Preparing A Concrete Floor For Tiling - Floor Has Bitumen Down

[Rich Midge]

Hi Rich
Was a bit nervous before I started but it went ok. There was a big difference in levels after I mapped out the screws so I decided after a few buckets that I was going to do it in 2 pours. I have got most of it around 4-5mm under the screw heads and there a few in the middle around 5-7mm. So I will do another pour tomorrow starting with the higher ones and I feel pretty confident that I will get it pretty good..I wont go right up to the head should get it level before then. It was a lot better with the screws it gives you an easy reference, if not you are really working blind if you have varying thickness to cover. I feel a bit more confident troweling it as first time I done it I thought it was curing but the water comes to the top so you get a fair amount of time.

Really pleased to have helped, it's what this forum is all about. I've been tiling 20+ years but am still regularly learning new tricks, methods etc through the solid advice you'll find on here.

 

[philrab66]

Really pleased to have helped, it's what this forum is all about. I've been tiling 20+ years but am still regularly learning new tricks, methods etc through the solid advice you'll find on here.

Have to agree Rich very good site and everybody very helpful. Thanks again.
Phil.

 

[philrab66]

Really pleased to have helped, it's what this forum is all about. I've been tiling 20+ years but am still regularly learning new tricks, methods etc through the solid advice you'll find on here.

Would just like to thank everybody for there helpful advise during this thread. I have finally got a decent surface to tile onto( hooooooray). I just have one more question for now about trowel notch size. Before I have used this huge one about 20mm I think bought from diy store. I have been investigating a bit and read a sticky on here saying 10 for good floor 13 for bad. Have tried to get a 13 but could only get 10. The floor is pretty good maybe 2-3mm out in some places over 8-10 foot.Will the 10 be ok?
Thanks Phil.

 

[Rich Midge]

Should be fine with the 10, just don't rely on the notch alone. Back butter each tile and keep checking for flatness with a straight edge or level. Lift the occasional tile to check adhesive coverage. You can prime the slc before tiling. Not strictly necessary but you might find it helpful if you're using a fast set addy.
Best of luck.

 

[philrab66]

Should be fine with the 10, just don't rely on the notch alone. Back butter each tile and keep checking for flatness with a straight edge or level. Lift the occasional tile to check adhesive coverage. You can prime the slc before tiling. Not strictly necessary but you might find it helpful if you're using a fast set addy.
Best of luck.

Cheers Rich
I take it putting adhesive on tile instead of floor is a no no this is how I have done it in the past. I seem to get in a big mess if I apply it to floor. I did see a tip about when you put a tile next to the one you have down is to butt it up against it and push it away for the spacer. What I used to do is leave a gap then push tile into spacer and have a load of addy in the joint. I have learnt that back buttering is for better adhesion but does it also help with setting. You suggested straight edge of level is that just to get them flat but not particularly level.
Thanks Phil.

 

[Rich Midge]

You definitely need to be trowelling the addy to the floor, I tend to trowel in straight lines but everyone's different. Use the flat edge to give a scrape coat to the back of every tile. Butt the next tile to the previous, push it into the adhesive and pull it away. Once you've got 3 or 4 down, check for flatness with your level. Level is a bonus but tiles should always be flat! Back buttering in to ensure your getting the best bond you can, won't really affect setting times.

 

[philrab66]

You definitely need to be trowelling the addy to the floor, I tend to trowel in straight lines but everyone's different. Use the flat edge to give a scrape coat to the back of every tile. Butt the next tile to the previous, push it into the adhesive and pull it away. Once you've got 3 or 4 down, check for flatness with your level. Level is a bonus but tiles should always be flat! Back buttering in to ensure your getting the best bond you can, won't really affect setting times.

Hi Rich
I have got a few down and it is going very well. The best floor I have done thanks to the prep, just plonk them on bit of a twist. When I have done it before I did not prep floor and ended up packing all the tiles so I did not want to do that again.

 

[Dan]

Glad you both like the site.

 

[outcycling]

You definitely need to be trowelling the addy to the floor, I tend to trowel in straight lines but everyone's different. Use the flat edge to give a scrape coat to the back of every tile. Butt the next tile to the previous, push it into the adhesive and pull it away. Once you've got 3 or 4 down, check for flatness with your level. Level is a bonus but tiles should always be flat! Back buttering in to ensure your getting the best bond you can, won't really affect setting times.

Hey rich,

Done quite a few walls/bathrooms/kitchens now and 4 floors all reasonably good but not as pan flat as some I've seen on here. On the floors and walls I've always just put adi on surface and laid the tiles. Why does back buttering tile with scrape coat help with adhesion ? Also do you do this on wall tiles as well? Thanks.