Tub adhesive for Porcelain 600*300 tiles

[devmanoj]

My builder who is doing the bathroom (he claims he has been doing bathroom for 40yrs) requested me to buy 15kg Tub tile adhesive (after seeing the tiles) instead of the powder ones.

As per his request I bought the tubs which are costlier than the bags. I bought 8 tubs as per his request (one tub covers approx 8 square metres) My bathroom is 20 square metres. He has used 3 times more than recommended.

Now I came to know tubs are not good for larger tiles. What should I do…? Tiling is half done. I think he wanted to finish the job quickly hence using the tubs instead of powder.
What can I do? If the tiles look alraight for first 4 weeks, can I assume it will be ok for the rest of the life? or is there a chance that it could fall off in years time?

Please help.
thanks

 

[Gazzer]

What size tile and what are they made of ? ceramic ? Porcelain ?

 

[devmanoj]

size 600 * 300
Porcelain

 

[Gazzer]

There are adhesive manufacturers that claim that large format can be fixed with their tubbed adhesives but its not something I am happy with plus if he is using too much adhesive then he has excceded the amount specified.
You should not bed out with these adhesives.

What make was it ?

 

[devmanoj]

There are adhesive manufacturers that claim that large format can be fixed with their tubbed adhesives but its not something I am happy with plus if he is using too much adhesive then he has excceded the amount specified.
You should not bed out with these adhesives.

What make was it ?

On the Tub it says it's not suitable for Porcelain and ideal for 300*300
It's Mapei shower proof tubs

 

[Gazzer]

Well there you have your answer !

 

[devmanoj]

but is there a risk. it's too late to change the tiles. can they fall off in few years if they don't in next couple of weeks?

 

[ianflem]

600 x 300 porcelain with tubbed addy ! NO :yikes:

Tubbed adhesive usually states max tile size on tub...Have a look see what it state's !

He should be using cement based addy for porc's..What is the substrate..Plasterboard,Skimmed walls ?

 

[Dan]

Yeah I'm with Sir Ramic here. You need a decent cement based adhesive and one that will fix porcelain (as not all will be as good as the proper ones - Porcelain doesn't soak in water very well so it has to cure differently compared to stone or whatever).

 

[cam_low]

Using tubbed adhesive is not advised for large format tiles. Especially heavy porcelain tiles.

You will not find any tilers on this forum using tubbed adhesive for the fixing of porcelain.

Why is the builder not getting the materials himself. Are you paying £10/£15 per tub ? I would like to see a bucket of tubbed adhesive that will give 8m2 coverage. More like 2m2 on the required 10x10cm notched trowel I would be using to fix a 600x300 tile.

I guarantee all my work. Does he ? Are you happy with the quality of his tiling ? cuts ? tile lippage ? setting out?

Sounds to me the start of another bad times thread.

 

[Dan]

My builder who is doing the bathroom (he claims he has been doing bathroom for 40yrs) requested me to buy 15kg Tub tile adhesive (after seeing the tiles) instead of the powder ones.

As per his request I bought the tubs which are costlier than the bags. I bought 8 tubs as per his request (one tub covers approx 8 square metres) My bathroom is 20 square metres. He has used 3 times more than recommended.

Now I came to know tubs are not good for larger tiles. What should I do…? Tiling is half done. I think he wanted to finish the job quickly hence using the tubs instead of powder.
What can I do? If the tiles look alraight for first 4 weeks, can I assume it will be ok for the rest of the life? or is there a chance that it could fall off in years time?

Please help.
thanks

That's a long time to do a bathroom too. You sure he knows what he's doing?

(messing!!)

 

[devmanoj]

it's a skimmed wall.

600 x 300 porcelain with tubbed addy ! NO :yikes:

Tubbed adhesive usually states max tile size on tub...Have a look see what it state's !

He should be using cement based addy for porc's..What is the substrate..Plasterboard,Skimmed walls ?

 

[devmanoj]

Howlong do you provide guarantee?
Yeah he says he can guarantee.
Should I get it in writing? And do you think if it does not fall off next few days it could fall off in
a years time?

Using tubbed adhesive is not advised for large format tiles. Especially heavy porcelain tiles.

You will not find any tilers on this forum using tubbed adhesive for the fixing of porcelain.

Why is the builder not getting the materials himself. Are you paying £10/£15 per tub ? I would like to see a bucket of tubbed adhesive that will give 8m2 coverage. More like 2m2 on the required 10x10cm notched trowel I would be using to fix a 600x300 tile.

