Tiling onto self levelled / compacting concrete surface - Tile Advice

[Venusandmars]

Our ground floor construction is a mesh reinforced structural concrete floor that was poured using Aggregate Industries' Agilia self levelling / self compacting concrete so as to eliminate the wasteful screed process (Agilia® - https://www.aggregate.com/products-and-services/ready-mix-concrete/performance/agilia). The result is a perfectly smooth and flat concrete floor (76m2) that we now wish to tile over in porcelain .

I have checked with their technical team who advise – “It would also be worth scarifying the surface so that there's a good key as you may not get good adhesion without it. Then you need to ensure you use a cementitious based tile adhesive. If you use a gypsum based adhesive then it will degrade the concrete and pop the tiles in no time. All in all yes you can tile onto the surface but it would be advisable to follow the steps above.”

The slab has been down for 8 months and there isn't the slightest hint of a single crack anywhere - although the ufh has not been commissioned yet. Given that there is ufh within this slab, I’m not sure whether or not a tile mat is required so would be interested to get your views and if so, what type of mat.

 

[eddcottee]

The mat night not be necessary for porcelain, however for the sake of what it costs, I would put a mat down, especially if your tiles are big. If the floor is flat and level as you say, then I'd use Bal FlexBone as it's so easy to work with and is very cost effective as it dosent need fixing down

Cheers

Edd

 

[Kevbos]

Our ground floor construction is a mesh reinforced structural concrete floor that was poured using Aggregate Industries' Agilia self levelling / self compacting concrete so as to eliminate the wasteful screed process (Agilia® - https://www.aggregate.com/products-and-services/ready-mix-concrete/performance/agilia). The result is a perfectly smooth and flat concrete floor (76m2) that we now wish to tile over in porcelain .

I have checked with their technical team who advise – “It would also be worth scarifying the surface so that there's a good key as you may not get good adhesion without it. Then you need to ensure you use a cementitious based tile adhesive. If you use a gypsum based adhesive then it will degrade the concrete and pop the tiles in no time. All in all yes you can tile onto the surface but it would be advisable to follow the steps above.”

The slab has been down for 8 months and there isn't the slightest hint of a single crack anywhere - although the ufh has not been commissioned yet. Given that there is ufh within this slab, I’m not sure whether or not a tile mat is required so would be interested to get your views and if so, what type of mat.

It sounds like anhydrate screed ! I would get in writing the exact methods they suggest and materials to be used and follow that to the letter , only way to be sure

 

[Dave]

The UFH needs commissioning first. Also find out the make up of the screed. As mentioned it could be anhydrite