is 6mm ply suitable?

[reggie09]

Hi all, just looked at a potential job for tiling the floors in one bathroom and two en-suites, the house is only one year old and has chipboard panels through out which are nailed to joists from what i can see, the owner of said house says two previous tilers have recommended putting 6mm ply or similar down before tiling and now insists that this is done! Im not certain this will be suitable and would appreciate any advice as to whether this is the case or not?
many thanks for any advice recieved!

 

[pete f]

no 6mm ply is not suitable use 6mm backer boards screwed down 6 inch centres

 

[grumpygrouter]

As Pete F says! 6mm ply is worse than tiling straight onto chipboard with appropriate adhesives in my opinion. Go the backerboard route if the floor is solid.

 

[CJ CERAMICS]

go with what these guys say backerboard. i would also recommend that if the chipboard is nailed to the joists you will need to rescrew the chipboard to ensure that it is properley fixed to the joists imo.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

:welcome:Reggie - How long have you been tiling and why do you think that 6mm plywood is not suitable. If the owner insists on it being used how are you going to persuade him to use something else. Have you heard of Hardie backer boards and do you know how much they cost.
Reggie I'am just asking the questions that you haven't filled in!
Technology today provides us with a 6mm tile backer board which comes in sheets of 1500x900mm and you stick to the chipboard with the same flexible adhesive you'll use for the tiling. You also screw it down and tape the joints. You then have a non movement tile background that is water resistant and easy to tile on. It is however about 2 times the price of plywood but a professional job. Armed with this information you should have no trouble defeating the opposition!
Good luck.

Timeless John.

 

[davy_G]

If 6mm ply is already down i tend to say 'you may as well have laid cardboard' what a waste.
Mind you i tiled a wee bathroom for a plumber who prepped the room. He tanked the shower on my insistance, but would not be convinced to rip up the 6mm ply and insulate as I was installing UFH. I told him it was all at his risk and he was happy with that. Fingers crossed, only used the 100 not the 160mA as a compromise after advice from UHeat

 

[Olz]

Yep, agree with everything here, If raising the floor height is an issue then 6mm hardibacker would be my choice, the floor has to be rigid.

British Standards say 15mm ply is the minimum, you cant buy that so 18mm is the next one up.

 

[DHTiling]

Hardi all day long for me......and it has come right down in price.

 

[doug boardley]

a lot of people think that it's the surface that counts, ie 18mm chipboard with 6mm ply makes up nearly an inch of solid surface..... except it's not!... voids form under the 6mm ply that isn't rigid enough or strong enough to hold up. Hardie backer is the way to go, or use 25mm wbp rather than floorboarding and 6mm ply overlay

 

[reggie09]

thanks for all the comments, my original plan is to make sure current floor is sound then put 6mm hardi down(best price from ctd for the usual 1500x900 sheets) not sure why someone would advise putting plywood down if they knew much about the job, ive spoke to customer again and explained the pros and cons and was told that they would be happy for 11mm hardwood? think i might be flogging a dead horse with this one, i suppose some would say if thats what the customer wants then ill do it, but in my mind i just know it will be a waste of time! i suppoose i will find out shortly if i have persuaded them!