# Tiling on to plywood



## milmo (1 Aug 2007)

This is my first post so apologies if this has been covered recently.

I will be tiling on to WBP plywood in a bathroom.  Do I need to prime the wood first or treat it in anyway?

Can I just tile directly on it??

Thanks


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## Jaid79 (1 Aug 2007)

milmo said:


> This is my first post so apologies if this has been covered recently.
> 
> I will be tiling on to WBP plywood in a bathroom. Do I need to prime the wood first or treat it in anyway?
> 
> ...


 
prime with PVC poly-bond and tile using flexable adhesive and grout.

If it is at all an option use hardi-backerboard in leiu of the WBP?

Hope that help?

Jaid

Also ensure the ply is very secure on the wall before tiling


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## milmo (1 Aug 2007)

Thanks for that Jaid,

I had been on a DIY website and they stressed not to use PVA primer and that is what made me wonder about the issue.

I was in Woodies, but couldn't find anything. Maybe I didn't look hard enought!  Any ideas where I could pick up some PVC poly-bond??


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## Jaid79 (2 Aug 2007)

milmo said:


> Thanks for that Jaid,
> 
> I had been on a DIY website and they stressed not to use PVA primer and that is what made me wonder about the issue.
> 
> I was in Woodies, but couldn't find anything. Maybe I didn't look hard enought! Any ideas where I could pick up some PVC poly-bond??


 
milmo,

I should have said pva, not pvc The only other bonding agent I could suggest is Epoxy primer, that sould do the job and most large hardware stores or tile outlets should have it.

Jaid


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## quinno (2 Aug 2007)

TBH, I wouldn't botehr with a sealed, because WBP plywood is generally resistant to moisture asorbtion. I have tiled my own bath room (walls and floors) 2 years ago - so far so good. Tiles are still in situ  . I would imaging the raeson they don't rrecommend a PVA sealer is that it wouldn't adhere very well to WBP plywood and might therefore lead the adhesive to de-bond.

A flexible tile adhesive is an absolute must - it will cater for minor movements, particularly in the floor. I used a Evostik product, it wasn't pre mixed. Can't remembder the name, but any good builders supplier should have it.

A waterproof grout is also a must, particularly around baths / showers. Again any of the well know makes (Evostik, BAL, etc) should do the job.

Also, make sure you're plywood is well screwed down. Would suggest a minimum 150mm centers on the floor. Mark it out with a grid first to make it easier.


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## Jaid79 (2 Aug 2007)

quinno said:


> TBH, I wouldn't botehr with a sealed, because WBP plywood is generally resistant to moisture asorbtion.


 
The primer is not applied in order to create a seal, its to give a proper key for the adhestive to adhere too.

So I would highly recomend using one.

Jaid


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## quinno (2 Aug 2007)

[broken link removed]

I used something like this - can be applied directly to plywood. Mine was the powder version that you have to mix. Probably no harm in using a sealer, but this one doesn't require it.


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## Jaid79 (2 Aug 2007)

quinno said:


> [broken link removed]
> 
> I used something like this - can be applied directly to plywood. Mine was the powder version that you have to mix. Probably no harm in using a sealer, but this one doesn't require it.


 
WBP ply should be surfice, but it might not be a bad ideal to seal any joints with mastic(if they are wide)

Jaid


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## Carpenter (4 Aug 2007)

I've just used WBP ply on a floor I plan to tile this month; I fixed the ply down with drywall screws at 250mm c/cs, which I think is more than adequate.  When I start tiling I plan to tape each joint in the ply sheets with a fibreglass repair tape (self adhesive scrim as used in plastering) and apply a thin layer of adhesive over this to bed it in.  I came across this idea in an American trade book and it seems like a sensible precaution.  I will be priming the ply (and walls) with a PVA agent before tiling.


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## tosullivan (4 Aug 2007)

I think its overkill.  My bathroom floor is tiled on plywood for about 6-7yrs with no problems


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## milmo (4 Aug 2007)

Thanks for that guys.

