Help!

[julie bw]

Any advice please. I had porcelain tiles put in my bathroom 12 months ago. Gradually on one wall they have started to lift and are rocking when touched. The wall behind these tiles is clinker block that has been skimmed with plaster. Can anybody advise me why this has happened and will the tiles be able to be put back on again. thanks

 

[Dave]

Hi Julie , it could be a number of issues , do you know firstly what adhesive was used ?

 

[Qwerty]

Can you please take a photo of a tile off of the wall with a photo of the wall and the rear of the tile also

 

[julie bw]

Hi Julie , it could be a number of issues , do you know firstly what adhesive was used ?

Hi dave he used pva on the wall then used flexible adhesive. On the other 3 walls that are solid brick the tiles have not moved.

 

[julie bw]

Hi plan tec tiling.the tiles are being removed next wed.the fella only wants to remove the main lose ones.they all sound hollow behind the tiles when you knock on the them

 

[White Room]

Any advice please. I had porcelain tiles put in my bathroom 12 months ago. Gradually on one wall they have started to lift and are rocking when touched. The wall behind these tiles is clinker block that has been skimmed with plaster. Can anybody advise me why this has happened and will the tiles be able to be put back on again. thanks

Skimmed with a single plaster coat or a two part plaster system ?

 

[julie bw]

The walls were mortared then skimmed over with plaster.thanks

 

[One Day]

...and very likely spot fixed onto a skin of PVA.

(how many times!!!?)

 

[julie bw]

...and very likely spot fixed onto a skin of PVA.

(how many times!!!?)

So is the tiler at fault or not?

 

[White Room]

If he has done the above spot fixing...yes he would be to blame and why use pva.

 

[julie bw]

If he has done the above spot fixing...yes he would be to blame and why use pva.

I think he has spot fixed and will know when they come off next week. As for the pva why shouldnt he have used it and what should he have done. Thanks

 

[White Room]

What he should have done was use an appropriate sealer usually the same make as the adhesive manufacturer which absorbs into the plaster.
Pva tends to sit on the plaster surface and can soften even when it has dried when moisture from the adhesive soaks in to the surface.

 

[julie bw]

What he should have done was use an appropriate sealer usually the same make as the adhesive manufacturer which absorbs into the plaster.
Pva tends to sit on the plaster surface and can soften even when it has dried when moisture from the adhesive soaks in to the surface.

Ok.thanks so much for your advice.will mention this next week to him.he's already said that he wants another £200 to re tile the wall
I wouldn't mind but I didn't employ him in the first place it was the plumber who did!

 

[One Day]

In a nutshell - exactly what Whitebeam said.
There are many and varied (although quite dull) reasons why PVA shouldn't be used in tiling.
Unfortunately we hear time and again "I've always done it that way" or "that's how I was taught".
All wrong though.

 

[julie bw]

Thanks do much for your advice.greatly appreciated x

 

[White Room]

Pictures when can please.......

 

[julie bw]

Pictures when can please.......

Will do. Thanks

 

[Dave]

I think he has spot fixed and will know when they come off next week. As for the pva why shouldnt he have used it and what should he have done. Thanks

When using a cement based adhesive onto a gypsum background , you have to use an appropriate acrylic primer etc as this helps prevent a reaction between the adhesive and the gypsum backing

Using PVA simply seals the surface and :

A.. Does not prevent ettringnite formation
B.. It as mentioned above forms a skin which when wet , say by the adhesive bedding , becomes live and breaks the bond of the adhesive from the backing.

Spot fixing isn't correct application but not a deffo reason for tiles to debond , my money is on the PVA priming.

 

[J Sid]

Plumber tiling......that explains everything.
Be asking the tiler to do all your electrical work next

 

[julie bw]

Pictures when can please.......

Hi. One tile was taken off today.it was smashed so didn't have pic of it but here is the wall behind.it has been spot fixed if u can see on pic.also ll ok at the gap between the wall and other tiles.isnt this wrong? In one part you can push the measure 25 inches under the tiles before it hits any adhesive! The pics show the marks on the plaster off adhesive, the gaps between wall and tiles to the left, right and above the tile.what do you advise.should the whole wall be taken off and redone. There was also a radiator on the wall and the plumber has said it was because of that. A a a aah!

 

[White Room]

That has no chance of survival...spot fixing at it's finest

 

[julie bw]

All off then.he wants to just take the ones off that have come loose!

 

[One Day]

That's just a dangerous install. All needs to come off. If you went the legal route you'd win easily and quickly. those pictures illustrate perfectly that quality tiling, like beauty, is only skin deep.

 

[Old Mod]

 

[Unused Account 1]

Thats crazy lol

 

[julie bw]

That's just a dangerous install. All needs to come off. If you went the legal route you'd win easily and quickly. those pictures illustrate perfectly that quality tiling, like beauty, is only skin deep.

Thanks for the comments. I will be phoning trading standards tomorrow for advice.

 

[julie bw]

My other concern is obviously the other three walls.the tiles haven't moved on them at all.

 

[Old Mod]

Just rap them with your knuckles, u'll soon see if they sound similar to wall u've posted.

 

[White Room]

All off then.he wants to just take the ones off that have come loose!

The ones he leaves behind will fail sooner than later...spot fixing isn't a recommended way of fixing tiles.

 

[julie bw]

The ones he leaves behind will fail sooner than later...spot fixing isn't a recommended way of fixing tiles.

Ok thanks so much for all advice.