Plywood for Wetroom subfloor

[djkprojects]

It includes floors I think the wording is all areas.
Any tiler worth anything will tell you. That's why there's products like tile backer board and ditra and the many others on the market

Funny you mention Ditra, look at this cross section I was given by… Schluter UK.

 

[bsc ceramics]

meaning what? i dont understand

 

[Ben-gee]

It includes floors I think the wording is all areas.
Any tiler worth anything will tell you. That's why there's products like tile backer board and ditra and the many others on the market

I think you’ve actually got that the wrong way around!
Because there are products like tile backer etc - they have changed the standards so you are forced to use their expensive products… as you say in previous post, you’ve never had a failure on ply!

 

[bsc ceramics]

but it is british standard

 

[djkprojects]

but it is british standard

Plywood Walls - BS 5385-1:2018

Direct Tiling to Plywood Walls
Direct fixing of tiles to walls constructed from plywood is not recommended in BS 5385-1: 2018 Clause 6.1.2.7 Other sheets and boards (see also 6.2.3.3) “The use of sheets or boards that are subject to movement from changes in moisture content should be avoided. Plywood and other wood-based sheets or boards should not be used for direct tiling”

 

[bsc ceramics]

and its the same for floors why would it not be?
im not wasting any more time on this tread any tiler worth his trade would not tile on a wood floor
Iv been tiling many many years and for me its belt and braces ever time.
some people work in offices some of us dont.

 

[djkprojects]

and its the same for floors why would it not be?
im not wasting any more time on this tread any tiler worth his trade would not tile on a wood floor
Iv been tiling many many years and for me its belt and braces ever time.
some people work in offices some of us dont.

because there is no risk of tile falling off on your head when it's on the floor, that's the difference. The BS have changed not because plywood is not good to tile on but because the quality of some of the imports isn't good and because of the popularity of backerboards. As you said you've been tiling on plywood for years and had no issues so I guess the only reason why you decided to use backerboard is because BS say so. Please also note that BS are for guidance and recommendations, not what you must or mustn't do.

 

[John P]

because there is no risk of tile falling off on your head when it's on the floor, that's the difference. The BS have changed not because plywood is not good to tile on but because the quality of some of the imports isn't good and because of the popularity of backerboards. As you said you've been tiling on plywood for years and had no issues so I guess the only reason why you decided to use backerboard is because BS say so. Please also note that BS are for guidance and recommendations, not what you must or mustn't do.

The main reason British Standards exist is that they present guidance in a way that IF a failed job does get to litigation,
then it is a very simple question for a lawyer to ask: 'why didn't you follow the guidance in the Standard?'
'I didn't need to' isn't convincing, if the failure is apparent.
Tiles (and adhesive) do not expand or contract as they don't absorb water.
Plywood does.