how soon can i tile floors

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Ten days is enough before applying a tile in your floor. There are some techniques that you could try to do. You just need to search on some guidelines books or website.

I coul'nt agree with that, not on 100mm sand and cement

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Sorry raff:welcome:check out BS 5385-3:1989

 

[grumpygrouter]

Ten days is enough before applying a tile in your floor. There are some techniques that you could try to do. You just need to search on some guidelines books or website.

Could you clarify with documentation, unless of course you mean with the aid of a decoupling membrane of some sort?

 

[Dontiler]

:welcome:

 

[DHTiling]

does this help? (not my words)

Schlüter-DITRA has been developed specifically for uncoupling the building structure from the tiles. It's a pressure-stable polyethylene membrane with a grid structure of square cavities and an anchoring fleece laminated to its underside. The fleece backing becomes anchored in the tile adhesive on the substrate. On top of the membrane the adhesive is anchored into the square, cut-back cavities, and the tiles are installed on top. The membrane neutralises the cracks in the screed, and can absorb up to around 2-3 mm of horizontal movement. We were also able to advise the tiler on fixing onto the floor of a new conservatory at the house. BS recommendations are that you shouldn't tile on a new, green, screed, for at least 28 days, but the owners wanted him to do it before that. He was worried that if he did, the installation was likely to fail in the future.

The recommendation of 28 days is to allow for movement and shrinkage to take place in the green screed. But using Schlüter-DITRA actually means you can get on to the screed much earlier. Depending on the weather and time of year it could be as little as a couple of days. Basically, you're looking at being able to apply the membrane as soon as the screed can support weight. If you can walk on the screed and your shoe doesn't leave an impression in it, you can install the membrane and tile immediately afterwards. The membrane actually slows down the drying process of the screed, minimising shrinkage and eliminating most of the cracking which could occur. Also -- especially over floating type screeds where you've got insulation -- it'll minimise the curling effect of the screed, so all in all, using Schlüter-DITRA on a green screed not only protects the tiles, but gives you a better screed as well. And if you can get off site earlier, because you don't need to wait 28 days before tiling, you can get paid earlier too!


:welcome:

28 days...:yikes:...lol lol lol lol.... Better use the membrane instead of those recommendations..:dizzy2:

 

[clive matthews]

inch a week has always been said ,4 inch = 4 weeks

 

[DHTiling]

inch a week has always been said ,4 inch = 4 weeks

Been said where...?

Bs 5385 states a mm a day..??

 

[clive matthews]

greatest respect thats what they have always said on a sharp sand screed weather conditions would apply ,concrete alot longer , thats what i would lay a finish on my own developments i tend to give it a stab with a damp meter first though

 

[Ajax123]

standard sand cement drying rate = 1mm per day up to 50mm depth and then add extra (typically 2 days per mm) for each mm over 50mm

some modified sand cement screeds say they dry at a rate of 1 inch per week. However these must be fully cured and the drying conditions tightly controlled as they generally say this rate is only applicable in 20oC and 50% RH.....not conditions we get very often.

The drying rate is also affected by compaction - the better compacted it is the slower it will dry (fewer capillaries for transport of moisture to the surface)

In my experience however the deeper the screed the more unpredictable the drying rate becomes. If this were me I would be using an uncoupling membrane.

By the way - Is this a heated screed? if so you should not cover it before the underfloor heating is comissioned.

 

[Ajax123]

greatest respect thats what they have always said on a sharp sand screed weather conditions would apply ,concrete alot longer , thats what i would lay a finish on my own developments i tend to give it a stab with a damp meter first though

Not the immortal and inimtable "they". On a 75mm sand cement screed you are likely to get away with tiling using a flexible cement based addy after probably 6 weeks. That is very dependent on the weather and drying conditions though.

however the recomendations of the screed manufacturers generally is that it should be dry to below 75% RH before covering

 

[clive matthews]

Not the immortal and inimtable "they". On a 75mm sand cement screed you are likely to get away with tiling using a flexible cement based addy after probably 6 weeks. That is very dependent on the weather and drying conditions though.

however the recomendations of the screed manufacturers generally is that it should be dry to below 75% RH before covering

perhaps i should have said ,i , that is what i have always found on a sharp sand screed in normal conditions ,i cant wait two months before floors are tiled before marketing .

 

[diamondtiling]

perhaps i should have said ,i , that is what i have always found on a sharp sand screed in normal conditions ,i cant wait two months before floors are tiled before marketing .

So we have now found out who "they" are.....its Clive Matthews.........:lol:

Marketing has nothing to do with the integrity of a substrate Clive.
You cant apply that principal to anything in the building trade matey, everything has a set time to dry before you tile on it.

 

[merlecollins]

Hi Raff and :welcome: to the forum

In an ideal world Newcastle would win the premier league and builders would give you 3 months drying time before tiling :hurray: But it doesn't happen, regardless of whether it should or shouldn't - It doesn't. That is then passed over to them as their risk not the tiler's and a letter should be gained to accept your advice but instructing you to tile too soon.
In your instance I would be taking the path of installing Ditra or Dural CI, they're not that expensive and a doddle to install - and you also gain the benefit of complete peace of mind

 

[kent tiler]

hello m8te is this post ment to be here :welcome::welcome: