12mm stone wall tiles too heavy for brick and plaster walls

[GuyD]

I am having a new bathroom fitted in a couple of weeks and am having 12mm travertine wall tiles fitted. They are big 400mmx 400mmx 12.5mm and likely to be pretty heavy. The supplier recommends hardy backer board dabbed and then screwed to the existing walls once old tiles are removed. Plumber who is doing the work reckons this is not necessary and plans to strip old tiles, seal the walls with pva and tile as normal. This bathroom job is costing a bit and want the tiles to stay up there!! Any advise would be very welcome :!

 

[Softus]

Backer board, whether Hardie or Aquapanel or whatever equivalent, is the perfect tiling surface, but unless your wall is horribly uneven then it's overkill. However, when the tiles are removed, ensure that the substrate is solid enough. If your tiler is doing the whole job then obtain his assurance that he will take responsibility for determining whether or not the condition of the wall is good enough.

Personally I wouldn't use PVA, but BAL primer instead. If you buy it yourself then your tiler won't have to splash out (arf) on it.

 

[lancenotalot]

Plumber who is doing the work

Plumbers should stick to what they do and I'll stick to tiling.

Does he come recommended,have you seen any previous work??

 

[Softus]

Plumber who is doing the work

Plumbers should stick to what they do

I don't see what that's got to do with this topic.

I'll stick to tiling.

Would you PVA yourself first?

 

[lancenotalot]

Plumber who is doing the work

Plumbers should stick to what they do

I don't see what that's got to do with this topic.

What it has to do with this topic is that plumbers do tiling as a "sideline" type thing and just put the tiles up with no real research.
As a tiler I would check type of tile,size,weight,substrate and prep accordingly.

I'm not saying that all plumbers do this but I have worked with a few and in my experience this is what I have found.

Popping up a few ceramics round the bath is one thing but 400x400 travertine requires a little more..............finesse

I'll stick to tiling.

Would you PVA yourself first?

No,I use acrylic primer.

 

[manchestertiling]

NEVER EVER use PVA when tiling! Water breaks PVA down approx over 3 months & should never be used on any tiling application.

BAL APD or any other acrylic primer should only be used.

The safe weight ratio's will come into play on this job. You are allowed 32kg per sqm onto plasterbaord & 20kg per sqm onto plaster, this should include the addy & grout too.

I know of a tiler in Notts who was sued for £128,000 as a 450mm x 450mm tile fell off the wall onto a 6 yr old while having a bath & severly injured the child.

Also got to agree with Lancenotalot on this, stone tiling should be left to the professionals....not plumbers! I think the mention of PVA says it all on this subject!

 

[Softus]

Also got to agree with Lancenotalot on this, stone tiling should be left to the professionals....not plumbers! I think the mention of PVA says it all on this subject!

Nonsense. I've seen plenty of tilers who rely on PVA, and I just have a quiet smile to myself.

Thorough and competent people are thorough and competent. It has nothing to do with being a plumber/tiler or a tiler who's incapable of doing plumbing.

 

[gcol]

Welcome to the forum.

I know of a tiler in Notts who was sued for £128,000 as a 450mm x 450mm tile fell off the wall onto a 6 yr old while having a bath & severly injured the child.

Have you any details on this? Are you saying that because he used pva the tile fell and injured the child? If this is the case, surely it's the likes of Unibond that are liable as they have instructions on their pva for priming for tiles?
I'm not defending the use of pva at all, but am curious of this case you mention - sounds a bit far fetched to me.

 

[manchestertiling]

The tiler was sued due to the weight limitations not being taken into account. He supplied & fitted so was found guilty due to negligence or on those lines. Nothing to do with PVA although he may of used it, may not dont know on this issue, it was in one of the trade journals beginning of last year.

Any tiler who uses PVA is not a professional tiler! He's a handyman who knows very little about tiling IMO, like the guys who picks up a paintbrush & calls himself a decorator.

Take a look at these disasters which we have come across, done by plumbers which we had to put right. Spot fixing on large format star galaxy granite...a disaster waiting to happen!

I'm not tarring all plumbers with the same brush, I know of some plumbers who are expert tilers also, just the few who think they can.

 

[manchestertiling]

http://www.tilerstilingtiles.co.uk/group/galleryofcraptilingwork

try that instead guys

 

[jctilingservices]

before getting carried away, what is the subtrate under the original tiles? you need to know this to work out your weight ratio.
The plumber who suggested PVA does not know his AR*e from his elbow, to come out with that remark proves it.

PVA Should NOT be used UNLESS manufacturers suggest it

 

[jctilingservices]

Nonsense. I've seen plenty of tilers who rely on PVA, and I just have a quiet smile to myself.

quote]

you have not seen professional tilers than mate,

 

[joe-90]

This thread is nearly four years old. Do we care?

 

[jctilingservices]

This thread is nearly four years old. Do we care?

3rd of february 2009 actually, so where do ya get 4 yrs from?

 

[joe-90]

Still over a year old. Have you nothing better to do than drag up old posts?