Tiling Over Floorboards - Bathroom

[Dominic Patterson]

First of all, hello, I'm a newbie (have some rental properties which I work on) and am redoing our bathroom at home and creating an en-suite.

After tiling the en suite myself I decided to employ a tiler to do the main bathroom (also my wife insists, quite rightly).

I've had 3 tilers look at the job and have been told 3 different methods of how they will be doing the floor. My question is which one is correct?

Job is 1st floor bathroom, usual T&G floorboards on joists. Floor approximately 3m2. Floor is ok, fairly sound but probably not level and some high spots (which I could plane?). Tiles are 600x300 porcelain. Walls are ok and he will be doing 23m2 on there. So 26m2 in all with one window and tiling bath panel.

Tiler 1 says he would use a durabase matting in usual way. (most expensive £*** ish)
Tiler 2 says he will glue (with RSF) and screw 6mm hardiebacker, then tile (middle price £*** ish)
Tiler 3 says he will use a 2 part flexi adi and apply direct to floorboards (cheapest £*** ish)

Tiler 1 is too expensive anyway but that isn't because of his chosen way of doing the floor. Tiler 2 was recommended and tiler 3 I got from picking a card up at Topps.

So which is best? Only a bathroom fitter suggested ply and I didn't want the big step in from the landing.

 

[macten]

Tiler 2. Just get existing boards flat and deflection free first

 

[J Sid]

Tiler 1, .......you get what you pay for 😉

 

[Lee@emctiles]

tiler 1.......£***.......that equates to roughly £xx per m2 inc materials........

im in the wrong game, i reckon i should get the tools back out!

TBH, there is nothing wrong with tiler 1&2s methods, providing the floors isnt like a tramoline.

 

[Dominic Patterson]

Tiler 2. Just get existing boards flat and deflection free first

Thanks for your reply.

tiler 1.......£***.......that equates to roughly £xx per m2 inc materials........

im in the wrong game, i reckon i should get the tools back out!

TBH, there is nothing wrong with tiler 1&2s methods, providing the floors isnt like a tramoline.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I don't believe you always get what you pay for. Perhaps I would with tiler 3 though, whose method alarmed me a bit hence this post. Floor is pretty solid.

 

[Tile Shop]

Tiler 2. He's the only one that has given any indication that he intends to brace the floor.

A highly flexible 2 part adhesive, on a flexible floor, with a solid tile? wouldn't risk it without overlaying. Bals old 2-part Fastflex still used to recommend bracing the floor first with 15mm ply. But not sure about the others that are currently available.

The first tiler is eliminating lateral movement, but not deflection.

Tiler 2 all the way 🙂

 

[Dominic Patterson]

Tiler 2. He's the only one that has given any indication that he intends to brace the floor.

A highly flexible 2 part adhesive, on a flexible floor, with a solid tile? wouldn't risk it without overlaying. Bals old 2-part Fastflex still used to recommend bracing the floor first with 15mm ply. But not sure about the others that are currently available.

The first tiler is eliminating lateral movement, but not deflection.

Tiler 2 all the way 🙂

Thanks for your reply. Having researched similar threads on this (very useful) site and based on the answers above, I'm now convinced that's the way forward. He was recommended also, so that's usually a plus. Thanks again.

 

[J Sid]

tiler 1.......£***.......that equates to roughly £xx per m2 inc materials........

im in the wrong game, i reckon i should get the tools back out!

TBH, there is nothing wrong with tiler 1&2s methods, providing the floors isnt like a tramoline.

Now thats an opinion......
You don't know what he is pricing to do....
Possible, level and reinforce the floor before uncoupling, tanking over bath - shower? Mitres' round window, make bath panel, boxing in pipes, silicon internals.....

Is price 3 a tiler? Is he a jack of all? Or is he signing on and this is a bit of beer money.

Passing comment on the floor fixing method is what is required and the price quoted for all the work is neither here nor there.

Rant over 🙂

 

[Lee@emctiles]

its all about opinions Julian, ive only been doing this for 21 years so you maybe be right, what would i know!

 

[J Sid]

I agree with you opinion of tiler 1 and 2's fixing methods, as you expect, but saying that tiler 1 is to expensive is wrong, opinion or not.
We don't know what he has priced to do or the finish job he will produce. Assuming all three have quote the same is wrong. If it turned out to be JonnyC, Gary the Tiler or 3-fall would you still be say to expensive?

 

[Ian]

And this is why we don't discuss prices in the open forums, there's never the full story!

 

[Dominic Patterson]

And this is why we don't discuss prices in the open forums, there's never the full story!

Guilty! Sorry.

Now thats an opinion......
You don't know what he is pricing to do....
Possible, level and reinforce the floor before uncoupling, tanking over bath - shower? Mitres' round window, make bath panel, boxing in pipes, silicon internals.....

Is price 3 a tiler? Is he a jack of all? Or is he signing on and this is a bit of beer money.

Passing comment on the floor fixing method is what is required and the price quoted for all the work is neither here nor there.

