Tiling bathroom floor, but some boards squeek !

[Mr.E.]

In the next few weeks I'll be starting to fit a new bathroom, tiling walls and the floor.

The wooden floor is pretty flat and it currently covered thin ply with Lino on top. The wife is adamant that she wants tiles on the floor but there are a couple of squeeky floorboards, you can feel the movement, it's not much but its there.

Will flexible adhesive and grout be ok,( I dont want cracks to start appearing in the future )or am I best trying to get her to agree to new Lino ?
Or get bigger floor tiles to spread the weight over where the squeeky boards are ?

 

[hornetstinger]

ceramic tiling on wooden floor? Nopey. And lethal when it's damp. Go for lino or vinyl flooring.

 

[the_r_sole]

vinyl is probably your best shout tbh - you could go to the hassle of lifting the ply that's there and putting something more meaty in, but then you end up with an awkward door threshold...

 

[Mr.E.]

ceramic tiling on wooden floor? Nopey. And lethal when it's damp. Go for lino or vinyl flooring.

I have this in the second toilet/shower room and have no issues what so ever.

@ R Sole: I did think of this, but discounted it because of the same reason you state.

 

[manic_man]

I thought when tiling on any wooden surface (be it old boards or newer glued interlocking MDF panels) you should always lay a solid base? Some seem to use marine ply, there are also specialist alternatives but the whole point is to provide a water tight base that will not flex and move.

You screw the stuff down every 6cm or so and even tape the joints! My guess would be the thin ply you have for the lino wouldn't suffice, that would be to just give a flat surface for the lino.

 

[A.N.Other]

Sort the squeaks first whilst everything is up, decent plywood over the top screwed down well and then tile with a flexible adhesive.

 

[ANDARIAL]

I thought when tiling on any wooden surface (be it old boards or newer glued interlocking MDF panels) you should always lay a solid base? Some seem to use marine ply, there are also specialist alternatives but the whole point is to provide a water tight base that will not flex and move.

You screw the stuff down every 6cm or so and even tape the joints! My guess would be the thin ply you have for the lino wouldn't suffice, that would be to just give a flat surface for the lino.

This
If you want tiles,rip up old ply fix squeaky boards(watch out for piped)
fit new ply,1/4 is what we use in work,plenty of screws about 3/4 in length,tape any-joints

 

[Mahonyy]

What kind of type would you use for the joints?

 

[ANDARIAL]

we use a fibreglass mesh,cut into 4-6 inch rips then put it down with tile adhesive as we tile

 

[rexehuk]

I've read no issues using wood either... everywhere says the floor should be boarded in marine ply / no more ply and then ideally tanked so that if water does get through it doesn't rot the wood.

 

[the_r_sole]

yeah, there's no doubt it can be done with tiles, it's just getting your sub-base right, then potential tanking etc, then dealing with the door threshold issue. There are ways and means to achieve it, but it can add a fair bit of complication, all so you can get cold feet when you step out the shower!

 

[kinobestew123]

all so you can get cold feet when you step out the shower!

That's where underfloor heating comes in.

 

[the_r_sole]

That's where underfloor heating comes in.

exactly, more expense and complexity!

 

[rexehuk]

exactly, more expense and complexity!

Hardly that big an expense tbh... electric underfloor can be had for like £200. Not a large budget increase on a bathroom and easier than when you're done and say "oh I wish I had..."

 

[garak112]

I tiled my bathroom floor. Procedure was to screw all boards to joists, levelling up as you go. You need to screw every time the board crosses a joist ( mine were nailed every other).

Then I put 12mm marine ply and screwed that at 3" centres. A lot of places recommend 18" ply but there would have been a huge threshold issue at the door.

Finally tile using a flexible floor adhesive and flexible grout.

Having used luxury vinyl planks in my dining room I'd just lay a luxury vinyl tile in future. Difficult to tell apart from the real stuff unless close, warm under foot and a piece of cake to lay.

 

[mattyg]

Rip out old floorboards. Replace with 22mm WBP. Primed on the underside.

When ripping out the old floorboards you can check for Joist movement.

Decide early if you want E/UFH. Then you need some insulation boards too. Wedi/Jackoboard. That way you can use the higher power UFH as it'll be classed as a concrete base. It'll warm up quicker.

I've just done my bathroom/wetroom

22mm Boards to replace floorboards
30mm Insulation boards
E/UFH
Self levelling screed then Tiles.

floor is nice and toasty. We have created a step into the room but that would have been there anyway due to replacing rotten joists and beefing up to take the stone bath.

 

[the_r_sole]

Hardly that big an expense tbh... electric underfloor can be had for like £200. Not a large budget increase on a bathroom and easier than when you're done and say "oh I wish I had..."

not a big expense to add into a bathroom floor that you are preparing for tiles, but a big difference between putting vinyl down!
Had a job where the electric ufh had to get lifted again - that was a nightmare! very expensive for the contractor...

Tiling a timber floor needs careful preparation and the costs can add up - generally it does look better and I do it in most jobs but sometimes it's just not worth the hassle if you have to start replacing the floor and strengthening joists.

 

[Kimi]

Check out "no more ply" i use that on mine and it was great and still holding strong

 

[Coolasmoo]

Plywood is so old school

Use HardieBacker

http://www.jameshardie.com/Products/HardieBacker-Cement-Board

 

[Amp34]

Rip out old floorboards. Replace with 22mm WBP. Primed on the underside.

When ripping out the old floorboards you can check for Joist movement.

Decide early if you want E/UFH. Then you need some insulation boards too. Wedi/Jackoboard. That way you can use the higher power UFH as it'll be classed as a concrete base. It'll warm up quicker.

I've just done my bathroom/wetroom

22mm Boards to replace floorboards
30mm Insulation boards
E/UFH
Self levelling screed then Tiles.

floor is nice and toasty. We have created a step into the room but that would have been there anyway due to replacing rotten joists and beefing up to take the stone bath.

What do you mean by warm up quicker? Do you turn yours off and on regularly?