Underlayment for tile in Modular

[mridgeelk]

The grout job speaks for itself. (the electric range is grouted in place) Should this tile have had underlayment other than the particle board subfloor visible under the leaky tub?

Image Insert:

118.78 KB

Image Insert:

104.13 KB

Image Insert:

99.4 KB

[Mark P]

Yes, there should be some brand of cement board. I can't tell from the pic what the subflooring is, but if it is particle board like you say, the tiles may not stay attached very long.

[hausdok]

Hi,

Those look like 2 by 3 shear wall studs; are they? If so, it's a manufactured home - not a modular - and you should edit the title of the thread to avoid the confusion. Please don't call manufactured homes modulars or vice versa.

There needs to be some kind of decent underlayment that's approved for tile work.

I've got a decent article here from Prof. Frank Woeste (Virginia Tech) about design considerations and such when putting down tile floors, but I'm having a little trouble getting the formatting fixed up so that the charts in the article display correctly on TIJ. I'll post it to the front page when I finally get it figured out.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Tom Raymond]

Sure looks manufactured to me, that subfloor is also a dead give away.

Ceramic tile will also affect the road handling characteristics[:-crazy]

If I were king, they wouldn't be allowed to call it housing until the building codes took precedence over the DOT regs.

Tom

[steven meyer]

Manufactured or modular, the floors are usually of poor structural integraty.

This looks like a do it yourself home owner job, as most tile setters would have pulled out the stove and tiled under it.

In most probability, tile was laid over what ever floor was there, and possibly with mastic. Thus, poor/inproper istallation, springy floor, would cause lose tiles and the grout to crack.

Proper method of tile installation:

1. over lay floor with 1/4 inch cement board, with thin set and screwed down.

2. Install floor tile with thin set.

Due to structural issues with these types of "homes" I am not a big fan of installing tile.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by steven meyer

Manufactured or modular, the floors are usually of poor structural integraty.

I can't argue with any of the rest of it, but the statement I've quoted is just plain wrong when it comes to modular homes. Apply that statement to a manufactured home, but don't apply it to a modular and please don't spread that kind of misinformation around about modular homes. Mods are built to the same codes as other homes and have to be built stronger to withstand the rigors of being crane loaded onto trucks, transported hundreds of miles, and then crane loaded onto a foundation and bolted together without suffering damage. For that reason, the framing in a modular is stronger and much more rigid than even a conventional home.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[steven meyer]

Guess just a matter of opinion. My son purchased a modular home in the Denver area, he didn't know the difference, and RE agent did not disclose it. But he loved the property/area. I was not impressed. Come to find out the agent's husband was in the business of putting those lego homes togeather.

If modular homes are of better quality, then why would not the majority of new homes be modular?

If stick homes are not as strong as modular, explain just how homes built in the late1800's on, can be lifted off their foundation, put on wheels, and transported to another and lifted back on a new foundation????

I'll take a older stick home any time. Even the old Sears and

d Monkey Ward house kits are still standing, see many on the farms in the mid west.

Guess I am of the old school, old and set in my ways!!!

[mridgeelk]

Those little studs were 1x3 tacked together to support the surface around the tub only, not wall studs. It is most definitely a modular.

Originally posted by hausdok

Hi,

Those look like 2 by 3 shear wall studs; are they? If so, it's a manufactured home - not a modular - and you should edit the title of the thread to avoid the confusion. Please don't call manufactured homes modulars or vice versa.

There needs to be some kind of decent underlayment that's approved for tile work.

I've got a decent article here from Prof. Frank Woeste (Virginia Tech) about design considerations and such when putting down tile floors, but I'm having a little trouble getting the formatting fixed up so that the charts in the article display correctly on TIJ. I'll post it to the front page when I finally get it figured out.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[StevenT]

Definately looks like a DIY to me.

The moulding should have been removed and replaced after tiling. The cuts are extremely uneven, as are the joints. Also, the area by the Johnny bolt that is missing grout and seems to be missing tile is shoddy and will leak.