The initial website I had checked ref the PVA was cautioning against its use in case water mades it's way through, mixed with the primer causing it to soften, which would then then cause tiles to drop off.  

I take it that none of you who've used a PVA primer have experienced a problem like this?

I am also getting conflicting advice from friends about the merits of using  a leveling compound on the bathroom floor.  Any opinions?

Thanks


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## Jaid79 (8 Aug 2007)

milmo said:


> Thanks for that guys.
> 
> The initial website I had checked ref the PVA was cautioning against its use in case water mades it's way through, mixed with the primer causing it to soften, which would then then cause tiles to drop off.
> 
> ...


 
milmo,

thats an option, but why would you use leveling compound, are your floors off in a big way?

If its got that bad take up the floor and put down fiber cement board i.e hardy backer board. I used this in a timber frame house and I would not in the future use any thing else, to my mind its the best product on the market to tile on too.

Jaid


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## jimmyd (8 Aug 2007)

My tiler tiled on top of my marine ply with fex adhesive and flex grout and both of my bathroom floor tiles cracked,ive just taken the tiles up and am wondering what to do no   ~ two tilers have said to me to put ply down on top of the marie ply with loads of screws and retile again. How do i take off the adhesive from the marine ply?


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## Jaid79 (8 Aug 2007)

jimmyd said:


> My tiler tiled on top of my marine ply with fex adhesive and flex grout and both of my bathroom floor tiles cracked,ive just taken the tiles up and am wondering what to do no ~ two tilers have said to me to put ply down on top of the marie ply with loads of screws and retile again. How do i take off the adhesive from the marine ply?


 
Turn it around and use the clean side? That said I'm unsure too what extent the adhesive is still attach to the ply.

Why not use fiber cement board? Either way put the screws in at close centres, ensuring you sink the heads.

flexable adhesive is only flexable to a certain extent i.e minor movement

Jaid

Jaid


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## Kev S (29 Mar 2010)

Hi there,

I'm tiling my kitchen. There's currently lino down with floorboards underneath. At first I thought putting plywood down before tiling would suffice but then I was told that plaster board might be needed cause the plywood might not be strong enough.

Does anyone have knowledge on this area? I always thought plywood would hold the tiles and ensure there's no movement.


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## Leo (29 Mar 2010)

Kev S said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I'm tiling my kitchen. There's currently lino down with floorboards underneath. At first I thought putting plywood down before tiling would suffice but then I was told that plaster board might be needed cause the plywood might not be strong enough.
> 
> Does anyone have knowledge on this area? I always thought plywood would hold the tiles and ensure there's no movement.


 
You'd never use plasterboard on a floor. Ply, with plenty of fixings into the subfloor is the way to go.
Leo


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## galwaytt (30 Mar 2010)

First, don't use WPB - there are too many poor quality WPB boards on the market to be assured yours won't be the one to give grief - even if you use screws all over the place

There are two products that will work with no primers, and do not expand/contract like WPB will

1.:  Hardi board.    A cementitious-type board, that you can tile directly on to.
2.: Tegral Hydropanel.  Again, a cementitious board, you can tile directly on to.  

Being cementitious, they don't suffer the expansion issues, nor, if they get wet, don't swell or expand.

Can be used on walls or floors.


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## Kev S (31 Mar 2010)

Thanks.

We had a tiler over to our house and he advised us to use rock board. But its very expensive  - €45 a sheet. Does anyone have any experience with rockboard? If so, would you recommend it?


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## galwaytt (5 Apr 2010)

Kev S said:


> Thanks.
> 
> We had a tiler over to our house and he advised us to use rock board. But its very expensive - €45 a sheet. Does anyone have any experience with rockboard? If so, would you recommend it?


 
That's another word for what I used. I wouldn't use anything else, as everything else absorbs moisture. Which is why you're tiling it in the first place......... 

You only want to tile it once, remember.........

€45 per sheet = 18/m2.   How much is a tiler and your tiles..............??   Like I said, do it right, once........


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