Failed Adhesive?

[Dan]

Ultra Tile have a forum Member Support Account: View Profile: Ultra Tile - Tiling Forum | tilersforums.com - though you will probably need to call them etc.

Take some pictures of the adhesive on the back of the tile for us, and also the SLC that you can see when you've lifted the tile. That might give us a clue.

 

[DTHulse]

Ultra Tile have a forum Member Support Account: View Profile: Ultra Tile - Tiling Forum | tilersforums.com - though you will probably need to call them etc.

Take some pictures of the adhesive on the back of the tile for us, and also the SLC that you can see when you've lifted the tile. That might give us a clue.

OK, will do but not until tomorrow as am not at home today,. Hope to post the pictures tomorrow. Thanks everyone for their input

 

[Discount Tile Supplies]

Could the tiles have been still damp before they were fixed? Sparkly tiles can be really awkward tiles to lay at times. Ive had it where they have come off walls and the adhesive is still stuck to the tile,solid, even with Bal flex (on a shop front). I thought it was down to the dampness in the tile that then draws the moisture from adhesive then it fails to adhere to substrate and decouples. I might be peeing in the wind with my theory, but its a possibility.They did not come off for weeks then one by one they came off!
The tiles are cut with a wet saw on production then polished when wet.

 

[Perry]

Hi, the levelling compound was Granfix Solo18 (as recommended for ufh) and left 4 days to dry before fixing tiles. Cleaned section by section as tiles laid as decribed earlier post. Heating not even connected for week after tiles laid and checked with Instarmac (makers of Ultra SP adhesive) who said OK to use normally. As was summer time, only used very low for short period in morning but tiles started to lift some weeks later.

was the heating turned on slowly increased day by day

 

[DTHulse]

Hi all, to answer previos question, heating not turned on for a week and then only on low increasing gardually over a month or so. Attached two photos showing the levelled floor where some tiles have been removed and no trace of adhesive on the floor and all on the back of the tiles that can be seen in the photos. The levelled floor does have cracks in it as can be seen. The levelled floor and the adhesive have totally parted company. The products used are both suitable for ufh. Any more ideas as to cause would be really appreciated.

 

[piston-broke]

how much time was given for tiles to set before they were grouted?

 

[doug boardley]

were they quartz or conglomerate tiles with a quartz/resin composition?

 

[DTHulse]

how much time was given for tiles to set before they were grouted?

Hi - good question - a day I think. Could that cause a problem?

 

[DTHulse]

Hi, they were composition tiles approved by the manufacturer for use with ufh. The adhesive is totally stuck to the tiles so don't see how they could cause the problem which is the total failure of the bond between the levelled floor and the adhesive.

 

[Andy Allen]

looks to me like theres a problem with the slc, was there any lataince on the surface of the slc, this can sometimes happen when mixed with to much water, allso it should not be cracking up like it is...

 

[mattle40]

looks to me like theres a problem with the slc, was there any lataince on the surface of the slc, this can sometimes happen when mixed with to much water, allso it should not be cracking up like it is...

My thoughts exactly
The adhesive IMO has done its job
The slc has failed

 

[cam_low]

If Im sticking my neck out here, Im thinking that the floor does not look like it was combed ? just the tiles on the back, looking at the shapes of the combes area. Why was no unotch trowel used ?

sticking this to an SLC floor, dusty, unprimed...

the rest as they say....is history

 

[Ajax123]

Have the tiles remained flat or have they dished? The slc has cracked which implies itis ot stuck down properly and has begun to curl away from the subfloor. Was the substrate dry.

 

[DTHulse]

Hi everyone, have not been on the forum as much has happened since made the original post. Contact Granfix and Instarmac whose primer, levelling compoound & adhesive were used on the job by the contractor. On seeing this photo they asked for samples which they both analysed and commented on. To explain the photo, there is a concreted subfloor, then 1st layer levelling compound as floor very uneven, then 2nd layer with the UFH wiring in ti, then the tiles. Summary of the comments from Granfix and Instarmac are: while primer was applied to the concrete subfloor, the 1st layer of levelling compund has detached in places because the subfloor surface had not been completely cleaned and probably not enough primer used; the 1st layer of levelling compound had not been allowed to dry long enough and not been primed before laying the second layer; the 2nd layer of levelling compound was too wet and developed a surface laitance and even though primed, was to weak for the adhesive to bond to; finally, in the earlier pictures, the combing in the adhesive on the back of tile can be seen and this is wrong as trapped air expands at different rate than the adheisve when the UFH is on and helps to break the bond between levelled floor and adhesive. So, everyone, not just one cause but a number! I'm stopping looking at this item again but if anyone wants more info, email me at [email protected]

 

[White Room]

So there saying it was the fixers fault...

 

[crisco 78]

hi
i think its a primer issue as well as adhesive not properly mixed or dried too soon
i had similar before adhesive dried out too quick and didnt bond to subfloor properly.
anyway my guess is primer or adhesive

 

[jonnyc]

sounds like you ahve had a bit of bad luck.
my guess is that the latex used over electric mats might have been a bit too wet and the latence left on top did not allow adhesive to stick to it.
reading what manufacturers have said ,i am not surprised at their comments.
they always find a way to get out of a situation.
i know you didnt prime second time but ii really dont think this would cause total adhesive/latex failure unlesss some kind of latence left over. if that was so scenario primer might not stick to latence.
its a lesson to all of us who probably from time to time use diffrent brand name adhesives/latex /primers on same job. its all right till it goes wrong and then they all blame each other products.
the only other comment i might make is.did you lay this yourself or did one of yours guys do it and they were the ones giving you the info you have stated here.if fixing info being relayed to you maybe all is not totsally as might seem.from what you wrote i cant really see how you could get a total failure.