Desperately seeking answers! Ceramic versus Porcelain for Bathroom?

[JaneyB]

Hi, I am wondering if someone could please give me some advice. I am about to tile my bathroom and a tiler has advised me that if i were to choose a tile size 600 x 600 it will never dry and that i should restrict it to 300 x 300 and go for ceramic only.

Could anyone please advise if this is correct?

Many thanks.

 

[Daz]

Any decent tiler will be able to advise the correct preparation and adhesive needed to ensure a perfect job. The information may not be the cheapest solution, but it will be the safest.

As has been mentioned above, you will need a cement based adhesive and depending on the weight of the tiles you may require tile backer boards as the wall substrate.

The tile size does not matter, it is just the fixing method that needs to change.

Daz

 

[JaneyB]

Hi Daz, many thanks for your reply. My bathroom has new plastered walls which i am wondering should i prime them first?
Hopefully i will find a decent tiler for the tiles that i want! (Not the tiles that he wants)! LOL!

 

[Mike]

your tiler should prime/prepare the walls prior to tiling. you have to watch your weight limit of tiles on plastered walls. 20 kg per m2 including adhesive and grout

 

[JaneyB]

thanks for that Mike, much appreciated.

 

[Daz]

Hi Janey,

I always get that cold shiver when a client says "I've had the walls freshly plastered". This usually means "skimmed" and that doesn't necessarily mean flat over a 2m span.

If you wish to have 60 x 60 tiles, the walls really must be flat across a min 2m span. If the walls have only been skimmed and not flattened then there may be a requirement for additional preparation work otherwise you will experience poor adhesive coverage under the tiles and possible "lippage" which will ruin the overall finish.

Plaster will only support 20kg per sqm (bearing in mind that adhesive and grout represents 4kg per sqm) so porcelain tiles may be too heavy which is why I suggest that tile backer boards mechanically fixed to the walls may be a better substrate.

I'm not sure if Russ is close to you (View Profile: grumpygrouter - tilersforums.com | Tile Forums | Tiling Forum). It will be worth contacting him if he is fairly local to you.

Regards,

Daz

 

[Daz]

Aaargh you beat me that time Mike :lol:

 

[JaneyB]

Arrragggh, i should probably stick to what the tiler said to me....300x300! LOL!
When i say 'freshly plastered' i mean that new plasterboards have been replaced totally on all walls etc. (green waterproof boards have been used).
I did not realise that there would be so much to it and i have never heard of tile backer boards, so i will bear that in mind. What a great forum this is and so glad i found it. Regards,

 

[Daz]

On the upside Janey, an un-skimmed plasterboard will support 25kg per sqm so as long as you don't let a plasterer near them, you should be okay

Daz

 

[Yorkshire Tiling Services]

on top of " freshly plastered or skimmed walls " Is when they have been so kindly emulsioned for you before you tile !!! Wish all customers and builders would take the time to emulsion the walls for me before I start tiling ........ NOT !!

 

[Gazzer]

On the upside Janey, an un-skimmed plasterboard will support 25kg per sqm so as long as you don't let a plasterer near them, you should be okay

Daz

32kg....inc adhesive and grout