Tile and Wood

[dbtolman]

I don't want ANY carpet, and I don't want ANY linoleum.

I'd like to use some small 6 X 6 tiles in the entry area (just a small area, probably just over the width of the door, and in about the depth of the galley cabinet), and then tile the bathroom with 6 X 6 tiles. The tile will be held down with a hand mixed thin-set mortar, using an acrylic admix for strength, and standard grout (sealed, of course.) The rest of the floor would be a 1/4" thick engineered brazillian cherrywood floor. The wood will glued to the subfloor (or floated with vapor barrier under it.)

How much more weight do you think this is over what the original carpeting weighed? Will any of it require additional support?

[malconium]

You might find that the flex and bounce that your AS gets when it is going down the road might crack the grout. Also using a thin set may not help with this problem as much as it would in a typical home situation. I offer the following thoughts for your consideration:

1.) Consider glueing the tiles down with something strong and flexible. Normal tile adhesives might be just fine for this. Maybe some type of glue would be a good choice.

2.) Use some type of flexible grout. Sometimes Silicone is used for this but I suggest that you cosider using Vulkem 116. This is available at both Lowes and Home Depot in my area (Portland, Oregon). It has pretty much all the characteristics of the Vulkem types recommended for skin repairs but it also has the interesting characteristic of having a bit of a sandy texture. It is cement gray too which could work just fine. Actually I think I saw it in some other colors at Lowes the other day. The key thing is to let it dry enough before you use the floor. I am not sure how long it would need - it does stay flexible forever. If I were you I would consider making a small test panel on a sheet of 1/4" plywood. Glue down the tiles, add the Vulkem and monitor the drying time. By the way paint thinner (mineral spirits) would be good for removing any slop on the top of the tiles. Then try flexing the panel a bit to see what happens. I would be interested in knowing how this works out myself.

Malcolm

[malconium]

I forgot to mention that you might find that 4x4 tiles could be a bit thinner (and therefore lighter) than 6x6 tiles. Also in such small areas they might actually look better.

Malcolm