novice slate floor layer

[Unregistered]

You've all scared me to death, was actually looking forward to laying my rustic riven slate floor, terrified now! Have layed floor out,cut all tiles,looks fab apart from all the different thickness of tile! Can you guys just help me out with the right type of adhesive to use.

 

[DHTiling]

Are we that scary..:lol:

what substrate have you..?

 

[Unregistered]

Concrete in pretty good condition.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Not scary at all, we are here to help. If we can:welcome:

 

[DHTiling]

Concrete in pretty good condition.

OK.. this depends on how fast you can work, so i would suggest for a novice.. a slow setting modified adhesive and suitable for thick bedding..

Keraflex maxi is one i would recommend in grey..

 

[Unregistered]

Have to say you all sound great its my slate that sounds scary. The pictures looked so great when I ordered it-for the whole house!!! So expensive cant afford to pay any one to put it down now, never mind in for a penny. Went to get adhesive today and so many to choose from came home to worry about it!! Oh and ask you lot!

 

[Unregistered]

Thanks, so am I looking for flexi adhesive,all adhesives i've seen so far were 12mm will that be thick enough?

 

[grumpygrouter]

Thanks, so am I looking for flexi adhesive,all adhesives i've seen so far were 12mm will that be thick enough?

Not sure what you mean by that? Do as Dave advised and get some Mapei Keraflex Maxi...perfect stuff for your job and I have used it myself for the same thing.

 

[marbleman]

my advice would be gauge the tiles 1st , sweep and hover floor then seal with floor primer many choices, the check levels of floor , centre the biggest room or wall 1st , make a marking rod ( normal 6-8 tiles) check all runs off into different rooms spend time in marking out , find heighest point on floor and start to lay from that mark with thin tile but make sure you back spread the thin tiles as they be the 1st to fail, use a level checking tiles and floor as you go i mallet every tile old school, i normal make sure all edges are in full contact with adhesive increasing thickness as required , mark sure you work clean wiping tiles and joints as you go . check every 6-7 tiles that you are getting full contact. i normal wash slate 4-6 times with clean water to remove any dust of addy on surface , once you are happy i normal seal tiles before grouting and normally leave over night, i use rapid set grouts then there is no issues with staining , but slow setting grout maybe be better.
allow to dry then use a netrualiser to clean residue from tile surface allow to dry over night then put final top coat on slate ,
You must take you time , make sure you have wet cutter and please use gloves and eye protection when cutting ,
good luck and i hope this helps

 

[simon benn]

First DONT WORRY (its only tiling). Best off using 10mm Square notched serated trowel, try to start with the thickest tiles. Lift following tiles with guaging trowel spread adhesive and rub down flush with last tile, wash excess adhesive off with wet sponge. If at the end you have lipped tiles next to each other then get a hammer and bolster and flick the shales off to make flush, as it is slate youre not really going to damage the tile, just use plenty of impregnating sealer (Always recomend Lithofin). All the best.