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CharleyFarley

My concrete house was built 7 years ago with one small en-suite bedroom having a parquet floor laid on top of concrete. Last week I had to rip up the floor after termites had destroyed many parts.

The room is 3.5 metres square and now I want to tile it. Whilst I probably have to employ locals (family) to do the work, I want to be sure they do it properly.

I know absolutely fukk all about DIY, so can you advise DD or whoever on how it should be done.

How long should it take 2 guys to complete ?

What type of tile to use Grade A or B, ceramic or clay, shiny or not shiny - I don't want to polish the fukker every other day after padding over it with wet feet?

How much/thick should the concrete base need to be, before laying the tiles?

Are there any tricks to mixing the mortar?

I hate that hollow sound you get when a tile has not been laid properly, so I usually bounce a golf baaaaall on every tile after to check, but it ain't foolproof.

Look forward to your advice everyone.

tsicar

the job should take one person a couple of hours to complete.
if they "butter" the backs of the tiles, throw them out.
make sure they they use a NOTCHED trowell to lay the tile adhesive, and MAKE SURE that they use tile spacers between the tiles.
make sure that they start tiling from the CENTRE of the room so that tiles which have to be cut shorter match on either side of the room.
of course, they will not do it this way, and they will fuck the job up.
thais know fukkall about tiling. you are in for a hiding.
sorry.......

best way to do it is to contact the tile supplier, or search the net for info, and do the job yourself. it is piss easy, and is the only way you will get the job done right if you live in thailand.

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Loy Toy

Most Thai tilers seem to know basically how to lay tiles but I will offer the following advice and based upon my observation about how they work.

1. Check how square the room is and make sure if the walls/room is slightly askew start your first run of tiles running parallel with the most visible wall with the last row hidden by the bed or closet. This first run should be laid away from your parallel wall and measured/ positioned so as you can fit the other tiles with minimum cutting. Tsicar's suggestion about starting around the centre of the room is correct.

2. Make sure they clean the concrete floor thoroughly and remove any loose concrete, dust and any other foreign shit that may affect the bond between the old floor and the new base.

3. Once the floor is clean and they have placed in position their parallel and level string line spray the floor with water so as to inhibit the existing concrete sponging all the moisture from your base mix.

4. Depending on what tiles you buy get yourself a plastic garbage bin fill it full of water so as they can soak each tile before it is layed.

And good luck mate.

johpam

Since it is in an ensuite get non slip tiles!!
Cheers johpam

DrAndy

yep, johpam is right, non slip tiles

as it is a small area, you can buy any tiles you like, it will be cheap

Thais usually use cement to lay tiles, not adhesive, and they often lay it on a bit thick. Make sure the final floor is level, or below, the adjoining room (lots of bathrooms are below level as they act as wet rooms)

The tiling will not take long, but it will need leaving for a day before grouting

choose a grout colour that complements the tiles

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CharleyFarley

Much appreciate all of the above thanks.

I do remember a great mate ( Bernie ) of mine back in England tiled the floor of our new conservatory, something like 8 by 3 metres, but didn't pay much attention other than watching him cut tiles, and remembering how fukking tired he was at the end of it. I'm pretty sure he did it all in a day.

These cvunts ( ooops, sorry family ) say two guys , two days.

I think it is time to get me 'ands dirty.

It makes me weep to watch these berks slapping your cement around with complete abandon. I like the sound of adhesive, tho one presumably still needs to lay a base of some form , or is the existing concrete sufficient.

If I sound stupid then it's probably so, as I am a complete dumbfuck in building matters.

tsicar

a good cement based tile adhesive, or a strong mix of cement and fine sand is the right way.
make BLOODY sure that they use a NOTCHED trowell, though, and that they leave spaced gaps between the tiles.
your existing concrete base should be fine: you could spend a bit of time chipping nics in it for better adhesion, and as loytoy sed, clean and dust and oil-free.

CharleyFarley

Tha's funny...a notched trowel. You've gotta be kidding. I doubt the existence of such a beast in the whole Chiang Rai province.

I'm going to bed with a smile on my face. Thanks tsicar, hehehehehehe

DrAndy

they all have notched trowels, just beaten up normal ones

dirtydog

They will use cement and sand, your original floor will not be level and is most likely smooth finished with a steel trowel, this needs chipping to get a good bond for the new tiles, tsicars advice is not suitable for Thailand but for countries that use leveling compound, notched trowels are available here but not needed for this job, tile spacers are not available here.
Use grade "A" tiles and similar colored grout to your tiles.

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Norton

Suggest you go to your local Homemart. They have a wide, high quality selection of tile.

mordred

Ever consider using interlocking vinyl flooring over concrete? It comes in many different finishes from colors to tile or wood simulations. You really can't tell it isn't wood. I just put some in my bathroom and it turned out great.

Here is a site with some information on their vinyl product to give you an idea:

Karndean Wholesale Vinyl Plank Flooring

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Loy Toy

I like the range of Granito tiles which look like granite, are rectangular or square in shape (I like the 600 x 600 cm) and when down on the floor look top class.

They range in price from 450 to 1,200 Baht a square metre and are quite easy to lay.

Most Homepro, Homemart and major hardware stores stock a good range of various surface finishes and with regard to these tiles.

Humbert

This is a very good recommendation. Homogeneous "granito" tiles are available with a polished or honed finish. They do not have any glaze on the surface. The joint space should be minimal so the problem of grout coming loose is minimized.
In a small room, 30 X 30 or 40 x 40 would look good. The larger the tile the more prone it is to cracking. Lots of styles on the market imported from China and Malaysia. I would add that the tile should be laid in a setting bed of mortar DD described not back buttered.

nigelandjan

If you can wait till I get out in Feb Ill do it for you as I will be a bit bored for 3 weeks while the missus sawattdee ka,s and sabaidee mai,s everyone and their auntie in the local village

CharleyFarley

It has to be complete by end of January 2010, so you can understand the intense pressure I am under.

Anyways I've made a start already and bought two new gleaming trowels to scrape the old glue off the concrete.

Costs to date : 50 Baht

The whole area of the rest of the floor (living room, 2 bedrooms ) is done in brown parquet appearance glossy tiles 40 x 40.

If I can't match them perfectly, which is highly unlikely, then I am looking at a contrasting colour , maybe cream wood-like appearance of the same size. Given that 90% of the floor will be covered by bedroom furniture, my amateurish antics will not be that apparent I hope.

How do I run a string to ensure parallel runs, especially if I can't get spacers ?

tsicar

well, you HAVE left it a bit late if you are gonna use thai labour...........

lom

Ehh? You run a thin nylon wire between two fixed points, concrete nails for instance.

dirtydog

^A tile like that will just highlight what a crappy little room it is in.

Humbert

Rubbish. There's nothing more unobtrusive than granito.