Best floor and UFH - Tile Advice

[Damob123]

I have 15mm - 18mm between my FFL and the top of my bifold base.

1. What’s the best floor to use with wet UFH? We have about 75mm of screed on top of the UFH.

2. Am I forced into a thinner tile? Ideally we will need about 1mm non fracture mat, and a 1.5mm of adhesive. Is this correct?

3. What would you expect to pay for fitting over 36sqm? I am being quoted about £1800 which includes the adhesive and non-fracture mat. Seems quite expensive to me, but what do I know. It’s worth mentioning that I’m down in Saffron Walden (Essex/Cambridgeshire).

I guess it doesn’t matter too much if the tile sits slightly higher than the bifold base, as they open outwards. However, it would be great to get them flush.

thanks for the advice

 

[faceman]

Hi, 15-18mm should be enough even if you use Dural or Ditra matting and a 10mm porcelain tile. These types of matting are definitely better than the 1mm stuff but 36m isn't big and many of us tilers will have done heaps of floors that size without matting. Matting will give you piece of mind though and cover you should your screed crack. The thin matting like kerakoll biotex is also half the price and you can get that yourself from Protiler tools. If you do go for a 3mm matting and come level or slightly higher than the bifolds just finish the edge with a strip of straight edge 12mm trim so you'll only see 2mm of chrome from the top. Always looks nice. People often try to get their doors flush with the tile and it rarely works out. Often the lip of the bifold has a curved edge so you need to finish slightly lower to allow for a silicone bead between tile and door as grout will never hold. £1800 is at the high end but if the tiler is very good you will get value, if he isn't you're definitely getting ripped off. Maybe source your own matting and ask how much then.

 

[demi34]

Bal rapid matt very good product and 1mm thick

 

[faceman]

Bal rapid matt very good product and 1mm thick

Yeah that’s fair enough, just gave up on BAL after their inflated prices

 

[Dave]

Yeah that’s fair enough, just gave up on BAL after their inflated prices

I did yrsssss ago.

 

[Damob123]

Thanks for the advice everyone. My tiler said he can do £240 per day, and it will take him about 4 days. I just have to supply materials, which I’m guessing is just the mat and adhesive (tiles too of course).

I will definitely look into the beading rather than aiming to finish flush with the tiles - makes sense.

Would i be pushing my luck with a 15mm limestone tile? Or is it not as good with the UFH?

Thanks again for the advice

 

[Damob123]

p.s. the screed has been down about 70 days and it’s had a hairline crack (about 1m long), so I’m thinking a mat would be good for peace of mind.