A:
With some planning yes!
The main technical restriction we have to consider is
weight. Different wall finishes and coverings can carry different weights of
tiles. Tile weights are normally measured by the weight per square metre. The
weight of your tiles will be dictated by the actual material of your tiles and
the thickness of the tiles. The weight of the actual adhesives to be used is
relatively minor compared to the weight of the tiling, but also have to be
taken into account.
Due to these reasons its best to contact me at the very earliest
stages of your project to discuss the wall covering options or your tile choice
options with your current wall. This is especially important if you intend to
install a wet room area where it may be best to install specifically
manufactured backer boards rather than plasterboard. You should also not plaster skim your
plasterboard until you have decided on your tile covering. If your tiles and adhesive
are going to weigh over 20kg per square metre then you should plan to only skim
over the area to be painted. I can advise your plasterer as to where to skim and
how to finish the edge of his skim for partly tiled walls.
As an example: tiles over 8mm thick should not be fixed to plasterboard that has been skimmed
with plaster, and once 12mm thick porcelain or 10mm natural stone is used then
even standard plasterboard is deemed inadequate. At this point you should be
fixing to tile backer boarding.
These are the maximum permitted guidance weights per
m2 of tiles and adhesive combined:
- Gypsum Plaster 20kg/m2
- Plywood (WBP) 30kg/m2
- Gypsum Plasterboard without a plaster skim 32kg/m2
- Light Tile Backer Board 40kg/m2 (depending on
spec. of board)
- Gypsum Fibre Boards 35~40kg/m2
- Glass Reinforced Cement Boards 50kg/m2
(depending on spec. of board)
- Heavy Tile Backer Board 62kg/m2
Guidance weights of materials – these weights are for
guidance only.
Cement based adhesives have a mass of approximately 1.4Kg
per mm thickness.
|
|
Weight with 3mm
adhesive
|
Weight with 6mm
adhesive
|
|
6mm thick glazed tile
|
14.26 Kg/m2
|
18.46 Kg/m2
|
|
8mm thick glazed tile
|
17.62 Kg/m2
|
21.82 Kg/m2
|
|
10mm thick glazed tile
|
20.97 Kg/m2
|
25.17 Kg/m2
|
|
12mm thick glazed tile
|
24.32 Kg/m2
|
28.52 Kg/m2
|
|
12mm thick quarry
|
26.40 Kg/m2
|
30.06 Kg/m2
|
|
10mm thick porcelain
|
23.88 Kg/m2
|
28.09 Kg/m2
|
|
12mm thick porcelain
|
27.82 Kg/m2
|
32.00 Kg/m2
|
|
10mm thick natural stone
|
31.10 Kg/m2
|
35.30 Kg/m2
|
|
12mm thick natural stone
|
36.48 Kg/m2
|
40.68 Kg/m2
|
|
20mm thick natural stone
|
58.00 Kg/m2
|
62.20 Kg/m2
|
To summarise – please contact / call me at the earliest
stages in your project to ensure that the correct background is installed to
enable you to enjoy the tiles of your choice and probably save you money too!
A:
A solid wall finished in sand and cement render is ideal,
for stud walls the ideal background would be special tile backing boards. This
doesn’t mean that other backgrounds are not acceptable but if you get a chance
to install backing boards in your shower and wet areas this will help ensure a
sound construction for many years. Plasterboard and plywood are also acceptable
backgrounds.
Additionally I recommend that all shower backgrounds are tanked
before tile installation. It can’t be guaranteed that your grout or tiles are
waterproof. Water will ingress through grout over time especially with a power
shower. The only waterproof barrier in a shower or wetroom construction is the
tanking, this alone (when properly installed) will prevent water penetration to
the wall surface, stud-walls and floorboards. Please see the ‘Tanking’ section
of the frequently asked questions.
A:
Your walls should be braced to deliver a rigid non flexible
base for your plasterboard. You plasterboard should be fixed to your wooden
framework using screws, not nails. Your plasterboard thickness should be a
minimum of 12.5mm thick.
A:
New plaster should be left to dry for at least 4 weeks prior
to tiling.
A:
Yes it is but it’s always best to remove the old tiles as
the total applied weight of the old tiles and the new tiles could well exceed
the recommended supporting weight. If it is decided to tile over tile then the
existing tiles will have to be very firmly fixed and then cleaned.
Correct wall
preparation and tanking installation prior to tiling is a service offered by
Ceramastyle Tiling Services.