Gluing ceramic tiles to wood.

[winegumm]

The ceramic tiles on our boat shower cubicle have come loose after about 15 years. They were attached to the wooden walls with dabs of some or other red coloured adhesive. Probably by Liverpool boats. I need to re-do it, but am struggling to find the correct adhesive. Anyone know please?

[Feeby100]

Flexible tile Adhesive and grout if not and it’s only a couple of Tiles Then  some silicon mastic that will hold it 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Feeby100

[ditchcrawler]

I think you will need to make sure its 100% dry before you can do anything, if the water has crept behind the lose tiles it could have soaked well in.

[winegumm]

Been drying out for 6 weeks now, so good and dry

I need to do the whole shower cubicle

Evo stick seem to do a flexible instant grab tile adhesive that sticks to wood. I'm also looking at gripp fill. That seems to stick anything and is waterproof

[Tracy D'arth]

CT1 will stick, even if the wood is damp. You will not get them off again. Slow setting.

 

Gripfill dries and becomes brittle over time. Will not stick to anything remotely damp.

 

I would prime the wood with neat Evo waterproof wood glue if using CT1, in the blue bottles 2 days before tiling.

 

I have used 5 minute polyurethane wood glue cartridges on occasions with excellent results, it sets faster and better with a little damp. It foams slightly as it cures, filling voids. As it is wood glue it works well without too much surface prep.

[ditchcrawler]

Not in a bathroom, but I used a flexible tile adhesive to tile onto wood on my boat, kitchen splash backs, above the back of the cooker. From this web site it looks as if you wont get any professional recommendations BS 5385 Part 1 

[rusty69]

We used cork tile adhesive. They've been up for over 20 years. 

[Bargebuilder]

You certainly need flexible tile adhesive as already mentioned, but grout tends to be less flexible and if that fails water gets behind the tiles. I used a good quality silicone mastic to grout the tiles in our shower and some 14 years later the job is still perfect. Unlike grout, silicone leaves a shiny surface that for us hasn't gone black as traditional grout often does; one wipe and it's clean.

[GUMPY]

Sticks like SH*t works well

Reasonably flexible and will stick when in damp surroundings. Comes in white and clear.

 

 

https://trade.evo-stik.co.uk/products/grab-adhesives/sticks-sht

 

[alan_fincher]

4 hours ago, GUMPY said:

Sticks like SH*t works well

Reasonably flexible and will stick when in damp surroundings. Comes in white and clear.

 

No brown?

[BlueStringPudding]

My bathroom tiles (and stove tiles) are stuck on with the flexible version of No More Nails. A dab in each corner and one in the middle. They've stayed in place fine the 15 years I've had the boat. (But given yours had a 15 year life span, mine might all fall off tomorrow 😉 )

[winegumm]

Thanks all. I think I will go down the route of a high grab flexible. I'm told that CT1 is about the best. Similar to no more nails etc but will stay flexible. Hopefully enough grab for them to not fall off while they set!

[blackrose]

21 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

CT1 will stick, even if the wood is damp. You will not get them off again. Slow setting.

 

Gripfill dries and becomes brittle over time. Will not stick to anything remotely damp.

 

I would prime the wood with neat Evo waterproof wood glue if using CT1, in the blue bottles 2 days before tiling.

 

I agree. CT1, Stixall, Sticks like Sh*t... Any of the polyurethane sealant adhesives should do it. Personally I wouldn't bother priming the wood but it won't do any harm. 

 

Once the tiles are up grout as usual with a flexible grout. 

 

I know some people have had good results will flexible tile adhesive but for me it's not flexible enough for boats.

[winegumm]

Excellent. Confirms my theory. Thanks

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, winegumm said:

Thanks all. I think I will go down the route of a high grab flexible. I'm told that CT1 is about the best. Similar to no more nails etc but will stay flexible. Hopefully enough grab for them to not fall off while they set!

 

You don't need to cover the entire back of the tile. A blob in each corner will be fine plus a blob in the middle for big tiles. If you've got sealant you need to remove take it off with a cloth and a bit of white spirit before it goes off.

Edited August 6, 2023 by blackrose

[winegumm]

Yup, that's more or less what I would do. Many thanks

[cuthound]

My first shareboat had the bathroom tiles stuck and grouted with brilliant white silicone sealant. The tiles were still well stuck on when I sold my share after 10 years.

 

The second shareboat used flexible tile adhesive and conventional grout, the tiles began to fail after about 5 years.