Talk yourself out of work

[charlie1]

Only today I was tiling walls (skimmed) with large ceramics, anyway, 1 tile just wasn't right so I had to pull it back off wall to remove some adhesive, when I pulled, it ripped the plaster completely off the bonding coat!

 

[White Room]

Only today I was tiling walls (skimmed) with large ceramics, anyway, 1 tile just wasn't right so I had to pull it back off wall to remove some adhesive, when I pulled, it ripped the plaster completely off the bonding coat!

If the finish is put on a dry gypsum undercoat the moisture gets sucked out and weakens it.....

 

[afright]

It's about time they started to put weight limits on the boxes so the customer can see what you are trying to tell them,after all tiles are getting bigger a heavier.

 

[Andy Allen]

i was going to start a thread on this, as this is my number one bug bare, ive lost count the amount of times ive been to look at jobs and the customer has a big pile of trav or porcelain piled up outside the bathroom, beaming from ear to ear telling me what a fantastic bargin they got on there tiles, then they look at me like im some kind of idiot when i tell them they cant fit them on the walls as they are.

first thing they allways say is 'they never said that in the tile shop', but did they ever ask them? 'can you fit these tiles on to skimmed walls,' how many customers know what a skimmed wall is?

imo this problem needs to be sorted asap, tiles are only getting bigger, and it ain't going away.

tile manfactures could print weight limits on boxs, at least that would cover us when we look at jobs, we can simply piont to what it says on the box, bit like when we see polished porcelain that says it needs wax removing or sealing, its in black and white and stops any cowboy from saying its ok the other tiler dosnt know what hes on about.

but this has to be backed up from the suppliers, most customers see tiles on displays and dont see the boxs till there being delivered or loaded in there car, and what customer reads the boxs anyway, they need to inform the customer about wieght limits, maybe give them a sample and recommend a tiler to talk to first.

would be interested to here from any tile suppliers ,on there take on this...

 

[kilty55]

cant see tile shops doing it andy they will lose sales and they dont want that

you are right though it would help

 

[macten]

Sometimes when I tell the customers all these things I get the job because of it.
Sadly, more often than not, I get the impression they think I'm trying it on to fleece money out of them.
A bit like a mechanic when they look at your engine and do that sharp intake of breath through their teeth!
People are wary and careful with their money - What can you do?

 

[afright]

I remember taking some 6x6 tiles of a wall and the whole lot fell on top of me cutting my head had to have stitches hate to think what porcelain or stone would do it makes you think,its got to be in the makers and retailers interests to point out the weight ratio this is a problem that we are all facing including the customers who are buying these tiles.

 

[Martyn Leeds]

When I'm explaining to customers and they're not quite with me, I give them a box of tiles to hold.
Then i say "heavy aren't they", they always say "yes"..
Then I say "now imagine the weight of 3,4 maybe 5 boxes on that wall.

I think it kinda registers then when I tell them I'll be re-boarding your walls