Tiling Showers on boat

[ericrduff]

I am beginning to research ideas on the best answers for installing natural stone tile on the shower walls of a yacht. Does anyone have any advice or info on wall preparation and tile installation? I respect all advice. Thank you.

[Cap Erict3]

Boats are known to flex.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[NoShoes]

Originally Posted by ericrduff

I am beginning to research ideas on the best answers for installing natural stone tile on the shower walls of a yacht. Does anyone have any advice or info on wall preparation and tile installation? I respect all advice. Thank you.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...oat-64651.html

A Boat ReBorn: Tile in a boat...and moving aboard!

Been discussed before. You will need flex grout and mortor.
Have fun with it!

[Lepke]

The floor needs to be 100% firm - no flexing. Otherwise the grout or tiles will crack. I fiberglass in a pan so if the tile does crack, it doesn't rot the wood.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, ericduff.

Schulter ➥ http://www.schluter.ca/3769.aspx

➥ http://www.schluter.com/products.aspx

[Tingum]

As Erict3 says that is not a good idea. Boats flex more than you realize, particularly the bulkheads in a glass boat. Then think of all the needless weight you will be adding. You might get away with tiling a fiber glassed pan but I definitely think you would have a problem with the bulkheads.

[Saltyhog]

There are enough problem with *houses* flexing too much for a good tile installation. The added weight is not helping anything either.

[Island Time O25]

I think this tile question should be lumped together with "what fryer is best for my boat" and "which hooker to use on my boat" or some such.

[Matt sachs]

So I need to get rid of my frier, tile and hooker? Well,2 out of three aint bad, right?

[BAM]

Tile is beautiful, and long lasting. There have been major advances in application products within the past 2 years, and not all local or big box hardware stores have kept up. Old advice is not necessarily good advice in this area. Consult a specialist in tile - usually the stores that sell glass tiles that cost $120 per square foot for just the tiles have knowledgeable staff. Boats flex and tile is essentially glass mounted in cement, and has a very limited ability to fex. You cannot keep your boat from flexing, but you can build flexible structures that hold tiles still. Ask your specialist about underpayment options, flexible latex adhesive and mastic additives. Tile will last forever if done right. If done wrong only the unhappy memories will last forever. -B

[Cheechako]

I have had a couple tile jobs done on boats. They seemed to hold up well but They were small size tiles and the areas were not large like a bulkhead. One was a ~ 1 ft x 2 ft area behind a freestanding stove. The other was the galley countertops. I don't think I would cover and entire head 'wall" (bulkhead) with it though.
The tile layer used a very sticky mastic to put it on.

[leftbrainstuff]

Tiles are problematic. Boats flex which will crack grout or tiles. Then you have problems with water intrusion and mold.

They are also harder to clean than a continuous smooth surface like a fibreglass shell in the shower.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Cheechako]

Yeah, mold loves boats and loves showers even more.. so that's something to think about.
I's the double whammy...

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by ericrduff

I am beginning to research ideas on the best answers for installing natural stone tile on the shower walls of a yacht. Does anyone have any advice or info on wall preparation and tile installation? I respect all advice. Thank you.

Just to reinforce the weight and flex arguments. However you said yacht, a yacht to me is something I can't afford, maybe our advice is slanted towards boats?

[GordMay]

Mastic, as a tile adhesive, has a number of drawbacks. Since it’s organic, it can harbor mold in high-moisture areas, it also will re-liquefy/emulsify when submerged in water (or even exposed to significant moisture), and lose it’s adhesive strength.

Thinset mortar is what you need to use for shower walls and floors, or any area subject to moisture.