Gluing tiles to metal for balcony

[sako243]

Does any one have any recommendations for a glue to stick tiles down to a sheet of metal and what should be done to the steel prep wise? It will be horizontal not vertical.

I'll freely admit we cocked up but when I had the gable end of the office knocked out and a steel frame fabricated to hold the window and roof up. First cock up was that when the neighbour (shed fabricator) and I measured up the opening we forgot to sink the horizontal below floor level. Second one was to not sink the balcony lower down.

The issue is (hence gluing tiles to steel) that from the top of the steel beams to the top of the front edge of the threshold is 20mm so the flooring needs to be thinner than this. I don't want straight metal as it'll be hot underfoot (balcony is mainly for the dogs in the summer when I'm working ). I think I have a 4 or 5mm sheet in stock so the plan is to cut that to 10mm oversize then weld a band (probably easier than trying to bend it) around the edge. Some of the hollow cladding I used above the window can then be tucked up behind it and glued in place with a similar return underneath to hold it in place.

 

[colnerov]

Can you weld some expanded metal to the top of the steels, so the tile cement has something to grab hold, of if that's the problem.

 

[sako243]

I know it can be glued, was just after recommendations if anyone had done this before.

You don't need to use cement as far as I've done some very quick research, a slightly elastic glue is best so that the metal can shift as it heats up if need be.

 

[reb78]

CT1. Used it with some but not total success

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Fibreglass might be an easier option?

I've used the Wickes exterior adhesive to stick down slate coping to brick walls and that's been fine. Slate is bloomin difficult to stick too!

CT1 is also good stuff but I've never used it to stick stone/tile.

 

[8ob]

Bitumen would do the job.

Bob

 

[iNf]

Stixall will stick pretty much anything to anything. Depending on the thickness of the tiles the issue might be unless they are are on a full bed the tiles are likely to crack. Especially if you're wearing high heels

 

[Pond frog]

I’ve used CT1 stick slate and polished granite so far it has lasted well, about 10 months so far outside.
I certainly wouldn’t state it’s the right choice it’s just what I had to hand at the time and it isn’t a high use area like floor tiles.

 

[sako243]

Especially if you're wearing high heels

balcony is mainly for the dogs in the summer

I've yet to see a Labrador in heels , they had to make do with the lawn whilst I was gluing some trim to the PVC window frame.

 

[colnerov]

Good to see they're laying neatly and sprawled about.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I’ve used CT1 stick slate

I got fed up of replacing the cement joints in the slate coping so used CT1...that was years ago and still doing the job.

 

[Pete.]

Bitumen would do the job.

Bob

Easy to do too, just buy a couple of galv buckets and a block of bitumen, smash the bitumen block with a hammer, make a small bonfire and pop the bucket on it for melting. If you get green smoke its too hot and gonna catch alight.

Quarry tiles on bitument can be the absolute devil to remove.

 

[gaz1]

what are you playing with where the door frame is

as that gives you a few options

for me with grp i could get a right good seal to the door frame

whilst those flags get red hot in all day sunlight



with yours you still have to add more strengtheners with the steel frame

 

[winchman]

I would contact Sika as they have loads of great sticky stuff. I have glued solar panels on with no issues using there products

 

[Agroshield]

A couple of questions to which I do not know the answers:

Would the steel plate need some stiffeners underneath to prevent excessive deflection midspan?

Does bitumen come in different grades? It has to withstand the coldest winter without going brittle (and the steel underneath will suck the heat out of it) and the hottest summer without softening such that the tiles move.

Can you weld some strips to the underside of the top flange of the steels and then sit the steel plate on those? The top of the plate would be flush with the top of the I-beam, which would gain a few millimetres.

Whatever you do will need some minimal fall so water tries to run away from the window.

 

[Bullet2012]

probably need something with a bit of flex in it to allow for different expansion rates.
My go to would be sikaflex, probably 291i. It sticks flexes and is water and most household chemical resistant.

 

[sako243]

To answer various questions the balcony is 2750 wide with 5 joists. Apart from the front channel everything is 203 UC, I think 8mm thick on the flanges. So we're talking about 433mm unsupported between joists. It's about a metre from the wall to the front face.

The threshold on the door is just a standard PVC cill (20mm high at the front) but with a DPM installed correctly underneath and behind the stonework / steelwork. There's about 3" of concrete infront of the PVC cill and the edge of the wall.

I would probably weld or bolt in at least some mini joists across the door so to speak to halve the unsupported span and reduce it to less than 440x440ish. I'm quite happy to go up to 4 or 5mm which should manage that span comfortably as I'd imagine 15mm is plenty enough for most floor tiles. I could also puddle weld / weld the seams from underneath to tie the sheet in hard to the structure and thus rather than having a flexible 2.7x1.2m sheet (wrt to the framework) it will be tied in strongly.

My go to would be sikaflex, probably 291i.

I have also used that for a variety of things so have similar feelings. I was mainly just wondering whether there was something a bit more bespoke or better suited rather than a generic catch all like the builders goto of CT1.

 

[JimmyS]

There's a 2 part tile adhesive that should be ok. It's like a latex like liquid that gets added to what looks like black rubber. It sticks like hell and can take some movement. I used it years ago and can't remember what it was called but googling I think it was mapei granirapid.

 

[gaz1]

now that stone is indiana stone that ive used



from what ive seen of your pics you will need one against the wall for support at the doorway and another 2 beams heading towards the front

you could add another joist inbetween as well further supporting the slate or stone flag

 

[8ob]

To answer various questions the balcony is 2750 wide with 5 joists. Apart from the front channel everything is 203 UC, I think 8mm thick on the flanges. So we're talking about 433mm unsupported between joists. It's about a metre from the wall to the front face.

Ed you could always tack some mesh in-between the beams, support a shutter on the underside and fill with concrete, you could then bed tiles in a conventional manner.

Bob