Browse Forums Flooring & Floor Covering 1 Jan 21, 2011 1:15 pm We need to achieve what appears to be impossible - the finished height of floor tiling to be around 17 mm. The subfloor is a concrete slab, not perfectly level. The tiles are large porcelain tiles about 10 mm thick. Is it possible and if yes, how? Please help. What did your tiler do and what was the achieved height? If not possible, what's the alternative? Show us your transition between different flooring types and heights My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 2Jan 23, 2011 2:06 pm Ooooh, such an overwhelming reponse .... Anyway, despite knowing that some other people had no issue with their tiler achieveing this, the tilers we spoke to say it's not possible using just glue. Seems like our options are: 1. leave as is => this will result in a 5mm step b/w timber floor (higher) and tile floor (lower). Might be best. Maybe place an extra transition angle, if they exist in 5mm size. 2. glue some sheeting to the slab, then glue the tiles - Never saw this done on h1 - anyone? 3. use super thick tiles, about 15 mm at least - Not sure we can find a "normal" porcelain tile this thick 4. use self levelling compound => Heard this can crack later on and doesn't really last. How does it work when there are no skirtings - the compound would spread all the way to the timber bottom plates 5. use 5mm thick sand+cement screed => no idea how they plan to achieve this. As far as I know, the min. thickness of screed should be about 15mm - and that would be pushing it. Thicker is better. What would you do? My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 3Jan 23, 2011 3:29 pm Lex, It is standard practice to put sheeting under tiling when there is a timber floor - can't see why it wouldn't work with a slab underneath - just cost a tad extra for the sheeting. In your shoes I would be investigating this option - it seems to be the simplest solution. I would hate to have a tiny height difference to stub my foot on constantly. Kylie Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 4Jan 23, 2011 4:06 pm we have option 1 with the angled piece of wood graduating down to the tile. It works really well even with two kids we have never had a mishap. I think I might have already shown you a pic Lex, if not and you'd like to see it just let me know... "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 5Jan 23, 2011 4:50 pm Thanks, ladies Yes, I do have your pic donuts, it's done very nicely out ouf wood. Ours would need to be a ready-made metal angle trim, with the angled part and all - all in metal. I guess that would look OK and I would be happy with that, but I always imagined the whole floor would be at the same level Anyway, I can only find square edged "angles" ... we already have a square edged angle at the edge of the timber. If it could all be the same height, we would not even need a second trim since it's already there. Kylie, I also liked the sheeting option, but all I've found on the web is ceramic tile underlay - as if it's only designed for ceramic tiles, not porcelain. Another thing is - the tiler is saying that sheeting would only aid in increasing the height - he still wouldn't be able to make the tiles sit level without lipping Where are all those good tilers whose work I've seen on this site and their own web sites !?!? Here are some trims http://www.battrims.com/product-catalog ... und-trims/ but the bottom part has to be on the other side My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 7Jan 23, 2011 6:58 pm Thanks Mark. Can you tell me what has to be used for the primer? Also, do they have to etch the slab so that the SL compound can stick ?? And how does it work without no skirtings - the compound would spread all the way to the timber bottom plates My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 8Jan 24, 2011 11:24 am Lex, have you looked at 5mm on a ruler? Is there a doorway between the tiling & the timber or is it an open area? If the former I derfinitely wouldn't worry about it. 5mm is almost imperceptible. If it's an open area, is it possible for the tiler to put a very slight ramp under the tiles where they meet the floor? I'm surprised they couldn't just put a bit more cement adhesive along that edge but I guess they're trying to protect the integrity of the tiles. In regard to the cement sheet, this is screwed to timber floors at maybe 30mm intervals (can't remember but surprisingly close together to prevent any movement). I am not sure how you would affix it to concrete floors. Edit: Ok, just re-read it & I assume it's an open area. One thing I'm stumped on. If you are using 10mm porcelain tiles and if they are large format, I thought they could just use maybe a 12mm notched trowel? I'm sure that's what we used on floor tiles. Of course, it doesn't end up at 12mm - maybe 6mm(?) That would come pretty close. I would call another tiler and ask if a finished thickness of 7mm for the adhesive bed is achievable. Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 9Jan 24, 2011 1:42 pm Thanks, xquisite ! Yes, I've looked and looked at 5mm and I don't think I would mind it. It's mainly if one day I find out that this issue could have been easily resolved by doing XYZ. Right now, the 17mm high timber flooring meets bare slab - so currently there's a 17 mm height difference and I don't mind it. Although, I do feel that everyone would secretly think how silly it looks (the 5mm diff!) . Where are these "joins"? Both are off our everyday living area (which just continues into the kitchen). One is in the doorway from living to hallway. Another is very close by, and this one is on the "living to kitchen border" - I am far more keen on resolving this one as there is no doorway, it's just the end of kitchen cabinets. One tiler long ago told me that he could tilt the tiles that would be adjoining the timber, but I think someone might slip on the slope if there is any