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Is the subfloor the Tilers responsibility?

  • 22-06-2020 9:28am
    #1
    doug100
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 ✭


    We had a tiler put down some floor tiles in our kitchen a few months back, most are now moving and a lot of grout has cracked and fallen out. There is a wooden floor underneath. The most likely cause of the problem appears to be movement in this wooden subfloor. The tiler used cement backer board and plenty of cement.

    My question is, was it the tilers responsibility to ensure that the subfloor was solid/secure enough before they proceeded to tile? Or at least inform us that it wasn't? I'd like to know where i stand before engaging with them.

    Thanks,


Comments

  • #2
    PhilOssophy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭PhilOssophy


    doug100 wrote: »
    We had a tiler put down some floor tiles in our kitchen a few months back, most are now moving and a lot of grout has cracked and fallen out. There is a wooden floor underneath. The most likely cause of the problem appears to be movement in this wooden subfloor. The tiler used cement backer board and plenty of cement.

    My question is, was it the tilers responsibility to ensure that the subfloor was solid/secure enough before they proceeded to tile? Or at least inform us that it wasn't? I'd like to know where i stand before engaging with them.

    Thanks,

    Would have expected him to advise but I'd say in terms of responsibility, it is definitely not his. (Tiles on wooden floors are a very bad idea and are regularly problematic).


  • #3
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,218 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    doug100 wrote: »
    My question is, was it the tilers responsibility to ensure that the subfloor was solid/secure enough before they proceeded to tile? Or at least inform us that it wasn't? I'd like to know where i stand before engaging with them.

    IMO, yes. When I've had tilers in before, they've done whatever prep they needed to the subfloor in order to provide a stable backing. From memory (it was in 2004), this involved screwing down thick ply to the joists.

    I doubt cement backing board has the required strength to prevent movement in the subfloor. Possibly regs/practice have changed since and now ply is less favoured, but there's also stuff like multipro board (fibre reinforced mgo) which has good racking strength.

    There are also products available to deal with movement in the subfloor ("movement matting"), presumably that's advantageous if there's just a small amount of flex. Obviously if the floor is going to deform significantly then there's not much that the grout can do except crack.


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