What is a Jersey mud job (for ceramic tile installation)?

9 years ago

What exactly is a "Jersey mud job" for installing tile? Is it the same thing as a "modified mud job with mesh"?

A flooring store owner said that my tile would be installed using a "modified mud job with mesh" onto my plywood subfloor (the mesh is an up-charge). I then asked the store owner if this was a Jersey mud job, and he said he's never heard of a Jersey mud job. Is it even possible for someone to be in the flooring business for almost 50 years and not know what a Jersey mud job is?

What's the best way to have ceramic tile installed onto a plywood subfloor to avoid cracks in the tile or other issues?

Comments (7)

cold_weather_is_evil
9 years ago
Is it right to read into this that you are belittling a store owner because he doesn't know your strange pejorative labels? Harsh.
toobie-ornot
Original Author
9 years ago
@cold, not sure if you're being serious here. But I have no clue what a Jersey mud job is, and I'm not sure if the installation that the owner is proposing is actually a Jersey mud job or something entirely different. I didn't insult the owner by asking him if the installation is considered a JMJ.
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geoffrey_b
9 years ago
A Jersey Mud-Job is a subpar. This is where they staple mesh to the floor, and skim it with a thin mortar bed.

The type of tile and the floor defection. The deflection is the amount of 'give' bending of the floor. The deflection is dependent upon the size and spacing of your joists + the subfloor.

Google John Bridge. You will get all the info you need.
toobie-ornot
Original Author
9 years ago
Geoffrey, thanks for the info and that web site. I happened upon the John Bridge site last night, and it's really informative.

I asked the flooring owner if my floors are suitable for tile, and he said "I'm sure they are." He hasn't checked out the construction, but he's assuming that since the floors are new, they will be suitable for the heavy tile. Not sure if he should be making this assumption.
geoffrey_b
9 years ago
The reason to be concerned is obvious: Tiling a floor is mess / time / money.

If in a year your tile starts cracking / tenting / grout cracking what happens?

I would tell the flooring store guy that you are concerned about the possible deflection of your floor, and does you subfloor meet the TCNA (tile council of North America) specs?

What kind of warrany does he offer - in writing.
StoneTech
9 years ago
I agree. Don't care HOW long he's been selling tile. If he doesn't even go out to LOOK at the job, how can he advise you on suitability?

A Jersey Mud Job isn't a pejorative term...that's what it's called...and it is a substandard way of setting tile and has been for years, but it IS cheap! (lol)

If your home is not on slab, go back to the John Bridge site and check out the "Deflecto" calculator in the blue bar at the top of the forums page.
Andrew Hebson
3 years ago
Wait? What is the substrate?