mosaic tiling to swimming pool

[Paul Finn]

Oh dear. Wouldnt be a bad idea to get someone to help out who's worked with them before, even if its for the first day or so.
What adhesive will you be using?

Mapai white flexi

 

[Paul Finn]

no problem but would be safer with someone that has done one before.

would you fly a jumbo for the first time without some assistance, when you are only experienced with microlights

Steve, I have to disagree with your analogy, I've covered everything from natural stone to mosaic (just not paper faced lol) and have been on 1000m2 contracts as well as high spec bathrooms etc for many years now.

any tiling jobs the same with regards to setting out - take the time to set out correctly and you never go wrong

 

[steve187]

Tiling is something that comes with experience and over a period of time. swimming pools are something completely different, I am not saying they can not be done , what i am saying is that they should not be started by someone that has never done one before, there are too many things to go wrong. swimming pools in my mind are something that requires expert knowledge and separate experience to the run of the mill stone, marble, ceramics etc. How many experienced tilers on this forum are specialist pool mosaic tilers. ( a very small %) Pools take a lot of time to set out and experience of where to start and how to avoid going wrong. You may well be experienced enough to tackle this job, but your earlier posts in this thread did not instill confidence in me and I'm sure they would not instill confidence in your client.

Post #27 says ''I've covered everything from natural stone to mosaic (just not paper faced lol) and have been on 1000m2 contracts as well as high spec bathrooms etc for many years now.''
there is no mention of pools.

I wish you the best I just hope it doesn't end in tears

 

[Paul Finn]

Tiling is something that comes with experience and over a period of time. swimming pools are something completely different, I am not saying they can not be done , what i am saying is that they should not be started by someone that has never done one before, there are too many things to go wrong. swimming pools in my mind are something that requires expert knowledge and separate experience to the run of the mill stone, marble, ceramics etc. How many experienced tilers on this forum are specialist pool mosaic tilers. ( a very small %) Pools take a lot of time to set out and experience of where to start and how to avoid going wrong. You may well be experienced enough to tackle this job, but your earlier posts in this thread did not instill confidence in me and I'm sure they would not instill confidence in your client.

Post #27 says ''I've covered everything from natural stone to mosaic (just not paper faced lol) and have been on 1000m2 contracts as well as high spec bathrooms etc for many years now.''
there is no mention of pools.

I wish you the best I just hope it doesn't end in tears

Cheers Steve. ill be fine tho... oh and the client just happens to be Tom Cleverley. Gorgeous house, so quality is top priority! [h=3][/h]

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

Tiling is something that comes with experience and over a period of time. swimming pools are something completely different, I am not saying they can not be done , what i am saying is that they should not be started by someone that has never done one before, there are too many things to go wrong. swimming pools in my mind are something that requires expert knowledge and separate experience to the run of the mill stone, marble, ceramics etc. How many experienced tilers on this forum are specialist pool mosaic tilers. ( a very small %) Pools take a lot of time to set out and experience of where to start and how to avoid going wrong. You may well be experienced enough to tackle this job, but your earlier posts in this thread did not instill confidence in me and I'm sure they would not instill confidence in your client.

Post #27 says ''I've covered everything from natural stone to mosaic (just not paper faced lol) and have been on 1000m2 contracts as well as high spec bathrooms etc for many years now.''
there is no mention of pools.

I wish you the best I just hope it doesn't end in tears

I would openly admit I dont have enough experience to tackle a swimming pool and probably wont for a good few years. I have never started a job on my own that im not 100% confident in doing by myself. I would probably want to tackle atleast 5 pools with help before I done one myself. Would love to see some pics of progress

 

[nybor62]

imo i would go for ardex adhesive somet like x77 just a thought

 

[MTiler]

Mapai white flexi

As in Keraflex? Just dont use a rapid set. As has been mentioned Ardex X77 is great, and i use Mapei Adesilex P10 alot.

 

[Paul Finn]

As in Keraflex? Just dont use a rapid set. As has been mentioned Ardex X77 is great, and i use Mapei Adesilex P10 alot.

Yes Keraflex, i wouldn't dream of using a rapid set on mosaics. I may have a good pace but i'm not that fast lol

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

Hi paul just see this thread, i have been away doing a pool for the producer of the film a kings speech , anyway this job must be in cheshire then if its for a united player ? i have done many pools in that p[art of the country , have you got to render/screed the shell first ? or just tile it.......

 

[Paul Finn]

Hi paul just see this thread, i have been away doing a pool for the producer of the film a kings speech , anyway this job must be in cheshire then if its for a united player ? i have done many pools in that p[art of the country , have you got to render/screed the shell first ? or just tile it.......

Hi,

The producer of Kings Speech? I think we're in the wrong game lol. I wish someone would build me a swimming pool.

No, all the rendering/screeding has been completed by other trades, i'm just there to simply tile it. yes its in cheshire, it's looking good to be honest, not quite finished it yet but didn't doubt myself 1 bit lol.

Main problem I've came across is that the render is far from symmetrical or flat, there were bows in the pool walls and with using small mosaics that's been the main pain in the butt with setting out issues to give as many full tile corner finishes as possible.

Enjoying tiling it though, nice learning curve, plus i'm a Man U supporter lol

 

[Andy Allen]

what are you fixing..? mesh back or paper face mosaics..?

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

Hi,

The producer of Kings Speech? I think we're in the wrong game lol. I wish someone would build me a swimming pool.

No,all the rendering/screeding has been completed by other trades, i'm just there to simply tile it. yes its in cheshire, it's looking good to be honest, not quite finished it yet but didn't doubt myself 1 bit lol.

