Porcelain floor tiles coming loose

[Gul]

Hi, I have just joined the forum and am looking for some info. I have bought & had laid (about 3 months ago), some cream B&Q 600 x 600 porcelain tiles. I must admit they looked pretty good. However, I have now noticed that some of the tiles are loose at the corners. When I tap the tiles they are fim in the centre, but a few sound loose at the corners.

I used a very reputable tiler, who came highly recommended, the products he has used, I'm told are high quality. I went back to the supplier and they have contacted their technical people who are saying that the adhesives should be ok

Any idea what this might be ?

 

[Deleted member 9966]

you need to get the Tiler back in to have a look. with big format tiles like that you need a solid bed adhesive to ensure full coverage on the back. if they're sounding hollow around the edges, you need to ask the tiler how he fixed them. you can find out how deep the adhesive bed was by asking him what size trowel he used.

 

[Gul]

He's coming round this evening, do you know of any problems like this being attributed to anything specific? I've heard some stuff on wax coatings etc.

 

[Deleted member 9966]

You need to find out how he fixed them first. It might not be the tiles that are the problem. It could be the fixing method, it could be problems with the adhesive. You need to get your tiler to help you find the source of the problem and then we'll be able to find a way to help you rectify it.

have any of the tiles actually come loose yet or are they just sounding hollow?

 

[Gul]

Just sounding hollow at the corners ....

 

[Deleted member 9966]

do you know what adhesive was used?

 

[Gul]

One thing I've had mentioned is the joint size, the tiler used 2mm joints with underfloor heating, is this an issue ?

 

[Deleted member 9966]

One thing I've had mentioned is the joint size, the tiler used 2mm joints with underflor heating, is this an issue ?

on a floor the Britist Standard recommendation is 3mm grout lines. 2mm and you're pushing it a bit.

how soon after laying the floor was the underfloor heating commissioned and working?

 

[Gul]

Mapei, Keraquick S1 rapid set adhesive

 

[Deleted member 9966]

Mapei, Keraquick S1 rapid set adhesive

and exactly what kind of floor substrate were the tiles being laid on? concrete? floorboards? chipboard?

 

[Gul]

The underfloor heating was working before the tiling was carried out. It had been on, I can't remember whether the tiler had it on or off when he was tiling, off I think.

How critical is joint size, would restricted movement cause the issue?

 

[Gul]

concrete floor, big area, circa 50 m2

 

[Deleted member 9966]

I can't say for definite whether the 2mm grout line would restrict the porcelain in anyway, because I'm not a professional tiler. I'm sure plenty of our pro members will be along shortly to give their views.

as for the concrete floor, was it all one area or was it part of a bigger building project perhaps where 2 different rooms became one?

also, are the hollow sounding tiles in any particular place? round the edges of the room, in the centre, near door frames?

 

[Gul]

The whole floor was laid from scratch. The loose tiles are pretty much distributed throughout the entire floor, no descreet area.

 

[Gul]

I guess I'm going to have to get a couple up with the tiler and see exactly what has happened.