Hello!
I’m hoping I can get some advice on what to do in my kitchen RE wanting to replace the existing tiles that are over wet underfloor heating.
The Kitchen is in an extension that was built 5 or so years ago. The floor is concrete, 100mm cellotex, wet underfloor pipes, 50 or 60mm screed on top, then the existing tiles. Existing tiles are handmade (apparently) 20mm thick ‘brick’ style tiles, attached with a mapei flexible adhesive (I can’t remember which one). I can’t remember which grout.
THE PROBLEM:
It’s a kitchen, and the tiles are super uneven. By design. But that means they lots of food bits and bobs stuck in them. They also seem quite porous and have ‘blown out’ a tiny bit in a couple of locations. In front of the sink in particular (we did have a leak behind the sink 2 years ago, which presumably caused this).
THE SOLUTION:
New tiles. I was planning to pop up all of the old tiles before sticking new tiles down. Unfortunately the old tiles are crumbling when I try to lift them. It is going to be a hell of a job to lift them (either very tedious and quite dusty to do by hand, or extremely messy to do with power tools). I have tried a hammer + bolster, hammer action drill with various points/scutch/bolsters. Next step would be to cut slots with an angle grinder and hammer out the remaining tile in between.
THE QUESTION(s):
Do I need to lift the tiles? If not, can I tile straight on top, or levelling of some sort in between, and/or decoupling membrane in between?
Is this a job best left to the professionals? I’m quite handy, but I know it would take me weeks to get anything done, and it could be hours/days for a pro.
Any recommmendations on who would be good to do this? I’m SE London / NW Kent area.
Too long/didn’t read:
I’ve got a hard to lift crumbly tile floor over wet underfloor heating. Do I need to lift the old floor before adding new tiles?
I’m hoping I can get some advice on what to do in my kitchen RE wanting to replace the existing tiles that are over wet underfloor heating.
The Kitchen is in an extension that was built 5 or so years ago. The floor is concrete, 100mm cellotex, wet underfloor pipes, 50 or 60mm screed on top, then the existing tiles. Existing tiles are handmade (apparently) 20mm thick ‘brick’ style tiles, attached with a mapei flexible adhesive (I can’t remember which one). I can’t remember which grout.
THE PROBLEM:
It’s a kitchen, and the tiles are super uneven. By design. But that means they lots of food bits and bobs stuck in them. They also seem quite porous and have ‘blown out’ a tiny bit in a couple of locations. In front of the sink in particular (we did have a leak behind the sink 2 years ago, which presumably caused this).
THE SOLUTION:
New tiles. I was planning to pop up all of the old tiles before sticking new tiles down. Unfortunately the old tiles are crumbling when I try to lift them. It is going to be a hell of a job to lift them (either very tedious and quite dusty to do by hand, or extremely messy to do with power tools). I have tried a hammer + bolster, hammer action drill with various points/scutch/bolsters. Next step would be to cut slots with an angle grinder and hammer out the remaining tile in between.
THE QUESTION(s):
Do I need to lift the tiles? If not, can I tile straight on top, or levelling of some sort in between, and/or decoupling membrane in between?
Is this a job best left to the professionals? I’m quite handy, but I know it would take me weeks to get anything done, and it could be hours/days for a pro.
Any recommmendations on who would be good to do this? I’m SE London / NW Kent area.
Too long/didn’t read:
I’ve got a hard to lift crumbly tile floor over wet underfloor heating. Do I need to lift the old floor before adding new tiles?
