I
indrin
Hi,
I would appreciate some advise regarding a tiling job currently under way in my bathroom. In the process of refurbishing my bathroom, my builder has taken down all existing wall and floor tiling and covered the floor in plywood. Two of the walls are gypsum stud walls and were covered in plywood and primed with PVA, the other two walls were left untreated.
The tiles are 30cm x 60cm fully glazed porcelein tiles. The adhesive used was a fast-setting adhesive and was applied as four / five dabs per tile.
With the tiling almost done, this weekend, I walked into my flat to find out that a whole wall of tiles plus a top row of tiles from another wall had come off. This wall with the most damage is one of the plasterboard covered stud walls. On the other wall I can see that the tiles were laid over pre-existing wall lining paper (the previous tiling didn't go up to full room height). It seems the adhesive has not bonded at all to the plywood - it came off neat from the plywood and remained attached to the tiles.
The builder's answer to this was that he changed the adhesive mid-way and the latter adhesive was inadequate / expired, but personally I think this is just an excuse.
From research on the internet I've found out that that the recommended way of laying the tiles is with as close to 100% adhesive coverage as possible, rather than the blob method. Also it seems that cement backing board, rather than primed plywood is preferable.
I would like to know how much the experts here think this could have contributed to the failure.
I am concerned that the remaining tiles might fail in the same way at any point so I'm thinking of asking the builder to undo all the work and relay it using 100% coverage and cement backing board. Do you think I have a right to expect this given the method of laying used?
I would also like to know whether plywood on the floor is acceptable or whether cement backing board should also be used there.
Also, would it be possible to re-use the existing tiles that have come off, or will the remains of existing adhesive effect the bond when laying them again.
Many thanks.
I would appreciate some advise regarding a tiling job currently under way in my bathroom. In the process of refurbishing my bathroom, my builder has taken down all existing wall and floor tiling and covered the floor in plywood. Two of the walls are gypsum stud walls and were covered in plywood and primed with PVA, the other two walls were left untreated.
The tiles are 30cm x 60cm fully glazed porcelein tiles. The adhesive used was a fast-setting adhesive and was applied as four / five dabs per tile.
With the tiling almost done, this weekend, I walked into my flat to find out that a whole wall of tiles plus a top row of tiles from another wall had come off. This wall with the most damage is one of the plasterboard covered stud walls. On the other wall I can see that the tiles were laid over pre-existing wall lining paper (the previous tiling didn't go up to full room height). It seems the adhesive has not bonded at all to the plywood - it came off neat from the plywood and remained attached to the tiles.
The builder's answer to this was that he changed the adhesive mid-way and the latter adhesive was inadequate / expired, but personally I think this is just an excuse.
From research on the internet I've found out that that the recommended way of laying the tiles is with as close to 100% adhesive coverage as possible, rather than the blob method. Also it seems that cement backing board, rather than primed plywood is preferable.
I would like to know how much the experts here think this could have contributed to the failure.
I am concerned that the remaining tiles might fail in the same way at any point so I'm thinking of asking the builder to undo all the work and relay it using 100% coverage and cement backing board. Do you think I have a right to expect this given the method of laying used?
I would also like to know whether plywood on the floor is acceptable or whether cement backing board should also be used there.
Also, would it be possible to re-use the existing tiles that have come off, or will the remains of existing adhesive effect the bond when laying them again.
Many thanks.
