Advice Needed -- Bathroom Limestone walls

[Katrina2012]

Hi There

Im about to have my bathroom walls and floor fully tiled in natural limestone.

1. What is the correct proccdure to fix the tiles to the walls, considering my walls are currently painted white on plasterboard?

2. What is the best type of grout, sealent and adsive to use, considering its a bathroom?

3. What is the correct materials to use under the limestone flooring, considering its now woodern floorboards?

Im so worried its going to be correctly installed, i cant afford any mistakes.

Please advise on the best products for the job id prefer to pay out now to avoid mistakes further down the line......

 

[Dannym80]

You say you're having it done, does that mean you have a tiler to carry out the work? Or are you planning on doing it yourself?

 

[Katrina2012]

A tiler is doing the works but i need to supply the materials.

I also need to make sure no corners are cut, as I am the one to suffer down the line..

 

[bugs183]

Hiya. THe first thing is that the plasterboard walls are less than ideal for tiling because they have been painted, and i take it they were skimmed first. Tiling onto paint is a no no, and the skim on the plasterboard is not ideal as the limestone will be too heavy for the skim to take, the plaster board shouldn't have been skimmed, but ideally the walls would have been constructed from cement boards such as Marmox. These can easily carry the weight and are waterproof.
Always use white cement base adhesives and grout, not ready mixed tubbed adhesives. Bal and Mapei are the manufacturers to use.
As for the floor, there are many factors about how to tile too them
As above,are you doing this yourself??
Are you jst thinking of having this done, or have you had a tiler round to price.
If you've had one round if he was experienced he should have told you the points i have raised here.

 

[White Room]

Why is your tiler not supplying materials.....

 

[peteablard]

A tiler is doing the works but i need to supply the materials.

I also need to make sure no corners are cut, as I am the one to suffer down the line..

I may be wrong but I have alarm bells ringing already. If I was asking a customer to supply materials I'd give them a list of exactly what I wanted and where to get it from. How did you find the tiler? did he come recommended? Has he not given you any idea what to get?

 

[bugs183]

Well Katrina you've come too the right place here for advise.
There are lots of very experienced chaps here and we're all keen to help.
It looks like you may have done yourself a favour as it's ringing alarm bells, any tiler here will tell you that limestone tiling is not in anyway easy, and should only be carried out by experienced hands.

 

[kilty55]

hi there,have you asked your tiler for advice yet on this and waht did he say?

 

[Dave H]

I agree with peteblard, if I was doing job I would expect to be responsible for what I was using and either supply or give a list to customer

 

[nybor62]

your tiler should be giving you advice if he aint why?, i would allways supply materials on this kind of job, the fact he aint worries me.

do not jump in feet 1st with type of instulation , this is a job for a pro who understand the correct method of prep and fixing

were you based , you could advertise your job on here , there are alot of amazing tilers on here,
if the walls are skimmed as well as painted , probs need a full rip out and reboard, imo will cost more but will last alot longer than a bodge job

 

[Katrina2012]

Well. I hired a building company and the building company sent a tiler round, i did ask all these questions, actually the tiler had no idea
about the tiling and how it should be professionally fixed to the walls because I was explaining all this..
I have contacted the Builder and he said hes been doing bathrooms for 15 years etc.. i dont know cos everyone i get round to price
try to rip me off left right and center... my last quote for the tiling was REMOVED per sq meter including everything except the stone
and sealent...

 

[Katrina2012]

A tiler is doing the works but i need to supply the materials.

I also need to make sure no corners are cut, as I am the one to suffer down the line

 

[Katrina2012]

I gave the builder go ahead to start works this week... now im so worried!

So where would i post for quotes?

I cant see a section for that...

 

[Turkish tiler]

Well. I hired a building company and the building company sent a tiler round, i did ask all these questions, actually the tiler had no idea
about the tiling and how it should be professionally fixed to the walls because I was explaining all this..
I have contacted the Builder and he said hes been doing bathrooms for 15 years etc.. i dont know cos everyone i get round to price
try to rip me off left right and center... my last quote for the tiling was REMOVED per sq meter including everything except the stone
and sealent...

Hi Katrina welcome to TF
why don't you ask for a tiler here come and give you a proper advice and price ?

 

[White Room]

I gave the builder go ahead to start works this week... now im so worried!

So where would i post for quotes?

I cant see a section for that...

Sorry Katrina but no pricing in the open forum......but please reply via a PM for a pricing advise.

 

[Gazzer]

I'm Looking for a Wall and Floor Tiler - Tiles | Floor Tiles | Wall Tiles | Tilers Forum

 

[White Room]

How thick is the limestone.....

 

[Dannym80]

IMO your next step should be to get one or two recommended tilers from a local tile store. Or as above and advertise the job on here & get a suitably experienced tiler come and quote for the job.

 

[Katrina2012]

Quite thick like myself

Walls to be 15mm and flooring to be 20mm

 

[Katrina2012]

I did go to a well known store and they told me the top going rate, the tiler came round and doubled the top going rate...

 

[bugs183]

That's some heavy tiles your having there, you have done the right thing to come here and ask about proceedures.
As everyone says look on here or your local suppliers for knowledgable fixers, get a number of quotes and ask lots of questions.
This isn't going to be a cheap job because of the labour involved, every cut will have to be done on a wet cutter, normally outside unless you have a spare room, plus lots time needed for applying sealers. So be prepared that this could at least 30% more than a job done in ceramics.
But if done well you'll have a great looking bathroom.

 

[White Room]

Quite thick like myself

Walls to be 15mm and flooring to be 20mm

The 15mm with adhesive and grout will exceed the weight for plasterboard anyway, about 37kg m2

 

[hillhead]

The floor alone could be trouble if it's on an upper floor !!!
Walls will need re boarding IMO and don't let anyone near it if they don't know this.
Double the top rate sounds rip off too.
Be careful there Katrina.

 

[kilty55]

i think your first port of call is to advise the builder you are cancelling the job.

 

[Peter]

I'd be wanting a tiler who could show me some of his previous stone work, either in high res photos or on a job.