Load bearing / Not enough mortar?

[bluebear]

Hi all -

First off, I'm new to this DIY gaff so if I use any incorrect terminology, please forgive me

My parents have recently had their bathroom refitted by some friends of friends. I got to see the fitting process partway through. The picture accompanying this post (as an example) is of a set of tiles directly above the shower-base. My queries are as followings:

1) With regards to the specific picture supplied above the shower-base (no vapour barrier included if one was needed) the mortar does not cover the entire back of the tiles. Is this normal? My worry is that if any undue pressure is added to sections of tiling that have no mortar behind them, the tiles will likely break. In the future for example we may have to fit a hand rail.

2) In part related to point one, but on a different subject. We have a bathroom cabinet to hang above the sink. The cabinet itself is very heavy. Again, I have concerns regarding the gap behind the tiles. We need to hang the cabinet but am very concerned about [A] drilling through the tiles(given the gap), and ensuring that it's actually the wall behind the tiles that is bearing the weight of the cabinet and not the tiles/mortar/plaster in between. So much so that we're thinking of getting someone in specifically to hang it, but where would we start?

Any help or advice on the above would be appreciated.

Regards -
bluebear

[wine~o]

You are right to be concerned. That tiling needs taking off before it falls off.

2 things that are obviously wrong.

1) The tiles are dabbed on the wall; should be a full bed of tile adhesive (Note; adhesive not mortar )

2) the tiles have been laid over a painted surface (Worse it looks to be a silk paint)

This should have been removed prior to tiling and the walls primed if necessary.

There is another potential issue there it may well be the case that the adhesive used was a "Ready mixed" type (Looks like it from the pic) Ready mixed is only good for tiles up to 300mm sq. Those tiles look to be about 600 x 300 ??

The only answer I'm sorry to say is rip it out and start again.

[bluebear]

I'm near certain that adhesive was mixed - well, there was a mixer at least. We shall see how thing go. All paid for already.

[Chris Skilbeck]

Hi Bluebear, and welcome -

I agree with everything Wino said - (including about Bowie) so I'm sorry, but I'm afraid

We shall see how thing go. All paid for already.

doesn't really answer your problem. These tiles will fall off, the gaps will invite condensation which will soften the adhesive, and eventually (I'd guess sooner rather than later), some little imperfection in the grout will let in more moisture and you'll see some discolouration on a tile and after a few weeks it'll pull itself away from the wall.

As regards your second question, it's important when you hang the cupboard that the holes you drill through the tile are big enough and deep enough to allow the wall plugs to go right into the wall, past the depth of the tile. If the outer end of the plug is still in the tile, the insertion of the screw will expand the plug and crack the tile. Normal practice is to put a wee squirt of mastic into the hole before inserting the plug, and to put a little dob of mastic over the end of the plug before screwing in the screws, this should stop damp getting behind the tiles.

Drilling the tiles shouldn't be a problem, even with the gap behind them, get a decent tile drill and you won't need to press really hard anyway - stick a little bit of masking tape on the surface of the tile where you want to drill, then the drill bit won't skitter around on the smooth surface of the tile.

[bluebear]

Cheers for your advice, guys. It can be difficult to know what the truth actually is. I've discussed this with some people at work (for example). Some people say this is how tiles are put up nowadays It can be very confusing.

[steviejoiner74]

Tiles are not put up like that by proffesionals.....ever! They are put up like that by amateurs or people who do not know what they are doing.
I'll echo what wine-o and Chris have said by telling you the inevitable that they'll fall off sooner rather than later and as Orange Juice once sang....."Rip it up and start again"

[Argyll]

"Rip it up and start again"

Showing your age there Stevie

[Argyll]

All paid for already.

No wonder the ahem...tiler doesn't care. Why oh why do people pay up front?

[kingnewport]

Savage. Rip those tiles out and kindly ask the "tiler" to leave. You do not tile like this especially on what looks like nice flat walls . Not to mention the walls aren't prepared ready for tiling.

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