Tile adhesive just not setting

[Daz]

On another note, I've just read that you need special equipment to cut a cement board and I need to get it to go round the toilet and sink too but can use the old lino as a template (lifting them up isn't really an option).

Will I end up spending a fortune on the equipment to do the job? (I've bought a £40 electric tile saw already and have the usual hack saw and wood saw in my tool box)

Would an alternative option be cheaper as I was doing the job myself primarily too save money (approx 2.5 metre square space and I've spent over £120 already and loads of time).

Obviously my main concern is getting the job done right, but I still need to watch the cash!

Before you do anything, you must replace the nails with screws. Nails can work loose and cause your tiling to fail.

Cement boards are fairly easy to cut, they just blunt your blades pretty quick. If you have a jig saw, that will make cutting around the potware easy.

The floor is small enough that you can tile directly onto the chipboard if you want; you shouldn't experience problems provided that it is definitely solid with NO FLEXING, and you use the correct materials (not your DIY stuff).

I look forward to hearing your choice.......

 

[superfuel]

FYI - This is what I used which didn't set for some reason;

Home Building Supplies | Evo-Stik Large Grey Floor Tile Adhesive & Grout For Wooden Floors | Building Supplies | Tile Adhesives & Grouts | Choiceful.com

It specifically says on the back that it's for use with chipboard.

Couldn't find a 'best before' date anywhere on the tub either.

 

[Daz]

Thanks SF.

I may have missed a trick here :mad2:, so apologies.....But, the floor tiles, whilst they say ceramic, could they be a vitrified ceramic by any chance? Did they take a bit of force to cut and were they quite brittle?

Vitrified tiles are fired at much higher temperatures (much the same as porcelain) which reduces moisture in the tile. Porcelain and highly vitrified tiles should be fixed with adhesive that is designed for use with said tiles. It is possible that the adhesive is not suitable for use with your tiles, as it is only for ceramic tiles, i.e. not vitrified, and that may be why it has not worked :incazzato:.

I, personally, still wouldn't use that stuff, no matter what the substrate though.

 

[Daz]

LOL! Just read the description for that adhesive....

. Waterproof and frost resistant.
· Dries charcoal grey.
· Ideal for interior use.

How many times have you needed an adhesive that is frost resistant indoors? :lol: And as for waterproof :yikes::yikes:, not a chance!

 

[superfuel]

Just checked and theres a tile giant just 18 miles from me :hurray:

I'm actually going to be 5 min's drive from there tommorow as I'm over at the gf's parents.

Any chance you could let me know what I would need to buy in order to stick the tiles down to the chipboard directly and ensure it's waterproof?

If I could pick the stuff up tomorrow it would save me a trip (and much hair pulling out too).

 

[doug boardley]

I'd go over the mrc with hardiebacker and use a powdered single part flexible adhesive, making sure substrate is suitably screwed down and deflection free, also use a flexible grout. Belt and braces approachOh! and chuck the PVA

 

[Daz]

First thing to note, no adhesive will be waterproof!
If you want waterproof, then you will need epoxy (my advice is to not go there) grout.

However, if you use the correct materials then you won't have any issues unless you soak your floor every day (i.e. use it as a shower tray :lol🙂. In which case it needs tile backer boards or tanking.

Please answer this question so that I can advise materials....
Are you tiling directly onto the chipboard or onto tile backer (cement boards)?

 

[superfuel]

Thanks for the tip!

These are the tiles I'm using: Cuba Floor Tile - 33 x 33cm - Dark Grey - Pk size 9 from Homebase.co.uk

Nothing on the box or website about what kind of ceramic they are.

In terms of cutting them, they were pretty tough to cut through (I used an electric wet saw) but brittle in the sense that I accidentaly trod on one when it was on the carpet and it broke in half.

Is it worth taking one of the tiles with me to Tile Giant to see what they suggest?

 

[superfuel]

Are you tiling directly onto the chipboard or onto tile backer (cement boards)?
If I can tile straight onto the chipboard then I will (to save time and money), but if cement boards are recommended then I'll go down that route.

You guys are the experts so I'm really looking for your recommendation

 

[Matt]

From the picture, they appear to be just standard glazed ceramic. The substrate is more important info as that will determine the adhesive you will need. Still, take a tile with you, it can't do any harm 🙂