Limestone tile cracking disaster on UFH

[splas]

Hi Paul,
Interesting that you should get in touch as I have looked at your site previously as you are not that far awayfrom us - I had already looked at your web-site with a view to getting in touch for the remaining tiling should our bldr not finish the job.
I will call you tomorrow & speak more off-line.
Thanks

 

[gamma38]

Hi Paul,
Interesting that you should get in touch as I have looked at your site previously as you are not that far awayfrom us - I had already looked at your web-site with a view to getting in touch for the remaining tiling should our bldr not finish the job.
I will call you tomorrow & speak more off-line.
Thanks

No worries, I look forward to speaking with you.

 

[jonnyc]

Not been on site for ages so only just picked up on this thread. Seems that you are in a position where you need to try something. I have been called in numerous times to try and rectify same problem as this.very common where windows go in after screed laid and builder fills in later. What I usually do and can never guarantee but does often work is remove tile s that bridge two substrates wher the isa crack.remove the bedding adhesive. Cut through join between two substrates and gun a two part resin to bond substrates together . Over lay with ditra mat if you have enough depth or if not a 1mm separating membrane like pecilastic or trimline similar membrane . Ideally than bed stone in rubber crumb adhesive which is most flex on market far more so than a s2 adhesive.provided the susfloor has been down for six months say and heating commissioned and working that long you havea good chance but not guaranteed.i am nota pro but have fixed a few thousand limestone floors over 25 years and it can work .what I should add is that where you have problem in middle of floor if you resin bond the opened up join you could force another crack to appear elsewhere less likely near perimeter of floor .

 

[splas]

Hi John,
A really helpful reply, thank you.
The builder is already progressing with cutting across all door thresholds to form retrospective expansion joints. We haven't tackled the one down the middle of the room yet but intend putting an expansion joint there too - just a shame that it is so close to a tile join anyway so we will have a tram line in the midle of the room but no choice as filling could just force the movement elsewhere as you suggest.

Helpful suggestion on the window/door areas where there are two substrates - you don't find that putting ditri matting in an isolated area could also force the movement elsewhere?? I only ask because across one doorway (the last one the tiller laid), we did put ditra mat in just across the threshold (realising the potential issue albeit somewhat too late), but this has had the effect of forcing the crack to appear beyond the threshold & matting strip. Just a thought, could be acoincidence but made us think small areas of mat were not helpful ? Grateful for your thoughts.

 

[jonnyc]

ditra mat wont stop lateral movement only accomodate it to a degree.I very much doubt that the fact you put ditra under a tile forced a crack elsewhere. did the tile crack that was on top of matting. did tiler use ruberised adhesive . by all means give mea call.you can find mynumber on my website

 

[DP Tiling]

So sad to see things like this I genuinely feel for you and many others like you.

To circle back to something you mentioned earlier about the trade not being regulated, I agree with you an NVQ is needed for Commercial work but domestically, you can just turn up and say you're a tiler. There needs to be something like gas safe or part P put in place to protect customers against these fly-by-nights and also to allow real tradesmen to charge realistic rates to do a job properly in accordance with bs 5385 without competing against some Muppet who can't even spell BS nor count to 5 using both hands and an abacus.

I usually find with failed floors that are soft natural stones like limestone and travertine it is usually due to the tiler not solid bed fixing. Obviously this is not the main concern here but I doubt he has back buttered a single piece.

I wish you the very best of luck with this one.

 

[Ajax123]

I don't really think regulation and NVQ is the answer. I think we should get back to proper apprenticeships. A number of companies are now asking for screeders to have a minimum NVQ in screeding. There is an NVQ available but my kids probably know more from listening to me on the phone to customers than the NVQ teaches. It's such a worthless qualification IMO.

 

[DP Tiling]

I don't really think regulation and NVQ is the answer. I think we should get back to proper apprenticeships. A number of companies are now asking for screeders to have a minimum NVQ in screeding. There is an NVQ available but my kids probably know more from listening to me on the phone to customers than the NVQ teaches. It's such a worthless qualification IMO.

Alan, I agree with you 100%, there's no substitute for hands on experience with a tradesman who knows what he is doing.
I'm not saying the NVQ is the shining example of quality workmanship or indeed adequate, I think a whole new qualification needs to be created/ introduced with more stringent criteria to meet so that people who have it are recognized as a skilled tradesman. For instance, a heating engineer needs to pass strict tests to be deemed gas safe, when customers see that they know that the person knows what they're doing. This will separate the true tilers from the weekend warriors and the Barry have a go's of this world.

 

[White Room]

Alan, I agree with you 100%, there's no substitute for hands on experience with a tradesman who knows what he is doing.
I'm not saying the NVQ is the shining example of quality workmanship or indeed adequate, I think a whole new qualification needs to be created/ introduced with more stringent criteria to meet so that people who have it are recognized as a skilled tradesman. For instance, a heating engineer needs to pass strict tests to be deemed gas safe, when customers see that they know that the person knows what they're doing. This will separate the true tilers from the weekend warriors and the Barry have a go's of this world.

Theres still a few that claim to be and are not....the customer needs educating but there is no chance of that.

In the 70's there were chancers, it aint to going change.

 

[gamma38]

Qualifications mean diddly. It only hit's working people in the pocket to get them. A cowboy and or a chancer will always be there because they are not interested in qualifications. I think people get too hung up on on them, thinking they will make it all better. How many gas safe cowboys do you know?? I have heard of a fair few round Bedford. Until Joe public start to get it nothing will change. Too often it's the cheapest quote, the builder can tile, I have just been on a job where a plumber was tiling the plaster skim wall with marble, tubbed addy, pva. He thinks he did a great job and so did the customer. Round and round it goes and always will......

 

[widler]

Alan, I agree with you 100%, there's no substitute for hands on experience with a tradesman who knows what he is doing.
I'm not saying the NVQ is the shining example of quality workmanship or indeed adequate, I think a whole new qualification needs to be created/ introduced with more stringent criteria to meet so that people who have it are recognized as a skilled tradesman. For instance, a heating engineer needs to pass strict tests to be deemed gas safe, when customers see that they know that the person knows what they're doing. This will separate the true tilers from the weekend warriors and the Barry have a go's of this world.

You are having a giraffe mate, theres more gas safe/plumber cowboys in this country than pet gerbils, anyone , even my demetia uncle fred could get one [emoji15]

Quals mean diddly squat , i would rather take a lad on who had served his apprenticeship on job and not done a single day in any collage doing his nvq babba dabba do [emoji90]