Hi all, Bathroom floor has slight movement in it causing the tiles to become loose with almost immediate cracking in the grout once dried. We’ve had the floor up and reinstalled the tiles 3 times now with the same issue occurring. We are using Wickes powered tile adhesive which is suitable for wood flooring and this stuff for the grout: http://www.screwfix.com/p/mapei-buildfix-flexible-wall-floor-grout-white-2-5kg/70239. Marine ply is installed however I’m not sure this is thick enough, I’d guess around 5mm however would need to check to confirm. I can feel movement when walking/hear floor board creaking. So plan was to re-lay marine ply (ensuring no movement) if the current stuff is not thick enough, then to try again. We did not treat the ply wood in anyway. I’m just concerned if we begin to lay the tiles again the same issue will reoccur, any suggestions? Various websites have various solutions – use tile backer board, install webbing, treat plywood first. Would be great if anyone had some suggestions/has done this thing before. On the cusp of laying vinyl flooring now all the tiles are up again…
Only an amateur but were the floor joists and floor boards sound with no movement before anything was laid on top of them? Floors in bathrooms are more susceptible to rot due to long term leaks under baths and around toilets.
I would suggest your 5mm plywood is not going to be anything like rigid enough. You need to be looking at 19mm+ then screwed every 200~300mm to the joists (not the floor)
As above, 5 mm no where thick enough - usually 18mm recommended If floor joists have a bit of spring in them, extra noggins first to stiffen up 18 mm ply, plenty of screws and if using powdered adhesive, prime boards first with SBR primer You need to eliminate all movement as any flexible ady / grout will eventually crack with the tiles either loosening or cracking themselves I'm only diy but have tiled 3 bathroom / ensuit floors in my own house and no probs - 8 years + Be prepared, you will also get slated for using wickes products at some stage on this post
Pull all the floor tiles up and remove the plywood. Screw all floorboards down being careful not to screw through any pipes. Then overlay with 9mm mlh its a slightly cheaper version of marine ply screw this down with 25mm screws at 100 mm centres an average bathroom floor will take around 300 25mm 8 screws. Use a decent powdered flexi adhesive like bal Dunlop palace etc. make sure when laying the tiles they have full contact with the adhesive as any where it doesn't can make the bond weak.
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