Wall and floor tiling tips

Tiling is becoming a popular alternative floor and wall covering; it can be a nice addition to a kitchen or a bathroom.

There are hundreds of different styles of tiles to choose from, with a great range of textures, colours and various sizes. They can vary a lot in price too, this will depend on the size and style of the tile.

A plain tile can cost as little as 15 pence, and some tiles can be very expensive. Keep in mind that the cost of your tiling project will add up the more tiles you use. In most cases, you may also need to employ a professional to lay the tiles for you as it can get very difficult.

If you choose to get a professional to do your tiling for, you will need to think about several potential costs. The cost will vary on the size of the tile, but also on the size of a room - a large tile in a small room will take less time to lay than a smaller tile in a large room. The tiler will probably have to cut tiles to size if they cannot fit exactly into a room, which will again take longer.

If you lay a mix of large and small tiles to create a pattern, this will take longer as the pattern will probably not be uniform, and this will take more time as a result. A tiler will mostly charge by the metre for laying tiles, though there can be extras on top of the price.

If you are going to tile yourself, you should start by cleaning the surface that’s is going to be tiled and check the floor is level, a level floor is vital but can easily be levelled properly if its not. The floor should be cleaned so the tile adhesive will hold the tile down properly with the surface.

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When you come to grouting the floor tiles start furthest away from the entrance to the room, most floor tile grout you mix yourself, don’t mix up too much as floor tile grout can dry very quick and is quite runny. Pour a small amount of grout over a floor tile and spread with a grouting float over the gaps and wipe of excess grout straight away with a clean sponge, (wipe as many times as you need to) its harder once the grout has dried.

Wall tile grout mostly comes ready mixed and is not so runny. If you are using a grout float, use a small amount of grout over the wall tiles until gaps are filled and wipe off

Once the tiles are laid, tile grout will be used between each tile, to stop movement and keep the tiles fixed in position. When the floor tiles are laid, you will proberly be asked not to walk on them for about 24 hours, so that it allows the tiles to bed in properly.

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Before you start tiling measure the width of the room or wall you are tiling, measure the width of the room or wall you are tiling and draw a line down the centre, measure the tile width and mark down the centre, lay the tile mark on the centre line and this is where you should start tiling. This is so any cuts you have to make will be around the edges making your tiles look even.

Remember to start in a suitable place so you don’t have to walk over any tiles you have already laid. Once you have finished your tiling leave for at least 10 to 12 hours before walking on them. Or if wall tiles leave for the same amount of time if possible.

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Once the tiles are laid and are set in position, you may wish to put a seal over them. This will stop liquids from staining the tile or the grout, which can later cause smelly tiles. Spilt liquids can also stain the tiles and the grout, ruining the look of the tiling.

Before using a sealant, the tiles must be cleaned again, or anything left on the tiles will stay beneath the sealant forever.

One last tip I normally grout twice as this gives a much much better finish

Bathroom and Kitchen Tiling