Large format rectified polished porcelain with no Grout in a shower?

[craigy]

I am a non pro who has been asked to set some large tiles on a shower wall tight. is that recommended?

 

[Dumbo]

What size tiles .
How thin.
What are shower dimensions .
Conventional wisdom is to grout joints between tiles . But you may be saying large panels that only need siliconing in the corner and at the floor as there may be no other joints

 

[Dan]

Yeah it would depend on the size.

Large tiles are hard to get coverage on. And it's not for the faint hearted. Have you tiled before? What background are you tiling onto? Have you considered how you're going to waterproof the shower area before you fix a tile? The tiles wont waterproof the shower alone. You need to 'tank' the shower before you even mix your tile adhesive etc.

 

[craigy]

I'm in inches over here so they are 12 x 24 x .375, 300 X 600 X 10 USING VERSA BOND LARGE FORMAT ADHESIVE

 

[Dumbo]

They have to be grouted between the tiles and siliconed in the corner . Waterproofing your shower area before tiling is good practice although I don't know if it's a tcna recommendation or not . Maybe something you should check

 

[craigy]

It's an older home, that had 5/8 plywood with old school Melamine panels glued to it. I was going to screw cement board right over everything, tape and seal the joints and corners

 

[Dan]

In tile setting terms, we've only been in metric for a couple of decades and our average member age is 50. So we've got thousands who still haven't converted to metric on here lol

 

[craigy]

They also want it vertical so I am also worried about how flat the walls will turn out. I'm just their caretaker and want to advise them to get a pro but everyone is so busy, no one returns calls in our extremely rural area. Also, the home is shut down in winter, I mean all heat will be off.

 

[Dumbo]

Cement board generally tends to be water tolerant no waterproof. Although your products maybe different

 

[craigy]

They just stock 1/4 or 1/2 Durock? board. Comes with special screws and mesh tape.

 

[Dumbo]

You could consider fixing schluter kerdi membrane to it which I believe is a popular system in north America

 

[craigy]

I think I should tell them I need a grout joint to at least use leveling wedges because of the amount of thinset needed behind these, what I consider large tile. The wedges keep a 3/16 grout line.

 

[Unused Account 1]

Think you need a tiler ,lol

 

[craigy]

Think you need a tiler ,lol

Yep I do

 

[Dumbo]

You need a grout joint because if you don't the tiles will leak . Also recommend using a thinner levelling clip than your joint width . So create joint width with spacers so levelling clips come out easily without chipping tiles .

 

[Old Mod]

Durock is only water durable and not waterproof.
You would be well advised to use Hydroban or RedGaurd as a waterproofing membrane over the Durock. This will give you a waterproof substrate on which to tile to.

 

[craigy]

If I end up finishing this job I will take everyones advice and do my best. I've done plenty of work for myself ok, but it is different when someone else looking over your shoulder is paying the bills.

 

[Old Mod]

If I end up finishing this job I will take everyones advice and do my best. I've done plenty of work for myself ok, but it is different when someone else looking over your shoulder is paying the bills.

You’ve already done more than most I’m sure, just by researching the project and all that it entails.
Come back let us know how you got on.

 

[craigy]

You’ve already done more than most I’m sure, just by researching the project and all that it entails.
Come back let us know how you got on.

I will for sure, thank you very much. I hope it works out ok, whoever sets it, especially letting the house freeze for five months a year. The old melamine was perfect, just ugly.

 

[craigy]

I've decided to try a shower job on my own place first. Then make a decision to do my neighbor's or not. I have a small camp on my property that will be good practice and has almost the same situation as the people I caretake for. I'll keep my progress posted when possible.

 

[Dan]

That's awesome news. We love project pictures.

 

[craigy]

Thanks Dan,
I maybe getting ahead of myself but as far as the pattern, if I use the same size they want in their stall, 12x24, vertical, is there a standard setting pattern? Starting with a full tile in the center bottom of the back wall leaves about 1/3rd a tile at top. Should i use a 2/3rds piece on both sides of the center full tile?

 

[Old Mod]

Depends in the effect you want to see.
Most plank effect areas start with a full piece, or nearly if it leaves horrid cut at end of the run.
The second run starts with the off cut from the first. It becomes a totally random bond giving the most life like timber finish.
If there’s a timber floor you can view you’ll get the concept.
Symmetry doesn’t work well.
You can still mark out from centre, but for example, take the far left corner and measure up where your cut will end and take the offcut and place it in position of the next course and work out the next top cut, then put that off cut centre or your shower. 😁

Employ same technique to your wall as in the end of this floor in the window area
You’ll have to enlarge image probably.

 

[craigy]

If I see it correctly, no butt joints end up in the center of a full piece next to it.

 

[Dan]

Yeah still need a grout joint there the same size as the rest.

 

[craigy]

If I start with full tile in centre and use the piece left from the top cut, this is how it would look, correct? Too symmetrical ?

 

[Old Mod]

Personally I’d say yes, try a shorter plank left corner.
Or just adjust left corner up and down till you reach a desired effect.
Starting the next row with off cut isn’t mandatory, you can also shorten that if it helps give a more random appearance.
Obviously the beauty of being able to leave them in one piece is that it’s less work for you.

 

[craigy]

Okay thanks, I guess the more random you make it, the better it looks. Its tough with such large tile in such a small area. More waste also.

 

[J Sid]

This is random

Just finished

 

[craigy]

Looks awesome, is that travertine? Do you grout all the pits and holes so it can be cleaned?