Tiling Travertine

[iddon]

We have a shower cubicle to tile with 600x400 silver travertine tiles and will be looking to fix directly to Lafarge Vapourcheck plasterboard. A couple of questions, what can you recommend as a suitable quick dry adhesive and how much to apply, bearing in mind these are quite heavy tiles. There'll be no grouting required as we are looking to butt each tile up together. Secondly, any recommendations on cutting travertine? I've seen tilers cut these use a stihl saw but not always successfully as travertine is quite unpredictable and can be broken if too much pressure is applied. I've looked at a table saw with a diamond blade (DURATOOL - D01667 - TILE CUTTER 600W) but reckon a similar tool with water would be better (?)

 

[tictic]

think you will need to do a BIT more research....before cont...

 

[tpt]

You'll need some kind of water barrier - tanking the plasterboard would be ideal, and you will deffo need to grout them. i'd also advise on using a spacer everytime - especially with something like trav.

use a white powdered adhesive and a notched trowel. follow the addy manufacturers guidelines on bed etc.

Cutter wise a stihl woudl be very strong on this. buy\hire a watercooled cutter.

as tictic says - sounds like you have a lot more reading to do before you attempt to diy with an expensive tile like that

 

[Richard C]

We have a shower cubicle to tile with 600x400 silver travertine tiles and will be looking to fix directly to Lafarge Vapourcheck plasterboard.

Check your tile weight & add 4 kg/sqm for adhesive/grout (oh sorry your not having any), if that comes to more than 22 kg/sqm, I think you might have a wee problem with it & PB (if you can use it) is going to need tanking in a wet area; use tile backer board.

A couple of questions, what can you recommend as a suitable quick dry adhesive and how much to apply, bearing in mind these are quite heavy tiles. There'll be no grouting required as we are looking to butt each tile up together.

think you will need to do a BIT more research....before cont...

Tictic & tpt are being kind, make that a LOT more research.

You'll need a diamond wet cutter as stated.

 

[iddon]

I omitted to say that I'm not tiling it myself and just wwant be sure that the tiler we get to do the job knows what they're doing, have the right kit and experience. So far we've had 2 Tilers in both saying they can do it "no problem" but not convinced when both said they'd be cutting using stihl saw and made no mention of tile backer board.
Weight of tile per SQM is approx 6kg/sqm
Thanks for advice

 

[AdrianMealing]

Weight of tile per SQM is approx 6kg/sqm

You sure about that? i think that is for EACH tile if they are 10mm thick, therefore 1 SQM will be 4.17 tiles which is 25.02KG without ADDY and grout

 

[Richard C]

Weight of tile per SQM is approx 6kg/sqm

Erm I think you need to re-check that, it doesn’t sound right to me ; even crappy 6mm thick ceramic tiles weigh in at around 14 kg/sqm! I think your going to need 12mm waterproof tile backer board both due to the tile weight & because PB (even Moisture Resistant) isn’t suitable in wet areas unless tanked; that’s if you want it to last.

 

[tictic]

I omitted to say that I'm not tiling it myself and just wwant be sure that the tiler we get to do the job knows what they're doing, have the right kit and experience. So far we've had 2 Tilers in both saying they can do it "no problem" but not convinced when both said they'd be cutting using stihl saw and made no mention of tile backer board.
Weight of tile per SQM is approx 6kg/sqm
Thanks for advice

ok...the preperation first.

the substrate will have to take the weight of the travs...the plasterboard wont..so you will need a cement based b/board..aquapanel/hardie etc..

fixing the backerboards...
stagger(brickbond) them onto the stud work or dot/dab them to solid wall then mechincal fixings(plugs/screws)

tape all joins on the boards with fiba tape(use flexy adhesive to do this)..

tiles now..
travertine will need sealing at least a few coats of sealer..
so if you can, seal before fixing..at least one coat.
sealer..there is a few on the market..
lithofin/aquamix/universal/ltp/fila/hg....just follow mfr inst..

adhesive..
you will need a WHITE coloured Flexiable Fast Setting Adeshive..WHITE so you dont get any bleeding through the tile..
mapei/bal/weber/ardex etc...

grout..
you will NEED TO GROUT...min spacing for a wall is 2mm...
when the adhesive is curing/bonding the tile to the subtrate,there will be slight movement,so if you have no spacing the tiles will be pressuring against each other,and can cause Tenting/Bowing and also if no grouting is done water WILL penetrate between the tiles causing you all sorts off problems..

but before grouting, you will need to seal the tiles again, and then after grouting another coat off sealer..

dow corning silicone or mapei silicone(mapei have 26 differant colours so you can get one to match your grout colour).. down all internal corners and around floor perimeter etc..tiles should not be sitting on tray/floor at least 5mm gap(this is for any exspansion/movement in floor etc)

if your tiler doenst follow any off the above...then sack him.....

cutting travs..you will need an wet cutter or angle grinder(dusty this way but can be done)..both with a quality diamond blade..

 

[iddon]

Thanks Tictic.

We've been advised that the 12mm moisture board and then a 6mm tile waterproof back boards fixed to this should be fine for travertine.

We have sealant for tiles and will be sealing prior to installation.

Conflicting tales on grouting. We've seen previous installations with no grout simply butted up and now problems reported but I take on board your point and will ask the next tiler we ask for a price for their stance. All other points noted, particularly about cutting with an angle grinder which one tiler we had yesterday said he would use.

 

[iddon]

Builders Merchant recommends 12mm back board (pecidur) so will go with that.

 

[1john]

Builders merchant are going to reccomend their own products, you need to have the best product you can get, and it must be suitable for the application. Showers need to be installed and thought out properly, not having any grout seems a ludicrus idea to me.

 

[Richard C]

not having any grout seems a ludicrus idea to me.

& me; & in a wet area it's going the be doomed to failure

 

[iddon]

Thanks to all posters so far on this. We've taken on board the grouting issue and now insisting on this. Any suggestions on recommended water resistant/proof tile backe boards together with what the advantages/disadvantages are over 6mm V 12mm?

 

[iddon]

Just had another tiler recommending that he'd use a Mapei tanking kit to prepare and seal existing plasterboard. Viable or not?

 

[tictic]

again if i where doing this job...

min 12.5mm cement based backer board...hardie/aquapanel/marmox/wedi etc..not 6mm this is mainly designed for overboarding floors.

as for tanking products onto plasterboard i mainly use a membrane..dura/ditra/homelux..

and if you said to me ..no grout...i would walk from the job..