Travertine shower tray

[stonegallery]

Hi

we have installed numerous travertine shower trays with success , however ... Recently after a year or so i have had people coming back to us saying they have cracked ??? ... They have always been solid bed fixed with white flexi and we have used ditra matting too as an extra precaution ... Anyone have any ideas why this is happening ??????

Also has anyone had problems with marble that is backed with a glued mesh ?? These seem to fail alot ? Especially when used with underfloor heating ...

Be greatful if anyone has any ideas ????

 

[Gazzer]

Yes but what is the substrate you are laying the ditra to ?

 

[stonegallery]

it was a screed that is anhydrate , which we waited for the correct drying time and then did a damp test , then sanded the top , primed with pr360 by weber both directions untill no more is taken in.

 

[Gazzer]

Have you investigated any movement in the substrates ?

If no movement then surely duff trays ?

 

[Gazzer]

As for the mesh on marble. My way of thinking is that it is there to add strength from the brittle nature of the stone. Now how this mesh is attached is another thing ? do they glue the back of the stone and then lay the mesh on or is the mesh glued and then laid on?
If it is the first option then surely the whole back of the stone has a layer of glue.....now when the UFH comes on , does the heat affect the glue. Plus surely the tile adhesive is sticking to the glue and not the stone ?? I am sure someone here has a better answer though.

 

[stonegallery]

i cant work this one out , solid slab that isnt heated , as far as im concerned i reckon we have done everything perfectly , as its a new build i can only put it down to settlement within the actual building ???

 

[stonegallery]

thats my thoughts too !! im sure the glue warms then goes tacky hence the delamination !! nobody seems to have the answer iv spoken to in the indusrty , never had the problems with x7 or s16 and a slosh of 90 !!

i guess the way forward is to remove the backing however this is an utter
:incazzato:

 

[Gazzer]

Even removing the mesh, are you removing the glue....if that is what is causing the issue ?

 

[AliGage]

Can you show us a picture of the shower tray, cracked etc.

I have the same opinion on the mesh/glue as Neal. I think how some of these are produced is, tiles put face down, mesh dipped in glue, and laid on. I've seen mosaic sheetsjust fall to pieces simply by picking them up. Makes me wonder if the back of the stone is clean and dust free before applying.

 

[afright]

I ordered 90 m2 mosaic to do a pool in 2006 its for a chap I do lot of pubs for,there was a lot of work to be done before I started any tiling,but he has never got round to having it tile all the mosaic is stacked along side the pool not even covered up its been there for 6 years and the mosaic is still stuck to the mesh.

 

[stonegallery]

the mosaics do fall off the mesh when cold or wet , depends on the backing itself as some are glued , we need to bare in mind the amount of differant factorys and non of us know what glues are being used ,