Leaky88
Well-known member
Hi,
I retiled a small bathroom (23sqft). First tiling job. Did EVERY step and more to insure entire plywood floor/Hardi-backer met requirements and then poured SLU to attain required flatness.
Finished floor is ceramic mosaic sheets (12x12x1/4) with 36 2x2 squares within.
The space tiled had normal heating. I laid the tile a week ago using Thin-set mortar for ceramic tile mixed exactly per instructions, using a 3/8 inch V-notch trowel. Carefully laid each sheet into bed and used a float to press each sheet into place. Job seemed to go well for my first voyage. I let it sit for at least 2 days.
While removing spacers, I found some 2x2 squares lose. Concerned, I took the hand-end of a grout scraper and tapped each individual 2x2 and found 32 (not in same place) that were lose. I marked, removed, cleaned and re-mortared failed ones. Upon removing them, I found 3/16th mortar on substrate (SLU), but none on the individual 2x2's. Either the mortar was too dry or I did not press hard enough when placing them. Naturally, I am now concerned about the integrity of the entire project. And hesitant to proceed with grouting fearing others might come lose.
Internet is full of great videos of successful tiling jobs, but I've found none that my situation. So I'll ask some seemingly ridiculous questions in hopes someone else has been here before.
Questions:
Do tiles either bond or not-bond?
Is there another way to test the strength or integrity of the bond?
If I start prying in an attempt to test, I'm sure some will either eventually come up or break.
Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Leaky
I retiled a small bathroom (23sqft). First tiling job. Did EVERY step and more to insure entire plywood floor/Hardi-backer met requirements and then poured SLU to attain required flatness.
Finished floor is ceramic mosaic sheets (12x12x1/4) with 36 2x2 squares within.
The space tiled had normal heating. I laid the tile a week ago using Thin-set mortar for ceramic tile mixed exactly per instructions, using a 3/8 inch V-notch trowel. Carefully laid each sheet into bed and used a float to press each sheet into place. Job seemed to go well for my first voyage. I let it sit for at least 2 days.
While removing spacers, I found some 2x2 squares lose. Concerned, I took the hand-end of a grout scraper and tapped each individual 2x2 and found 32 (not in same place) that were lose. I marked, removed, cleaned and re-mortared failed ones. Upon removing them, I found 3/16th mortar on substrate (SLU), but none on the individual 2x2's. Either the mortar was too dry or I did not press hard enough when placing them. Naturally, I am now concerned about the integrity of the entire project. And hesitant to proceed with grouting fearing others might come lose.
Internet is full of great videos of successful tiling jobs, but I've found none that my situation. So I'll ask some seemingly ridiculous questions in hopes someone else has been here before.
Questions:
Do tiles either bond or not-bond?
Is there another way to test the strength or integrity of the bond?
If I start prying in an attempt to test, I'm sure some will either eventually come up or break.
Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Leaky
