Help for a n00b please

[Dunnster]

Having read loads of excellent threads, I am kitted up and ready to start on the dining room. Just have a couple of questions for the experts if you would be so kind? First the background...

12 sqm dining room, floating chipboard floor and the skirting boards are staying down (she has decided). I am boarding out using 12mm exterior marine ply, screwed at 200mm centres with 4x25mm chipboard screws. Then sealing with pva/water and using Unibond flexible ready-mixed adhesive & grout.

First question - should I leave expansion gaps at the edges and/or between sheets of ply?

Second question - I intend to silicone around the edges against the skirting board. Should I grout first and run a bead over, or just use silicone in the perimiter gap?

Hoping to get the ply done this weekend, any help would be appreciated. I will take some pics of the stages to post if it would be of interest to anyone.

Ta, Dunnster

 

[Varley]

First of all DO NOT seal with pva, use acrylic primer mixed with the correct ratio of water, usually around 3:1, check the instuctions.

Yes leave about 2mm expansion gap inbetween sheets of ply and around the edges. You only need to screw down at 300 centres.

Wouldn't bother grouting before siliconing around edges.

Hope this helps in some way. Good luck to you and let us know how you get on!

 

[UKTT Darren]

You should be using a two part cement adhesive, and a single part flexi grout not a one part fix and grout,

 

[tony TLC]

yeap good advice and use flexy adhesive obviously

 

[brian c]

good advice varley,exactly what i would have done.

 

[Dunnster]

Thanks for the advice guys. I have already bought the Unibond adhesive now, so will use that but as for the PVA, I have loads of that so quite happy to look for primer. Any advice on where to get it on the high street?

Cheers.

 

[Varley]

Thanks for the advice guys. I have already bought the Unibond adhesive now, so will use that but as for the PVA, I have loads of that so quite happy to look for primer. Any advice on where to get it on the high street?

Cheers.

You should be able to get acrylic primer from any tile retailer.

Is the Unibond adhesive you are using cement based? You must use cement based flexi adhesive on wooden floors!!

 

[Dunnster]

It is the 'tiling on wooden floors' flexible adhesive.

 

[Varley]

Does it come in a bag or a tub?

 

[Dunnster]

A tub from B&Q

 

[Varley]

I would never use tubbed adhesive on floors m8, i beg you to take it back and get some cement based flexi adhesive, or your gonna have big problems in a short time.

 

[tony TLC]

hold it!!!!!! take tub back and never go to b&q for adhesive use a good flexy floor adh

 

[Dan]

First the background...

12 sqm dining room, floating chipboard floor and the skirting boards are staying down (she has decided). I am boarding out using 12mm exterior marine ply, screwed at 200mm centres with 4x25mm chipboard screws. Then sealing with pva/water and using Unibond flexible ready-mixed adhesive & grout.

Ready-mixed? You'll be needing a single part flexible cement based adhesive at the least for that. And you'll be mixing it yourself.

First question - should I leave expansion gaps at the edges and/or between sheets of ply?

2 - 3mm for 12mm i'd say. (I'm pretty sure the BS is 18mm marine ply you know) Call BAL Technical on 01782 59 11 20

Second question - I intend to silicone around the edges against the skirting board. Should I grout first and run a bead over, or just use silicone in the perimiter gap?

Grout before siliconing generally. But if you have the tiles butting up to the skirting, you're not using the silicone as an expansion gap (asif it the tiles were up against a wall, or other tiles) you're simply using it for the athstetics, so if your skirting is pretty solid, and you're using flexible grout, give the grou ago in the perimiter esge but have you silicone ready for the not so solid areas where you'd expect to see cracking of the grout due to expqansion and retraction of the skirting.

Hoping to get the ply done this weekend, any help would be appreciated. I will take some pics of the stages to post if it would be of interest to anyone.

Dunnster......!

We love pictures - hope you've taken some before shots! - Stick them in the 'Photo Gallery' area on the forums or Private Message (PM) for my email address if you want me to stick them on the site for you, should you get stuck etc.

 

[Dunnster]

Cheers for the help chaps, will take some before and after pics

 

[trevortine]

Still seems to be a bit of confusion with single and two part adhesives, single part ie bal rapid set/ rapid set flexible. Two part ie bal fast flex and additive. If its being plyed then single part is more than adequate, talk her into removing skirtings m8, far neater finish and no worry of cracks round the edges as dan mentioned. Stick to what varley said and you cant go wrong, good luck

 

[GazTech]

It is the 'tiling on wooden floors' flexible adhesive.

We also have a tub of ready mixed adhesive for wooden floors,this is not professional gear.I would only ever sell it someone if I disliked them intensly.It does actually work but the problem is how long it takes to set,if on ceramic tiles ( clay base ) one weeks holiday at center parks before it's set propery,if porcelain tiles well...book a 3 week cruise on the QE2,and a weekend break in London!!

 

[Dunnster]

...book a 3 week cruise on the QE2,and a weekend break in London!!

I like the sound of that :shades_smile: