adhesive behind travertine tiles - this can't be right??

[joun]

Hey all

Just got home to see how my walk in shower wall tiling is going - and was a bit shocked to see the way the adhesive has been used.

The tiles used are quite thick and heavy 60x40cm travertine tiles.

Now I understood the adhesive needs to be spread with a trowel pretty much across the surface area of the tile, fairly thin bed of adhesive.. These look like they've been dotted and dabbed here and there, using almost as thick bed of adhesive as the tile itself?

Is this right? It doesn't look very sturdy, and it looks as if the water gets through the grout, it will go straight down because there are such large gaps. Should I go back to the tiler to complain?

Can they be removed to re lay the tiles and spread the adhesive properly?

They're laid onto a Kerdi membrane which is stuck to green plasterboard.

Many thanks

 

[White Room]

Is this a cement adhesive or tubbed gear altho dot and dabbing is really a no no.

 

[joun]

Thanks for the answer. cement - Mapei flexible white rapid set... keraquick

Thought so.. Not too happy. What could I suggest to the tiler to solve the situation? Is it possible to rip the tiles out and lay them again without damaging the travertine or the Kerdi membrane?

 

[kilty55]

dot and dabbed,stop them immediately

 

[kilty55]

you wont save your stone it will no doubt break

 

[Scott]

Pull the tiles off as soon as possible if they have been recently laid. You may be able to save some of the tiles. Thats NOT the way to lay tiles so dont let them do anymore

Post overlap!

 

[joun]

OK.. I will have to check if he's dotted and dabbed every tile or just some of them. Does the adhesive bed look too thick? There's almost 10mm between the tile and the kerdi membrane

 

[joun]

They were laid 2 days ago - was off for the weekend when the job was done. Adhesive is set unfortunately

 

[Scott]

They were laid 2 days ago - was off for the weekend when the job was done. Adhesive is set unfortunately

Oh dear

 

[White Room]

Your only saving grace is that a kerdi tanking membrane was used

 

[kilty55]

you can pack out adhesive if its suitable type but thats not the way to do it im afraid

 

[joun]

ok looks like some of the tiles have the dotted and dabbed adhesive like above, some have a bit more.. but doesn't look like it's ever been troweled throughout on the back. seems pretty inconsistent.

has all the travertine gone to waste?

Is this going to be safe to use the shower with these tiles? Will I get water damage or tiles falling out? I insisted on Kerdi to be used after reading this forum about tiling showers and bought the membrane, but is only used in the walk in shower cubicle.. everywhere else in the bathroom behind the tiles is just plasterboard.

I'm trying to understand why he would have dotted and dabbed.. Should 3 x 20kg bags of mapei flexible adhesive have been enough for 3 walls in a 1400x900mm shower cubicle, walls tiled top to bottom? Ceiling is at 2m

thanks guys

 

[kilty55]

hmmm,1.5 bags would have done

were the walls bad/bowed?

 

[joun]

no, the walls were level as far as i know, brand new plasterboard walls in a new loft conversion

 

[joun]

the tiler also used 7 x20kg bags of adhesive to raise the floor level to be flush with the wood floors in the next room.. thought that sounded strange - is it common to use that much adhesive for raising floor level?