Floor Tiles - Bathroom
Discussion
I'm in the process of redecorating the bathroom (well my dad is and I'm directing). I currently have horrid lamiate flooring and this is laid over chipboard. I am wanting ceramic/ porcelain tiles to go on the floor but am confused on the chipboard bit.
Everywhere I read says to use aquapanel on the floor but this needs adhesive under it to fix and from what I've read this can't be put onto chipboard as it becomes soggy. The floor hardly gets wet and am wondering if aquapanel is really needed. Could we just screw the chipboard to the joists +++ and then put exterior ply (9mm) over the chipboard and tile on this?
If not, do we need to put ply under the aqaupanel and if not can we apply adhesive to chipboard. The floor is only about 1.5mx1.5m
Thanks
Everywhere I read says to use aquapanel on the floor but this needs adhesive under it to fix and from what I've read this can't be put onto chipboard as it becomes soggy. The floor hardly gets wet and am wondering if aquapanel is really needed. Could we just screw the chipboard to the joists +++ and then put exterior ply (9mm) over the chipboard and tile on this?
If not, do we need to put ply under the aqaupanel and if not can we apply adhesive to chipboard. The floor is only about 1.5mx1.5m
Thanks
I saw aqua-panel in Selco builders merchant, I've used the wall one in the past which is 12mm thick. The floor one is only 6mm, so obviously has to go over an existing floor, but what would you use to glue it down? Wouldn't be happy to just screw it down.
OP, if you dont want the extra height of the ply, could you take up the chipboard just in the area you want to tile, then replace it with a decent grade, marine possibly, of plywood?
OP, if you dont want the extra height of the ply, could you take up the chipboard just in the area you want to tile, then replace it with a decent grade, marine possibly, of plywood?
mgtony said:
I saw aqua-panel in Selco builders merchant, I've used the wall one in the past which is 12mm thick. The floor one is only 6mm, so obviously has to go over an existing floor, but what would you use to glue it down? Wouldn't be happy to just screw it down.
OP, if you dont want the extra height of the ply, could you take up the chipboard just in the area you want to tile, then replace it with a decent grade, marine possibly, of plywood?
The aquapanel advice is to use a cement based tile adhesive to fix to the original floor, but I don't think I could do this straight on top of chipboard. OP, if you dont want the extra height of the ply, could you take up the chipboard just in the area you want to tile, then replace it with a decent grade, marine possibly, of plywood?
Can deal with the height of ply (9mm exterior ply) as this would equate to the aquapanel and adhesive but couldn't deal with the aquapanel and ply as wanting to keep the original toilet and don't think the waste can be lifted too much.
I've successfully used BAL's flexible tile adhesive to tile directly onto the usual chipboard floor a few times in the past. I then used a flexible additive in the grout and haven't suffered from cracks. I probably wouldn't rely on it if it needed to be absolutely water-tight like in a wet room but as I say, I've never had a problem.
BAL's range has changed since I last bought it but it was something like this:
http://www.toppstiles.co.uk/tprod2939/section172/B...
The main caveat on the flexible adhesive I used to use was that it went far less far than they claimed and so the job ended up seriously expensive. Better than having a step in the floor due to a plywood addition though IMO.
I have vague recollections that I used Fired Earth flexible grout additive but can't see it on their website.
BAL's range has changed since I last bought it but it was something like this:
http://www.toppstiles.co.uk/tprod2939/section172/B...
The main caveat on the flexible adhesive I used to use was that it went far less far than they claimed and so the job ended up seriously expensive. Better than having a step in the floor due to a plywood addition though IMO.
I have vague recollections that I used Fired Earth flexible grout additive but can't see it on their website.
We normally put (non marine) ply over floorboards and screw down every 8" or so as you don't want the floor to move. We then have this tiled over. I don't see why you can't do the same for a chipboard floor. The trick is to go OTT on making sure that the floor doesn't move, as once it's tiled, if the floor moves, the grout tends to crack and you're buggered.
If the tilings good and the grout is waterproof, then water shouldn't get through, so there is no need for a waterproof floor under the tiles. This also applies for walls, be it in a shower or not. If the tilings good, water won't get through.
