CAN I PUT PVA ONTO PAINTED BITUMEN?

[tryer]

I have a 2 metre square porch. I intend to lay porcelain floor tiles.
Currently there are firmly fixed marley type vinyl floor tiles stuck over a painted bitumen concrete floor.

there are 2 or 3 of the marley type tiles loose, which I will pull up, exposing the painted bitumen.

I was planning to pva the whole surface as a precaution against damp anyway.

Q- Can I pva over the bitumen as well? (i have evostik pva)

If not, what is the best/easiest way to cover the bitumen - can i use self levelling compound?

 

[Softus]

I was planning to pva the whole surface as a precaution against damp anyway.

I'd be very interested to learn how PVA will achieve that!

Q- Can I pva over the bitumen as well? (i have evostik pva)

Depends - is it your goal to create a damp proof membrane, or to make a key for the tile adhesive?

I If not, what is the best/easiest way to cover the bitumen - can i use self levelling compound?

Why do want to cover it? Why not just leave it down, give it a good scratching and then prime it?

 

[tryer]

Thanks for replying.

I have porcelain floor tiles
I have flexible/waterproof/cement based tile adhesive
I have waterproof flexible grout

I assumed I could not just tile directly onto the old firmly fixed vinyl floor tiles or the bitumen underneath.
Somebody suggested covering the floor with PVA as a damp proof membrane anyway and it would also give a better surface to tile onto.

If there is a simpler way to give me good surface for tiling - shout!

Thx

 

[Softus]

Thanks for replying.

I have porcelain floor tiles
I have flexible/waterproof/cement based tile adhesive
I have waterproof flexible grout

I assumed I could not just tile directly onto the old firmly fixed vinyl floor tiles or the bitumen underneath.
Somebody suggested covering the floor with PVA as a damp proof membrane anyway and it would also give a better surface to tile onto.

If there is a simpler way to give me good surface for tiling - shout!

Thx

You're not the first person on the forum to use the time-honoured phrase "somebody suggested", but it doesn't get any less frustrating each time I read it.

If you believe that this "somebody" gave you good advice, then why are you posting here? If you believe that they didn't, they why even mention it?

I don't know what you think PVA is, and what you think using it will achieve, but it won't prevent damp passing through it.

All you need to stop a floor from coming loose is one that moves as little as possible and has a surface that it well bound.

All you need to prevent tile corners sticking up everywhere is a flat surface. Whether or not you level it is up to you.

So, if anything is loose, remove it. If anything sticks up, flatten it. If there are craters, fill them. If you have a non-porous surface, then scratch it and prime it. You don't have to remove anything that is already firmly stuck down.

The best advice of all is that you start by asking the tile supplier to recommend an adhesive for the tiles you're buying. Then read the instructions on that adhesive, and follow them. If you do that then you won't have problems sticking the tiles down.