wooden floor problem

[marty13]

I have recently tiled a new wooden floor spec as follows
new joists set at 300mm centres then over boarded with 18mm wpb ply fixed with 50mm screws every 200mm.
The tile is 450 sq ceramic supplied by Topps, I used their rapid set flexi adhesive spread with a 10mm notched trowel, advised by them not to prime the ply.
Two weeks later one of the tiles loosened, so i revisited site and with a scraper under the tile edge was able to lift the tiles with no effort, some have a good spread adhesive over the back, the floor is also evenly covered. the adhesive does not seem to be very hard ie is easily scraped off both the tile and the floor. Whats gone wrong? Whats the best way to rectify.

 

[Rad2474]

I would have primed it to be on the safe side i've never had any problems with primed ply but i'm sure someone else here will be able to explain.

 

[doug boardley]

I'd get a test done on the addy, esp if it's scraped easily off the tile as well,:ninja:

 

[DHTiling]

I heard of a similar job a few weeks back...a bad batch of palace adhesives ( flexi) that wasn't setting after about a week......
It sounds like a cal out to me...hope you have better luck with palace technical than this other customer had....he couldn't get them to come out....and topps wouldn't take the blame either..( apparantly) ...

 

[Daz]

I always prime as a matter of course.
That said....It does sound like an addy problem to me.

I had a conservatory back in July where I used EverBuild addy. Used 3 bags to fix all the tiles but when I stood on the first few tiles that I had fixed they were not set after 4 hours (rapid set). Dug up the "dodgy" ones and had to re-set as it wasn't worth the hassle of getting the manufacturer out, but all other tiles were fine and the re-set tiles were good when I used another bag of addy.

How old was the bag that you used?

 

[marty13]

Thanks for that thought it was something I was doing wrong, the adhesive was bought at the same time as the tiles about 2 weeks ago. has any body else had a problem with this adhesive.How can I get the adhesive tested?

 

[doug boardley]

Thanks for that thought it was something I was doing wrong, the adhesive was bought at the same time as the tiles about 2 weeks ago. has any body else had a problem with this adhesive.How can I get the adhesive tested?

there should be a tech dept on bag of adhesive, give them a ring and tell them, if they pooh pooh it, tell them to look at forum responses!

 

[oldgit]

just my two bobs worth,but for me you must use 2pt on any wooden floor.
im really surprised that the addy firms still say sp is ok,i have not used sp flexi ever on a wooden floor,although many many years ago i used to use rapid with an additive,but there is no way it is even 30% as good as 2pt IMO,AND TOPPS DO A 2PT FOR ABOUT £25 its not the best but still better than sp.

 

[doug boardley]

just my two bobs worth,but for me you must use 2pt on any wooden floor.
im really surprised that the addy firms still say sp is ok,i have not used sp flexi ever on a wooden floor,although many many years ago i used to use rapid with an additive,but there is no way it is even 30% as good as 2pt IMO,AND TOPPS DO A 2PT FOR ABOUT £25 its not the best but still better than sp.

never had a problem myself with spf on ply, as long as it's been well screwed with minimal deflection

 

[marty13]

My customer has been back to Topps, there response was to say the ply must be contaminated ! Allthough they have asked for the batch number of the adhesive.

 

[White Room]

Suprise Surprise marty, It's the ply now:whatchutalkingabout

 

[Perry]

just my two bobs worth,but for me you must use 2pt on any wooden floor.
im really surprised that the addy firms still say sp is ok,i have not used sp flexi ever on a wooden floor,although many many years ago i used to use rapid with an additive,but there is no way it is even 30% as good as 2pt IMO,AND TOPPS DO A 2PT FOR ABOUT £25 its not the best but still better than sp.

how would you get on fixing large format tiles with it ? the cost and bed thickness would be a problem surely ete

 

[oldgit]

the 10mm trowel you used would be fine with any 2 pt,yes it would cost more you would maybe get 4mts from the topps 2pt,but you/they have spent plenty preparing the floor where as less money has been allocated on the addy
if the floor was dead flat,which it should be you could easily have used an 8mm trowel and back butter.
its easier to get 8mm of addy to stand up than it is with 10mm unless you knock it up well stiff which imo makes the addy less sticky so you have to back butter anyway.
im not saying this floor was done wrong,im only stating how i would have done it.

 

[Grace'sDad]

I always thought it was better to use a tipped trowel with 2 part?

 

[oldgit]

I always thought it was better to use a tipped trowel with 2 part?

to be honest i go with what i know to work sometimes rather than an adhesive company just trying to sell more gear than required,i know many here disagree and say 30 year tilers are stuck in the past,but i believe much of what is taught now is well over the top,having said that i believe using sp on wood is asking for problems and i cant believe addy companies even say its ok for anything wood especially over anything over 4mts.