He was unhappy with the number of small hairline cracks in the surface of the screed and recommended we use 'Ditri matting' (spelling could be completely wrong!) so that tiles etc would not be affected by ant movement of the floor slab/screed. We followed advise and it was stuck down with appropriate adhesive and left 24hours to dry. Then he laid Brazilian slate tiles - 60x60x1cm - using a flexible adhesive and grout. Each tile was brushed/wiped on the reverse and seemed to be properly bedded down. Expansion gaps were left at all edged. U/F heating was not turned on until floor had been down for 4 weeks, and then turned on gradually again.
The floor appeared absolutely perfect and then, just after New Year, (so floor laid for 2.5 months approx), I noticed a slight noise when we stepped on just one tile and only when we stepped on a particular spot. I just assumed it was loose - no evidence of grout cracking or anything. Phoned tiler who was due to come back to attach slate skirting board, who was very surprised at the prospect of a loose tile but promised to look/sort etc. When he came one week later, 2 more tiles were noisy - a creak/snap/crunch/pop - but still no evidence of cracking. This week, half the floor is noisy, there is very small hairline cracks in the grout all over, and some tiles are very noisy. Most also sound hollow when tapped. The tiler thinks the screed has blown - I'm wondering if the adhesive has failed?
Any thoughts would be so welcome - apologies that I appear to have rambled!
Many thanks!
hpandlou
As part of a kitchen extension (5mx4m), a new concrete floor slab was laid by a builder at the beginning of last year, with all requisite insulations etc. Piped water underfloor heating was installed to manufacturer's instructions and my plasterer/screeder recommended a floor screed with fibres to improve strength etc. This came pre-mixed in August and was duly laid to a depth of 65mm. Screed was left to dry and u/f heating was gradually turned on after approx 5 weeks - as we were recommended - to a max room temperature of 18 degrees. Tiler - highly recommended by a number of trades and shops as being 'the one you have to have' - came to lay the floor in mid-October. He was unhappy with the number of small hairline cracks in the surface of the screed and recommended we use 'Ditri matting' (spelling could be completely wrong!) so that tiles etc would not be affected by ant movement of the floor slab/screed. We followed advise and it was stuck down with appropriate adhesive and left 24hours to dry. Then he laid Brazilian slate tiles - 60x60x1cm - using a flexible adhesive and grout. Each tile was brushed/wiped on the reverse and seemed to be properly bedded down. Expansion gaps were left at all edged. U/F heating was not turned on until floor had been down for 4 weeks, and then turned on gradually again.
The floor appeared absolutely perfect and then, just after New Year, (so floor laid for 2.5 months approx), I noticed a slight noise when we stepped on just one tile and only when we stepped on a particular spot. I just assumed it was loose - no evidence of grout cracking or anything. Phoned tiler who was due to come back to attach slate skirting board, who was very surprised at the prospect of a loose tile but promised to look/sort etc. When he came one week later, 2 more tiles were noisy - a creak/snap/crunch/pop - but still no evidence of cracking. This week, half the floor is noisy, there is very small hairline cracks in the grout all over, and some tiles are very noisy. Most also sound hollow when tapped. The tiler thinks the screed has blown - I'm wondering if the adhesive has failed?
Any thoughts would be so welcome - apologies that I appear to have rambled!
Many thanks!
hpandlou
