Poor qqality grout job

[mmcmahon]

The bathroom fitters I was using have just left, they are coming back tonight to collect their tools.

The last thing they did was grout the floor. This looks terrible and already has cracks up and down the length of the bathroom. I notice when I step on a tile there is some movement, is this normal? It seems like the tile adhesive may not have set yet. Should I wait for this to happen then remove the grout and reapply myself? My confidence in the fitters isn't too high after looking at they way they left things so I'd rather do it myself.

Cheers

Martin

 

[kevplumb]

did they sheet the floor with ply or similar before the tiles where laid

 

[mmcmahon]

Yes, they did that. I am going to leave the tiles for a while to see if they dry (I have put weights down on the worst ones) If the movement doesn't stop is there a type of grout I can use that won't crack? (that's slightly more flexible?) or if I regrout will that hold the tiles in place? Any advice on the best grout to use would be appreeciated. They used unibond ready mixed.

Thanks

 

[ferdinanddebargos]

They should have used hardboard rough side up nailed at 6" centres and fixed the tiles with flexible adhesive. I'm assuming you have a tongue & groove wooden floor beneath.
I noticed you also posted a problem with your bog not being fixed properly. I guess it's the same people and if you've not paid all your money to them yet, then don't until everything is sorted out to your satisfaction.

 

[Diyisfun]

Ceramic tiles on hardboard...what ever side up....NO no NO

 

[chappers]

what sort of flexible adhesive did they use, some of the pre-mixed ones can take ages to go off and shouldn't be grouted untill then.
Would agree that hardboard does not make a good substrate for tiling. should be at least ply really.

 

[Thermo]

hmm hardboard, that should give some intresting results when the moisture gets into it

 

[mmcmahon]

They used plywood, not hardboard. I will check the packet tonight (It was ready to use stuff) to see how long it is recommended to wait before grouting. Is grout difficult to remove?

 

[Thermo]

small point, when your talking about removing it are you intending to do it or you going to get them back to put it right?

 

[mmcmahon]

They are going to do it.

They have suggested that the problem isn't with the tiles but with the board. ie the tiles are well fixed to the board but the board is moving slighty. They have offered to remove all the grout and replace it with white scilicone. Is this normal practice? I was worried it may get dirty but they say they have done it a lot in the same circumstances?????

Is this the best solution?

Thanks

 

[simonh1024]

I've been a tile since the year dot, so here goes the questions you should ask them;

What thickness ply did they use? It should be 15mm, but 12 mm will do, any thinner........problems.

How did they secure the ply to the floor? It should be screwed not nailed as any movement nails can move up and down with the movement, and screwed every 6 inches , in other words securely.

Did they pva the ply? Even ply need to be pva'd as after a while the sap absorbs into the grout and turns it a browny colour.

What adhesive did they use? You said ready mixed? I always use pre-mix rapid set adhesive for floors which you mix with water and dries in 2-3 hours. There is only one ready mixed floor adhesive I know of on the market and I would not touch it with a barge pole. Also, if it was ready mixed, they should have not grouted it for at least 2h hours and told you not to go onto the surface due to this.

Did they put a liquid into the grout which makes it flexible? You always put this liquid in when tiling on wooden floors.

basicially, I think they are not aware of the BS rules relating to tiling wooden floors, you can go onto ARDEX home page and they tell you how to use their products and materials to be used with them.

They stated they blamed the wood, then they have to take up the tiles, take up the ply, fix the right standard thickness , screw down correctly, use a good quility adhesive like ARDEX, BAL , HOWTEX , and do the job right.

Hope that helps. SIMON.

 

[chappers]

SILICONE, they are having a bubble, were your tilers one large fellow in a bowler hat with a little moustache and the other a thin chap who kept twiddleing with his hair.
If the board is moving thats their fault they either didn't fix your existing boards or the ply properly.
Get them back to rip the whole thing up and sort it at their exspense or better still don't pay them and get a decent tiler in to do it again.

 

[drgl]

SILICONE, they are having a bubble, were your tilers one large fellow in a bowler hat with a little moustache and the other a thin chap who kept twiddleing with his hair.
If the board is moving thats their fault they either didn't fix your existing boards or the ply properly.
Get them back to rip the whole thing up and sort it at their exspense or better still don't pay them and get a decent tiler in to do it again.

lol!! I used Wickes flexible adhesive & grout-it's done a great job

 

[mmcmahon]

I got some bal flexible grout and it worked a treat. Looks great now.

 

[masona]

They have offered to remove all the grout and replace it with white scilicone.

I think what they're trying to do is hoping the sealant will push under the tiles to bond it.

Is this normal practice?

Only cowboy do it this way.