Self Leveling onto plywood - Tile Advice

[danmasey]

iv been asked to tile my dads kitchen floor which has had a small extension. The levels are not perfect and there is a slight dip in places. We have 25mm ply down but the dips are still visible. The tiles are marble and im worried i wont be able to smooth out uneven parts with just adhesive. Can we use any type of self leveling compound onto of the ply?

any help would be great.

Dan

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Levelflex by TA, can be used on ply. You could Google it.

 

[Martyn Leeds]

Hi & Welcome,

I reckon you're gonna be asked a lot more questions about your prep work/materials/process etc from the regulars...

But 1st thing for me would be that I would be overboarding the ply with a tilebacker board. I never tile on ply & use Hardi. And especially if you're laying marble

 

[swanman]

You can use a flexible leveling compound it has fibres in the mix that would be okay

 

[kilty55]

hi dan,the ply as you have said wont level the floor you will need to slc it

make sure its suitable for plywood and check the minimum depth thickness some state 10mm minimum

were you planning on just filling the dips and feathering it off or levelling right over the entire substrate?

has the ply been butt jointed also? just to check

 

[Mike]

i never tile direct to ply, i'd overboard with 6mm hardi or similar as martyn has already said, then a flexible slc

 

[peckers]

There are plenty off questions that could be thrown in as you are laying marble tiles onto a wooden floor, but to keep it simples and to answer the question in hand yes there are suitable slc's that can go onto ply, but as some have mentioned in using a tile backer board also. I would put the slc onto the ply and then use a tile backer board so as the floor is flat under the tile backer board therefor minimising any risk off deflection under the backer board and making it easier to install.

 

[Stef]

You could try Weber FloorFlex, its minimum depth is 10mm over wood though.

Or try Mapei Renovation Screed, minimum 3mm over wood.

 

[danmasey]

i was planning on SLC the whole area not just the dips in the floor. Also had planned to use tile backer boards which i guess ill have to use adhesive as screws may crack the slc underneath?? Was never planning on tiling onto the ply wood. a quick side question, when sticking down the tile backer boards with adhesive, what size trowel / bed would be best to use?

 

[peckers]

i was planning on SLC the whole area not just the dips in the floor. Also had planned to use tile backer boards which i guess ill have to use adhesive as screws may crack the slc underneath?? Was never planning on tiling onto the ply wood. a quick side question, when sticking down the tile backer boards with adhesive, what size trowel / bed would be best to use?

The screws will go threw the slc fine, as to size off notch trowel to use follow the tile backer board instructions but generally i use a 6mm solid bed trowel for a flat floor.

 

[Mike]

i use a 6mm notched trowel . i'd screw the boards down too, a turbogold screw or similar will go through the slc easy enough

 

[Mike]

The screws will go threw the slc fine, as to size off notch trowel to use follow the tile backer board instructions but generally i use a 6mm solid bed trowel for a flat floor.

i was too slow there steve :lol:

 

[Stef]

Mike, i queried about screws before & got told to use stainless steel screws.

I bought turbo stainless from screwfix?

I take it you can just use turbo golds?

 

[Mike]

Mike, i queried about screws before & got told to use stainless steel screws.

I bought turbo stainless from screwfix?

I take it you can just use turbo golds?

for safety yes use the stainless version well spotted :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Stef]

Mike, is it only for Rust that they specify stainless screws?