Seeking advice on an ongoing job (bevelled metro tiles)

[Tom Ewer]

Hello,

We’re on the home straight of our new kitchen being fitted, and the fitter has been working on the tiles.

He originally said that he’d mitre the tiles (here’s what we’ve got) to provide a clean finish, which sounded great. However, when he tried to mitre them he couldn’t get a good enough finish on the edge.

His next idea was to use a 9mm trim, and file off and grout the corners (i.e. where separate pieces of trim met). That sounded awful to me, but he said it would look good. In short, it didn’t (and he agreed).

His next idea was to use corner pieces (like this, but plastic) to finish off the corners, which I agreed to. However, he then decided to switch to a 9.5mm trim (without first telling me) because he felt the 9mm trim was too small, and took delivery of and fitted l-shaped corner pieces (rather than the style I agreed to). I've attached the end result.

I’m really unhappy with the finish. I think the trim looks too fat and takes over the tiles, and the corner pieces look really budget. Ideally I would’ve loved to have seen a mitred finish (as we were originally promised), but if not that, a much ‘cleaner’ finish with the trim.

My question is this: can we rescue this? Could the tiles be mitred (and our chap just doesn’t have the knowhow to do the job right), or if not, is there another approach (with or without trim) that would look better than what we’ve got?

I’d appreciate your thoughts!

 

[Matt Bott]

With the right tools patience and know how I think any tile could be mitred you can cut out the trim with a Stanley knife and glue new stuff that has backing cut of it (if plastic) I can see on the left of the picture the boxing is not brickbond I think would look better if it was

 

[Andy Allen]

Metros and trim is difficult, cut a tile and it's 8mm in the middle and 6mm on the edge.
I use 8mm trims with metros but tend not to trim the top of the tile.

 

[Andy Allen]

And the boxing in should be brick bond..🙂

 

[Tom Ewer]

Thanks for the replies!

With regards to the brick bond, are you saying that the front of the pillar should look the same as the right side of the windowsill that you can see to the right of the photo?

 

[Andy Allen]

The brick bond pattern should wrap round the room like this..

 

[Matt Bott]

Yes mate should be

 

[Tom Ewer]

So if I'm interpreting that photo correctly, the width of each tile should be consistent even as they 'wrap' around corners, if that makes sense?

 

[Matt Bott]

Sometimes that will not be possible because of cuts but as close to as possible at least not starting a full next to a half but a third next to half instead of that makes sense

 

[Matt Bott]

The basic principle is if it's brick bond you shouldn't areas just stacked

 

[Andy Allen]

Yes.....you should follow the pattern round the whole room to keep the brick effect.
Your tiler has gone from landscape to brick bond, the face of the boxing in should have a join in it not just full tiles.

 

[Matt Bott]

If you look at the internals of your window there's no reason why the boxing shouldn't be the same

 

[Flintstone]

For me, with metros I always use 8mm trim, and always square edge not rounded as they are far less intrusive and look a lot neater.

 

[Matt Bott]

+1

 

[Flintstone]

Metros and trim is difficult, cut a tile and it's 8mm in the middle and 6mm on the edge.
I use 8mm trims with metros but tend not to trim the top of the tile.

I always trim the top, it's an exposed edge and you can see the ginger biscuit If not

 

[Andy Allen]

I always trim the top, it's an exposed edge and you can see the ginger biscuit If not

But if you use 8mm there will be a 2mm lip .
Not saying your wrong or right, as all ways it's a personal choice my customer gets to choose and if they want trim at the top.....no problem.
BTW most metros I've used are white biscuit...😉

 

[Tom Ewer]

How would you finish off the top if you don't use trim? I'm thinking in particular of the hollow top end of trim running up a corner.

 

[andyb1]

Square edge trim for me, always ask customer if they want top trimmed, as previously mentioned, boxing just looks wrong.

 

[One Day]

Mitred for me. They're soft and easy to work. It's worth the effort unless it's a new-build site job. It looks a bit "Bish bash bosh" with all that trim!

 

[Andy Allen]

How would you finish off the top if you don't use trim? I'm thinking in particular of the hollow top end of trim running up a corner.

Grout or decorators chalk.
Or mitre the corners and use 6mm trim for the top.

 

[dave l and l]

apart from the boxing in which doesnt look terrible . the rest of the job looks decent , i use trim on the metros, usually 8 mm

 

[Andy Allen]

Have to agree we have seen a lot worse on here..

 

[Flintstone]

Some
Metros are white back but some are biscuit with a thick glaze on, there's that many different ones now you never know. Some are really heavily bevelled and some hardly at all.

 

[Andy Allen]

DIY sheds metros .....the bevel is virtually non existent...

 

[One Day]

I'll try and dig out pics from a job I did with mitred crackle-glaze efforts from Laura Ashley.
Terrible to work with as the glaze kept pinging off!

 

[Flintstone]

I've used them too imp, all The laura Ashley tiles I've used haven't been great, I suspect there bct

 

[One Day]

I've used them too imp, all The laura Ashley tiles I've used haven't been great, I suspect there bct

I think they are, because I fixed the exact same later on in different packaging from an internet company at about 1/3 the price.

 

[Flintstone]

Those ted baker tiles are bct as well

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Tom - not sure where to begin with this.
The trim is wrong, the boxing is wrong , the setting out of the cuts is wrong.
Everything others have said!
For me they should be mitred, the tiles should be laid like bricks so on a return of a full face it should be a half tile and on the cill the front and top should be the same - a brick. Most do this type of tile like wallpaper and I prefer brick blocks. Just my choice.

 

[Andy Allen]

On the cill i prefer to half bond the top to the front.......just my choice.....🙂 (after checking with the customer)..

 

[Time's Ran Out]

On the cill i prefer to half bond the top to the front.......just my choice.....🙂 (after checking with the customer)..

It just looks like brick tile wallpaper.
Same as doing 2 half tiles on boxing.
Just my choice.🙂