encaustic tiles in a hall

[devkev]

Hi, I have a customer wanting encaustic tiles in a hall way.

It is 13m long and varies upto 3m wide in places. it has part new concrete or screed floor, part old wooden floor boards and part quary tiles, oh and its all slightly different heights.....

I dont think i can remove the existing floorboards to lay new ply as they have build several new PB walls on top so i am assuming i should start with thoroughly fixing down the old boards, fitting new 18mm wbp ply and again screwing down well. prime and apply self level to the concreted/screed upto the ply and probably the same with the quary tiles (possibly seal them 1st).

so my questions (and i am open to any other advice as i have not laid encaustic before).....;

Do you think a ditra matt over the lot when at the same level, is best?

Is there any alternatives you can suggest as this will end up raising the finished floor height considerably for the whole house?

I have heard of: options for sealing them as they come out the box, soaking them before laying (obs when fully dried) and wetting and buttering the backs before laying....

or should i just find someone who has done loads of encaustic to do the job

 

[White Room]

Find someone who has loads of experience and shadow them perhaps, there's a lot to do with so many levels and different substrates.

 

[thickbed]

need to level everything first then decouple then lay, you will need to work very clean then 2 coats of a good quality sealer prior to grouting and 2 coats after.
Mike

 

[Andrew]

What format and composition are the encaustic tiles you are planning to fix?

 

[MTiler]

The make I worked with (Bert & May) had to be washed before hand, once fixed they had to be left for a week so adhesive and any moisture in tiles had dried before they could be sealed. Follow manufacturer/supplier instructions.