Chipboard floor

[Tulett]

Hi all, I'm a DIYer looking for some advice! Apologies if this has been asked before but I'm getting confused with conflicting info.

I'm in the process of decorating my en-suite and my query is with floor tiling. I've got 18mm chipboard nailed to the joists and am unsure how to proceed. From searching the net it seems there are conflicting views between using a special flexi adhesive like BAL fastflex to tile straight over the chipboard, or laying down ply or tile backing board the tiling over using something like BAL Rapidset Flexible.

Can anyone help please?????? Ideally I don't want to raise the floor level to high.

Thanks in advance

 

[Concept PHT]

It should be 18mm thick at least for the fixing to be correct. Make sure the joints are well glued together and secured well to the floor.

If you find the floor is not solid to the joists or is 'bouncy' after the fixing, then you need to ply out with at least 15mm plywood.

In any case, you will need to prime the surface with acrylic primer (as directed by the brand on the label) and use a corresponding brand of flexible adhesive & grout.

Use a bead of colour corresponding Silicon around the floor edge to act as a movement joint 🙂

 

[tony TLC]

very good advice screws are better than nails,nails can work loose

 

[Varley]

very good advice screws are better than nails,nails can work loose

I always use screws as well, turbo gold 25mm screws for 12mm ply and 30mm for 18mm ply from screwfix, long enough to go through into floor boards but not too long as to come out the other end and burst a pipe. Bloody good quality screws :wink_smile:

 

[trevortine]

Hi tullet, in my opinion your situation is straightforward, as concept said make sure your subfloor is well fixed with no movement. Now this plywood thing, yes there is british standards but unless you want to access your bathroom with step ladders then i would leave it out. As a general rule i always ply out but if you dont want the step then bal fast flex is your answer. This is a two part flexible adhesive which is ideally suited to tiling onto chipboard. Once down providing you follow instructions, its there for life, its probably the most flexible gear out there and the worst to clean up after so wear latex gloves mate🙂

 

[Tulett]

Thanks for all the advice.

Definitely gonna screw the chipboard aswell to ensure it's secure. If I lay a 6mm ply or backerboard over the chipboard, ensuring it's securely fixed again, then use BAL fastflex, will this do the job whilst reducing the end height floor? The guys at BAL seemed to agree this would be sufficient

Cheers again🙂

 

[wivers]

If your gonna ply out mate then fast flex aint a must. You can use BAL rapidset flexi on ply thats screwed down correctly, just remeber to slap the BAL bond all over it first.

 

[tjsmiler]

Tulett...how did this job go in the end?

There are probably many new comers to this forum who would appreciate you explaining how you got on.

TJ

 

[DHTiling]

PRIMER NOT REQUIRED ON PLY when using bal rapid flexi-set..... already built in to adhesive...

 

[GazTech]

PRIMER NOT REQUIRED ON PLY when using bal rapid flexi-set..... already built in to adhesive...

If in doubt prime it out,thats my advice to newcomers,priming a surface that needs no primer won't do it any harm

 

[wivers]

I prime everything... if it moves prime it... if it dont move prime it..... if its dead ... Shag it ... ooops

 

[Fekin]

I prime everything... if it moves prime it... if it dont move prime it..... if its dead ... Shag it ... ooops

ROFL, sound advice there :shades_smile:

 

[vivaro]

ive got to put some ceramic tiles down shorthly on a concrete floor, when i removed carpet to expose floor i found plastic tile had been down at some time plus concrete floor is not the best to tile directly onto , if i cover floor with 12mm ply will i be ok to fix ply via screwing ply to concrete or glue ply to floor

 

[DHTiling]

Remove the pastic tiles and prime floor with acrylic primer then make good the floor with levelling compound. A good levelling compund to use is ardex k15 or you could use adrtitex leveller as this is cheaper than k15...many other compounds out there but these 2 are top notch gear to use.... Plying floor will give you uneccessary increase in floor height..

