tiling, plywood or flexible adhesive/grout

decsdad

Hi All,
We need a floor tiled. It is a new build and has what looks like chipboard floor panels. One tiler says needs covered in plywood, one says he would just screw the floor panels in more and use a flexible adhesive/grout. Who is correct, maybe just preference. £600 difference. We want it done properly of course.

Thanks

keystone

decsdad wrote: »

One tiler says needs covered in plywood,..

He is right but it should be a minimum of 15mm WBP or you could overboard with cementboard or rip out the chipboard and replace with 25mm WBP ply. Still use flexible addy and grout.

one says he would just screw the floor panels in more

Do his spurs jangle much?

..and use a flexible adhesive/grout.

He is correct about that anyway.

maybe just preference

No its not really about preference. Water will always find its way under the tiles eventually. Chipboard + water = swelling = wavy floor = loose and cracked tiles = redo from start.

£600 difference.

Is that inclusive of materials, addy, grout, ply etc and for what area of tiling?

We want it done properly of course.

Which is your right.

Cheers

ormus

depends on your budget really. you could get away with the chipboard assuming it doesnt move at all?
i covered my bathroom floor in hardboard before tiling. dirt cheap.
but a proper job needs marine plywood.

always use flexible adhesive on wooden floors.

keystone

ormus wrote: »

depends on your budget really. you could get away with the chipboard assuming it doesnt move at all?

Nope chiboard and water DO NOT mix.

i covered my bathroom floor in hardboard before tiling. dirt cheap.

Whilst you might be happy with that from a DIY perspective any professional who suggests such a solution should be shown to the door very very quickly. If you are going to pay a tiler to do a job it should be done properly and he should be taking contractual responsibility for his workmanship. If he will guarantee his tiling over hardboard I can guarantee you'll never see him again once he has got his payment.

but a proper job needs marine plywood.

I am sometimes surprised how many people actually think that. Marine ply is expensive and OTT. WBP is fine.

always use flexible adhesive on wooden floors.

Yep +1. And that means bagged gear as well not tubbed carp.

Cheers

decsdad

its 100 sqm, but no kitchen/bathrooms.
Its a problem because the new tiling is to merge with existing tiling where no ply was used, so height difference.??

booty40uk

To get over your height difference the only real solution is to take up the existing chipboard and replace with the same thickness in ply...........probably 18mm...............glued down to joists and screwed every 100mm. Then use a suitable flexible adhesive. Also use flexible grout.

Use good quality adhesive and grout and never ready mixed............i use Bal and have never had a problem.

Chipboard and tiles dont work.

Andy