Laying large format tiles

[Pocster]

Starting to think about the main floor area.

I like large format ( but perhaps not the price ) - wondering how feasible it is for one lowly human to lay them on their own.

Large format of course is anything from 1000 x 1000 up.... ( seen as high as 3200 x 3200!  )

 

I assume once back buttered ; the weight ( using glass suction cups ) becomes the issue......

[Temp]

Has weight per square meter..

https://regaltiling.nz/tile-selection/tile-weights/

 

 

[Buzz]

Been laying 600 x 900 20mm porcelain for the patio and paths , wouldn't want to lay anything larger on my own. Not to bad carrying to where your working but once down flat lifting to manoeuvre very difficult due to the weight. 

[Pocster]

Yeah I figure weight would become an issue. I know there is porcelain-thin ( some as low as 4mm! - apparently just as strong ). But pricing for those is always "please call for a quote " - which of course means it is too expensive!

Guess I can manage 1000 x 1000 no more than 10mm on me tod . At that size only around 100 of them to lay ....😶

Edited April 11, 2023 by pocster

[Alan Ambrose]

There are some issues with them being not flat - there was a thread about it here recently. Unlike smaller tiles, you will probably need a 'leveling system'.

[wozza]

We have 1200 x 1200 x 7mm - two people required to lay them.

We laid ours on Ditra.

Normal suction lifters may not work if tiles have a texture.

Expansion joints in every doorway and across a large opening due to the size of the area.

Definitely use a levelling system.

We also used the tiles as skirting.

[Pocster]

14 minutes ago, wozza said:

We have 1200 x 1200 x 7mm - two people required to lay them.

We laid ours on Ditra.

Normal suction lifters may not work if tiles have a texture.

Expansion joints in every doorway and across a large opening due to the size of the area.

Definitely use a levelling system.

We also used the tiles as skirting.

Have a decoupling mat and a levelling system . Don’t have any friends so must lay myself ( not rude @Nickfromwales )

[saveasteading]

59 minutes ago, Alan Ambrose said:

them being not flat - there was a thread about it here recently.

That was me.  2mm hump in a 900 x 150 porcelain tile. It needed  a levelling system but the first timers are getting on great with it, and using the levellers on smaller tiles now too, for speed.

 

I am guessing that a big square tile may have a hump in the middle, but the perimeter would all be level. Perhaps a heavy weight in the middle will sort it, but a 2mm flow won't really matter.

 

Handling? Well you wouldn't want to drop or scratch them so find a helper  (doesn't need to be a friend) and buy a suction lifter?

Edited April 11, 2023 by saveasteading

[Pocster]

16 minutes ago, wozza said:

Expansion joints in every doorway and across a large opening due to the size of the area.

Doorway sure . How big was your area and where did you place expansion joints ? ( is there a rule of thumb for this ?? ) 

[saveasteading]

2 minutes ago, pocster said:

is there a rule of thumb for this

If there are contraction joints in the floor then mirror them.

Otherwise, why would you expect the floor to move?

 

[Pocster]

Actually over a largish area do you need expansion joints AND a decoupling mat ???

[Pocster]

Just now, saveasteading said:

If there are contraction joints in the floor then mirror them.

Otherwise, why would you expect the floor to move?

 

Only obvious crack in screed is in a doorway ( as you might expect ) - rest of floor is fine .

[saveasteading]

14 minutes ago, pocster said:

rest of floor is fine .

and the room size?

[Pocster]

6 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

and the room size?

Around 80sq m

[Big Jimbo]

Bloody hard work lifting them on your own Buddy, but has the advantage of not having to hurry because you are paying somebody to help you.

[Pocster]

17 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

Bloody hard work lifting them on your own Buddy, but has the advantage of not having to hurry because you are paying somebody to help you.

I’m 💪💪💪💪💪💪 - so no (expletive deleted)ing bother 

[Thorfun]

1 hour ago, pocster said:

Around 80sq m

measured with the same tape measure you used for the walk-on glazing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

.....I'll get my coat.

[Pocster]

33 minutes ago, Thorfun said:

measured with the same tape measure you used for the walk-on glazing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

.....I'll get my coat.

Oi ! You flooded your (expletive deleted)ing house again yet ?

[saveasteading]

5 hours ago, pocster said:

Around 80sq m

Quite big. But the concrete should be totally stable now, and you are using the mat, so i think you can risk omitting movement joints....not nice in a room.

[PaulD]

I'm also looking at large format tiles, have 200sqm ... but was also considering resin, early stages so not costed either up. I like the clean, no grout and a subtle pattern. Do you still need expansion joints with resin ? anybody got a cost comparison ?

 

oh and any thermal benefits of resin over porcelain tiles using UFH ?

Edited August 13, 2023 by PaulD
forgot something

[MikeSharp01]

42 minutes ago, PaulD said:

oh and any thermal benefits of resin over porcelain tiles using UFH

Some resins don't like UFH I dimly recall reading somewhere

[Alexphd1]

We layed 1000x1000x6mm on ditra matting/ raft slab. 100% 2 man job. Still got a bathroom with 1200x1200 to do. What's this leveling system you talk about? 

[Pocster]

33 minutes ago, Alexphd1 said:

What's this leveling system you talk about? 

Check out Rubi . Wedges and clips . Really good system - reduces lippage .

[Pocster]

In the end I went for standard 60x60 tiles . Much cheaper than the larger format version . Also I can do it all on my own 😎