Tiled kitchen floor

[Bazza]

SWMBO wants floor tiles in the kitchen!!! At the moment we have very sad looking flotex, she has seen some porcelain tiles she likes in Wickes. (My fault for insisting that we go for a drive on a Sundays, usually end up in a garden centre or shed)

Just been doing a bit of exploring - under the flotex are self adhesive vinyl tiles stuck to 3mm hardboard which is nailed to the floorboards (tiles a bugger to get of but a hot air gun and wood chisel has a result) From the areas I have investigated some of the floorboards have a bow and some gaps where they have been lifted in the past, laid in 1937

Now what I do not want to do is remove the fitted units so I intend to tile around them, works out a lot cheaper doing it this way as well, the kitchen is not large, 8m2 of tiles.

From reading various sources the recommended way is to layer the floor with up to 18mm ply, not the way I would like to do it if at all possible, I want to avoid raising the floor level at the two adjacent rooms.

My thoughts are to securely screw down the boards, fill in the gaps with slivers, plane the boards to remove the curvature then lay the tiles.

Does this sound feasible? what type of tile adhesive would be the best to use?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Couple of points. Remove the skirting from thg units, tile JUST under and refit with sealing strips.

How you prepared the subtsrate is down to how much flexure it has, If it bounces at all, you *must* stiffen it. Ply sheet is less good than more or deeper joists.

Unevenness can be taken out with a thick bed of FLEXIBLE cement. Needed anyway to cope with flexure. I always swear by Ardex stuff..

In your situation maybe rip the floorboards up except underneath units: if necessary reinforce joists, and add noggins or braces.. and lay slightly thinner ply or flooring grade chip back down.

PS the cost of the tiles may well pale into insignificance compared with the work, the wood and the tile cement. Don't necessarily go to Wickes. See if you can pick up enough end-of-line or sale items from a specialist tile place at silly money. Chepa tiles with printed color wear through the color and look 'orrible in time. get italian quality ones with the colour UNDER the glaze...

As with all DIY, the tiling itself is the least of the issues. Preparing a good stable sound surface is EVERYTHING.

[Adrian]

Bazza (Bazza ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

say "Don't let me stop you, love" and let her get on with it. Does she want gender equality, or not?

Not even vaguely. Life's a bitch.

[Stuart Noble]

A compromise might be to replace the boards with mdf flooring. Keeps the same level and gives you a good surface to tile on to. Easier if the front of the units happens to be on a joist of course

[Bazza]

I assume you mean the front kick boards, they are only tacked on so considered doing that for neatness and cutting the boards to suit

Doesn't feel to be a lot of flexibility in the boards, can't feel any bounce, kitchen only 2.2 mtrs wide, boards run this direction.

Joists are 4"x2" at 18" centres

We have looked around the sheds and specialist centres but swmbo has set her heart on these.

See if you can pick up enough end-of-line or sale items from a

[Bazza]

She has got it, she is now the breadwinner so I do feel some obligation with my spare time during jobs

Always has been but you just have to get on with it

[Tim Decker]

We bought some for our bathroom and loo, which I did last year and everything thinks it is tiling at first glance. Major advantages. Less prep....just put down some new hardboard warmer and safer (less slippy) underfoot, allows access to underfloor if necessary softer landing if you drop something. and finally inexpensive compared to tiles.

I am just doing our shower/ laundry room and we went back to the same place and ordered some more.

our previous house we laid some tiles in the bathroom and even with a wpb ply base there was still some movement. This wasn't a problem in the 2 years after it was done, as we used a flexible adhesive and grout, but not sure how long it would last.

[The Medway Handyman]

Hi Tim - how are you matey?

Listen - if his SWMBO has set her heart on the Wickes tiles.........

:-)

[Geoff Beale]

snip

However much she wants them, don't do it!

Against advice a couple of years ago I insisted on ceramic tiles over wooden flooring in my bathroom. They look a million dollars but -big mistake!

Despite having all the right things done, bracing joists, plywood overlay etc. the floor still moves enough to break up the grout that now needs re-doing for the third time. The tile adhesive is not the problem as all are still firmly attached. The grout is obviously the weak point.

In case you're wondering, like you, I could detect no flexing of the subfloor once it had been strengthened. Go for a flexible floor covering. Many look and feel just like tiles. I wish I had listened to the advice I was given.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I am not sure that £10 a sq meter is a price that will buy you any sort of decent tile.

I generally find good stuff is £25-£50.

Examin carefullym, fgetsample and scuff ith emery papaer, If its soon wers white,show to wife and say 'That's what it will look like in a year or two' and 'you can get real slate for £25 a meter'

[The Natural Philosopher]

Conversely, I have tiles in two wooden floored bathroomns. The first one was a rush job with crap tiles and I used about 3mm adhesive. They cracked off. Now decent THICK tiles are in there with 15mm adhesive. They are fine after 3 years. Same deal in the bigger bathroom, except for reasons of floor slope the mortar bed is up to 35mm in one place. No problems.

The key is stiffening the floor and using good thick tiles of reasonable dimesnion., They themselves stiffen the floor. Both use BAL grout. Thats doesn't crack much if at all.

[The Natural Philosopher]

MM. Washing machines jumping around is an issue I had NOT considered.

mount on rubber blocks?

[Geoff Beale]

You're right of course, but in my case the problem is probably made worse because of vibration from the two pumps running the jaccuzzi type bath.

Because there is likely to be similar vibration in a kitchen caused by dishwashers and washing machines, I would still advise a flexible floor covering.

[Bazza]

Good point about the washing machine, ours is a Zanussi and when it goes into high speed spin it sounds and feels like its about to go into orbit, the vibration can be felt in the lounge. Will have a play with rubber blocks and then decide on the floor, I think the washer could put an end to the tile idea.

Bazza

[sm_jamieson]

I have concrete kitchen floor, and the washing machine vibration cannot usually be felt, but it will jiggle the lounge door if it is closed but just resting on the doorstops. Have to push the door fully shut to stop the rattling ! Simon.