Setting Out Tavertine Tiles Around Sink & Worktop - Different Height - Advice Needed

[Mav3000]

Hi Everyone, This is my first post. I'm looking to tile around my cloakroom corner sink with tavertine mosaic tiles, then along the adjoining wall along a worktop (see attached pics).

I'm looking to use jasmine grout with these tiles, but am undecided about edging trim (white, beige, none? I'd like to mitre the corners but don't have a wet saw, and don't know what to do on the top row).

My main question however, is how to set out the mosaic tiles, as the sink sits higher than the worktop next to it. Do I sit a whole bottom row of tiles along the sink, and then cut a short row of tiles to fill the gap between the bottom row and the worktop?

or..

Sit a whole row of tiles along the worktop, and then cut a short row of tiles along the top of the sink's edges to keep the tile lines level?

The worktop sits approx 25mm lower than the sink (see attached pics).

Any advice on setting the tiles out and what edging to use appreciated. As you can see from the photos, I've 1 internal corner and 1 external corner.

Thanks, Rich

 

[Albert]

Sit the tiles on the top and cut to the sink, trav is very soft do you have
a grinder to mitre external corner? Just grout the top

 

[Old Mod]

Hi and welcome to the forum Rich.

Cut above sink, it’ll be largest of the two cuts.
How are you going to cut mosaic’s?
Mitre external angle.
Being Trav you can form mitres with a carborundum rubbing block if you have to, it’s soft enough.
No trim on top just grout, maybe paint same colour as wall, your choice, but that would be mine.

You should remove the paint also, if it’s new emulsion you’ll probably be able to wash enough off with a scouring pad, just don’t use so much water that it destroys the plasterboard.

It’s hard to tell from photo, but your work top seems to be just a straightforward shelf, can’t you raise it?

 

[Albert]

It’s hard to tell from photo, but your work top seems to be just a straightforward shelf, can’t you raise it?
Good idea

 

[Andy Allen]

Your worktop seems to be......




(Felt left out)..

 

[Waluigi]

Unless it’s a WC unit in which case it’s height is usually governed by a fascia or plinth.

 

[Mav3000]

Hi Everybody, thanks for the quick and helpful replies. I have access to a tile cutter, but it's more of a scour and snap straight cut type.

Corner:
I do have an angle grinder and wet n dry paper. I've been unsure about mitring (1st choice), bullnosing the corners (2nd choice) either alternate 1st row from the left, 2nd row from the right, 3rd row from the left - so I don't have a straight grout line just on one side of the corner - is this the right thing to do? Trim would be my final choice.

Top:
What do you think to the height of the tiles? I think we should remove the top row as it looks too high for the small area we're tiling. What do you think?

Should the top row of tiles be rounded or bullnosed if we're not using trim, or left as-is?

Shelf / Sink:
I have built my own shelf unit and concealed cistern unit. Underneath the lower shelf is boxed-in pipework to the sink. Admittedly I could have made the tops higher and inline with the sink in retrospect. In the end I aligned the top of the shelf frame with the top of the sink unit's frame, and not the sink itself that sits on top of it. I wanted, then put worktop on top once we'd found one we liked. I wanted a 'lip' on purpose, but didn't consider tile lines at the time. The shelf is routed around the lip of the sink to butt it up on the vertical join.

I admit the lip could have been a little smaller and the levels closer. Cutting the tiles above the sink makes sense - thank you for that advice.

Sealant:
If I'm using jasmine grout I take I need to use jasmine sealant and not white for the internal corner and bottom joins?(!)

PS thanks for the advice about removing the paint. It's a solid plastered wall not plasterboard.

 

[Unused Account 1]

Like the guys said ,you dont need trim use the natural edge

 

[Mav3000]

Hi Everyone, Before I start this job could I have your opinions on a couple of points raised above?

Top Row of Tiles:

Does the splashback look too high with 6 rows? Would 5 rows look better for the size of cloakroom we have (1m x 2m).

Should the top row of tiles be rounded or bullnosed if we're not using trim, or left square?

Internal Corner:

I plan to work from the external corner left to the wall, cutting tiles on the left-hand-side of this run as needed.

I then plan to work from the external corner right, into the internal corner behind the sink. Should I wrap the tiles around this internal corner and cut where necessary, or just start with full/50% tiles from the internal corner to the right for the final run across the back of the sink?

Thanks again for the advice, Rich