am i mad? Marble Floor DIY!

[Giveitabash]

OK... im looking for a bit of help...

My other half has decided we are having a marble floor in the living room (already bought! Beige honed Spanish marble 40x20x1.2 and 20x20x1.2 to do sort of brick effect) . Roughly 20m2

First Question should i even attempt to try and put it down myself? I am normally a quite capable DIY'er (stop swearing at me!) and have in the past tiled my conservatory floor and Kitchen Floor/Walls with porcelain tiles, which IMO have turned out Ok. Or should i get in a pro (but not really an option as ive not got the dosh!)

Next question the floor is is wooden...i have boarded it out in 9mm ply (was this correct?) and it is now level do i need to prime this? If so with what? PVA?

I have bought Super Flexible Adhesive (CreART) what depth of adhesive is recomended? Do i butter each tile individually?

What size spacers would you recommend?

Do i seal before i fit? i grout? or when its down, grouted cleaned and dry?

Am i mad? :mad2:


Hope someone can help! (ta in advance)

 

[penno]

I could lay them for you but if you cant afford it then i cant 🙂

Send me a PM and i could pop around for you and give some advice if you aint too far away from me, im in the Salford area.

But rip up the 9mm ply 1st mate, no good.

 

[Grace'sDad]

Good man Penno!

 

[Giveitabash]

I could lay them for you but if you cant afford it then i cant 🙂

Send me a PM and i could pop around for you and give some advice if you aint too far away from me, im in the Salford area.

But rip up the 9mm ply 1st mate, no good.

How come rip up the 9mm ply? Why is it no good? 🙁

 

[penno]

How come rip up the 9mm ply? Why is it no good? 🙁

It isn't thick enough mate, you need at least a 12mm and being a weighty marble without seeing the job i would sway towards using a 6mm or 9mm backer board.
The 9mm ply will cause movement and heartbreak in the future mate.

 

[andyb_987]

Put a 6 mm hardier backer board on top of the 9mm ply,

 

[wetdec]

It isn't thick enough mate, you need at least a 12mm and being a weighty marble without seeing the job i would sway towards using a 6mm or 9mm backer board.
The 9mm ply will cause movement and heartbreak in the future mate.

You cant make an assumtion like that when the man hasn't even stated what is on the floor other than its wood, thats an unfounded statement !!!!

If he has overboarded floorboards with 9mm ply then the man could be correct.


tiler

..

 

[penno]

Put a 6 mm hardier backer board on top of the 9mm ply,

That would create a very big raise in the floor, especially with adjoining rooms, too much of a step. Take it up and get a backerboard down.
Like i said mate, if you are in the Manchester area i could pop around for you and take a look/give advice.
----

You cant make an assumtion like that when the man hasn't even stated what is on the floor other than its wood, thats an unfounded statement !!!!

If he has overboarded floorboards with 9mm ply then the man could be correct


tiler

..

Oooo my apologies, just read up, presumed we were talking floor boards here.

 

[wetdec]

Its cool

What are we talking about did anyone find out yet as until we know no one can say how to proceed.

Is it Weyroc 18/22 or Softwood floorboards m8 ??

Spanish marble 40x20x1.2 and 20x20x1.2 to do sort of brick effect) . Roughly 20m2

This is the second concern, what thickness is this product, its name, its supplier and does it have a hessian mesh fixed on the back ???



tiler

..

 

[TilingLogistics]

You cant make an assumtion like that when the man hasn't even stated what is on the floor other than its wood, thats an unfounded statement !!!!

If he has overboarded floorboards with 9mm ply then the man could be correct.


tiler

..

I thought BS when I was fixing was 18mm if using ply! Has it changed then?

Kev

 

[wetdec]

I thought BS when I was fixing was 18mm if using ply! Has it changed then?

Kev

Well if he has 18mm T&G floor boards as oposed to weiroc and you add 9mm then your getting 27mm of wood on 450 centers.

tiler

..

 

[Branty]

As much as it pains me, I have to agree with Mr Martin here. I thought the BS minimum is 15mm for plywood overlay.

 

[TilingLogistics]

As much as it pains me, I have to agree with Mr Martin here. I thought the BS minimum is 15mm for plywood overlay.

But you are not agreeing you are contradicting it's 18mm

 

[Branty]

But you are not agreeing you are contradicting it's 18mm

No, its 15mm. But as you know you can't buy 15mm ply anywhere so you would have to use 18mm. If you can find 15mm then that is the BS minimum. BS 6566 I think.

 

[Giveitabash]

You cant make an assumtion like that when the man hasn't even stated what is on the floor other than its wood, thats an unfounded statement !!!!

If he has overboarded floorboards with 9mm ply then the man could be correct.


tiler

..

Thanks for the replys...

The floor is mostly 22mm T&G floor boards with some parts 22mm moisture resistant chipboard on 75(w)mmx125(H)mm joists at around 400/450mm intervals now overlayed with 9mm ply... It feels quite sturdy..

Thanks again... 🙂

BTW - whats the worst that could happen if i just went ahead? ta

PS... im working night shifts so reading and replying in the mornings 🙁

 

[TheWrightTiler]

howdo mate

if on that thickness then SHOULD BE FINE???

worst that could happen is that the floor will flex causing the adhesives and grout to crack and MAY cause the tile to snap

check with the tile shop if tiles need sealed and use an impregnator sealer if they do, IF THEY DO NEED SEALED THEN DO IT, BEWARE THE WRATH OF THE WIFE IF YOU DONT AS THE ONLY WAY TO CLEAN IT IS TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TILES

seal once all round before laying and once again after grouting has dried

if a light coloured tile then use white cement based adhesives as they wont show through or stain as much as grey

use a flexible grout for grouting and wipe off ASAP

as for spacers its a personal choice but if nice and sqaure id go for 5mm on a floor

hope this helps

andy

 

[Giveitabash]

howdo mate

if on that thickness then SHOULD BE FINE???

worst that could happen is that the floor will flex causing the adhesives and grout to crack and MAY cause the tile to snap

check with the tile shop if tiles need sealed and use an impregnator sealer if they do, IF THEY DO NEED SEALED THEN DO IT, BEWARE THE WRATH OF THE WIFE IF YOU DONT AS THE ONLY WAY TO CLEAN IT IS TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TILES

seal once all round before laying and once again after grouting has dried

if a light coloured tile then use white cement based adhesives as they wont show through or stain as much as grey

use a flexible grout for grouting and wipe off ASAP

as for spacers its a personal choice but if nice and sqaure id go for 5mm on a floor

hope this helps

andy

Sorry but more questions...

What size notched trowel would be best? 8mm notched gives 2.8mm bed thickness according to the Ardex site... Which would mean...

For 26m If 8mm notched is correct i need 4.6 bags(22kg) of adhesive and 10(11kg) bags of grout for 3mm spacers... does this seems a lot?

Cheers again!

 

[marbleman]

As much as it pains me, I have to agree with Mr Martin here. I thought the BS minimum is 15mm for plywood overlay.

just use drit matting does away with all that timber as long as the floor boards are fixed correctly and the timber is clean , you use the correct adhesive in sticking the matting down , just look at the height saving and its a better method all together gives you a seperate membrane so timber will move under neath the matting, i would still recommend fexible adhesive on top ,but grout must be flexible
.

 

[Deleted member 1779]

Must admit if it were my 20m then I'd pay £500 for a pro to come round and do the lot.

 

[pjtiler]

Must admit if it were my 20m then I'd pay £500 for a pro to come round and do the lot.

thats good advice