Tiles falling off

[Sanke]

Hi all
Been to a look at a property that we manage tonight. The bathroom had been tiled about a year ago but the tiles in one area have started to come away from the wall. The adhesive has gone all watery as if it is new but very wet mix. The area concerned is on the chimney stack.
The tiler that did the work (before I got involved) insists that the problem has been caused by condensation but I don't buy that as surely the wall should withstand water etc from a shower. How would condensation get behind the tiles & debond them from the wall ?????????

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Must be ready mixed adhesive from a tub and a porcelain tile - tell me I am right!

 

[Sanke]

Sorry John Ceramic tile Cant tell you if right or wrong about adhesive though

 

[Deleted member 9966]

is the chimney sealed at the top or still open? i'm just wondering if condensation/moisture is building up inside the chimney itself i.e. behind the wall that the tiles are on.

 

[Sanke]

That's a possibility Going back on Thursday to get in the loft above

 

[Stef]

Must be ready mixed adhesive from a tub and a porcelain tile - tell me I am right!

Sounds like its a D1 tubbed adhesive & there is moisture getting into it.
I would hazard a guess that if it had been done with a powder or even a D2 tubbed it wouldn't have happened.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Sorry John Ceramic tile Cant tell you if right or wrong about adhesive though

But your tiler can!
Any professional tiler would stand by his work within such a short period of time. If he can identify the problem now he should have know it's outcome when he did it. Insist he rectifies the problem at his own expense.

 

[Chalker]

Looks like bucket adhesive has been used!
If powder adhesive had been used the tiles would probably still be ok. But there is still a damp problem behind the tiles that needs sorting out.

 

[Andy Allen]

what size are the tiles..?

 

[beanz]

But your tiler can!
Any professional tiler would stand by his work within such a short period of time. If he can identify the problem now he should have know it's outcome when he did it. Insist he rectifies the problem at his own expense.

I'm not so sure!?! The lead flashing may have failed on the chimney stack, and water is running down the wall. Or it could be condensation, as he's said...
If its a wet area, then I'd agree, as he shouldn't have used tubbed gear in a wet area anyway.

 

[Qwerty]

Yep, sounds like tubbed addy is the issue

 

[Time's Ran Out]

I'm not so sure!?! The lead flashing may have failed on the chimney stack, and water is running down the wall. Or it could be condensation, as he's said...
If its a wet area, then I'd agree, as he shouldn't have used tubbed gear in a wet area anyway.

I am sure the property owner would notice if the lead flashing has failed and water was running down the wall - but we are asked to give advice with only bits of information and a lot of guessing so it's possible that there isn't even a roof on the building!
At the end of the day the chimney may be a red herring and it's water ingres through the joints where the grout has cracked, he may have tiled onto emulsion and this is the result of the drying out or ............

 

[beanz]

I am sure the property owner would notice if the lead flashing has failed and water was running down the wall - but we are asked to give advice with only bits of information and a lot of guessing so it's possible that there isn't even a roof on the building!
At the end of the day the chimney may be a red herring and it's water ingres through the joints where the grout has cracked, he may have tiled onto emulsion and this is the result of the drying out or ............

Ooooookay.. The affected area is the chimney breast. No mention of this being in a wet area. If the tiler thinks it must be condensation, i would assume, it's because it's not in a wet area, yet the adhesive is getting wet. I'd say the tiler is trying to make an educated guess. It's very easy to say its the tilers fault, but at the moment, I don't see anything that suggests this. Like you say, not enough information here to start making accusations.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Hi all
The tiler that did the work (before I got involved) insists that the problem has been caused by condensation but I don't buy that as surely the wall should withstand water etc from a shower.


The Op stated a shower area.
Would suggest tiler is making an educated excuse!

 

[AliGage]

Chimney breast? My money is on GRR synopsis

 

[White Room]

During the heavy rain quite a few people were having problems with moisture getting through the brickwork causing some damp problem from internal chimney stacks.

 

[Dougs Third Go]

is the chimney stack vented, top and bottom?

 

[widler]

Im with whitebeam, rain has been that heavy these last few months it will of got up a fishes backside.
Id put money of slates/flashing, water running behind tiles .

 

[Sanke]

Hi all
Firstly thanks for all your replies & opinions
The chimney breast is the opposite side of the bathroom to the shower. Thee point I was trying to make is that on a shower the water is directly on to a tile with little or no detrimental effect so had could condensation on the surface of the tile cause to to fall of f the wall
The residue from the tile was like tubbed adhesive mixed with water & tiled directly onto cinder concrete blocks (so will use a rapid set when refixing tiles)
When I revisited & got onto loft above the bathroom you can see daylight from behind the stack Also two large cracks in the external render & a missing tile So I think we can resolve the issue
Thanks again for all you advice

 

[Time's Ran Out]

So I was right - it wasn't the tilers fault!

 

[beanz]

So I was right - it wasn't the tilers fault!

Hehe! Indeed you were sir!