How to glue a tile to plywood

[JMB]

I am wanting to glue a tile to some plywood. I have some Araldite 5 minute everyday and am wondering if this will be suitable. I have checked the selleys website but it wasnt clear to me if this was the right product to use.

[Honorary Bloke]

I am wanting to glue a tile to some plywood. I have some Araldite 5 minute everyday and am wondering if this will be suitable. I have checked the selleys website but it wasnt clear to me if this was the right product to use.

Will it be under any load to speak of? One tile with no load, even hot melt will hold it steady (horizontally, that is). Any pre-mix tile adhesive should work. I wouldn't bother to mix up a batch from dry for one tile.

[JMB]

I am making a cupboard and there will be 2 tiles glued into the plywood panels of 2 doors. The tiles are about 400 x 100mm.

[SAISAY]

I use Selleys Durabond for my trivets, it is reasonably waterproof too.
Wolffie

[journeyman Mick]

I'd use the araldite, seeing how it's on a door and subject to some movement, doors slamming etc.

Mick

[JMB]

Thanks for the replies. Since I have the araldite already I'll use that. Just wanted to be sure the tiles weren't going to fall off!

[tea lady]

Liquid nails would also work, and may be better because of slight flex of wood against rigidity of tile. Might be better to set it in the door rather than on the door. Easier to clean. Won't get knocked off or corner chipped. Won't look like after thought, even if it wasn't. (Sorry to make more work for you.) If it can't be set in, a little bead around it like a frame will make it look more intigrated, and protect corners and help it not fall off.

[Honorary Bloke]

Liquid nails would also work, and may be better because of slight flex of wood against rigidity of tile.

Yes, it might in these circumstances, but as he already has the other type. . . .

Might be better to set it in the door rather than on the door. Easier to clean. Won't get knocked off or corner chipped. Won't look like after thought, even if it wasn't. (Sorry to make more work for you.)

This is a lovely idea and I have done it on a table top. But it can cause problems with the wood and must be set in on some separate underlayment or the door might crack (DAMHIKT!)

If it can't be set in, a little bead around it like a frame will make it look more intigrated, and protect corners and help it not fall off.

Better idea, I think.

[JMB]

The tiles are to go into door frames as shown in the sketch. They will be attached to floating panels. I was going to use villaboard for the floating panels but am hoping to use 3mm ply instead so I can recess the tile a bit further below the fronts of the door [does that make sense]. I do have liquid nails as well as araldite, so now I am confused again as to what to use.

PS Honorary Bloke, am a woodworker of the female persuasion!

[rod1949]

Use Selleys "Roof and Gutter" silicon:2tsup:

[Honorary Bloke]

The tiles are to go into door frames as shown in the sketch. They will be attached to floating panels. I was going to use villaboard for the floating panels but am hoping to use 3mm ply instead so I can recess the tile a bit further below the fronts of the door [does that make sense]. I do have liquid nails as well as araldite, so now I am confused again as to what to use.

PS Honorary Bloke, am a woodworker of the female persuasion!

Attaching to floating panels is the go. :2tsup: Doesn't matter the substrate, as long as they are floating. Don't be confused. Use the Araldite. Forget the Liquid Nails. Horses for courses. :)

[As you are a female WWer, more power to you. :) ]

[orraloon]

JMB,
I was going to say liquid nails but as there are so many views on this I am getting confused. I think the answer from this thread is that there are a few options open.

Regards
John

[tea lady]

So the tiles will in fact be kind of recessed and flush with the door frames? Will there be a gap? Or not? If no gap I think aryldite will be fine. Door frame will give it a certain amount of support too. Looks like a cool idea. Another question. Are you going to seal around the tile? Like grout or something?

[tea lady]

Also, Where are you getting tiles that shape? Do you have them already? It is a strange shape for one long tile, and difficult to get completely flat. Could add another problem to the equation.

[JMB]

I'm planning that the tiles will be set in about 4mm below the level of the door frame. Very minimal gap ie about 1mm around the edges of the tile. Will glue down probably with araldite and maybe use a little clear silicon around the edges, to seal up any gaps.

