Is my tiler using the correct adhesive ?

[graybags]

My wife decided that my tiling wasn't up to scratch in the ensuite and therefore got a pro in for the main bathroom.................but I'm not sure that he is !

The tiles are Instal Bianco porcelain 450x250 and for a start he appears to have primed the walls (a mix of aqua-panel, plasterboard and plaster) with PVA and is using a ready mixed BAL adhesive (BAL grip) which I think is acylic based , when I thought that you should use a cement based powder adhesive to mix yourself for porcelain tiles.

Please tellme that I am worrying unnecessarily !

 

[DHTiling]

NO!! you are not....wrong primer and wrong adhesive.......STOP him straight away...

 

[penno]

It will be raining tiles

 

[CJ]

Oh Hell............here we go again :yikes:

 

[Olz]

You need to stop him from doing anything else, and get him to start again doing it properly, or better still get someone else in who knows how to do it properly, falling tiles in the shower =:15:

 

[graham31]

Oh crumbs:nopity: were your wife find the PRO tiler?

 

[Leatherface]

Eeerm

THINK HE IS A MUPPET !!!
NOT A TILER.
STOP HIM IMMEDIATELY !!!!

 

[graybags]

Oh heck, he's turning up tomorrow !, can you guys just explain to me what I should be telling him to argue my point for what he is doing wrong, thanks.

 

[grumpygrouter]

Why don't you just point him to this thread when he arrives tomorrow?

 

[penno]

Quite simple mate, the gear being used is NOT right for the job. Get the number for BAL tech line if he disputes it and they will put him right.
Maybe ask him to start again and you would like the correct gear to be used, he replaces the tiles already used at his cost?

Try and reach a compromise without too many fall outs but do not let him continue with the grip gear no matter what he says.

 

[White Room]

Out the door might be more appropriate:yikes:

 

[cornish_crofter]

Don't use PVA

Don't use tubbed adhesive on 450x450 tiles.

Don't carry on with the job until you have cleaned off all the PVA.

Use the correct adhesives and prepare as instructed on the back of the bags.

 

[graybags]

Call me old fashioned, but I'd prefer not to just accuse him of doing it wrongly, but simply ask why he is using certain adhesives, preparations etc, when "isn't X,Y,Z what is more usual"

I think I am right in thinking that cement based adhesive is the best choice because it goes off by chemical reaction, not evaporation, the latter being impeded by large format, non porous tiles where moisture will take an age to disappear, but what is the story about PVA ?

 

[Leatherface]

Just to point out there are a couple of tubbed ready mixed adhesives that are suitable for porcelain tiles, though large format porcelain do not fall into that bracket
Granfix Multifix is one of them ...
http://www.tileadhesive.co.uk/PDF files/Multifix Adhesive.pdf

Also this adhesive is self priming, so no need for pva or any other primer

 

[grumpygrouter]

Call me old fashioned, but I'd prefer not to just accuse him of doing it wrongly, but simply ask why he is using certain adhesives, preparations etc, when "isn't X,Y,Z what is more usual"

I think I am right in thinking that cement based adhesive is the best choice because it goes off by chemical reaction, not evaporation, the latter being impeded by large format, non porous tiles where moisture will take an age to disappear, but what is the story about PVA ?

PVA will become "live" again in contact with moisture. Dispersion adhesive contains alot of moisture so the pva will not do vey much apart from become slippy. There is a very good thread on here about primer v pva which I am sure Dave has a link for and will post it up for you.