Floor tiling, wall tiling surface preparation

floor tiling, wall tiling … how to prepare the surface

Will- Good morning Alexi it great to see you, one of the best tilers I know.

Alexi- Good morning Will

Will- I wanted to ask you a couple of questions, A lot of people that we see on a regular basis ask us questions about surfaces and how surfaces are prepare, Can you give us some insight as to what happens there.

Alexi- First up you need to know your surfaces and what you’re laying on, So you got concrete, timber or you’re going onto existing tile. You need to know the preparation, the system that need to be used for that particular surface. For example on concrete you can go a direct stick but it’s going to depend also what size tiles you’re using.

So if you’re using a large format tile and that could be a 600×600 you need to screed the floor first with a minimum 20 mm thickness screed. Once you’ve done that and then you can go a large format tile and you will get a great finish. On timber floors you it’s best to use that old methodology of plastic, chicken wire, sand and cement.

My old man did it that way, my grandfather did it that way, it’s still the best way and I will continue to do it that way. You don’t have the problem of tiles cracking later. So plastic acts as the slip joint and chicken wire is the reinforcement for the screed. Once that done then you kill two birds with one stone you can go a large format tile because you got a perfect level surface to work on. On top of existing tile, I would go prep and prime, that way you’ve cleaned the floor and prep and prime and then you can go with direct stick on top of that or if you have to screed you can also screed on top of existing tiles depending on the size of the tiles.

Will- So in terms of cost to the customer what perspective do you have with all these different surfaces.

Alexi- A lot of problems you might find is that people will try to cut corners and they don’t want to prep, So it depends what value do you want for your home.
You want a perfect finish or do you want to rip it up and do it again it’s going to cost you 3 times more, there’s the cost of removing tile, buying new tiles, re prepping and then tiling and that’s the biggest issue.

Will- thank you, thank you very much

Alexi – thanks Will