Rant over 🙂

Thanks for your replies. Price was just extra (unnecessary in hindsight) info. Price 3 is professing to be a wall and floor tiler, according to the business card from Topps. No tanking required I've done it already, new straight plasterboard walls and window reveals all round, already tanked, bath panel frame done by me and delta board panels ready to be fixed on, once floor done. Bath pre-sealed with silicon. 4 lengths of metal trim to do on plumbing wall, window etc. Needs to do minimal work to floorboards where plumber took them up and left them loose, the rest are rock solid. I didn't prep the floor, as I thought it best left to a tiler who knows what's required to do a proper job. Quite a bit of work but nothing difficult or controversial and no wall prep required except priming the untanked bits. That's why I thought £that amount was a bit rich but that's just my opinion.

 

[Unused Account 1]

If you want something to last ten years ,worth the extra ,to many looking at trying to get state of the art work for cheapish ,you cant ,peace of mind is better ,good luck

 

[G Taylor Tiling]

Tiler 1, .......you get what you pay for 😉

Agree Tiler 1... "Good work ain't cheap, cheap work ain't Good"
You get what you pay for, experience alone is what is included in his price!
Dural matting all the way for me, with Tilemasters ultimate and Kerakoll liquid grout!!!

 

[White Room]

Personally I would gone for number 2....

 

[J Sid]

Agree Tiler 1... "Good work ain't cheap, cheap work ain't Good"
You get what you pay for, experience alone is what is included in his price!
Dural matting all the way for me, with Tilemasters ultimate and Kerakoll liquid grout!!!

Agree bar the last two lines. 😉

 

[G Taylor Tiling]

Agree bar the last two lines. 😉

Hi Julian, we all have our favourite / personal adhesives, but I am a big fan of the liquid grout!!

 

[Dominic Patterson]

Not an exact science then......as it seems personal preference comes in to it also. Thanks for all your help. I see that nobody thought tiling straight to boards was a good idea and so I could discount that tiler straight away.

I understand the argument on "you get what you pay for" but, as a customer, I have to disagree that it is a rule. More a guide, as it often doesn't work out that way. I recently had a plumber (allegedly a proper firm etc.) do some terrible work for quite a lot of money. More than the better plumber who rectified it would have charged. I also had a shower room fitted by a big firm in Manchester, paid a lot of money and got an awful job (blocked soil pipe etc backing up to 2nd floor bathroom just one of the problems). I could have paid a lot less on both occasions but went for the more expensive options, as they appeared to be experienced, reputable etc. I have a few examples of this principle but don't want to bore everyone (ok, too late for that).

The proof, I'm afraid, is in the pudding, not the quotation. I just have to use my best judgement as to who will do the best job (and seek advice from tiler's forum). Obviously price comes in to it also but I certainly don't want a shoddy job after shelling out £850 on tiles.

In this instance, Tiler 1 is quite young and Tiler 2 is very experienced, well known to the several tile warehouses locally and was a recommendation from someone who had a lot of expensive tiles fitted in a big extension. He also isn't the cheapest, that is Tiler 3 and I have now discounted that guy. I think the difference in price is just their way of pricing. I may be wrong but wouldn't know until they did the job. I would say that tiler 1 was on about plastering the (new plasterboard) walls before tiling, which I didn't understand, as it reduces the weight the boards can hold but I don't know, maybe there was a good reason.

Thanks to all again for your advice. Much appreciated.

 

[judge]

Your right Dominic,If the wall tiles are going ceiling height ,Skimming the walls is a total waste of money,time and restricts weight limits.😉

 

[White Room]

You could have twenty guys turn up and there would still a big variation in prices...

 

[G Taylor Tiling]

Not an exact science then......as it seems personal preference comes in to it also. Thanks for all your help. I see that nobody thought tiling straight to boards was a good idea and so I could discount that tiler straight away.

I understand the argument on "you get what you pay for" but, as a customer, I have to disagree that it is a rule. More a guide, as it often doesn't work out that way. I recently had a plumber (allegedly a proper firm etc.) do some terrible work for quite a lot of money. More than the better plumber who rectified it would have charged. I also had a shower room fitted by a big firm in Manchester, paid a lot of money and got an awful job (blocked soil pipe etc backing up to 2nd floor bathroom just one of the problems). I could have paid a lot less on both occasions but went for the more expensive options, as they appeared to be experienced, reputable etc. I have a few examples of this principle but don't want to bore everyone (ok, too late for that).

The proof, I'm afraid, is in the pudding, not the quotation. I just have to use my best judgement as to who will do the best job (and seek advice from tiler's forum). Obviously price comes in to it also but I certainly don't want a shoddy job after shelling out £850 on tiles.

In this instance, Tiler 1 is quite young and Tiler 2 is very experienced, well known to the several tile warehouses locally and was a recommendation from someone who had a lot of expensive tiles fitted in a big extension. He also isn't the cheapest, that is Tiler 3 and I have now discounted that guy. I think the difference in price is just their way of pricing. I may be wrong but wouldn't know until they did the job. I would say that tiler 1 was on about plastering the (new plasterboard) walls before tiling, which I didn't understand, as it reduces the weight the boards can hold but I don't know, maybe there was a good reason.

Thanks to all again for your advice. Much appreciated.

Totally agree, best way is to have sound reputable recommendations, or even better see the work he has already done etc...

 

[Tile seller]

Tiler one seems odd, with wanting to skim the plaster board and looking to posibly eliminate lateral movement rather than vertical so much. Tiler two has the method that makes sense to me. I don't think tiler three is completely wrong but, the method doesn't seem as safe as overboarding.