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I read some posts earlier regarding tile onto plywood.

I did a job just over a year ago. When I looked at it I advised that the 12mm wbp plywood was not a satisfactory substrate. The customers builder argued that it was and that he had been building bathroom & wetroom walls like it for years with no issues. We eventually reached a compromise where I had to tank the walls with a membrane (I used Porcelanosa Imperband) first.

The back wall area is 2.4m across, and the tiles were 930 x 330mm. I used Mapei Keraquick to fix the membrane & Mapei Keraflex to fix the tiles.
The pics below show a vertical crack that runs from top to bottom right down the centre of the wall, i.e. where the two plywood panels meet.

IMG_0819.jpg IMG_0817.jpg IMG_0818.jpg

I explained the issues with regards to thermal expansion caused by rapid heating and high humidity in wetrooms, but the builder knew best :lol:. I now have to strip everything out and build the walls correctly using a tile backer board, then re-tile all at the builders expense.

I hope the above helps illustrate why plywood is not a suitable tile substrate for high humidity areas.

Daz
 
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Stewart

I hope it costs the builder an absolute fortune to re-place and do the work with a big knowing smile on your face......
 
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hillhead

Plywood is a disaster to tile on.
Some builders still think it's best in showers :mad2:
 
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Gazzer

This was a job I had to repair recently. The tile was only weeks old before the tiles all cracked along the line of the join in ply.
split ply.jpg
 

flaggy

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i dont even bother doing the work anymore its more hastle than anything ,i just say you will after get somebody else to do the work
 
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flatstones

hi. i would not have took the job on. that was a problem waiting to happen? as a tiler sorry to all carpenters but me and plywood will never get on
 
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Gazebo

Great example thanks for posting it.

I hope the builder has learnt his lesson albeit the hard way.. hey ho now he knows he might start listening to tradesmens advice.
 
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I've just moved house. In my previous house I had someone build me a fully tiled shower cubicle about 15 years ago. He used 18mm WBP on a 4x2 frame, a 1200x900mm shower tray with 3sided upstands under the tiles. Unfortunately, I don't know what adhesives or surface preparation he used for the tiles.

It has never leaked and none of the tiles have ever cracked or fallen off in 15 years of almost daily use.

So it can be done . . . I'd just like to know how!
 

kilty55

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I've just moved house. In my previous house I had someone build me a fully tiled shower cubicle about 15 years ago. He used 18mm WBP on a 4x2 frame, a 1200x900mm shower tray with 3sided upstands under the tiles. Unfortunately, I don't know what adhesives or surface preparation he used for the tiles.

yes it can be done as can tiling direct to chipboard etc etc etc the list goes on

doesnt mean its correct though.....the failure rate in these types of prepared jobs is higher than it should be and as pros we cant be seen to be endorsing these methods as its our reputations that will suffer.
 
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That's fair comment and I entirely understand a professional's position about using the latest and greatest.

My reason for being here is as someone who has taken on a large home renovation project. It has been a bit daunting taking on some 'serious' DIY but it has been an interesting and rewarding experience.

I may have made a mistake, but I have recently built a shower cubicle based on the same method described above, although it's a corner cubicle with two walls and a curved shower tray. I've built the walls on a 4x2 framework at 250mm centres with two sheets of 18mm WBP screwed on at no more than 250mm centres, so the only the only joint is in the corner. The shower tray feet sit on a concrete floor so everything is pretty much rock-solid.

Given that 'it can be done', what is the best way to tile such a shower cubicle?

I'm currently planning to use a Mapei 'shower waterproofing kit', but I'm not entirely sure about the best https://www.tilersforums.com/forums/tile-adhesive/ to use. Something like Keraquick perhaps, though I'm not sure if this HAS to be used with their Latex Plus additive if I've used the shower waterproofing kit.

Any advice gratefully received, even if it's not a ringing endorsement as such ;)

Thanks.
 
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Muse2k8

You won't get advice about tile onto ply walls sorry... It shouldn't be done and given that a) you know it shouldn't and b) the best material to use is a hell of a lot cheaper than ply; then there is absolutely no reason at all to be doing it sorry.
 
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Daz

As you've worked out, the use of plywood in a wet or high humidity area is far from recommended. Given that you do not wish to replace the ply with a suitable tile backer board then the next best course of action is to fully tank the area, and the Mapei waterproofing kit is perfectly good if applied correctly.

The waterproofing kit will only serve to protect the ply from surface moisture ingress and will not add any strength or resistance to thermal expansion so you must use a flexible https://www.tilersforums.com/forums/tile-adhesive/. I don't think you have advised what tiles you intend to use so we can only provide a general https://www.tilersforums.com/forums/tile-adhesive/ guide at this stage.

A flexible single part cement based https://www.tilersforums.com/forums/tile-adhesive/ should be adequate for use. I recently did a wetroom where the client had selected to have Gulf Stone on the walls, and although the walls were constructed using cement tile backer boards I still had to use Keraquick with latex (due to the tiles, not the walls), and be aware that this is not the easiest product to work with, so you may wish to engage a professional if you choose for the added strength and flexibility.

The wetroom above has failed due to the substrate and not the adhesives used.

Good luck and it will be nice to see some pics as you progress.

Daz
 

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