Truth About Snapstone

[Hamilton]

This thread is geared towards discussion between professionals. I've moved
it to the pro's hangout for this reason. I've read a little about these products
and will admit i have no interest or market for such. Best of luck with your
sales.

[stonemason777]

Is that stuff for like jungle jim rooms or playscapes or something? You gotta be kidding me!

[Ravenna]

After reading all these discussions I have to admit I was a little curious. After brief review of some websites and looking at some pics I came to the conclusion that this is a product aimed mainly at homeowners who want to avoid hiring a contractor. I do have to admit though I would like to get my hands on a sample piece to see what it is more about.

[Hamilton]

I'd like to know what the ideal prep of a concrete slab would be needed to install
snap stone. What kind of flatness tolerances are acceptable for this product
to achieve its maximum lifespan? Also, what is the maximum expected lifespan
of the product?

[duneslider]

Jack,
I had to watch a video to get the prep specs. They call for a 1/4" in 10'. Pretty similar to tile. I think getting a floor prepped right is tougher than installing tile. Just my opinion though.

I do think there is a niche for a product like this. Having installed a lot of floating floor, I think there are times it is a good thing but for the most part I don't care for floating systems. Again, personal preference.

What is the grout for this stuff? It has to be something flexible, my experience is that flexible grouts get dirty and gross. How is this grout different?

Maybe they will send CX some test samples and he can tile his office on wheels with it.

[Trask]

hiya Bud..nice to see you back round here

I have never thought this stuff was worth a post.. but I thought plenty of bad things about Ditra until I really understood it. I have a hard time believing it has a legitimate place in " real installs" but i also admit to having no direct expirience with any of it either. So I'll hold my unfounded opinions off until I'm right of wrong. When i get some time I'll do a bit of reading on it.

[flatfloor]

Bud I don't have a doggie to put in the discussion.

As you know I'm not a tile guy so any input from me wouldn't really hold any water one way or the other. Only time will tell when the comments start popping up here.

[Tileman Packerfan]

I never heard of the product before I read this thread. For full discloser though, I've never saw a floating floor I liked, laminate, wood, or anything else for that matter. But who knows, maybe it's a great product. My only question would be, how do you do a repair if a tile gets cracked for some reason? Those fins would seem to make that very difficult, but that's an uneducated observation, didn't see anything on the web site about repairs, but maybe I just missed it.

[jgleason]

Hi Rob,

The web site did have a blurb about replacing a tile. Pretty straightforward sounding - remove the grout and use a utility knife to cut the plastic interlocking tabs. Lift the tile out and replace.

I've put in a couple of laminate floating floors in the past. They look ok but I would never put them in my own home. Snapstone stuff looks interesting, could be useful in certain circumstances. The cost would have to be competitive for me to want to try it.

[Tileman Packerfan]

Thanks Joe, I figured I missed it. But how do you get the tile new tile back in without removing the tabs. Because if you have to cut the tabs off to put the new tile back in, what's keeping it in place ? I realize you could leave one side of the tile with the tabs on, but I think that would be it. Just curious that's all. Nothing against the product whatsoever.

I have laminate in some of my rental units, can't stand the looks of the stuff, but it's harder for my tenants to destroy then carpet. But you notice I said harder, not impossible

[Trask]

I have no issue with floating floors..I've seen marble slab floors that failed the day they were installed(zero bond to the mud bed) but they had the three G's (GOD, GROUT and GRAVITY) going for them but most importantly they had 100% support. They may not have bonded but they were beat into a still plastic mortar bed and that support allowed them to survive a hundred years without a problem.

That's the real challenge to these systems that I can see..They will be only as good as the prep under them. If you had a very flat floor under the tile assembly..and the tile itself is well calibrated...you ought to be able to lock these things together have theoretically have a decent floor.

But that's the next conceptial challenge...This is really going to target a DIY demographic. If the majority of pro level installers have trouble making flat floors how will the greenhorn pull it off? And speaking from my expirience most people won't pay the rate I want to prep a floor if they are going to install it. (I'll do the prep cheaper if I can cream the rest of the job )

[jdstone]

Seems at first glance to be an extreme twist on the uncoupling principle. I guess in theory if the floor is clean and flat before installing, it could work, kinda like those tar paper showrooms.....but we all know that once tile is installed it doesnt like to move around, so the question is.... how long will it last and work well? Guess that depends on alot of things. After all, thats how we measure quality construction in terms of function.

I personally dont care for every new and improved system for settin tile. When I first heard of kerdi and the kerdi drain back in 02' or 03', I was skeptical, but interested. Kerdi is an improvement on methods that are already proven,,like mud (no bias there ) , not a reinvention of the wheel of setting tile that has been proven for centuries. The nature of tile has not changed either, and even though ditra for example is a very good uncoupling product, it does so at the micro level, and is firmly attached. This sounds like a good product for HOs and DIYers and,,,, who knows, maybe someone will use this product, become interested in setting tile for a livin', wind up floatin' walls and floors and have 27 different rolls of orange stuff in their garage someday .

So as far as my vote for floating ceramics like that, its a no, I personally like my floors attached to somethin solid.

[jgleason]

Well, found some prices online. $5.50 - $7.50 sf. Plus whatever the proprietary grout in a bucket would cost.

[Davestone]

When are they gonna come up with a spray on porcelain and be done with the labor end of it, that's what they're trying to do.6 or 8 bucks a foot for a cheap knock off,sheeesh.In Fl we're installin real tile for not much more.Stand and spray sealer,snap tile,mastic thinset,caulk grout, floating this and that,Never used it never even saw it,i've also never installed a floating floor,don't intend to,unless it's in a dollhouse

[cx]

Mmmm, interesting pricing. A DIYer could install hisownself a sure-nuff tile floor for a lot less than that, eh, Joe?


That said, I think we should end the debate here out of professional courtesy. We're already way over the maximum 20 posts per thread limit that Bud has on his own site. Wouldn't wanna overdo the subject for him, eh?

Or would you prefer we continue on ad infinitum as is our wont here, Bud?