Chipboard with water UFH

[stoner]

Hi all,

Merry xmas and happy new year!!

been to look at a job today and they have installed water pipe UFH and then boarded over with chipboard. I explained that i would never tile onto chipboard even without the UFH. I've never come across this before, normally i would put backer boards down but i can't do this now. Floor was free from deflection.

Am i right in thinking Ditra-mat etc would be suitable for this?

 

[mattle40]

I think ditra would be your best option in this situation, just a shame you have to follow shoddy fitters, they get to save the customer money by using materials unfit for purpose but now you have to be the expensive one and spec ditra.

Best of luck

 

[Mike]

what's the chipboard fixed to? is it a floating floor?

 

[stoner]

Hi Mike,

yes floor is floating. Thanks for getting back so quickly, and to Mattle.

 

[Mike]

i wouldn't tile on to a floating floor. i've seen the boards seperate and i believe there's always deflection in the floor. i'm not saying it can't be done, others may say different

 

[Qwerty]

Im with Mike on this one.........I would walk away!

 

[DHTiling]

What is the wet system laid on ?

 

[Rich]

If it is a floating floor I wouldn't be happy tiling onto it, the Ditra will not take out the deflection in the floor.

If there was some way of fixing the chipboard down and making it rigid first, that would be different.

 

[doddy41]

I dont think ditra will work saw one last year exactly the same, the grout kept cracking when we lifted a tile and cut out a piece of ditra the chipboard had opened up on a joint by 10mm. We recommended a wood floor and luckly they took our advise

 

[stoner]

Just found out a little more info,

Chipboard is 22mm, not sure exact name but it's green, waterproof and pipes are layed on something like Alu-plate??? Pipes are almost touching the board underneath too.

Why does this keep happening to me???

 

[stoner]

Anyone? Please!!

 

[DHTiling]

Is it the polypipe system?

These should be secured to the substrate and if left floating then you will 100% have problems....as above the chipboard has created another problem...

 

[stoner]

Yes it Polypipe Dave

If customer was willing to rectify, would it be reboard with WBP or Marine? Not sure if pipes are fixed as you mentioned but he did say they were almost touching the underneath of the chipboard.

Not looking good is it?

 

[stoner]

Oh, might link this thread when i email him later!

 

[DHTiling]

Not looking good at present, they say you can tile directly onto this system, but IMO it would need more strength to it... hence why they floated a floor covering over it, ok for loose laid coverings but deffo not tiles.

The options are to use a fibre modified SLC to a suitable depth that it will not crack or over lay with BS 5385 min ply both options will need the polypipe system to be solid beforehand.

The ply would need fixing in situ without hitting the polypipe.

And then uncouple with Ditra or Dural CI+... I personally would not tile direct to such systems, overkill maybe to some but a way that will work..