DIY Help

[borris-bear]

I have just bought my first house and am in the process of renovating it.

I am tiling both the kitchen and bathroom floors, they're both currently just floorboards. I have been recommended to put down some marine plyboard on top of the floorboards before i tile to stop the tiles cracking. However nowhere i've tried so far sells marine plyboard (which i assume is waterproof?) can i use normal plyboard and then waterproof it myself with some sort of paint on water proofer?

thanks for any help.

[Nevin]

borris-bear said:

I have just bought my first house and am in the process of renovating it. I am tiling both the kitchen and bathroom floors, they're both currently just floorboards. I have been recommended to put down some marine plyboard on top of the floorboards before i tile to stop the tiles cracking. However nowhere i've tried so far sells marine plyboard (which i assume is waterproof?) can i use normal plyboard and then waterproof it myself with some sort of paint on water proofer? thanks for any help.

Marine ply is heavier and stronger as well. Timber merchants should have it.

[towman]

Marine ply is recommended as it will not swell if they get damp. Not sure about waterproofing your own boards though. I`d be tempted to use hardboard with a good coating of unibond. (But then I`m effing useless at DIY).

[RossMac]

unless you plan having inches of water on the floor, go with normal ply & insulation boards (get them from your usual suspects).

Unibond if you want

[marcos maniac]

borris-bear said:

I have just bought my first house and am in the process of renovating it. I have been recommended to put down some marine plyboard on top of the floorboards before i tile to stop the tiles cracking. However nowhere i've tried so far sells marine plyboard (which i assume is waterproof?) thanks for any help.

WICKES sell it

WBP (exterior) ply

IIRC it is marked on the edge with an orange and green stripe

[shirley temple]

If you are tiling onto floor boards, then firstly ensure the floor is clear of 'lumps' like plaster or thick paint blobs, ensure all nail heads or screws are below the level of the surface. Over lay the floor with hardboard, not ply(ply is too thick), use the largest size of sheets you can. this needs to be soaked first, then nailed down, when dry (a day or so) you can tile it, use waterproof tile adhesive.if there are any joins in the boards, ensure that they are at 90 degrees to the floor boards where possible or at least centered on a board. when laying out the tiles, ensure a the board joints are under the center of a tile.
on a concrete floor, just esure it is level and free of dirt, dust and lumps. use a self levelling floor mix if needed first. Paint the concrete with pva solution before tiling, again use floor tile adhesive.

I've done this a few times now, the reason for wetting the boards first is so that they shrink and are 'taut' when nailed down.
I got this info from a prehistoric readers digest diy bible of my dads!!

Have fun!
Mark

[mybrainhurts]

shirley temple said:

...Have fun!...

Bollox to that, it's bloody 'ard work....

Don't leave a gap between tiles and skirting....I learned the hard way....it looks daft.

[mybrainhurts]

towman said:

Here's some advice......... (But then I`m effing useless at DIY).

You inspire confidence, Mr towman......


thinking about a spot of brain surgery on a traffic warden when the weather picks up.....any tips?

[shirley temple]

skirting/tile gaps should be filled with a bead of silicone, to allow for expansion, I should have added that door frames should be cut back to allow the tiles to go under and skirting should be fitted after tiling, suffering from Malt poisoning here!! see the thread I have posted for why!

Mark

[mrmaggit]

Marine ply is used for boatbuilding. The specification for this is high, and governs the amount of fill allowable on the inner ply sheets.

For domestic use, you should be using Far Eastern (FE) WBP (water and boil proof) Ply.

Do not use standard or sheathing/shuttering ply. The adhesive used is not up to the job, and the ply will de-laminate.

Be sure to use an adhesive suitable for tiling onto wood, as this will have a latex additive to allow for movement. As with all tiling, the grouting is the most critical job. If the water gets through the grout, you'll have problems, ending up with having to do the whole thing again.

HTH

[jimothy]

B&Q sell a DIY book. Bit like the above mentioned Readers Digest, but it mentions all the new tools and materials. My Dad's been doing DIY for years and even he's impressed with it. Tells you how to do everything and you can get all the stuff in your local B&Q.

Well worth the investment IMHO.

[plug]

mrmaggit said:

Marine ply is used for boatbuilding. The specification for this is high, and governs the amount of fill allowable on the inner ply sheets. For domestic use, you should be using Far Eastern (FE) WBP (water and boil proof) Ply. Do not use standard or sheathing/shuttering ply. The adhesive used is not up to the job, and the ply will de-laminate. Be sure to use an adhesive suitable for tiling onto wood, as this will have a latex additive to allow for movement. As with all tiling, the grouting is the most critical job. If the water gets through the grout, you'll have problems, ending up with having to do the whole thing again. HTH

What he said, plus you can buy the latex additive seperate to add to the adhesive AND THE GROUT and mix it in. Also it is recomended to coat the ply (which is fixed to the floor every six inches with screws) with unibond sealer. I have done this loads of times before and am currently laying my kitchen floor the same way. I am a carpenter/builder by the way.

>> Edited by plug on Monday 10th January 09:28