Expansion Joints

[poynton phil]

Doing a room 50msq 10x 5m approx, wood effect porcelain on ufh. I know I need to use a expansion joint, but I dont want to cut a break for the joint across the room if posible. I spoke to schlutre and the young lady I spoke to said it would be ok to run the joint lengh ways with the tiles, instead of across. The thing is she didn't sound to convincing. So I thought I would ask you guy's for your advice. Thankyou.

 

[White Room]

Take there advise but are you running the tiles length ways or width ways.....

 

[poynton phil]

Every thing will be lenghways

 

[Ajax123]

the joint should go across the 10m length i.e. splitting it into 2 5mx5m bays. Splitting it lengthwise to make to bays 10mx2.5m is a disaster and a ridiculous suggestion.

 

[AliGage]

On the schluter course they said maximum length of bays were 8m.

Not sure why they are suggesting 10m over the phone
Are you able to change the layout of the tile to run across the width so you can hide the EJ?

 

[Ajax123]

one thing I have never been able to get a definitive answer on from the tile experts is what the implications are of the movement joint not being straight. i.e. if you tile brickwork fashion and leave a cold joint that follows the pattern of the brickwork and then fill with silicon does this impair the effectiveness of the joint, assuming there is not a joint in the substrate underneath...if that make sense. expansion and contraction act in 6 directions all at once so in my technical brain I don't think it matters too much if it is not straight .... opinions welcome ... every day is a school day and all that

 

[Old Mod]

one thing I have never been able to get a definitive answer on from the tile experts is what the implications are of the movement joint not being straight. i.e. if you tile brickwork fashion and leave a cold joint that follows the pattern of the brickwork and then fill with silicon does this impair the effectiveness of the joint, assuming there is not a joint in the substrate underneath...if that make sense. expansion and contraction act in 6 directions all at once so in my technical brain I don't think it matters too much if it is not straight .... opinions welcome ... every day is a school day and all that

@Ajax123

Alan, u've touched a subject that I struggle with continuously!
What is your opinion in the first place about expansion joints in tiling given that there is not one in the substrate?
How does this work?
I struggle to believe it's of any use.
I need some one to explain it to me, if I can understand the mechanics of it I'll be able to comprehend their purpose, but at the moment I just can't!
I'd appreciate either your thoughts or indeed technical knowledge on the subject.
Thanks
Marc.

 

[poynton phil]

On the schluter course they said maximum length of bays were 8m.

Not sure why they are suggesting 10m over the phone
Are you able to change the layout of the tile to run across the width so you can hide the EJ?

Thats why i said I was not convinced, on what the young lady said, today i rang back, and a guy called tony put it straight for me, and he said a max of a 7m run. Which has worked out ok for the customer. I gotta be honest, like Marc, I always struggle with expansion joints. Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[Just Rizzle]

putting an expansion joint in the tiles if there isn't on in the floor in my opinion is a waste of time if the floor were to crack it will do it were it happens and not were you put the expansion joint in the tiles

 

[Dave]

Thats why i said I was not convinced, on what the young lady said, today i rang back, and a guy called tony put it straight for me, and he said a max of a 7m run. Which has worked out ok for the customer. I gotta be honest, like Marc, I always struggle with expansion joints. Thanks for the input everyone.

The Expansion joints in the tiling field have a maximum area on a heated screed and even if there are no joints in the screed , the tiling field should not exceed bays of approx 25 sqr mtrs..
This is to ease possible stress that can cause tenting of the tiles.


Info from BS5385 for you :

Movement joints in the floor tiling onto heated screeds should be incorporated as outlined in British Standard BS 5385: Part 3:1989 Clauses 19 and 23.6 and BS 5385 Part 4. Briefly, this document requires that joints be located over existing and/or structural movement joints. Around the perimeter of the floor and where tiling abuts columns, curbs, steps and plant fixed to the base. In large floor areas tiles should be divided into bays not exceeding 25 square metres in area.


Now some say they use an uncoupling membrane to ease stress and tile larger bays but as a fixer , that choice is yours.

I would opt for the staggered cold joint min 6mm joint , its more appealing to the eye than a straight joint.

Or the tiles should be laid the other way and then you can insert a straight joint..