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The short version: I need to (re?) seal a plywood base to re-install some tiles on a wetroom shower floor. What paint-on products would you recommend? Also, is there a sealant that can be painted over small (3") natural stone tiles to prevent water getting through/round them.
The long version (look away now if bodgery offends you): I recently bought a refurbished house the first-floor bathroom of which includes a wetroom style shower. The walls are large travertine tiles, the floor is 3" natural stone tiles on a mesh/mosaic backing. The grouting between the floor tiles is not great and has started to crack. The problem is worst around a few (only 8) of the tiles that were not seated properly and so rocked when you stood on them. The grout had completely disintegrated and there was very obviously water underneath these so I've removed them with a view to re-bedding them and regrouting. They appear to be laid direct onto plywood and I have no idea if this was sealed originally, there is a black substance on it but this may be discolouration due to water penetration (the ply appears sound and not soggy). I'd like to make sure it is sealed before I re-bed the tiles. What would you recommend? Please bear in mind that this is only a very small area (less than 1 sq ft) so a membrane is impractical, I need a paint-on solution. Having reseated these tiles and regrouted, is there anything that I can paint over them to help stop water working its way through the grout? The floor was painted with travertine and tumbled marble impregnator but I understand that this is to avoid water degrading the tiles themselves. I'm looking for something that will form a seal over the tiles and grout.
Disclaimer: The workmanship on the house is not top-rate :incazzato:so I fully anticipate having to redo the wetroom in a couple of years with a proper (Tuff2 or similar) tray and membrane-tanked walls. For now the floor seems pretty rigid, so I don't think the whole thing is flexing catastrophically, and I don't have the time or money to get this done.
Thanks in advance for your help
The long version (look away now if bodgery offends you): I recently bought a refurbished house the first-floor bathroom of which includes a wetroom style shower. The walls are large travertine tiles, the floor is 3" natural stone tiles on a mesh/mosaic backing. The grouting between the floor tiles is not great and has started to crack. The problem is worst around a few (only 8) of the tiles that were not seated properly and so rocked when you stood on them. The grout had completely disintegrated and there was very obviously water underneath these so I've removed them with a view to re-bedding them and regrouting. They appear to be laid direct onto plywood and I have no idea if this was sealed originally, there is a black substance on it but this may be discolouration due to water penetration (the ply appears sound and not soggy). I'd like to make sure it is sealed before I re-bed the tiles. What would you recommend? Please bear in mind that this is only a very small area (less than 1 sq ft) so a membrane is impractical, I need a paint-on solution. Having reseated these tiles and regrouted, is there anything that I can paint over them to help stop water working its way through the grout? The floor was painted with travertine and tumbled marble impregnator but I understand that this is to avoid water degrading the tiles themselves. I'm looking for something that will form a seal over the tiles and grout.
Disclaimer: The workmanship on the house is not top-rate :incazzato:so I fully anticipate having to redo the wetroom in a couple of years with a proper (Tuff2 or similar) tray and membrane-tanked walls. For now the floor seems pretty rigid, so I don't think the whole thing is flexing catastrophically, and I don't have the time or money to get this done.
Thanks in advance for your help