So a friend of mine hired someone who works on the side to install ceramic tile in his 2nd floor kitchen. I previously asked a question regarding pre-mixed thinset because this “contractor” requested it. I was over today and looked at the partially started job.
Existing flooring was sheet vinyl. “Contractor” tore up the sheet vinyl. Left the 1/4″ Luan down. That’ll create a nice place to stub your toe. He then screwed 1/4″ hardibacker down without setting it in thinset. I really wonder if he intends to tape the joints between the sheets. Also, he didn’t tear off the baseboard, only the shoe. He plans to put the shoe back later. Ugh….Shoe mould and tile.
Oh well….at least my friend got a deal. Can’t wait to see the finished product. When will people learn?
Replies
First of all. Putting down anything on 1/4 luan is asking for a whole lotta trouble. Second, how thick is the sub-floor below that luan? Need to have a good 3/4 to 1" sub floor for a good tile job.
Regarding that goop they call premixed thinset. Big mistake.
For an extensive forum on tiling go to http://www.johnbridge.com
ps - word to the wise though. If you post there, better have your facts ready. The good folks there won't dole out advice unless you give them the full scoop on subfloor, joist spacing, dimensions of room etc. Great group though. They helped me through a tile job. Looks awesome.
Side bar;
Thats a good forum and Ive been a member for a good while and enjoy my time spent there .
What I find kinda funny is that they especially deal with tile. If the subject gets off course they often dont repond. Or if there isnt as you sau enough information the same result. I asked a question over there not long ago about laying a concrete floor to level it . When John himself found out it didnt get tile because I then told him they were done . That thread went cold with just his reply. He didnt even explain it just quit . Took me a day or two to really figgure thats what they had done . The same subject came up here the other day last week and I felt like it was an insult but was disagreed with mostly. Thats what they do.
Tim
The johnbridge site is very good. If you admit you're a rookie, they are very accomodating. But they don't advocate any shortcuts.
I don't understand why the 1/4" luan will be a toe-stubber.
No thinset under the hardiebacker is a bad job.
I don't agree wioth the instruction aboiut the joints, though. They say to space the sheets about 1/8" , then you're supposed to tape & bed the joints. Well, if you're gonna fill them with thinset, why bother to gap the sheets?
Not removing the base is common. I'm not saying it's right, just that it's common in budget installations. Two reasons: the HO's were used to seeing shoe mould with the old floor covering, so puitting it back over the tile is not a new thing. And, if you pull the base and re-set it on top of the tile, chances are that you'll have an alignment issue somewhere where the tile stops and carpet starts. And it's a lot more work to cut the caulk, pull the base, re-set the base, caulk it, and touch up the paint.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
It is doubly bad. The luan will flex between the luan and the floor, and the backer board will flex between the backer and the luan. The joints will crack. Maybe even the tiles will fall off eventually.
I've learned long ago to keep my mouth shut with friends about things like this. Only certain friends, who really want to know and can take it, get a critical opinion out of me. Most will get "that's a nice tile you picked out."
Just a note: I used premixed thinset for my ceramic tile in my laundry room with no ill effects yet (after a year of normal use). It was my first tile job and I wouldn't use it again just because now I know how to mix/ use real thinset. RE: the shoe, I removed the old vinyl sheet floor (down to bare concrete) and the old base/ shoe; replaced the latter with new base/ shoe after tilework completed. Matching existing wasn't an issue since a door separates the room.
As for the other issues, I can't comment.Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling