Help - Splitface White Quartz Mosaic Tiles

[Unregistered]

I bought a house and had the bathroom re-done (amongst other things!) It's taken 4 months and been extremely meh!

We've finally moved in and 3 showers later discovered that the puddles on the kitchen floor were nothing to do with the cats but linked to the shower!

The builder initially seemed puzzled by the tiles we chose for the shower area - it's this one http://www.rockpanels.co.uk/white-quartzite-split-face-tiles.html. I checked at the time and was told that they could be used for 'wet areas' as long as it was sealed etc.

The builder said he could get his tiler to do it and they appeared to do a good job - it looked great. But I suspect that there's an issue with it which why we've had these leaks.

Does anyone have any advice about what can be done? Is it the tiles or the tiling job?

Any help at all will be really appreciated as I've paid the builder fully and I don't think he'll come back to fix it. :-( There's a few snags and so far he's been ignoring my texts.

Thanks

 

[Stef]

These are only suitable for wet areas if the substrate they are getting fixed too is completely waterproof.
You either need waterproof boards or a tanking system before fitting these.
No amount of sealing split face mosaics will stop water pouring through them.
They are a harbour for a lot of bacteria also.

 

[John Benton]

Whilst very pretty, practical in wet areas they are not. It is very difficult if not impossible to grout the joints. When fixed they only leave very small gaps to fill with grout. I would never fit them in a wet area, only use as a feature wall in bathroom in a dry area. Do you know if the walls were tanked prior to timing and what adhesive was used? These will have a bearing on the problems you are encountering.

There have been numerous threads with tilers but mainly DIYers with exactly the same problem as yours.

 

[White Room]

Personally I would'nt have used them in the shower area, were the wall's tanked.

Can't imagine the cleaning regime being easy and the grouting would have been almost impossible which would allow water to pass through the joints.

 

[Chalker]

A wet area and a shower are not the same thing! Like whitebeam asked, was the shower area tanked ( completely waterproofed before tiling ?)

 

[Unregistered]

A wet area and a shower are not the same thing! Like whitebeam asked, was the shower area tanked ( completely waterproofed before tiling ?)

I have no idea to be honest. I wasn't living in the house and stayed with my sister 150 miles away while the work was being done.

What do you recommend? Or if anyone has any ideas of what can be done, I'd be grateful.

 

[Unregistered]

If I do change the tiles, and it looks increasingly like I will have to, would these be a suitable alternative? Are they shower cubicle friendly? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281306494903

Thanks

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

Where are you from?

 

[Lee@emctiles]

If I do change the tiles, and it looks increasingly like I will have to, would these be a suitable alternative? Are they shower cubicle friendly? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281306494903

Thanks

These look will be fine IMHO, however, being a marble they will need to be sealed and periodic maintenance will need to be done.

 

[Unregistered]

Where are you from?

East Sussex (near Brighton).

 

[beanz]

Make sure they tank the area, when it gets re-done.