The use of chicken wire in tiling

[Tile Shop]

Had a customer call today, been advised by her builder that if tiling onto a 18mm ply floor, lay chicken wire and bed it into the adhesive...........

I thought her builder might be a bit batty as I've never heard of anyone doing that before, so I advised rapidmat as a belts'n'braces option if it was deflection free, or hardie if it had any bounce

Then I come on here and do a search for chicken wire and see that its been advised before in screeds.

To me it sounds like an oldskool but readily available material that some may still be used by some to this day, and maybe there are other products now that do the same thing but better.

But whats it used for? Ultimately I'd like to know for what purpose chicken wire was, or is used in tiling and preparation. Pros and cons and how its design has evolved into our modern day alternatives.

 

[One Day]

I've no experience using it. Some of our more 'senior' members like Tom astley probably have.
I believe it's old school and still used in the states, mainly because it works very well.
I can understand intuitively how it works but I'd be concerned about it corroding in the adhesive in too short a time.
It would certainly be better at helping adhesive cope with deflection than an uncoupling membrane.

 

[AndY mac]

Haven't done it for years we use to call it a jersey mud bath.

 

[Italy]

chicken wire ....
half an hour to figure out !!!
Use chicken wire, when I make the sand cement screeds, low thickness, use chicken wire, when I put on heavy material type stone wall, staring at the wall with a drill and dowels.
i, They are not elderly

 

[Andy Allen]

Haven't used it since the bird flu outbreak...

 

[White Room]

Chicken wire with screeds, can't see the point nowadays with up to date adhesives and prep materials.

 

[Dan]

Going back a bit that is. I don't think you'd find a specification post-1980 with it in lol

It died when lath and plaster did I think.

 

[White Room]

Going back a bit that is. I don't think you'd find a specification post-1980 with it in lol

It died when lath and plaster did I think.

No it didn't, I saw it still used 30 years ago when fibre glass was laid then chicken wire then screeded.

 

[Dan]

Alright alright post-1990ish lol

 

[Bill]

Yep, used it a lot but those who think I am 'senior' may not realise that I am only just a pentagenarian.

Have been tiling since I was 12 though.

Chicken wire was just an easy way of securing the bed to the substrate. It did help with slight movement too.

 

[Bill]

On walls, it was invaluable if you had to bed out the wall, the chicken wire helped keep the render vertical so that you could then add your top up layer with the tile to get plumb walls.

 

[One Day]

Tom also still works in a flat cap, shirt with sleeves rolled up and a waistcoat and brogues.
Traditional stylee.

 

[Bill]

Tom also still works in a flat cap, shirt with sleeves rolled up and a waistcoat and brogues.
Traditional stylee.

Bib & Brace attire.......

 

[Bill]

Just to add, there was expanded metal too........ proper 'orrible to use .

 

[goz]

I used it too! I'm only 35! When I started with the old man moo he used to ply out floor and staple expanded metal/ chicken wire to the floor then tile if I recall, last one was in '98 if memory serves. Tiled a dance floor of a nightclub in Maidenhead with it, Michelle Gayle opened the club, I spent most of the time getting coffee for the whole site from the local Wendy's!! Ah Halcyon days .........