First problem in 10 years....

[Danj]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum but ive been tiled for around 12 years with no major problems until today.......happy new year ‍♂️

So I finished laiding a floor on the 4th of December 40m2 in total, 32m2 onto a new concrete screed (not slurry screed) with piped Ufh and 8m2 onto existing contrete with no Ufh.

I do a lot of work for the builder and was assured the floor was dry.....

Over the Xmas break I saw a few other trades out and about, they told me some of tiles are loose and that the Ufh was turned on around 2 weeks after I finished. I always recommend 3 weeks. I've been to investigate this morning and the 32m2 onto fresh concrete is loose yet the 8m2 on existing is solid.....

Just curious to know if anyone has any other suggestions as to why they could be loose before I start rowing with the builder. As I said I've been tiling for 12 years with no problem, I used ultra primer and extended set flexible adhesive and grout.

Many thanks

 

[LM]

Hi Danj
Was the Ufh commissioned correctly before you tiled it?
Was it turned on at the correct rate and time after you tiled it?
What type of tiles and adhesive were used?
Has there been exspainsion joints factored into the floor and perimeter?

 

[Danj]

Hi lee,

The Ufh was tested before tiling yes.
Not sure on the rate at which the temperature was raised, I'm meeting the builder tomorrow to get more details.

The tiles are 600x600 porcelain I used ultra pro extended set flexible adhesive.

There are no expansion joints as the room is 8m at maximum length and 5/10mm parimeter. There arnt any raised areas only hollow sounding tiles over the heated areas.

Thanks for the reply

 

[Rookery]

Did you back butter the tiles?

 

[radim]

Lift a tile and see what is debonding - adhesive from concrete or adhesive from tile as it might be sign of too high temperature of UFH

 

[Danj]

I back skimmed them but find it too much of a coincidence that the un heated areas are fine.

 

[ttt tiling]

Last time this happened to me , the screed had failed .
Bi house in London , 100000 pound kitchen on top of 40m2 Travertine 40x20's . Turned out the customer had ramped up the underfloor heating until the floor was hot , she was happy then , not so happy when the floor cracked up.
During a meeting with the architect , the builder and my mate Allan Berks from Fired Earth , we took a tile up and a lump of screed came up with tie and adhesive attached to it > never did hear what happened , but we got paid .
Hopefully you'll find the same thing

 

[Flintstone]

See if there is any moisture when you lift a tile, that will tell you a lot. If the builder has ensured you it's dry and tile it then I would be pointing the finger at him. Also if you didn't specifically instruct the customer how and when to put the heating on, they will have ramped it up I'm sure.

 

[Chalker]

Looks to me like the screed wasn't dry. Never take the work of a builder. Always test. Even a full tin of paint with a price of polythene underneath, left overnight will tell you a lot. Builders will tell you it's tested. Thus can just mean it has been pressure tested! It needs to be heated before tiling.

 

[Flintstone]

Often to a builder if it's set it's ready to tile