possible problem with Topp Fix

[john anderson]

Hi all.
I have just been back to a house where i have installed a full bathroom and ensuite in Durham. Jobs were completed a year ago. The issue is that in both rooms the floor tiles have come completely loose and grout has cracked.
Both rooms have 12mm ply screwed at approx 150mm centres, floors are primed (not PVA), tiles are porcelain and back buttered, adhesive is troweled at 10mm. I do approx 40 full fits a year and have no other problems. I would usually use Weber adhesive but on this occasion Topps was on the doorstep for the job so i have used Topp Fix Rapid Flexy White. I have no bother in redoing the floors but I'm wondering if this is a one off or have other installers had this problem? About 3 years ago i had this happen with the same adhesive and at the time they did admit a massive batch issue. Any info would be great.

Cheers, John

 

[Andy Allen]

are you sure its not a deflection issue ?

 

[Diggy]

Don't know the adhesive , is it elastomeric?

Diggy

 

[cam_low]

BS states minimum 15mm ply... Difficult to source so 18mm normally used.

Personally I would have sorted the sub floor then used a tile backer board.

 

[J Sid]

As above, ply to thin, backer board would have been better or Ditra over the ply. I would have asked the customer to take topps adhesive bad for a refund and used one i am happy with and used before.
The topps adhesive, is it suitable for wood? Is it suitable for porcelain?

 

[DHTiling]

Hi john... Not far from me are you ?

Anyway, did you prime the ply face .?

 

[J Sid]

Topps site said this is a discontinued item. What you think, possible problems with it?
Should have been good at that price £40.99 (or not)

 

[CJ]

Topps site said this is a discontinued item. What you think, possible problems with it?
Should have been good at that price £40.99 (or not)

Toppfix flexi exit white is about £16 trade..........used it quite a bit, and never had a problem with it.

 

[beanz]

What did you prime with, and how did you apply said primer.. If the floorboards/chipboard was securely screwed down, I can't see the Ply being your problem. The only problem I've had with 12mm Ply is shrinkage, which just cracked a tile on the join. Prefer to use Ditra now, or backer boards..

 

[john anderson]

Thanks for quick replys.

Andy Allen, I had not even thought about that. And now you have it reminded me that at the time of doing the install the customer had asked me about a problem with her staircase which had terrible movement. The house is on a sought after estate but only 10 years old and probably chucked up.
I will investigate further on that one.

Cam_low, I have been using 12mm ply for 15 years and have never (touch wood) had any issues.

David Howe, yeah mate just down the road. I always use the Weber primer as per instructions.

JulianSidney, I won't be using any of their branded stuff anymore. I went to get some slow set on a sunday a few months ago and they had took it all from the shelves as it had bad batch issues.

Beanz, What is Ditra?

Thanks everyone, very much appreciated.

 

[tobins tiling]

Hi john it does sound like a fault with the adhesive from what you've said, I personally prefer to use Hardibacker boards but as long as the floor was solid before the ply went down 12mm should be fine, hope get sorted mate

 

[cam_low]

12mm maybe fine for you but if client quotes BS you haven't a leg to stand on. I'd say it's a deflection or expansion of the boards issue.
Is it going to sting you much on these floors?

Ditra is an uncoupling membrane. Have you never used one to uncoupled stone?

Backer boards are better in so many more ways than ply. Why are you still using it?

 

[beanz]

David Howe, yeah mate just down the road. I always use the Weber primer as per instructions.

The instructions on Weber primer say to prime the face of the ply? I was under the impression you should only prime the sides and back. Not sure if priming the face would have an adverse reaction, but might be worth looking at..