Often we take tiles off plasterboard walls with no sign of water having gotten through.
If the tilings good and the grout is waterproof, then water shouldn't get through, so there is no need for a waterproof floor under the tiles. This also applies for walls, be it in a shower or not. If the tilings good, water won't get through.
Often we take tiles off plasterboard walls with no sign of water having gotten through.
Gingerbread Man said:
We normally put (non marine) ply over floorboards and screw down every 8" or so as you don't want the floor to move. We then have this tiled over. I don't see why you can't do the same for a chipboard floor. The trick is to go OTT on making sure that the floor doesn't move, as once it's tiled, if the floor moves, the grout tends to crack and you're buggered.
If the tilings good and the grout is waterproof, then water shouldn't get through, so there is no need for a waterproof floor under the tiles. This also applies for walls, be it in a shower or not. If the tilings good, water won't get through.
Often we take tiles off plasterboard walls with no sign of water having gotten through.
Thanks GBM think this is probably the way that we'll go. Guessing that flexible adhesive and flexible grout will help with any slight movement in the floor but it will be screwed within an inch of it's life.If the tilings good and the grout is waterproof, then water shouldn't get through, so there is no need for a waterproof floor under the tiles. This also applies for walls, be it in a shower or not. If the tilings good, water won't get through.
Often we take tiles off plasterboard walls with no sign of water having gotten through.
Gingerbread Man said:
We normally put (non marine) ply over floorboards and screw down every 8" or so as you don't want the floor to move. We then have this tiled over. I don't see why you can't do the same for a chipboard floor. The trick is to go OTT on making sure that the floor doesn't move, as once it's tiled, if the floor moves, the grout tends to crack and you're buggered.
If the tilings good and the grout is waterproof, then water shouldn't get through, so there is no need for a waterproof floor under the tiles. This also applies for walls, be it in a shower or not. If the tilings good, water won't get through.
Often we take tiles off plasterboard walls with no sign of water having gotten through.
Can I ask why not to use marine ply ? thanksIf the tilings good and the grout is waterproof, then water shouldn't get through, so there is no need for a waterproof floor under the tiles. This also applies for walls, be it in a shower or not. If the tilings good, water won't get through.
Often we take tiles off plasterboard walls with no sign of water having gotten through.
I was wondering that as well! Marine ply is much superior for a bathroom floor. Any water on normal ply will make it expand like billy-oh.
Having good quality, well laid tiles on the floor and walls should be long lasting but it is important to have the structure right in the first place in order to ensure the job is done only once.
Having good quality, well laid tiles on the floor and walls should be long lasting but it is important to have the structure right in the first place in order to ensure the job is done only once.
Gingerbread Man said:
The trick is to go OTT on making sure that the floor doesn't move, as once it's tiled, if the floor moves, the grout tends to crack and you're buggered.
This - I noticed some of my floor tiles had started moving a little in the bathroom lately, especially near the doorway. Whatever was between the tiles was breaking up and jabbing into bare toes too.Now one slightly over-filled bath (oops) has completely separated three or four tiles from the floor and I am going to have to excavate the lot to find out what went wrong and, I suspect, re-lay the whole floor.
K77 CTR said:
Am I wrong in planning on using exterior ply then?
No, you're not.We are always getting people coming in asking for marine ply for building. You can use it for building, sure, building boats. That's what it's designed for. The plys are continuous, with no allowance for filler in knot holes or shakes, which is why it's so expensive.
WBP Ply (Weather and Boil Proof) is the ply you should be using, unless your bathroom is going to float down the river. It has the same external ply as marine, the same glue, but the inner ply is allowed to have a percentage of filler for knot holes and shakes. It is much cheaper but is sufficient for all building work, although it's a bit expensive to use for shuttering!
Usually it's 9mm or 12mm that we supply for tiling onto, and has been said earlier in the thread, it's the grout that does the waterproofing, so this is, in some ways, the most important part. That and getting a good seal around the edge of the bath and shower trays!
Aquapanel and Hydropanel are there as a "back-up" although they should always be used in commercial applications, and are becoming more popular on dometic jobs. They give a "peace of mind" if you doubt any of the trades coming after.
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff