Glass Mosaic Brick Tile splashback total mess ... please help

[mrsferg70]

Hi everyone,

I picked out a glass brick mosaic for my kitchen splashback but the tiler my builder used has mucked up the laying. :mad2😛ic album is here https://plus.google.com/photos/1058...ms/5989776281302338497?authkey=CNmPxoDb4fyWHw

There was slumping and I could see every join in the mosaic. I asked the builder to remove a really bad patch and after the weekend I couldn't stand it anymore and asked him to remove all of it, reorder the glass brick mosaic. The builder has got the wall back to pre-tile plasterboard stage. The tiler was apologetic but as yet has not come back to redo the job.

I have been looking online for ideas on what went wrong. So far as I can work out...he used too much adhesive, possibly even the wrong kind...the product is called ASA Mastik and if you believe the container it is supposed to be "White, Anti-Slump Ceramic Wall Tile Adhesive". Some American forums online suggest something called thinset which my builder and tiler both say they have never heard of or used. The other thing I think he did wrong is he used the wrong type of spacer and even the wrong size perhaps. I found one lurking in my garden and I still had a small sample of unlaid tile and when I pushed the spacer into it, it knocked the alignment of the brick pattern out of whack.

What to do? I hope you guys have some really good advice for me to make sure the redo of the job works out properly. The builder is insistent that the tiler comes back to redo the job...I'm not so keen.

Regards,
Mrs. Ferg

 

[Mr Tiler]

Cant see the pics...

 

[Lee@emctiles]

What were the walls like before the tiling commenced? Looks like too much adhesive or prep was bad?

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Mrs Ferguson - you were right to have them all removed and I'd be concerned he'd make a better job the 2nd time!
All he needs is the back edge of a small 4/6 mm trowel a 600mm level and some working knowledge of tiling - which seems to be the problem.
Bal (in this country) make a mosaic fix adhesive or any fast set flexible cement based powder adhesive mixed stiff will hold them from sliding.
Good luck!

 

[mrsferg70]

Thanks Lee. The walls should have been dead level as it was all new board. I'll see if I can upload a pic of the wall pre-tiling to the album too. I took photos at every stage of kitchen renovation. I can take pic of the wall in its current state too.

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

I just looked at the pic's and read your post, really mosaic tiling is a specialist tiling that some tilers have mastered over the years, but lot's haven't but would never admit it , but i would not trust most tilers /builders or/have a go's with this task , don't let him have another go ! he will mess-it up...., get a tiler with a proven track record please, the thin set you talk of is an american term for tile adhesive don't go on american sites for british practices, they are very different to british...as a mosaic specialist your tiler seems to have used the level kitchen work-tops as as a starting point , a competent mosaicist would not use tile spacers ether ,it is a mess, please use a competent person, get a recommend from your local tile shop or use a tiler who is doing lots of mosaic work ......good luck.
Sorry just noticed you are from Australia !!!!!!!!!!.......go on an ozzy tiling forum......

 

[mrsferg70]

I just looked at the pic's and read your post, really mosaic tiling is a specialist tiling that some tilers have mastered over the years, but lot's haven't but would never admit it , but i would not trust most tilers /builders or/have a go's with this task , don't let him have another go ! he will mess-it up...., get a tiler with a proven track record please, the thin set you talk of is an american term for tile adhesive don't go on american sites for british practices, they are very different to british...as a mosaic specialist your tiler seems to have used the level kitchen work-tops as as a starting point , a competent mosaicist would not use tile spacers ether ,it is a mess, please use a competent person, get a recommend from your local tile shop or use a tiler who is doing lots of mosaic work ......good luck.
Sorry just noticed you are from Australia !!!!!!!!!!.......go on an ozzy tiling forum......

Thanks for your advice. Had checked out the Australian Master Tilers Association website forum but there is not a lot of discussion going on there so thought this one looked like a more active and helpful forum. Hope the global village mentality is alive and well in UK.
The builder has already been and talked to the tile shop staff who told him they only sell two types of tile adhesive and both are mastic and apparently that is what they recommend for the glass tile. I have sent builder several links for specialist glass tile adhesive available in Australia and asked "do you think we would get better results with this product" but he seems intent on using what is only available in tile shop or using what he and the tiler know how to use.

Could you please expand on

a competent mosaicist would not use tile spacers

...what would you recommend instead? I have read about horseshoe spacers and small wedges. The ones the tiler used were cross shaped.

The kitchen cabinets are new and the counter top is level. The house itself was built in '76 and the windowsill is not level and tilts up slightly to the right. I wish I had known this before I had purchased the tile! The tiler said he was trying to make adjustment for this and that is why tiles ended up crooked on the RHS. Personally, I would prefer them to be lined up with the level countertop and straight than crooked.

Anyway, if you can spare the time, hope you can get back to me about what to use instead of spacers and how you would approach this job. I think the more constructive, professionally based arguments I can have to go back to the builder about how the job should be done and why I don't want to use his tiler anymore would be very helpful. The builder is insistent on using the tiler still because the tiler has offered to come back and redo the job for free. So far the builder is wearing the cost of new tile and replacing all the plasterboard and getting walls replastered so he is not keen to pay for a different tiler.

Thank you very much.

 

[prceramics]

bal mosaic fix is good stuff just think not enough care been taken to get each row of sheets level the best thing to use is a lasor level and just keep raising it every couple of rows as you go
and if i ever use spacers on these kind of tiles it would be the little red wedges just to keep them in place, he didn't grout when still wet did he ?

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

All the individual tiles on the sheets, are pre-spaced, so should not need mechanical spacers between them and as this tiler has just used what was at hand and not the correct size he has made a pig's ear ...
i know guys in Australia who tile swimming pools to a top world standard ,and my be able to put you in contact with them if you give me your approximate location as you know Ozz is a big place lol all the best Dave ....

 

[Chalker]

With the correct adhesive you he won't need spacers, as the mosaics will grab if done correctly.

ps. I would say I'm fairly proficient with most tiles on the market, and have been tiling for many years. But tend to shy away from mosaics as they are tricky to fit.

 

[MTiler]

Dont let the builder anywhere near the mosaics again, as David has said get someone who has experience with mosaics. He shouldnt be using spacers with them. If you get someone else ask for photos of the previous work and get references.

MissyT

 

[beanz]

New board doesn't necessarily mean flat walls. It will only be as flat as the stud work behind the boards. It could be that he's got no business tiling mosaics, or it could be that he's trying to get over a poorly prepped substrate.

 

[Old Mod]

Dont let the builder anywhere near the mosaics again, as David has said get someone who has experience with mosaics. He shouldnt be using spacers with them. If you get someone else ask for photos of the previous work and get references.

MissyT

:iagree:

Bal (in this country) make a mosaic fix adhesive or any fast set flexible cement based powder adhesive mixed stiff will hold them from sliding.
Good luck!

With respect TJ, this guy can't manage addy he supposedly knows! A stiffly mixed rapid? Dunno if that's something he should attempt! :sofahide:

Glass mosaic, Standard set set addy NO Spacers!

 

[Gazzer]

Input from Tasmanian tiler
"
in regard to the lady from melbourne with the glass brick splash back ASA Mastic (tubbed stuff ) is a very cheap adh and if you read limitations on the file it says not for dense tiles

may help"

Cheers Jay

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

I did think of Jay but as he is next door to ozz, i passed, the guys i have spoken to are 2000 miles away LOL so thats no good to the lady (Sorry i did try ).....good luck......

 

[Time's Ran Out]

:iagree:


With respect TJ, this guy can't manage addy he supposedly knows! A stiffly mixed rapid? Dunno if that's something he should attempt! :sofahide:

Glass mosaic, Standard set set addy NO Spacers!

My original post to Mrs Ferguson did explain that her problem may be caused by a tiler with limited knowledge and the above advice is a way for her to mix available adhesive to hold the mosaic.

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

OK i have found some great mosaic tilers from Melbourne now , so if you PM me your details then i will put you in contact with them mrsferg70

if you ever come back ......

 

[mrsferg70]

OK i have found some great mosaic tilers from Melbourne now

Thanks David. I don't know what happened to my last post - it disappeared! Alas I am a 4 hour drive from Melbourne in a town of 20,000pop so I think I might be limited to local tilers only.

I have spoken to the local Italian tiler (as we all know how much Italians love their mosaics) and he is so busy he referred me to his former apprentice whom, I since found out, is subbing for one of the other tilers and is in the middle of 4 months of solid tiling work. There is one other experienced tiler whom I've spoken to and he will hopefully come and quote on the job next week. The tiler whom the builder used has 5 years experience in tiling and quit tiling full-time 8 months ago. So desperate times here. The Italian told me the guy who did my tiling is still considered a "good tiler" and he probably used too much adhesive and rushed what must have been difficult tiles. Still doesn't explain the excessive use of spacers to me. Except maybe he was trying to jack up the tiles because too much adhesive was causing them to slip.

Anyway, so my choice of tiler is limited here. None of you want to migrate do you? Plenty of work it seems.

Have researched adhesive. BAL is a subsidiary of Ardex. Have spoken to the Ardex technical rep in Australia and he recommended some products. Ardex also own Dunlop which is a very well know adhesive company and readily available in Australian hardwares. One is clearly stamped suitable for Mosaics. Not sure whether it matches BAL in quality. Posted question about adhesive on Aussie forum, so far no response, unlike yourselves who responded within the first couple of hours!

Thank you all for the very sound, professional advice and suggestions on what went wrong. Think I have one of life's difficult conversations ahead next week. Will keep you posted.