water. I will definitely need to talk to some more tilers My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 10Jan 24, 2011 1:49 pm xquisite ... One thing I'm stumped on. If you are using 10mm porcelain tiles and if they are large format, I thought they could just use maybe a 12mm notched trowel? I'm sure that's what we used on floor tiles. Of course, it doesn't end up at 12mm - maybe 6mm(?) That would come pretty close. I would call another tiler and ask if a finished thickness of 7mm for the adhesive bed is achievable. They also say that tiling may seem level on day 1, but then some tiles would sink during drying - any comments? Another thing I came up with is to lay a layer / 'screed' of glue, let it dry and then glue tiles onto that. I guess it would be hard to achieve level tiling with this method - so not so good either. For the sheeting - he said he'd liquid nail them to the slab My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 11Jan 25, 2011 9:25 am Lex They also say that tiling may seem level on day 1, but then some tiles would sink during drying - any comments? Here's my comment: $%^&#@! Unacceptable. My floor is 500 x 1000mm stone tiles that weigh probably 10kg each. Can you imagine what the floor would look like if some of them sunk?? IMO the tiling should be flat and even. I have very minor lipping (1mm?) in only a couple of places over the 90sqm but tiles this big are not completely flat so it's acceptable. A 1mm adhesive bed on floor tiles just sounds very wrong to me. I am not a professional but the floor tiles I've laid myself had a thicker bed than this. Obviously my own floor has a much thicker bed of cementious adhesive, and of course I definitely didn't do that one myself. Lex Another thing I came up with is to lay a layer / 'screed' of glue, let it dry and then glue tiles onto that. I guess it would be hard to achieve level tiling with this method - so not so good either. Actually, they should be able to make this method work. BTW, I have never heard of cracking issues with self-levelling compound, which is often used where the slab isn't flat. I think they used it in a couple of spots in my place too. The tiler is supposed to be the expert & should determine which of these will fix the problem. It shouldn't have to be your problem to decide; KWIM? Lex For the sheeting - he said he'd liquid nail them to the slab Sounds feasible. But which option is he suggesting? Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 12Jan 25, 2011 10:09 am Thanks for the comments and the discussion, x!! The tilers I called are so busy so they didn't even check the situation with the slab yet - this was all over the phone so far. I cannot believe how busy they are! Really need to get someone to see it all first. Re. "some tiles would sink during drying" which one tiler said - his explanation was that this would be due to the weight of these large tiles. Anyway, so far only one place (one stop shop) is ready in about 2 weeks. This place works on this principle: You select your tiles at their shop, pay a 20% deposit and sign a contract. After that, they send the boss / salesperson (or maybe even the tiler) to the house to check what are they actually dealing with (check the slab etc). Then you pay half of the reminding balance when they deliver the tiles. Then you pay the balance on last day. Does this sound normal?? Definitely doesn't sound fair to me, plus how will he know what to charge me for any subfloor levelling and for resolving the height difference Oh yes, and this place is about twice as expensive overall than if we buy similar but cheaper tiles ourselves elsewhere and get our own tiler My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 13Jan 25, 2011 2:07 pm Ah, I didn't realise you haven't engaged a tiler yet. Phew! I was starting to get worried. Stay away from the tiler who talked about the tiles sinking, for starters. With the 'one stop shop,' I certainly wouldn't be paying double! And that's before they have seen the job? Trouble is that once you have bought the tiles you are a captive audience and have contracted them no matter what happens when they see the job. I'm not in Sydney but surely someone here can recommend you a tiler? It sounds like they all have heaps of work in your area, which is a shame - but even if the 'one stop shop' could do it faster I still wouldn't use them. I'd rather wait & get the right job done. Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 14Jan 25, 2011 7:48 pm Thanks x, yes my initial description leaves much to be desired Thanks for your thoughts - mine were the same (it's my HD who's happy to go with this silly place ). And yes, I do have some recommendations, and keeping one of them as our last quote (like a secret ace ) because I want to hear and learn as much as I can from other tilers, so I know what I can ask for and what is reasonable (well, hopefully!). Wouldn't want to get him in too early for a quote while I still have no idea about what questions should I ask and what could be achieved ... Update - one guy should be coming tomorrow, another on Thursday. My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: NEED HELP - Finished height of TILING 15Jan 28, 2011 12:27 pm Our tiling job was up there on the difficulty scale, and thus seemingly in the 'too hard basket' for most of the tilers I spoke to. Then we had a guy come over whose attitude was great & gave us the confidence that he knew what he was doing & nothing would be too much of a problem. That's what you want. SOmeone who will be the professional & take the problem away from you. Good luck! interesting situation what happened after builder issued final invoice? did you list as defect or not does the building surveyor have any responsibility? ie. issuing… 13 46800 Building Standards; Getting It Right! Hi all, My neighbour has built his 15m long garage on our boundary. 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