Main problem I've came across is that the render is far from symmetrical or flat, there were bows in the pool walls and with using small mosaics that's been the main pain in the butt with setting out issues to give as many full tile corner finishes as possible.

Enjoying tiling it though, nice learning curve, plus i'm a Man U supporter lol

This is one of the reasons pool finishers are multi -skilled , most cover there own rendering/screeding so that they achieve there desired backing, i woul;d love to see a few progress pic's mate !? we love pic's on this forum ,it brings a job to life ! & it also prove's that peeps are doing these jobs ! as there are a lot of wannabe tiles on forums that just blag stuff, not say this about you mate, it's just what other guys have told me when i have spoken to them in person.........so i look forward to seeing the job bud.....

 

[Paul Finn]

what are you fixing..? mesh back or paper face mosaics..?

mesh m8

 

[Paul Finn]

This is one of the reasons pool finishers are multi -skilled , most cover there own rendering/screeding so that they achieve there desired backing, i woul;d love to see a few progress pic's mate !? we love pic's on this forum ,it brings a job to life ! & it also prove's that peeps are doing these jobs ! as there are a lot of wannabe tiles on forums that just blag stuff, not say this about you mate, it's just what other guys have told me when i have spoken to them in person.........so i look forward to seeing the job bud.....

Ill certainly post some pics when complete, no probs

 

[MTiler]

Hi,
Main problem I've came across is that the render is far from symmetrical or flat, there were bows in the pool walls and with using small mosaics that's been the main pain in the butt with setting out issues to give as many full tile corner finishes as possible.

Enjoying tiling it though, nice learning curve, plus i'm a Man U supporter lol

Sheets can be opened out to give you full tesserae where needed, and to make up for walls that are 'out'. A plasterers 'feather' cut to various lenghts is great for keeping opened out sheets lined up with each other.

 

[Spud]

Sheets can be opened out to give you full tesserae where needed, and to make up for walls that are 'out'. A plasterers 'feather' cut to various lenghts is great for keeping opened out sheets lined up with each other.

Hi SharonI have just finished tiling a pool in mosaic and opened up the joints in some areas to gain full cubes but i didnt honestly like the the finish the mosaic is dark and we are using white grout which highlighted the open joints a bit , i think next time i would be inclined to place full cubes in the corner and cut into the full cube with the sheet if you get what i mean

 

[Paul Finn]

Sheets can be opened out to give you full tesserae where needed, and to make up for walls that are 'out'. A plasterers 'feather' cut to various lenghts is great for keeping opened out sheets lined up with each other.

Hi

I'm already onto the plasterers feather lol, works wonders.

A different tiling firm tiled the pool surround so there was a waterline tile ending at the waterline before the mosaics below water level started, much thicker tiles and due to the render been a shambles I had to put a chamfer there (used adhesive) then let it dry. Then again at floor level with the walls been bowed to meet the full floor tile (tiled floor first due to feathering out the tops of the walls and still been wet) Like I say, I've never tiled a pool but I just kinda treated it like any tiling surface with mosaics, if the substrate needs to be built out/feathered to accommodate full tile finishes, then build it out.

As for opening out the sheets, there was only 1 small area, probably all of 2 sheets where I needed to do that. Luckily its all worked out fine

 

[MTiler]

Hi SharonI have just finished tiling a pool in mosaic and opened up the joints in some areas to gain full cubes but i didnt honestly like the the finish the mosaic is dark and we are using white grout which highlighted the open joints a bit , i think next time i would be inclined to place full cubes in the corner and cut into the full cube with the sheet if you get what i mean

You just need to open out more columns, and then you have to think about how that'll effect everything else especially if has to be followed through to the floor and up the other side. All good fun.
If your talking about the blue pool youve just done I thought it a shame they had white grout, as you say can draw attention to odd bits having a contrasting grout, but a neutral or blue grout wouldve been nice.

In the end we have to make the decision on what looks best. Half the time what stands out a mile to the fixer the customer would never notice in a million years lol.

 

[Paul Finn]

few pics as promised. Apart from the mosaic coming from China in different batches it looks well.

 

[Spud]

looks good what colour is the grout

 

[Paul Finn]

looks good what colour is the grout

mapei 170 crocus blue

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

Very nice looking so far ! can't wait to see the steps when they are finished !, and is that a spa on the surround as well ?? did you use Mapei Adhesive ? And where about's in the country is this job Paul ?you could enter it in JOTM next don't forget ......

 

[Paul Finn]

Very nice looking so far ! can't wait to see the steps when they are finished !, and is that a spa on the surround as well ?? did you use Mapei Adhesive ? And where about's in the country is this job Paul ?you could enter it in JOTM next don't forget ......

the steps are complete, finished job last week. I've had trouble trying to get pics tho.... long story... but i lost my phone abroad... i've now got a new 1, Going back to site Monday to complete floor tiling in changing room area so will take some pics of the steps then.

Yes thats a spa on the surround but that apparently came from manufacturer pre tiled and was already installed when i arrived, so that's not my work....I'm glad aswell, it's bumpy as heck lol.

Used Mapei Keraflex white adhesive and the jobs in Hale Barns Altrincham.

 

[Rossymcg]

I would have thought they were mesh with been in the wet environment but am unsure until I go to site tomorrow. Its the first pool I've tiled, all i know at the min is its an 80m pool in mosaics, mapai adhesive and mapei grout (114) which is a bonus because i just assumed it was an epoxy grout and it turns out.... its not.... happy happy happy

Did you price for epoxy? Must have if you thought it was, quids in id say

 

[Paul Finn]

Did you price for epoxy? Must have if you thought it was, quids in id say

No, i was subcontracting... either way i was realllllll glad! saved a few hours graft there