I guarantee all my work. Does he ? Are you happy with the quality of his tiling ? cuts ? tile lippage ? setting out?

Sounds to me the start of another bad times thread.

 

[Gazzer]

If he has used that much adhesive it will never fully dry , at best it will "crust " over. The adhesive would need air to get to it to dry , that swhy you dont fix large format or grout before adhesive has set.
Too expalin it more simply, Open a bucket of adhesive and leave open for a week......go back and I bet the top of the adhesive will have a crust and a few mm below wil be perfect !......Its all wrong and I bet I could come into that bathroom in six months time and remove all the tiles with a paint scraper.

 

[Dan]

It's the drying as said in the thread already. It will take too long to cure and shrink.
Tubbed adhesive dries by evaporation and soaking into the tile and wall. Porcelain on it's own even small tiles don't soak in well enough for it to bond. And then a massive porcelain just triples the problem.

It would suggest he's done it to make the job slightly quicker to do. And perhaps a lot cheaper.

A genuine wall and floor tiler who is qualified wouldn't dream of using tubbed adhesive on large-format tiles, let alone porcelain ones.

Also plaster skimming takes 20kg per square meter. I'd also check the total weight of tiles, adhesive, grout etc. As it could be over.

 

[cam_low]

Ive just laid 26m2 marble floor and I said, jokingly that by the time the guy turns 50 it will still be in a1 condition. (bar the need for a professional clean once in a while)
So going off that I just guaranteed it for 22 years !

 

[cam_low]

Is he using a notched trowel or is he blobbing (dot n dabbing) the tiles ?

Are you happy with the quality of the tiling ?

 

[ianflem]

Below is a pic of 600 x 300 glazed porcelain that had been bodged,Look to the left of the pic and you will see adhesive on the wall,
all these tiles could be removed very easily because they had been stuck with tubbed addy and it hadn't dried ! Full bathroom was redone, the only bonus was that customers tiles were saved because the addy was still wet...As Sir Ramic said it wont dry.

 

[devmanoj]

Is he using a notched trowel or is he blobbing (dot n dabbing) the tiles ?

Are you happy with the quality of the tiling ?

The tiling looks ok....my worry is that it shoudl not fall off.

Do you suggest to stop the work adn remove the tiles and use correct adhesive (prob 75% of tiling is already done).

or can I take the risk and leave them as it is?

 

[devmanoj]

thanks for the guys.
when did the customer had to redo the tiles? was it fresh bcos the incorrect tiling was done very recently?

Below is a pic of 600 x 300 glazed porcelain that had been bodged,Look to the left of the pic and you will see adhesive on the wall,
all these tiles could be removed very easily because they had been stuck with tubbed addy and it hadn't dried ! Full bathroom was redone, the only bonus was that customers tiles were saved because the addy was still wet...As Sir Ramic said it wont dry.
View attachment 54482

 

[Gazzer]

It could fail at anytime...I wouldnt fancy being in the bath if a tile falls off !

 

[cam_low]

im not one for scaremongering however it states that the adhesive is not suitable, it will never dry and I'm not a psychic.

You are the one that has to pay the guy.

The tiles will all come off and clean up well, any stubborn ones give them a soak in water.

So the only money you will lose is for for the tubbed addy which could rightly be taken off the final bill however I guess this will cause arguments. On a lighter note if you get a trade price on 5-6 bags of a powdered porcelbond adhesive you will be happy in the knowledge that they will stick to the wall for a long long time.

As a well known member once said, builders build, tillers tile.

 

[Del W]

All the relervent points have been mentioned. No way would I used ready mixed for those tiles.

 

[peteablard]

The tiling looks ok....my worry is that it shoudl not fall off.

Do you suggest to stop the work adn remove the tiles and use correct adhesive (prob 75% of tiling is already done).

or can I take the risk and leave them as it is?

Are you seriously willing to risk it after all the replies you've read?

 

[AliGage]

I've jumped to reply at the start of page 2 so sorry if I've missed anything.....but

Does this really need to get to 3 pages long! Youre asking will the tiles fall off in a couple of years? To be honest, who the hell knows what will happen, point to he made is IF they do, what can be done!

Bottom line your Builder can not guarantee anything, all he is giving you is words. Mapei won't do anything if they do because you've not used it correctly or followed the instructions/recommendations clearly printed on the side if the tub.
Your builder will no doubt of scarpered, changed trading names because he's been putting peoples toes at risk for 40 years and someone has finally decided to sue him.

You've read the tub, know the score, now stop the muppet and ask him to start again and do it properly. Or get someone professional in to do it.