how level does a screed need to be for tiling

[brucewil]

All,
I have just laid the cement screed in my bathroom, and I dont thing the result is good enough (my concreting skills are not as good as I thought /or its alot harder than I thought).

The falls are all good, they are consistent and all places will drain to the floor waste.

The surface finish is pretty dodgy though, not flat, has some small rises and dips.

Can I use this be corrected when I am laying the tiles, by varying the thickness of the adhesive.
or should I be quickly applying some more mud to fix the surface, maybe a wetter mix?

cheers
Bruce

[K_S]

Bruce

The concrete may be dry before you get an answer from an expert.
If it were me I would try to make sure it's lower than required (scrape out any high points) then mix up a mortar base with a generous amount of bondcrete to make it adhere then build it up to the correct level.
I'm not sure on this one but I'd consider sealing it before laying the tiles - bondcrete being water based???
That would depend on if the adhesive is compatible with the sealer???

Good luck

[mic-d]

Get the largest straight edge you can comfortably manage in the room to give you an idea of high points and depressions, scratch out the high points and fill the low points with the tile adhesive you will be using and screed it with the straight edge. Leave to dry overnight and you'll have a nice flat surface to work on. It's a good idea to run the staight edge over the floor again to pick up any dags from the tile adhesive, they'll scratch off easily.

Cheers
Michael

[Tools]

Fix it before you tile, not as you tile.

Tools

[brucewil]

thanks guys, I knew someone here would have an answer, I will give the screeding with the tile adhesive a go. should be able to get a nice even finish.

[Dean]

Get the largest straight edge you can comfortably manage in the room to give you an idea of high points and depressions, scratch out the high points and fill the low points with the tile adhesive you will be using and screed it with the straight edge. Leave to dry overnight and you'll have a nice flat surface to work on. It's a good idea to run the staight edge over the floor again to pick up any dags from the tile adhesive, they'll scratch off easily.

Cheers
Michael

So its ok to fill depressions with tile adhesive first and let that set to get a level surface to work from?

Basically, recently I pulled up tiles int he hallway and they crumbled instead of lifting,... real nightmare... had to jackhammer them to get em up and I made more than a few divots in the concrete underneath... looks like a bad day on the golf tee

so ok to fill these with tile adhesive eh? That would be a good solution to my problem actually. Please confirm.

Cheers

[mic-d]

Yep Dean that is no problem. You will find the tile adhesive a bit sticky to screed (surprise surprise ) but it will level it nicely. If you just have divots, I would fill them with a trowel and float rather than screed it.

CHeers
Michael

[Dean]

Thanks Michael. Much appreciated.