Repairing loose tiles on Electric UFH

[jwho]

Hi everyone

Just found your site whilst searching for online help with our bathroom tiles - looks like a good forum so I hope someone can help, as I have very little experience laying tiles!

We have one or two loose porcelain 300x600mm tiles on our bathroom floor. This was fitted for us 7 months ago and for personal reasons we'd rather not get the tradesman back to fix it. I am really keen to try to fix this myself and would like to ask the advice of those with more experience.

It was (or at least, I hope it has been) fitted with a plywood board layer on top of the floor boards and the Warmup electric UFH loose wire system laid on top. We supplied the BAL flexible adhesive and Warmup UFH system.

When standing on one end of these large floor tiles, there is a little movement (about 1mm) vertically. Over time this has caused the grout to crack and come loose around the edge of the tile.

I am hoping that I can remove the remaining grout around the problem tiles (e.g. using a grout saw) and loosen the tile from its adhesive by rocking it in place by applying pressure to either end. Then lift tile and clean off adhesive underneath tile and on plywood board underfloor - taking care not to damage the UFH wires. Then mix up and apply new BAL flexible adhesive to floor and replace tile.

Does this sound feasible - does anyone have any advice on this?

Many thanks.

-William

 

[DHTiling]

Hi William.

Do you know if the UFH wires were encased in self levelling compound..? if not then it will be very difficult to clean this up without damage.. are you sure it is a loose tile and not just deflection issue with the substrate causing the grout to crack etc.?

 

[jwho]

Hi William.Do you know if the UFH wires were encased in self levelling compound..? if not then it will be very difficult to clean this up without damage.. are you sure it is a loose tile and not just deflection issue with the substrate causing the grout to crack etc.?

Hi DaveI am not sure on either point. Although I strongly suspect that there is no self levelling compound. What is "deflection with the substrate"?Many thanksWilliam

 

[bobbin]

Bounce or movement in the ply or floorboards. Insufficient screws holding it down will cause deflection which in turn over a period of time will cause cracking of grout and tiles.
If no levelling compound has been used you run the risk of damaging the ufh.

 

[Aspect Tiling]

As dave says there could be deflection/movement in the timber floor that the tiles can't cope with, causing the grout to crack and the tiles lifting. Any deflection or bounce in the floor should of been sorted prior to fixing the tiles. The minimum for ply is 15mm and should be WBP (water and boil proof). Have you any idea what was used? If there is deflection/movement in the floor I'm afraid there is no quick fix as the tiles will over time become loose again. You really need to find out why the tiles have become loose before you try and fix the problem.

 

[Rich]

Hate to give bad news but I think that you may have a bigger problem than you realise. When grout starts to crack and tiles begin to come loose (especially on plywood floors) 9 times out of 10 it is because the correct prep was not carried out on the floor before tiling and in time all the tiles will do the same. I have seen this countless times and as has been said above, there is no quick fix, rip out and redo Im afraid.

That said, This is not the only reason tiles become loose (just the most common), so you really need to find out why these tiles are coming loose and the only way to do that is to take them up. If the grout has cracked around the tiles then my guess is that the bond is broken underneath the tile, once you have removed the grout, the tile should come up pretty easily. Is there any chance you could do this and take some pics? This will give us a much better idea of what has gone on.
Pics of the cracks, the floor under the tileand the back of the tile would be a great help.

 

[jwho]

Hi guys

Here is a link to pictures of the grouting around the tiles. I have not attempted to raise any of the tiles yet so cannot provide images of the substrate or underside of tiles.

Broken Link Removed

regards

- William

 

[Rich]

Had a look at those pics and I am sticking with my theory that it is a problem with the floor under the tiles.

 

[One Day]

Rich has it right I think. Looking at the grout cracks there is either a major problem with the fixing; i.e. spot fixing or the floor has to much deflection.
How thick was the ply they used? I'll bet it was 6mm!

 

[jay]

at a guess i would say the problem is with the substrate