Shangri-la Sues Contractor For £57m Over Delays To Shard Hotel Opening - Tile Advice

[Sean Kelly]

Shangri-La sues contractor for £57m over delays to Shard hotel opening - London - News - London Evening Standard

Top hotel suing contractor for not taking the backing off marble tiles before fixing them. I have never seen backing on marble tiles unless they are mosaics. Yea, i've seen polystyrene and paper used to separate tiles but how can you miss peeling off a backing before fixing?

 

[Dan]

Wow.

Didn't see that coming.

 

[Gazzer]

Do they mean the mesh ?

 

[Dan]

Sounds like it might be a bit of a blag and they just wanted to get out of paying some of the bill maybe?

 

[Old Mod]

I heard about this a few weeks ago, of course it's only hearsay, but the way I was told it was more about incorrect adhesive being spec'd!
Maybe what prompted Daves thread?

 

[Dave]

I heard about this a few weeks ago, of course it's only hearsay, but the way I was told it was more about incorrect adhesive being spec'd!
Maybe what prompted Daves thread?

No mine was pure memory from a TTA booklet I got about said tiles and I clocked them straight away.

But I didn't have said booklet with me , so did a few tech calls and then got TTA to email me said PDF of the page from the Tiling to heated screeds handbook .

 

[Old Mod]

Absolutely no argument from me Dave!
It was only as the thread progressed last night with Jonny I even thought of the two subjects being linked, and of course they're not!
The way the story was told to me that the manufacturer spec'd the adhesive and it turned out to be incorrect. When Jonny said that it was the responsibility of the manufacturer to spec the adhesive it just reminded me of what I had been told.
Of course it could be complete and utter nonsense, as I said it was only hearsay.
Have u come across tiles with a resin backing that has to be removed prior to fixing Dave?

 

[Dave]

Absolutely no argument from me Dave!
It was only as the thread progressed last night with Jonny I even thought of the two subjects being linked, and of course they're not!
The way the story was told to me that the manufacturer spec'd the adhesive and it turned out to be incorrect. When Jonny said that it was the responsibility of the manufacturer to spec the adhesive it just reminded me of what I had been told.
Of course it could be complete and utter nonsense, as I said it was only hearsay.
Have u come across tiles with a resin backing that has to be removed prior to fixing Dave?

IMHO it's only used on the thinner stone tiles for strength and removing it is defeating the object , the issue is though , is how well bonded is the backing , after all that's what the addy is bonding too lol.

I'd rather 100% walk than risk it.

 

[Old Mod]

IMHO it's only used on the thinner stone tiles for strength and removing it is defeating the object , the issue is though , is how well bonded is the backing , after all that's what the addy is bonding too lol.

I'd rather 100% walk than risk it.

I get your thread completely Dave and it makes total sense!
This is exactly the point I made to a sparky once when he completely covered an ufh cable in GAFFER TAPE! I pointed out that the tiles would only be stuck to the tape and he was relying on the gaffer tape to hold down the tiles over the ufh! So yeah I get the thread totally.
I was just curious to know, in your experiance, have u ever known a tile that has the said backing and that it has to be removed prior to fixing?

 

[Dave]

I get your thread completely Dave and it makes total sense!
This is exactly the point I made to a sparky once when he completely covered an ufh cable in GAFFER TAPE! I pointed out that the tiles would only be stuck to the tape and he was relying on the gaffer tape to hold down the tiles over the ufh! So yeah I get the thread totally.
I was just curious to know, in your experiance, have u ever known a tile that has the said backing and that it has to be removed prior to fixing?

I haven't seen any instructions saying to remove backing ...

 

[Just Rizzle]

on big jobs like that every thing is specified by the architects to the last detail and detailed method statements have to be provided by the contractors if any thing has not been adheared to and theres a problem then some one gets the blame. ie if the job spec is for say bal sf2 addy and the contractor uses some thing else and it fails hes up a creak with out a paddle

 

[Just Rizzle]

some marbles do come with a mesh resin backing to make the addy stick to the resin have in the past ruffed up the resin using a wire brush or a 40 grit polishing pad to take of the resins shine

 

[Dave]

some marbles do come with a mesh resin backing to make the addy stick to the resin have in the past ruffed up the resin using a wire brush or a 40 grit polishing pad to take of the resins shine

Can you name an adhesive manufacturer who Guarantees their adhesive then.. .?

 

[andy8758]

I recently fixed limestone tiles with a mesh backing - I thought it was to strengthen the tiles because they were only 10mm thick. I used TA lightweight. Nothing has fallen off yet. (I hope). What would tile adhesive manufacturers advise us in these circumstances?

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

on big jobs like that every thing is specified by the architects to the last detail and detailed method statements have to be provided by the contractors if any thing has not been adheared to and theres a problem then some one gets the blame. ie if the job spec is for say bal sf2 addy and the contractor uses some thing else and it fails hes up a creak with out a paddle

nearly there unless things change but nobody will take a step back and re spec
lets presume the adhesive company were sent a sample of the marble to test with no backing so they spec the right adhesive right now thats in the spec
now lets presume the marble then turns up resin backed
now the fixer will presume that this has been tested as its in the spec so starts fixing
lets presume the fixer has to go back and do some repairs after a while
and finds the tiles just fall off the wall
then let us presume that he brings this to the main contractors attention
and lets presume the main contractor says that adhesive has been speced so get on with it the tiling contractor is told
now lets presume this is a very tall building with a lott of movment tiles start to detach on there own big problem
lets now presume the penny drops you can only fix resin backed marble with apoxy adhesive but on a building that sways and moves you cant do this as the apoxy will not
give to movement
lets now presume the tiler is in sh%# up to his neck then remembers hes a very lucky as he is standing on the main contractors shoulders whos standing on the architec shoulders whos standing on the adhesive surpilys shoulders at least hes breathing fresh air .
lets presume next time you are on site and the spec is wrong and you no it .dont fix any think until you get it in righting dated and stamped
lets presume the only way to fix resin backed tiles is with apoxy but only to solid walls
without movement.