 

[vivaro]

thanks for your reply
plastic tiles have been down for some time now plus other things have been laid on floor , as far as height goes im ok with that , putting ply down will give me a flat and clean surface to lay tiles

 

[vivaro]

dh ceramics can you help with thih problem on floor

 

[DHTiling]

wot can i do for u mate...

 

[GazTech]

you got me back on as cartoon thanks Dave

 

[Steven L]

For chipboard floors i like too use 6mm tile backer board, laid and screwed down on single part flex adhesive,tape the joins and lay tiles on single part flex as well and i also use a flexible grout.


Steve

 

[tjsmiler]

So much work... if the chipboard is fairly flat why can't you just go down with a single part flexible or if in doubt a two part flexible

By the time you have paid out for the backerboard, adhesive, screws, tape, more adhesive and then labour it is either costing the customer a fourtune or you cant be making much money on it.

...............................................

For your situation Vivaro you can't go wrong if you do what Dh says, much cheaper and quicker to use a leveller.... plus there is no risk of accidently screwing through an old pipe or something

TJ

 

[vivaro]

i would say there no old pipes etc for me to screw into , like i said floor is not in the best condition , plastic tiles are here and there over floor plus floor is not leverller by a mile , i thought if i could put a 18mm ply down i could cover old floor and leverller up at the same time giving me a good surface to tile on ,

 

[tjsmiler]

Okey dokey

TJ

 

[DHTiling]

i would say there no old pipes etc for me to screw into , like i said floor is not in the best condition , plastic tiles are here and there over floor plus floor is not leverller by a mile , i thought if i could put a 18mm ply down i could cover old floor and leverller up at the same time giving me a good surface to tile on ,

If the floor is that much of a bad condition .i.e. up and down allover,, then when you screw the ply down it will just follow the contours of the floor, then you might have a smooth surface but far from flat.... you can use leveller to any thickness if you incorporate chippings in with the leveller, much quicker and better job........

 

[postie]

If the floor is that much of a bad condition .i.e. up and down allover,, then when you screw the ply down it will just follow the contours of the floor, then you might have a smooth surface but far from flat.... you can use leveller to any thickness if you incorporate chippings in with the leveller, much quicker and better job........

How hard is it to use this self leveling compound DH

 

[DHTiling]

How hard is it to use this self leveling compound DH

As long as you use a self leveller and not a smoothing compound. it is very easy to use, best way is to use a bucket capable of holding about 25ltrs and add the required amount of water as specified on the bag then add the powder mixing with a paddle mixer until it is a nice creamy mixture then just pour onto floor , spread about with a float to get the desired thickness and let the leveller do the rest.........dont forget to prime floor first...

A good leveller for first time use is ardex K15.......

 

[GazTech]

Boarding the floor in wood is creating a new problem.Concrete is by far the best substrate ,if the vinyl is welded to the floor,then acrylic prime and latex screed the lot.Then use rapid set to tile with and standard wide joint grout.This way saving money by A:not getting plywood/backer board B:not having to fix it C:half the cost of adhesive and grout 'cos it wont need any flexible property and D:the floor will be at its lowest possible level

 

[vivaro]

look at floor again today, leveller of floor not that bad , if i take all plastic tile up i would be left with a floor needing leveller in one area , but what do i do with with rest of floor covered in a black type of adhesive which as been used to skick tiles down , can i lay ceramic tile on it . plus were floor is slightly out of leverller, will a leverller compound work on on this black adhesive to leverller floor

 

[tjsmiler]

Vivaro.....i have followed Dh's advice many many times and not once has he called it wrong, the best thing you could do is to complete job just as he says.... I just used the Arditex he's on about (perfect for your job) 10m2 i had it down in 45 mins and earned £150 for my efforts :wink_smile: ..... get levelling mate, quicker easier, cheaper, less mess, better finnish and you can charge more.

TJ
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Oh yeah the customer paid for the materials too £115 (5 bags and bottles) and the primer...... still got 2 bags left so will be taking them back and getting a refund too