Floor tiles onto chipboard flooring

[dummer]

I want to tile the floor of a bathroom. The floor is chipboard, with very slightly raised joints where water has swollen the joint edges.
I do not want to lay thick plywood onto the boards (because of problems with levels) but would like to put down 6mm ply.
Two questions please.......
1) If I planed down the chipboard joints, so they are smooth without any ridges, could I then just lay the tiles directly onto it? Would the adhesive 'stick' ok?
2) If I did use 6mm ply, what is the best way to secure it to the chipboard? Friends have suggested using tile adhesive onto the chipboard and then laying the ply onto the adhesive. Others have said just nail it down. What is the best/right way please?
Thanks for any help offerred.

 

[Master of None]

See here.
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=108542

 

[DCS]

Test firstly if there is any movement in the chipboard floor - before you tile it should be screwed every 100mm along the joins and joists.

Make sure you use a flexible tile adhesive.

Thin ply nailed down will not work!

You could glue it down but it is the floor beneath that is important.

Good luck!

 

[jefoss]

[/quote] Test firstly if there is any movement in the chipboard floor - before you tile it should be screwed every 100mm along the joins and joists.[]

disregard this and either get rid of the chipboard or overlay it with ply, a very minimum of 9mm

 

[DCS]

Test firstly if there is any movement in the chipboard floor - before you tile it should be screwed every 100mm along the joins and joists.[]

disregard this and either get rid of the chipboard or overlay it with ply, a very minimum of 9mm[/quote]

Why? Overlaying 9mm ply on an already unstable floor will make little or no difference to the possibility of grout cracking if the floor underneath has movement - yes it would be best to remove the chipboard and lay a new floor but unless it is "shot" with water ingress then there really is no point!

 

[gcol]

Test firstly if there is any movement in the chipboard floor - before you tile it should be screwed every 100mm along the joins and joists.

Make sure you use a flexible tile adhesive.

Thin ply nailed down will not work!

You could glue it down but it is the floor beneath that is important.

Good luck!

What are you actually suggesting here DCS? Are you saying it's ok to tile onto a well screwed down chipboard only floor? Or are you saying that it's ok to tile onto an overboarded chipboard floor so long as your floor is stable and you don't nail the ply down?

 

[jefoss]

Test firstly if there is any movement in the chipboard floor - before you tile it should be screwed every 100mm along the joins and joists.[]

disregard this and either get rid of the chipboard or overlay it with ply, a very minimum of 9mm

Why? Overlaying 9mm ply on an already unstable floor will make little or no difference to the possibility of grout cracking if the floor underneath has movement - yes it would be best to remove the chipboard and lay a new floor but unless it is "shot" with water ingress then there really is no point![/quote]


the best idea is take it all up yes, but if not, cover with ply and screw down every 200mm it will be more than secure then unless its a pile of old rubbish (which i suspect the chipboard is anyway)

 

[whoareya]

I know I am probably gonna get shot down in flames, but I have tiled directly onto chipboard floorboards. . . . I used a tub of ready mixed "Tile A Floor" from B&Q which it said on the tub is suitable for chipboard floorboards. I have tiled my bathroom floor and en-suite floor. That was 3 years ago.

Since then I have read lots of posts saying this is a definite No No. overlaying with ply is a must and ready mixed adhesive should be avoided.

I have been expecting the tiles to start lifting or the grout cracking, but they are still perfectly adhered and the grout is still there.

Am I just lucky? or have tile adhesive manufacturers moved with the times.

 

[gcol]

Am I just lucky?

Either that or you don't use the area very much or you are incredibly light.

 

[dummer]

Thanks to all who have contributed. Maybe I should use Tile Backerboard (6mm) from Topps Tiles and lay (with adhesive) over the chipboard. I really need to keep the 'height' of the final floor level as low as possible. The existing chipboard isn't bad - there's no movement/flexing. Is this backerboard stuff any good?

 

[lancenotalot]

Thanks to all who have contributed. Maybe I should use Tile Backerboard (6mm) from Topps Tiles and lay (with adhesive) over the chipboard. I really need to keep the 'height' of the final floor level as low as possible. The existing chipboard isn't bad - there's no movement/flexing. Is this backerboard stuff any good?

I used backer boards for the first time about three weeks ago over a chipboard floor,6mm screwed down at 200mm centres.Was great to lay the tiles on and seemed very solid.I usually use ply as rule but the customer had heard about backer boards and insisted that I use them.
Advised them that I had not used them in the past an so could not vouch for their durability.
Fingers crossed I don't get called back.

 

[gcol]

I'm assuming if you do get a call, that you'll be saying "Not my fault missus - you specified the materials."?

 

[dummer]

Thanks to Lancenotalot. Sorry to be an eeejiot but do you screw through into joists, or just into the chipboard itself?

 

[lancenotalot]

I'm assuming if you do get a call, that you'll be saying "Not my fault missus - you specified the materials."?

I would go back to view what was wrong,if it was something minor like cracked grout I would sort it if the tiles were still sound but highlight the fact that I had given them prior advice on the issue,if it was loose tiles then I would need to charge for remedial work,
got to keep them sweet as their hall stairs and landing is up for redecoration in a few weeks

 

[lancenotalot]

Thanks to Lancenotalot. Sorry to be an eeejiot but do you screw through into joists, or just into the chipboard itself?

I screwed down the chipboard first and made sure it was solid and then screwed the backers to the chipboard,use screws that are just the right length as if you penetrate through there is always a danger of piercing something.