Tile over RSJ steel - Please help - TilersForums.com

[Jollyman]

Hi
We have an ensuite floor with an RSJ steel that drops down to a tiled shower former. To one side we have wooden ply and the other we have the edge of a tiled former. Please note that there is a step down into the tiled former. Does anyone know a method to get this tiled. We are currently looking to just get the steel tiled and then use Amtico flooring for the rest of the bathroom.
Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Lee@emctiles]

You can tile onto steel with tilemaster ulitmate s2 adhesive.

 

[J Sid]

is the rsj leave with the top or bottom of the ply?

 

[John Benton]

I had exactly same problem a couple of months ago.

If the wooden floor is level with the RSJ then you can overboard with Hardibacker. Screw and glue the backer board to the wooden floor and fix the hardibacker to the RSJ with something like Everbuild Stixall (other brands are available) making sure you leave an expansion gap between the 2 backer boards. You can then tile using an expansion strip over where the gap is to allow for any movement.

See pics below. In first pic, the joists were over boarded with 25mm ply to bring it up level with the top of the RSJ. I then fixed the backer board down and tiled. You can see the 2 expansion strips in the wide dark grey and the RSJ is directly below that in the 2nd pic.

 

[John Benton]

Please also note how the spark didn't bother to clear his mess up after drilling the joists !!!

 

[Jollyman]

Hi
Thanks for the replies - They are really helpful. The ply and the steel are not 100% level - I will need to check tonight how much they are out by but think it is about 5mm. I like the idea of the backer board. I will post again after I have checked but just want to confirm that the procedure would be to get the steel and ply level and then overboard with Hardibacker. If I find the situation is different to the above example whereby the ply is higher than the steel would I follow a similar process?
Again, thanks for all the advice so far.

 

[Jollyman]

Hi
The ply is slightly higher than the steel. It varies from about 3mm - 5mm. Should I be looking to overboard the steel and then tile onto it?
Thanks
Iain