Tiling onto existing tiles

[Paul Cockhill]

Hi

This is my first post. I am a plumber by trade but have done quite a bit of tiling and have attended a number of courses. I am about to start a job where the client would like me to tile over the existing tiles. This I believe is not a problem as long as the existing tiles are clean and sound?

The client is going to B and Q for standard 150mm x 150mm white tiles. He is also getting the grout and adhesive.

Any recommendations onto what type of adhesive to get?

What is best to clean the existing tiles with?

Should I score the existing tiles?

Any advice greatly appreciated

regards

Paul

 

[nybor62]

imo its not good practice to over tile, and i would not do it

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Paul - most tiles sound well fixed until you remove one, then they drop of!
Most adhesive manufacturers make an adhesive for tile on tile and you may not have an issue with 150mm tiles other than allowing the adhesive to dry longer before grouting.
The best advice would be to remove the old tiling first and remember the weight limits for tiling onto plaster walls -22 kg/metre for skimmed plaster.

 

[AliGage]

I've never tiled over tiles, and personally would sooner turn a job down than do it. The way i see it i guarantee my work if i don't know what i'm tiling over.

150x150 tiles you're describing are awlful to work with, they're thin, and weak. fixing these over exsisting tiles i would not recommend at all. You'll waste more than you fix.

Sounds to me like your customer is after a very very cheap job to me. My advise if he/she/they were my customer is save some more money and do the job right.

 

[JRCCR]

Ive never tiled over tiles and I will never do it. I know it can be done but, id rather not. Not worth the hassle if any problems occur (even through no fault of your own) tell the customer to have them removed first. Doing a cheap naf job will always require it being done again!

 

[tfs]

Providing they are well bonded to the wall you can degrease the surface and use a suitable adhesive prefferably something along the lines of kerraquick rather than tubbed stuff.

Its not ideal but it has been done before. As suggested already, I would try and talk the customer into removing all tiles and resheeting if required.


In my experience the 150x150 tiles are not too bad to work with other than taking longer to fix due to the size. I have found them to be good for cheap tiles actualy in terms of equal sizing at least.

It sounds like a cheap and nasty job to be perfectly honest mate, but every customer has thier own budget in mind.

My advice to you would be to maintain integrity with your standard of fitting regardless of the tiles you are working with. The higher your standards are the better your reputation is going to be mate.

There are many guys trying to multi trade just now, and too many are taking on tiling jobs out of there depth. Set yourself appart from these guys and do the job right and to the best of your abilty every time. That would be my advice to someone who is aiming to become a competent tiler.

 

[Paul Cockhill]

Hi Everyone

Many thanks for all your messages. You have all confirmed my initial feeling that although it can be done, it might not be a very good job. What is strange is that I had already quoted to take off the old tiles and fir the new ones, so it seems strange that he asked me to tile over.

I am going to suggest that I strip the old ones out and retile

regards

paul

 

[charlie1]

With 6x6's I doubt weight will be an issue but your best to remove. Trust me mate, put in the extra work and persuade the customer to remove, you will sleep better at night knowing the integrity of your work is as good as it should be! Remove, reboard if needed, prime and tile then when its all finished you will feel great!

 

[Paul Cockhill]

Thanks Charlie

You and right, I feel better about it already, will definately retile

Many thanks to you and all who replied

Paul

 

[Del W]

For anyone thinking of tiling on tile.The size of the tile is not important.Its the weight per sqm that counts.
Plasterboard with a plaster skim plus 8mm ceramic plus addy plus grout,thats around the limit. Do you want to double it ?