Pva Versus Primers | Always Use A Primer When Tiling, And Not Pva

[martin bell]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

thats what i did and thats what they recomended . been using pci just now. still trying to find my feet and get right products for right jobs

 

[Susiequ]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

Thanks for this info. I had no idea. I tiled a shower wall after it had been sealed with PVA - I hope the tiles don't fall off!! Otherwise, I'll be doing it again.

 

[grumpygrouter]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

Thanks for this info. I had no idea. I tiled a shower wall after it had been sealed with PVA - I hope the tiles don't fall off!! Otherwise, I'll be doing it again.

Hope the grout job was good, if water gets through it could "reactive" the pva.....

 

[seanboy]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

Hi all
Excellent thread and forum,but now I'm gonna provide another collective groan:mad2:
We built our extension 3 yrs ago and I'm finally getting round to tiling the kitchen floor! Got some gorgeous 600x400 silver nickel slate tiles,getting a good deal on some bal rapidset flex and flex grout 2mrw at CTD before their Feb offer ends,a guy at Bal said PTB might be better but the rapidset would do also. Tiling onto a well cured (!) concrete substrate with wet system UFH.
Done various slate and travertine jobs over the years so feel confident about tackling 28Msq of kitchen/utility and bathroom,planning to run the tiles thru.
Can also get Everbuild flex at a slightly lower price and wondered if it was more/less suitable,not trying to save here,just want the best for the job,I believe in doing things once and doing them right. Just wish I'd known how crap PVA was...:ban:

Now for the groan...

Because the builder knew we weren't gonna tile for a while he said to put a PVA mix 4:1 down as a sealer/dust barrier. It's certainly kept the dust down! Spoke with Bal tech and they said to get some prime APD and try a bit in a corner and see if it reacts. CTD only have bond SBR and Bal tech said try that,much and such....
Then I read this thread! Now I'm thinking I should just get down on my hands and kneepads and start scrubbing to get the evil s**t off altogether. All suggestions/advice gratefully received! Anyone else successfuly removed PVA?
Now I'm off to walk the dog to clear my head,it hurts:mad2:

 

[grumpygrouter]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

I would get rid of the PVA. No point in having it potentially fail and ruin what will probably be a magnificent floor by taking short cuts.

 

[Olz]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

CTD can get APD, you may have to ask them to order it in though but it should only take a day or two.

 

[seanboy]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

Yeah thats where I'm at Grumpy,just put the scrubbing brush down to pour another dram:8:,thinking I might see what mechanical means are hireable locally,a decent floor cleaner/steamer with rotating brushes and an aquavac plus some elbow grease here and there ought to do it,the floor will only benefit from a good clean anyway,on with the UFH for a dry out and back to square 1.
Tech guy at Bal didnt seem to think it made much odds which primer I used Oli but I'll see whats available.
C'est la vie...

 

[ron_141414]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

Hi,
I'm a new member and came to ask about tiling over a chipboard/ plywood floor and this was the first thread I came to as it was about PVA. We had a bedroom replastered and the plasterer said PVA seemed to be the chosen sealer 'these days' as all the DIY shows were using it. After using PVA and then painting the walls we noticed a few blisters. After rubbing them down and repainting the affected areas we had large blisters, eventually we had three foot diameter fairy rings on the walls. That's another of my jobs for this summer - rubdown all the walls and repaint again!!! I certainly will not be using PVA on any walls ever again.

 

[pt44]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

Yeah thats where I'm at Grumpy,just put the scrubbing brush down to pour another dram:8:,thinking I might see what mechanical means are hireable locally,a decent floor cleaner/steamer with rotating brushes and an aquavac plus some elbow grease here and there ought to do it,the floor will only benefit from a good clean anyway,on with the UFH for a dry out and back to square 1.
Tech guy at Bal didnt seem to think it made much odds which primer I used Oli but I'll see whats available.
C'est la vie...

Just a thought - and to add a bit of thought and spice - surely, if PVA is as bad as we know it is and have been told it is, it will fail when it gets damp. Bit of moisture and it will pop right off, throwing all your tiles off. This is the point of this whole thread (if memory serves correctly).

Therefore - surely - just wet the floor. The PVA will losen, then you can simply scrub/peel it off. If it doesn't work, then perhaps the PVA is a little bit tougher than we have been led to believe? Which throws up all kinds of thoughts.

Paul

 

[seanboy]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

Therefore - surely - just wet the floor. The PVA will losen, then you can simply scrub/peel it off. If it doesn't work, then perhaps the PVA is a little bit tougher than we have been led to believe? Which throws up all kinds of thoughts.

Yeah,sounds easy...........
Seeing as it was me that put the PVA on and I know a thing or two about surface prep for coatings,rest assured it was put on for keeps and more than one coat applied. Anyway I spent a happy:incazzato:weekend with a Numatic rotary floor cleaner (from Brandon Hire) unable to put it completely flat as per polishing simply because of the friction created by concrete as opposed to tiles. Lashings of HOT water and 2 or 3 goes over each area with my 80 yr old father outlaw on the Aqua vac did the trick with the added benefit of cleaning the floor which needed done anyway.
I let the place dry out for a week,UFH on and then sealed with Bal APD once the RH had come down. Now busy tiling,looks fab and Bal rapidset sticking like s**t to the proverbial blanket,planning some charcoal grout followed by a big party:hurray:
I'm definitely glad I spent the time on prep but I'd still be cleaning it now without mechanical help,the Aqua vac was essential as well as you need to be able to lift it up once liquified

 

[STINGRAY30]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

thanks dave, beginnig to gets the grip of this game.

 

[stairman]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

watched a tiler put a thick coat of PVA on the walls the day before tiling. I thought this was wrong due to in effect tiling on a sheet of polythene. I see from this post that I was right but for the wrong reason

 

[honza1]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

I have done many jobs using PVA and I have never heard about any problems with my jobs. I quess I am just lucky.

However from now on I will not PVA again for tiling.

 

[zenman63]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

Hi, Are you gus saying, you have put PVA on as a sealer without watering it down 5-1?
In that case it will peel of, pva as a sealer, never had a problem, it goes right in to the back ground.
I am never to old to learn and I am taking on what you are all saying.
I have some big floors to do, 150m sandstone, 75m limestone etc and would just mix 1 L pva with a 5L water and wash it down with a roller, when its dry I start to fix, never had a problem in over 20 years.
I would never put tub adhesive on wood as you are looking for problems, and would never use tud adhesve in a wet area also, pva or not.

What do you guys recomend as a sealer then?

 

[DHTiling]

Re: P.v.a. Versus Primers......

Acrylic primers....these also prevent ettringite failure when tiling over gypsum substrates..