This cupboard sits above the vanity I am also making, and is part of a bathroom renovation. The first thing that my partner and I bought for the renovation was the 2 tiles and I am now a bit nervous about how they will go with the rest of the decisions we have made about the bathroom. I've attached a photo of one of the tiles and also our choice of floor and wall tiles for the rest of the bathroom. The large dark tiles are for the floor, white rectangles are for the walls, mosaic tiles are for features here and there and small square in the middle is sample of the caesarstone we are using for the vanity top.

Anyway... the answer to my question, "how will it all look?" is probably, "have to wait and see".:o

[tea lady]

Will look very nice I think. Yellow or orangey accessories perhaps? All sounds (and looks) real good. Stop stressing and glue already.:2tsup: Wish I had decor in my bathroom.:rolleyes:

[JMB]

Thankyou. Vanity and mirror/tile cupboard above it both being made from vic ash with a light stain which has quite a bit of orange in it. Can't glue tiles to doors just yet as doors not made but will be in next few days.

[tea lady]

Very nice. Onwards and upwards.:2tsup:

[journeyman Mick]

I wouldn't trust the liquid nails, especially if it's not backed up with some mechanical fasteners as well. It does go hard and brittle with age and heat and I've seen it fail on occasions.

Mick

[JMB]

8 months later - very happy so far with how the bathroom's looking but still waiting for the tiling to be finished, fittings installed and to see how the whole room looks.

[tea lady]

:2tsup:

[mudpete]

So the tiles will in fact be kind of recessed and flush with the door frames? Will there be a gap? Or not? If no gap I think aryldite will be fine. Door frame will give it a certain amount of support too. Looks like a cool idea. Another question. Are you going to seal around the tile? Like grout or something?

According to my partner, who does lots of mozaicy stuff, definately no grout when tiling on timber as it will inevitably crack. For adhesive, anything flexable... I like using silicone, the sticking power of that stuff is amazing. So use a flexable 'grout alternative', or dont have any gaps at all.

Cheers,

Pete.

[JMB]

I ended up gluing the tiles to the plywood with araldite. There was a 1mm gap around the edges of the tiles and I used clear silicone to fill this. However, I ended up wishing that I hadn't as it was very hard to get a good finish as the tile was recessed below the surface of the frame. If I did it again I would aim for a similar sized gap around the tiles and would leave this gap unfilled.

[mudpete]

D'oh.. sorry, I didnt read the thread properly (or look at the dates)

Looks like a nice job though!

Cheers,
Pete.

[Johncs]

Liquid nails would also work, and may be better because of slight flex of wood against rigidity of tile. Might be better to set it in the door rather than on the door. Easier to clean. Won't get knocked off or corner chipped. Won't look like after thought, even if it wasn't. (Sorry to make more work for you.) If it can't be set in, a little bead around it like a frame will make it look more intigrated, and protect corners and help it not fall off.

In the 60s, I used araldite on my wetsuite, where the "proper" glue let go. It was okay, the flexing and soaking for hours didn't bother it too much.

5-minute araldite can be softened with heat - a blowtorch is a fine way to remove the tip from a fishing rod.

[Johncs]

[quote=JMB;690573 The large dark tiles are for the floor, white rectangles are for the walls, mosaic tiles are for features here and there and small square in the middle is sample of the caesarstone we are using for the vanity top.
[/quote]

How big are those floor tiles?

[JMB]

The floor tiles aren't large at all, just 100 x 100.

[Johncs]

The floor tiles aren't large at all, just 100 x 100.

Ours are a little larger, 450x450. It's fine everywhere but the shower recess, where the floor has some curvature. I find standing on the edges a bit irritating.

I expect yours should be okay, but I suggest limiting the curve in the area where you will stand to shower.

Our wall tiles are the same pattern, but white (floor's black), and we had a few left over, I find one great on the kitchen bench, especially for kneading bread. I can easily put it under the tap for a good scrub.

If you have some left over, you could glue various sized grit sandpapers to them. Google "scary sharp," I found a video on it at youtube - the demonstrator was using glass, but flat tiles should do as well.