Tiling directly onto concrete slab

[DC5]

Hi folks, just looking for a tiller just now but considering doing it myself.

 

Either way we have a room which is a floated slab (unheated), it is quite large around 40sqm.

 

Can you tile directly to the slab or would some sort of delamination / movement layer be required?

 

If so which would you recommend? Has anyone attempted this sort of area themselves? I’ve tiled plenty of kitchens and bathrooms but not in this scale. Any images or thoughts appreciated!

 

 Thanks 

 

[Nickfromwales]

2 hours ago, DC5 said:

Hi folks, just looking for a tiller just now but considering doing it myself.

 

Either way we have a room which is a floated slab (unheated), it is quite large around 40sqm.

 

Can you tile directly to the slab or would some sort of delamination / movement layer be required?

 

If so which would you recommend? Has anyone attempted this sort of area themselves? I’ve tiled plenty of kitchens and bathrooms but not in this scale. Any images or thoughts appreciated!

 

 Thanks 

 

Hi.

Is this a new slab? Were fibres or mesh used if so?

If there is any doubt whatsoever then you should look to crack mitigation and the easiest route is to use a decoupling membrane such as Ditra.

40m2 is just 10 lots of 4m2, so chill. Just do this in bite-sized sections and with a standard set, flexible adhesive vs rapid set. This will give you around an hour or more 'open' time with the adhesive, so no constant cleaning and mixing.

With much larger floors I would lay the whole area out dry, with the spacers in, do all the cuts, number everything and then stack the cuts close to where they would be needed.

The levelling systems seem to be a good idea, but I managed for 25 years without them and still got my floors like a snooker table. If you want some 'assistance' then these systems may be a good choice for you, especially if these are large format or bendy plank type tiles.

[DC5]

Thanks that’s a big help.

went and had a look at membranes and tiles this afternoon, there are some big tiles on the market now!!

[saveasteading]

It's not the 40m2 but the perimeter that takes time.

I talked our son in law into diy of about 50m2. (delays the shout for more more money).

 

I'm sure he would confirm....buy a big, heavy duty cutter , but a cheap diamond saw us enough  for the details. Use a wedge system.

 Use slow set adhesive.

 

We didn't use a decoupler. No problems even over a couple of cracks which had stopped moving.

[Gone West]

We didn't use a decoupling membrane and didn't have any cracks in the concrete. We used BAL flexible adhesive and the tiles were 750x450mm. I had a Vitrex wet diamond bridge saw which I also used for the roofing tiles and patio tiles.

[Nickfromwales]

For clarity, I've used a decoupling membrane probably 3 times in as many decades of tiling, but if the slab 'history' is unknown then it's a great insurance policy tbh.

BAL Ultra flexible adhesives are (were back in the day) quoted as having the equivalent decoupling effect as 10mm of movement of the subfloor! Not cheap, but the BAL stuff is very, very good.