Correct plywood preparation

[Brad]

Hi all....

Now I know that plywood is not the best substrate to tile onto, especially walls. Problem is that most builders still use the stuff so you just have to make do. Could I get a few comments from those who have been in the trade for some time about preferred methods of substrate preparation prior to tiling onto plywood.

About a year ago I tiled a wall, 600x600 porcelain tiles onto a solid plywood backing. I primed the ply surface with PRIMER-G. Then used MAPEI keraflex. A short while later I had to replace a tile through no fault of my own. Getting the original tile/adhesive off in preparation for the new was quite a task! So my method seemed a good one. What of the tilers out there that warn against priming plywood or maintain that it is not necessary.....

I welcome any comments........

 

[White Room]

Hardie backer or a Marmox type board wold be my preference....

 

[Brad]

That's ok if you have control of the job from the start.....What if the wall has already been ply'd out? i.e. you have no choice but to tile onto ply??

 

[beanz]

You're better off speaking directly to adhesive manufacturers about this. I was under the impression that you should never prime the surface of the Ply, but should prime sides and back. I only ever tile onto Ply floors, but i'm slowly going off that idea, and avoid where possible. I assume you're working for other builders when doing these jobs? Are you working under their Public Liability Insurance, or your own?
If i had to tile a Ply wall, i'd be looking at a 2 part addy, but would definitely speak to manufactureres first. 😉

 

[White Room]

Me personally as my patience wears thin nowadays, change it or I don't bother and reason I say that I tiled onto ply many years ago and the resins leaked into the white grout and and turned it brown.

Your choice at the end of the day though.

 

[Brad]

So the worst that happened was the grout turning colour? No tile failure or anything like that? Did you prep the ply in any way?

 

[White Room]

I did'nt but was informed a coat of pva had been applied to the ply after the event, not good.

 

[beanz]

I've never had any bleeding. What worries me more, is the shrinkage. I've had a couple of tiles pop now, for no apparent reason, so can only put it down to the ply shrinking. Re-layed them, and so far they've stayed down.

 

[DHTiling]

I am not a lover of tiling to ply but it can be done no probs..

 

[charlie1]

Plywood would have more reaction to water ingress. I tile on plywood floors but not walls. Suppose it comes down to price.