My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?
If so, what is the best way to go about it?

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?

Maybe

If so, what is the best way to go about it?

Lay plywood over the floor and screw it down. Use that to tile onto with
flexible adhesive.

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

"Timothy Murphy" wrote:
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?
If so, what is the best way to go about it?

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

--
Timothy Murphy

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/TILING_FLOOR.htm

"Timothy Murphy" wrote:
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?
If so, what is the best way to go about it?

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

--
Timothy Murphy

According to http://www.axp.mdx.ac.uk/~john49/tilefaq.htm :

Laying on floor boards: 12mm (minimum) marine ply screwed down at 140mm
centres. (1/2" at 6" in old money) Prime with a waterproof primer. This will
normally result in a step between rooms.

"Paul Andrews" wrote in message
...
"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?

Maybe

If so, what is the best way to go about it?

Lay plywood over the floor and screw it down. Use that to tile onto with
flexible adhesive.

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland



I am also about to tile a bathroom. What if it has chipboard flooring and
not boards.
Mine seems to be pretty stable and flat, so would you still recommend a
layer of ply?

Andy

Andy wrote:

I am also about to tile a bathroom. What if it has chipboard flooring and
not boards.
Mine seems to be pretty stable and flat, so would you still recommend a
layer of ply?

I would still use ply.
I did once tile straight onto a P5 chipboard floor, since the adhesive
manufacturer explicitly claimed it was ok to do so.
Whilst the tiles still seem to be stuck some 4 years later, I'm not
entirely convinced

Lee



--
Email address is valid, but is unlikely to be read.

"Andy" wrote in message
...
"Paul Andrews" wrote in message
...
"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?

Maybe

If so, what is the best way to go about it?

Lay plywood over the floor and screw it down. Use that to tile onto with
flexible adhesive.

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland



I am also about to tile a bathroom. What if it has chipboard flooring and
not boards.
Mine seems to be pretty stable and flat, so would you still recommend a
layer of ply?

The principle reason for the ply is to stabilise the floor and try and
minimise any flexing/movement (usually of floorboards). If you think the
chipboard flooring is stable and flat then I don't see why you would need
plywood. You'll probably need to seal it with something first.

Paul

Andy

"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?

If so, what is the best way to go about it?

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

Timothy Murphy

Not sure I'm seeing all replies but I'm amazed that none (that I've seen
anyway) have mentioned or asked how you're going to get the floorboards up
to get at cables/pipes/anything else you may need to in the future, if you
tile over them?

Numpty.

Timothy Murphy wrote:
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?

Fiarly
If so, what is the best way to go about it?

If it flexes badly, add joists, If its uneven, pack and screw down 3/4"
ply. Otherwise screw down maybe 12mm ply.

Use thick (5-8mm)base of flexible floor tile cement, and a bit of
plasticiser in the grout.,

don't play trampolines on it after it has been laid.


Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

Andy wrote:
"Paul Andrews" wrote in message
...
"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?
Maybe

If so, what is the best way to go about it?
Lay plywood over the floor and screw it down. Use that to tile onto with
flexible adhesive.

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland


I am also about to tile a bathroom. What if it has chipboard flooring and
not boards.
Mine seems to be pretty stable and flat, so would you still recommend a
layer of ply?


Recommend? If you are a purist, yes. Insist? no.

It works BUT - and its a bit of a a but - IF you get a long term drip or
leak, and it DOES get in through the grout it WILL deform the chip
enough to lift the tiles.

I've got one bathroom done this way, and I did get a leak and it did
lift the tiles..I redid it with thicker tiles, thicker cement, and was
careful to fix every leak, and its been fine for a couple of years now.

Second bathroom is being done the same way.




Andy

Paul Andrews wrote:
"Andy" wrote in message
...
"Paul Andrews" wrote in message
...
"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?
Maybe

If so, what is the best way to go about it?
Lay plywood over the floor and screw it down. Use that to tile onto with
flexible adhesive.

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

I am also about to tile a bathroom. What if it has chipboard flooring and
not boards.
Mine seems to be pretty stable and flat, so would you still recommend a
layer of ply?

The principle reason for the ply is to stabilise the floor and try and
minimise any flexing/movement (usually of floorboards). If you think the
chipboard flooring is stable and flat then I don't see why you would need
plywood. You'll probably need to seal it with something first.

Its not UTTERLY necessary to seal it, but a wipe with PVA stops the chip
absorbing the cement water too quickly, which can compromise setting
quality.

Paul

Andy

numpty wrote:
"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

Is this a good idea?

If so, what is the best way to go about it?

Any and all suggestions gratefully received.

Timothy Murphy

Not sure I'm seeing all replies but I'm amazed that none (that I've seen
anyway) have mentioned or asked how you're going to get the floorboards up
to get at cables/pipes/anything else you may need to in the future, if you
tile over them?


You don't.

I am amazed that people don't consider how they are gong to dig up their
gardens to get at the pipes and cables under than, or indeed how they
dare put light switches in walls except using surface steel trunking. I
mean, you might have to take the plasterboard off to get at them.

For heavens sake, my mothers house only sold in 6 weeks for the full
asking price because it was stock full of original 1950's plumbing and
wiring that HAD NEVER EVER BEEN TOUCHED after 50 years including 3
bathroom and three kitchen makeovers!!

Indeed, I hear that new building regulations will be forcing us to
provide an access hatch over every single brick so that if they fail,
they can be individually replaced without disturbing the structure.

And mortar will be forbidden, each brick will be screwed in place with
stainless steel bolts on a rubber gasket.

And no brick will be allowed at a height greater than a disabled
wheelchair user can reach in order to do just this..a ramp will be
constructed around every house to make sure they can access every brick
without using dangerous life threatening 'ladders'





Numpty.

Indeed...

My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

You'll need ply over the top.

Is this a good idea?
If so, what is the best way to go about it?

To avoid an excessive step and because the old wooden floor is bad, it would
be far better to remove the old floorboards first and use 18mm ply (or more
depending on joist spacing).

Removing floorboards can either go really easily, or with great difficulty
(if a load bearing wall has been plonked on top, for example).

Christian.

Christian McArdle wrote:
My wife wants to have tiles in a 2nd floor bathroom,
over a not very good wooden floor.

You'll need ply over the top.

Is this a good idea?
If so, what is the best way to go about it?

To avoid an excessive step and because the old wooden floor is bad, it would
be far better to remove the old floorboards first and use 18mm ply (or more
depending on joist spacing).

Removing floorboards can either go really easily, or with great difficulty
(if a load bearing wall has been plonked on top, for example).

Christian.


all the above, and use a thick bed o flexible cement, and if the floor
is springy, try and beef up the joists by doubling up or laying
herringbone strutting before nailing down the ply.