What is this stuff under my floor tiles?

[FJC]

Hi, just spent a couple of days bashing up ceramic floor tiles from my bathroom floor. In all the advice i have read it says to lay a layer of plywood over the floor boards when laying a tiled floor ( will do this when retiling) however under the tiles i am removing there is the layer of tile adhesive and then what appears to be some sort of rubber layer (dark grey stuff which is a pain to get up) and no plywood!. What is this stuff and is it easier/better than laying a layer of plywood?

 

[masona]

It maybe the flexible floor tile adhesive.

Might be quicker to take up the flooring then use exterior plywood straight onto the floor joists as it will keep the floor level down and not higher.

 

[tylerb]

Could be a product called Fast Flex. With it you dont need to over lay with ply.

Bet you are having a mare trying to get it up if it is fast flex. It is easier to go one with the product but as you can now see it isnt easy to get the tiles up again.

Ty

 

[FJC]

Managed to get all the tiles up eventually and the mysterious rubber stuff. My husband is suggesting i go for ply over the floorboards before the tiles, so have to do what he says to avoid argument. Thanks for the tips. If anyone knows how to speed up the recovery of my plumber who has fallen through a conservatory roof and broken ribs when he was due to start my bathroom this week let me know.