The bowl was not set in plaster or even siliconed in. It won't be long 'til that bowl is loose... and leaking.

[Erby]

For those who haven't beeen thru the modular versus manufactured debate before:

http://homebuying.about.com/cs/modulare ... rhomes.htm

[Tom Raymond]

Most, if not all, of the "modular homes" in my area are sold by the same companies selling and setting up "double wides", probably built in the same factories. Every "modular" that I have ever been in has even had the same crappy components as the trailers, like trailer doors on a 2 wide modular or sub-standard windows on a 4 box (2 wide 2 high). I have even seen single wide trailers built to these so called modular standards,escentially a trailer built with 2x6's, they call them single unit modules. All of these units had the steel trailer frames still attached, resting on huge steel beams running accross the buildings width (think trailer with a full basement).

While I agree that there are some really amazing modular systems available, unfortunately they just aren't around here. Until they are, I'd take a mediocre kit over a modular any day.

Tom

What's the difference between a modular and a mobile home?

One is a vehicle! Badumdum!!

[steven meyer]

I will agree with Tom.

Either system can suffer.

The economies of scale in building off sight homes may reduce the cost per sq. foot.

However:

That being said, the other reason for lower building costs, is the quality of the building materials, interior finish, type of plumbing, electrical, etc.

Many of these types of structures I have witnessed, degrade faster over time, Is that due to poor maintenance or due to inferior building material??? Probably a little bit of both.

Having been in construction/remodeling for many years, I stayed away from these. You never knew what you were going to get into, as each manufactuer had its own method of assembly.

Ya can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear!!

[mridgeelk]

My client backed out of the deal today after a a very experienced tilesetter evaluated the home. He said that even the type of grout was wrong.

Originally posted by AHIS

Yes, there should be some brand of cement board. I can't tell from the pic what the subflooring is, but if it is particle board like you say, the tiles may not stay attached very long.

[steven meyer]

Don't know what he is referring to as the "wrong type of grout".

The grout job is only as good as the tile job. If the tile is not stable, then movement of the tile (however slight) will effect the grout.

There are modified grouts out there, but those would not have solved the poor tile setting job.

Guess your only option is to rip it all out and install the tile correctly.

The good news is: It was such a poor job, the old tile should come up fairly eaisly!!!

Good Luck

[mridgeelk]

He said that the grout was of the non-sanded type which should not be used in spaces larger than 1/8". He said that it was likely the worst setting job he ever saw and should be completely redone.

Originally posted by steven meyer

Don't know what he is referring to as the "wrong type of grout".

The grout job is only as good as the tile job. If the tile is not stable, then movement of the tile (however slight) will effect the grout.

There are modified grouts out there, but those would not have solved the poor tile setting job.

Guess your only option is to rip it all out and install the tile correctly.

The good news is: It was such a poor job, the old tile should come up fairly eaisly!!!

Good Luck

[steven meyer]

He is correct in that. Sanded grout should have been used for that application.

It is obvious this was a do it yourself job, guy didn't even take the time to take a homd depot free class, and probably took the "advice" of the 18 year old kid.

I have had HD customers ask me what/how to use with tile when I am picking up tile supplies for myself.

So, looks like you are going to need a new floor. No way to fix/salvage what ya got now!!!!

[tedmen]

Steve

If stick homes are not as strong as modular, explain just how homes built in the late1800's on, can be lifted off their foundation, put on wheels, and transported to another and lifted back on a new foundation????

They do not lift up old homes and then lower them back onto a foundation. They painstakingly jack them up and painstakingly lower them on a trailer and painstakingly trailer them to the new site and painstakingly lower onto the new foundation. If you tried to lift a stick built it would disintegrate.

Just my thoughts and opinion.

Ted

As far as a modular home being stronger, couldn't tell you. Being built as modules and then connected together (depending on the size of the home) is certainly different than stick building a home piece by piece. Sorry to any folks that this next statement may offend. I would not give you 2 cents for a Mobile home, it is no more than a travel trailer.