Glass Mosaic Brick Tile splashback total mess ... please help

[MTiler]

Dont let the builder anywhere near the mosaics again, as David has said get someone who has experience with mosaics. He shouldnt be using spacers with them. If you get someone else ask for photos of the previous work and get references.

MissyT

 

[beanz]

New board doesn't necessarily mean flat walls. It will only be as flat as the stud work behind the boards. It could be that he's got no business tiling mosaics, or it could be that he's trying to get over a poorly prepped substrate.

 

[Old Mod]

Dont let the builder anywhere near the mosaics again, as David has said get someone who has experience with mosaics. He shouldnt be using spacers with them. If you get someone else ask for photos of the previous work and get references.

MissyT

:iagree:

Bal (in this country) make a mosaic fix adhesive or any fast set flexible cement based powder adhesive mixed stiff will hold them from sliding.
Good luck!

With respect TJ, this guy can't manage addy he supposedly knows! A stiffly mixed rapid? Dunno if that's something he should attempt! :sofahide:

Glass mosaic, Standard set set addy NO Spacers!

 

[Gazzer]

Input from Tasmanian tiler
"
in regard to the lady from melbourne with the glass brick splash back ASA Mastic (tubbed stuff ) is a very cheap adh and if you read limitations on the file it says not for dense tiles

may help"

Cheers Jay

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

I did think of Jay but as he is next door to ozz, i passed, the guys i have spoken to are 2000 miles away LOL so thats no good to the lady (Sorry i did try ).....good luck......

 

[Time's Ran Out]

:iagree:


With respect TJ, this guy can't manage addy he supposedly knows! A stiffly mixed rapid? Dunno if that's something he should attempt! :sofahide:

Glass mosaic, Standard set set addy NO Spacers!

My original post to Mrs Ferguson did explain that her problem may be caused by a tiler with limited knowledge and the above advice is a way for her to mix available adhesive to hold the mosaic.

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

OK i have found some great mosaic tilers from Melbourne now , so if you PM me your details then i will put you in contact with them mrsferg70

if you ever come back ......

 

[mrsferg70]

OK i have found some great mosaic tilers from Melbourne now

Thanks David. I don't know what happened to my last post - it disappeared! Alas I am a 4 hour drive from Melbourne in a town of 20,000pop so I think I might be limited to local tilers only.

I have spoken to the local Italian tiler (as we all know how much Italians love their mosaics) and he is so busy he referred me to his former apprentice whom, I since found out, is subbing for one of the other tilers and is in the middle of 4 months of solid tiling work. There is one other experienced tiler whom I've spoken to and he will hopefully come and quote on the job next week. The tiler whom the builder used has 5 years experience in tiling and quit tiling full-time 8 months ago. So desperate times here. The Italian told me the guy who did my tiling is still considered a "good tiler" and he probably used too much adhesive and rushed what must have been difficult tiles. Still doesn't explain the excessive use of spacers to me. Except maybe he was trying to jack up the tiles because too much adhesive was causing them to slip.

Anyway, so my choice of tiler is limited here. None of you want to migrate do you? Plenty of work it seems.

Have researched adhesive. BAL is a subsidiary of Ardex. Have spoken to the Ardex technical rep in Australia and he recommended some products. Ardex also own Dunlop which is a very well know adhesive company and readily available in Australian hardwares. One is clearly stamped suitable for Mosaics. Not sure whether it matches BAL in quality. Posted question about adhesive on Aussie forum, so far no response, unlike yourselves who responded within the first couple of hours!

Thank you all for the very sound, professional advice and suggestions on what went wrong. Think I have one of life's difficult conversations ahead next week. Will keep you posted.