floor or wall first?

[bootsmckiber]

How about you guys giving me your opinions on why it's better to do the walls before the floor,Is there any positive side to doing the floors first,my helper is putting up a debate saying it wouldn't hurt to do the floors first,I'm so used to doing the walls first it's just a given,has anything changed over the last 20 years?Also the heated floor company says on it's instructions to use unmodified thinset,I'm telling my clients I want to use self leveling compound to cover the wiring but it's hard to argue with a companies directions,does anyone see anything wrong with using self leveling compound?Thanks,Mike

 

[albyshellshear]

In my opinion its because when you do the floor first your then standing all over a newly layed floor to do the walls, chances are you are going to make a mess all over them, but i'm no expert I am sure somebody can give you a better explanation......Alby

 

[jay]

hi leveling compound over ufh then tile floor first 9you may need to line up with floor tiles) i always tile floor first then cut wall tiles to it looks neater but its up to you and answers will vary recommend using a drop sheets:8:

 

[trevortine]

I do walls first leaving bottom cut out, then do floor and fit bottom cut, as previous posts much less chance of damaging newly laid floor, far better finish too

 

[doug boardley]

if grout lines are to marry up on wall and floor, I do the floor first, this way you've already got the wall tile layout set. To avoid messing up the floor I lay industrial grade card over the floor tiles after i've finished it.
I always cover electric ufh with a flexible self levelling compound.

 

[Benny Tiler]

Also if they've got a new bath going in with a panel that can't be cut you'll need to do the floor first.

if grout lines are to marry up on wall and floor, I do the floor first, this way you've already got the wall tile layout set. To avoid messing up the floor I lay industrial grade card over the floor tiles after i've finished it.
I always cover electric ufh with a flexible self levelling compound.

Doug, where do you get the card from? I've been looking for better ways to protect newly tiled floors when going back into the room to work.

 

[doug boardley]

Also if they've got a new bath going in with a panel that can't be cut you'll need to do the floor first.



Doug, where do you get the card from? I've been looking for better ways to protect newly tiled floors when going back into the room to work.

i actually got two 50 metre rolls off a housebuilder I do a lot of work for, I'm not sure where they got it from, but I think it was Travis Perkins

 

[mistral]

i actually got two 50 metre rolls

good idea....... I usually use dust sheets, but this sounds better!

 

[Peter]

A bit of lino layed over a floor works well.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

if grout lines are to marry up on wall and floor, I do the floor first, this way you've already got the wall tile layout set. To avoid messing up the floor I lay industrial grade card over the floor tiles after i've finished it.
I always cover electric ufh with a flexible self levelling compound.

Ditto Doug

 

[poynton phil]

The same as douge and phil, i protect the floor with a thin rubber underlay, that i acquired from a customer, use this on worktops as well.

 

[bootsmckiber]

if grout lines are to marry up on wall and floor, I do the floor first, this way you've already got the wall tile layout set. To avoid messing up the floor I lay industrial grade card over the floor tiles after i've finished it.
I always cover electric ufh with a flexible self levelling compound.

Right on Doug,that's exactly what I wanted to hear as yes the clients have specified they want everything to line up ,thanks,Mike

 

[Sean Kelly]

In 2 years of tiling I have never tiled a floor and a wall in the same room! However, if/when I do, I would tile the wall first (from the datum line up). Then I would tile the floor. Then I would go back to the wall and finish off the bottom row/rows. Then I would grout the wall, then the floor. I've only layed UFH once, and used SLC over the cables. The SLC should state on the bag that it's suitable for UFH.

 

[Rob Z]

How about you guys giving me your opinions on why it's better to do the walls before the floor,Is there any positive side to doing the floors first,my helper is putting up a debate saying it wouldn't hurt to do the floors first,I'm so used to doing the walls first it's just a given,has anything changed over the last 20 years?Also the heated floor company says on it's instructions to use unmodified thinset,I'm telling my clients I want to use self leveling compound to cover the wiring but it's hard to argue with a companies directions,does anyone see anything wrong with using self leveling compound?Thanks,Mike

Hi Mike, which brand of floor heating are you using? NuHeat is located in your neck of the woods.....I've installed a lot of NuHeat mats-top quality.

If for some reason we need to install the floor first, we cover it with masonite. 1/8" masonite is cheap protection at only $5 a sheet.

 

[bootsmckiber]

Hi Rob,thanks for your input.The system we're using is called "True Comfort Heating Systems,It's a system that Home Depot carry,it's an open cable system,I've covered the floor with Hardi Backer cement board,I'll be gluing the open cable to that then cover it with SLC,I'll go back in the next morning and set tile using Mapei UUltra Flex 2(my personal favorite)then go back in the next day and do the walls,the shower is an open shower style(no doors)as it needs to be wheelchair accesible,after grouting everything,it'll just be a matter of collecting all but 10percent of payment which I'll get three days later when I go in and seal everthing,my memory isn;t what it used to be but I think that's it.Again,thanks for your interest,if you see I've missed anything please,don't be shy,Mike


P.S. I don't think Virginia is anywhere near Vancouver Island although we are on the same side of the Atlantic,cheers.