Tiling SOS!

scobie · Post by **scobie** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:12 am

I have recently tiled my bathroom floor with fairly large tiles & was very pleased with myself until I noticed the grout cracking & small movement of a few tiles. I had tiled straight on top of laminate flooring without securing the flooring to the floorboards (I know...)

I'm sure there's eye-rolling & finger wagging at my stupidity (I'm new to this) but my question is, can / should I re-tile on top of the existing tiles (obviously changeing the layout so tiles overlap)? Or should I rip the whole thing up & start again?

The movement is tiny / almost imperceptible so I hoped that I could tile on top of the existing tiles, but I don't want to botch the job for a second time! Your expert advice welcomed please (go easy on me, I'm new to DIY!)

leebwk · Post by **leebwk** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:23 am

Hi,

If the laminate was laid correctly then this too will be laid upon an underlay insulation which will create movement, i would have definately removed the laminate and underlay then overboarded with ply

mikew1972 · Post by **mikew1972** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:29 am

At least it should be quite easy to lift the tiles you have laid by lifting the laminate with tiles still attached.
Tiles on top of tiles on top of laminate on top of underlay you would have quite a step up into the bathroom apart from anything else.

scobie · Post by **scobie** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:59 am

Thanks for the advice. Back to the drawing board.....what thickness ply would you recommend? Guidance around nailing / screwing it to the floorboards would also be helpful (ie nail every x mm)

Thanks again.

mikew1972 · Post by **mikew1972** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:01 am

I assume its floor boards underneath?

can-i-tile-over-floorboards-t169.html

manchestertiling · Post by **manchestertiling** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 12:24 pm

IMO Scobie lift all the tiles, rip out the laminate & underlay. This will probably reveal the floorboards. They should be checked first & securely fixed.

Overboard with 18mm ply screwed at 300mm centres, this may create quite a step at the entrance to your bathroom, if so you could take out the floorboards & board with 25mm ply straight to the joists, again fixing at 300mm centres.

Use a quality powdered flexible adhesive when laying & finish again with a quality flexible grout.

handyman · Post by **handyman** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:13 pm

If removing floor, noggin the joists to provide more rigidity.

manchestertiling · Post by **manchestertiling** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:21 pm

Yeah good shout Craig!

handyman · Post by **handyman** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:30 pm

and leave yourself an extra day to shovel all the crap out the void, and sort the electrics and plumbing you uncover. Then theres the woodworm and dryrot.........

manchestertiling · Post by **manchestertiling** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:57 pm

oooh sounds like my place

m3 fitter · Post by **m3 fitter** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:18 pm

use 12.5mm knauf aquapanel cement board, stick to chipboard / floorboards with flexible grey rapid set and screw every 6" square with aquapanel screws, gives the rigidity of 3/4" ply without the height. Hope it helps

handyman · Post by **handyman** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:27 pm

thats what i done in my bathroom.........worked so far

manchestertiling · Post by **manchestertiling** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 6:24 pm

I remember when I did mine couple of years back, 22sqm floor, all the floorboards came up & filled 6 heavy duty bin bags with the crap that was in between the joists, must have been 80yrs worth of rubbish just thrown into the floor space when work had been carried out on it.

Not looking forward to starting the bedrooms

skiking · Post by **skiking** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 8:21 pm

Dosen't all that cr*p act as insulation

manchestertiling · Post by **manchestertiling** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:21 pm

It probably did, just got sick of it coming through the kitchen ceiling