Club Dancefloor - tiles going to be up to the job?

[Craig]

Hello everyone first time Iv posted but regularly use this when in need of some advice.

I mostly do domestic tiling. kitchens bathrooms, house floors. I have recently picked up a commercial job tiling a dance floor in a club. I'm slightly worried about how it will hold up with 200+ people dancing on it each night and constant vibrations. It there any extra precautions I should take to avoid cracking tiles/grout since it's a Dancefloor?

They want to use slate tiles 330x330 the area is about 20m x 18m. It's an old courtyard, tiling over paving slabs that have been down 20+ Years. (But will likely still have some movement) I'm using bal rapid set flexible and expansion joint @10m intervals and around edges.

Open to any suggestions/ advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance from your friend Craig.

 

[Concrete guy]

Without knowing what is under the paving slabs and how they are fitted you have no idea how stable the job will be.

 

[Flintstone]

Slate? I'm sure they couldn't have picked anything worse for the job

 

[Craig]

I was originally just tiling all the toilets in porcelain. My disclaimer alarm started going off when I found out about the dance floor.

 

[Andy Allen]

Is it uncalibrated?....they will be tripping all over the place when they do there ' hi ho silver lining ' dance at the end.

 

[Craig]

Is it uncalibrated?....they will be tripping all over the place when they do there ' hi ho silver lining ' dance at the end.

Haha! They are calabraited. So it should only be the bar staff to blame for excessive tripping

 

[Time's Ran Out]

If the slate are solid fixed you should be ok. However to tile direct to old paviours is the Unknown , sounds as though it's being done on the cheap. Only you by inspection can tell how solid the substrate is but your comments about 'some movement & disclaimer' gives the impression it's not an acceptable base.

 

[Craig]

If the slate are solid fixed you should be ok. However to tile direct to old paviours is the Unknown , sounds as though it's being done on the cheap. Only you by inspection can tell how solid the substrate is but your comments about 'some movement & disclaimer' gives the impression it's not an acceptable base.

The substraite seem solid and none of slabs move. Was more just thinking of slight moments in the long term due to heavy foot traffic and sound vibrations. Just don't trust them 100%. I would always rather explain the risks to the client upfront before commencing any work.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

As I said if your not 100% on the substrate you shouldn't do it!

 

[J Sid]

if it's poor quality slate, delamination may be a problem long term

 

[Old Mod]

For me, slate is an bad choice and the substrate even worse!
I wouldn't want to do it either.
Dance floors need to be smooth non slipish and bloody solid as a rock.
Could you imagine the law suit that will hit the fixer if someone fell and broke themselves.
Certainly wouldn't be the venue that took the blame.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

They have raves in cowsheds and tents these days! Don't think the style is Strictley Come Dancing. In the '70's we used to dance on glass floors.
Doubt if tiler would be liable for any accidents.
Substrate is the problem .

 

[Old Mod]

Haha an illegal rave is something else.
If it's a derby and Joan club, I think it should be considered.
But that's only my opinion.
It's not my job, and it's not my risk.

 

[Aston]

.

They have raves in cowsheds and tents these days! Don't think the style is Strictley Come Dancing. In the '70's we used to dance on glass floors.
Doubt if tiler would be liable for any accidents.
Substrate is the problem .

oh come on john!!
are you seriously trying to tell me that when you were knocking out all those disco moves in the 70's, you never once caught your high heels on a proud ridge of slate???

don't try denying it because i have the evidence? Please excuse the accent on the vid,
you will not be able to understand it because it geordie

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Ed - the disco pubs in Catford (south east London) were lucky to have floorboards to dance on. Now the Orchid Ballrooms in Streatham - now that was a dance floor!
When I came back home to Newcastle the clubs I went to had flashing lights under the glass, and the girls were real class (tattoos all with correct spelling ) - fog on the Tyne was all mine!

 

[Fraser Tiling]

Don't fancy doing the Caterpillar on that.

 

[dynamictiling]

.


oh come on john!!
are you seriously trying to tell me that when you were knocking out all those disco moves in the 70's, you never once caught your high heels on a proud ridge of slate???

don't try denying it because i have the evidence? Please excuse the accent on the vid,
you will not be able to understand it because it geordie

This is pure gold! I don't even know Mr timeless but I could see big John strutting his stuff to this!

To the o.p, notice they aren't dancing on a slate floor....


Back to the post, slate is arguably the worst tile to use! Printed slate on paper mashy would offer of a solid substrate. I would personally walk away, I have lost count over the years to the amount of times I have recommended against something and the builder/plumber/ home owner has said it will be 'orite'. Sorry it's a no from me. It will be 'orite' until I am being taken to court for a bad job..... bye now!


£300 gained today is 3 grand paid back tomorrow, definitely not worth the risk. If you did go for it, I would draft up a waiver stating you recommend against it. Client said no and accepts any liability or claims against the work, as they didn't follow your prep work or advice....