Adhesive and grout for shower

[sarahjones1975]

I am getting someone in to put in a shower enclosure and do the tiling in and around the shower enclosure on plaster. I have been asked to buy the materials by the tiler, and I want to make sure I get the good quality stuff so it lasts a few years. The area to be tiled is around 5m2.

Which are the best adhesive and grout to use.

I have read on these forums that BAL Microflex (with Microban) is a good grout. Is there anything better?

Can anyone recommend a good adhesive I could use?

Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

Enter, stage left, Richard C
He gave me all the advice I needed to do my shower (nicely in progress) so find an outlet that does BAL adhesive and they'll fix you up with what you need - just tell them what you're doing.
First class stuff, BAL - adhesive doesn't slip, and the grout is dead easy to mix and apply, using a BAL trowel, of course. It cleans off beautifully too.
No more of the DIY garbage for me....
I got my stuff from Ceramic Tile Distributors (CTD) - national firm I think.
John

 

[paul78]

i normally get the materials for the customer so as the right ones are chosen. depends what tiles you have and i think your 'tiler' should of at least given you a materials list of what to buy, ie. correct adhesive (tubbed/powder), grout, silicones etc.

but if ur in doubt about what materials to buy i would be in doubt also about the tiler! (as it sounds as if he doesnt know)

 

[jctilingservices]

As Paul states, it will depend on the type of tile and size of tile for your adhesive, you mention a shower enclosure, and wanting it to last a long time, has your tiler mentioned to you about getting the area tanked prior to tiling?

I would get in touch with your tiler and see what he recommends you buy, then if you are not sure of what he has told you, come back here for some advice.


Bal Microban will be ideal for your shower, but please do not think it is WATERPROOF, no grout is waterproof unless it is an EPOXY grout

 

[Richard C]

Suggestions as to what to buy already so I won’t bother with that but there is no way I or (I would hope) any professional tiler would ask a customer to buy tiling materials without telling you exactly what to buy. Additionally I would never use materials bought by a customer unless & I was totally in agreement with the quality & suitability of the that being offered or I would not be able to guarantee my work. My advice is to find yourself another tiler.

 

[jctilingservices]

Suggestions as to what to buy already so I won’t bother with that but there is no way I or (I would hope) any professional tiler would ask a customer to buy tiling materials without telling you exactly what to buy. Additionally I would never use materials bought by a customer unless & I was totally in agreement with the quality & suitability of the that being offered or I would not be able to guarantee my work. My advice is to find yourself another tiler.

For what its worth, i would second Richards opinion of " find yourself another tiler"

 

[sarahjones1975]

As Paul states, it will depend on the type of tile and size of tile for your adhesive, you mention a shower enclosure, and wanting it to last a long time, has your tiler mentioned to you about getting the area tanked prior to tiling?

I would get in touch with your tiler and see what he recommends you buy, then if you are not sure of what he has told you, come back here for some advice.


Bal Microban will be ideal for your shower, but please do not think it is WATERPROOF, no grout is waterproof unless it is an EPOXY grout

I have given the bathroom fitter £100 for all the materials today. The walls are made of plaster which is on brick. I wanted to either buy all the materials myself so that I know they were quality stuff and make sure the bathroom fitter was buying quality stuff if anything extra was needed. I talked to him about the tanking and he didn't think it would be needed on the walls (plaster on brick). I have read about tanking and saw the mapei product on for £50 which I was tempted to buy - but didn't want to annoy the guy. Do I really need to do tanking?

I am installing the shower at the far end of the bathroom and the water has to travel about 10 feet, the bathroom fitter didn't think the riser kit would be needed and wanted to just install the stone resin tray to the floor boards. The floorboards are a bit uneven and I wanted there to be an easy way to fix any leaks under the shower and since the distance for the water to travel is around 10feet I bought the riser kit. Do I needed the riser kit or would the water be OK going this distance with a level waste pipe?

 

[Richard C]

I would agree with your tiler; tanking is belt & braces with plaster over brick unless your building a wet room, but of course it’s your decision & certainly wouldn’t do any harm.

What do you mean by a riser kit? A stone resin trays must be properly supported or it will most likely crack. If by riser kit you mean a plinth, you still cannot have a level waste run; you need a minimum fall of 18mm/metre (25mm/m ideally) to comply with Building Regs What size is the waste? Even if you have enough fall, that’s right on the limit for an unvented 40mm waste run; you may have problems with siphoning & if the shower is pumped the water may not flow away fast enough.

 

[sarahjones1975]

http://www.screwfix.com/sfd/i/cat/96/p4778696_l.jpg

that's the mira flight tray "riser" kit which has legs under the tray to raise it up a little