First time tiling, any tips/advice???

Hey there,

Pretty much the story goes as following. Downstairs i have a bathroom which ever since moving in has had carpet down (YUK). Now i have been promising to my mum that if she went out and got the tiles etc I would lay them for her.

Turns out she has gone and got them and having never done anything with tiles before, could do with a touch of advice.

I have a few obstacles to contend with in the shape of a sink toilet and b-day thing that i have to tile around (I know they should be taken up but im not allowed), as well as a step.

So any general advice plus any pointers on the 'obstacles' would be great!

Many thanks mighty org!

Ash.

P.s. If you need any more info feel free to ask!

Make sure everything is flat, if there is any big dips/ hollows then fill them with latex (this can be built up in stages if its really bad). *edit* assuming that your ground floor is a concrete base.

Start from the centre of the room and work out to the edges and all the cuts round the outside will be the same and nice and even.

If you are unsure about your tiles being level, dont be afraid to use a long straight edge across them to check.

If you need to cut around things (toilet etc) try it on a piece of cardboard the same size as your tile (the box is a good start) as its easier to cut cardboard than a tile and use this as a template.

Wet Diamond rotary cutters are the best and allow you controll the cut better.

[Spiderman]

First thing is make sure they are floor tiles otherwise you will spend all that time and effort to end up with many cracked tiles on the floor after a short while.

Secondly, depending on the sub floor you are laying onto you may find it easier to lay a hardboard floor frist and tile onto that.

get yourself to your local Wickes or B&Q as they usually have "project" sheets that will give you all the handy hints you'll need...and will be easier to handle than a laptop.

There are a few "first timer" mistakes that you can avoid with a little forward planning.

As for cutting tiles to fit round obstacles, dont worry about getting it perfect...thats what white bathroom silicon sealant is for

Originally Posted by Spiderman

First thing is make sure they are floor tiles otherwise you will spend all that time and effort to end up with many cracked tiles on the floor after a short while.

Secondly, depending on the sub floor you are laying onto you may find it easier to lay a hardboard floor frist and tile onto that.

get yourself to your local Wickes or B&Q as they usually have "project" sheets that will give you all the handy hints you'll need...and will be easier to handle than a laptop.

There are a few "first timer" mistakes that you can avoid with a little forward planning.

As for cutting tiles to fit round obstacles, dont worry about getting it perfect...thats what white bathroom silicon sealant is for

Just a little note spidey, i wouldnt recommend hardboard under tiles in bathrooms or kitchens, it absorbs water terrible then moves all over the place.
I only use 6mm (minimum) exterior ply on my jobs, never had a problem.

Flexi adhesive and grout on wood btw, dont care what the side of the tub says standard adhesive and grout will crack on wood floors.

Phil

Originally Posted by specialone

Just a little note spidey, i wouldnt recommend hardboard under tiles in bathrooms or kitchens, it absorbs water terrible then moves all over the place.
I only use 6mm (minimum) exterior ply on my jobs, never had a problem.

Phil

+1 if its on floorboards the ply will give better stability and exterior ply is a minimum (unless you want to sod the expence and go for marine just for the hell of it lol )

TBH the shape of the room is pretty weird, (floor wise anyway) the door/toilet are on a raised section with plywood over the floor boards (no problem there then!) and the lower section is a concrete base.



that is the shape (kinda) Was thinking of starting along the bath as the tiles are pretty large and two slot nicely in between that and the sink?

Cheers.

you my friend, are a C.A.D genius

I gotta be honest, tiling round the sanitary ware is something i would never do, i would always take them off.
It will never look as good as them sitting on the tiles as opposed to cut round them.
Easy for me to say as i do them all the time, but thats my opinion.

The other thing with going round the sanitary ware is that if you ever change them, the chances are that you will either break the tiles getting out the old or that you will be left with trying to make good round the outside of the new stuff.
Are your taps etc on flexi type pipe fittings?
Lifting it all up really isnt as hard as it may look or sound.

Originally Posted by speedplay

you my friend, are a C.A.D genius

Ha, dont you know it!

Oh and thought i should ad, they are in fact granite tiles if she could make my life any harder im sure she would!

Oh and just had a look at the pipework, its all proper pipework so to lift them up would need that extending, not to mention the fact i can not for the life of me see how they are fixed down to the floor .