Advice For Setting Out Tiles Before Tiling - Tile Advice

[philrab66]

Hi all been browsing for a few days like to say seems like a very good forum, makes a change for people wanting to share there knowledge without being bitchy and sarcastic to people who want to learn. Anyway I am not a tiler but I do get asked to do a few bathrooms and kitchens. I used to hate it but have become a bit quicker and learnt a few tips along the way. I have watched lots of videos and one in particular was tiling a floor. They set out a grid on the floor, measured cuts laid them first then tiled the rest. I have always done it the other way round done the bulk then cuts the next day. Would like a view from the professionals on this practise.
Thanks in advance Phil..

 

[J Sid]

Hi
For me it all depends on the size of the floor.
Small floors, bathrooms etc, u would probably dry lay with all cuts and then mix a bag of adhesive and fix.
Larger floor I would do full tiles first with rapid set , then jump on floor after a hour when dry to do the cuts.

 

[Just Rizzle]

Hi all been browsing for a few days like to say seems like a very good forum, makes a change for people wanting to share there knowledge without being bitchy and sarcastic to people who want to learn. Anyway I am not a tiler but I do get asked to do a few bathrooms and kitchens. I used to hate it but have become a bit quicker and learnt a few tips along the way. I have watched lots of videos and one in particular was tiling a floor. They set out a grid on the floor, measured cuts laid them first then tiled the rest. I have always done it the other way round done the bulk then cuts the next day. Would like a view from the professionals on this practise.
Thanks in advance Phil..

if I were to do it your way m8 I wouldn't be making any money, lay and put cuts in as I go the more I do the easier it is. practice makes perfect

 

[Dave]

Like Ray , I lay and cut in as I go , if you leave cuts out you could come a cropper lippagecwise if floor isn't spot on flat.

But there are tilers who cut in last , no two tilers work exactly the same ,, so do what works for you ..

 

[Andy Allen]

Smaller bathroom floors I would loose lay first then stick them down.
Any other floor I would do the cuts as I go, any complicated cuts I would do before mixing the adhesive, I only use rapid set and I don't use spacers just straight edges, square the room by using the wall that your eye follws when entering the room.
I find I can fix 20 m2 a day on a straight forward floor using this method.
And welcome to the forum.

 

[Dan]

I'd always use a gauge staff.

 

[philrab66]

Smaller bathroom floors I would loose lay first then stick them down.
Any other floor I would do the cuts as I go, any complicated cuts I would do before mixing the adhesive, I only use rapid set and I don't use spacers just straight edges, square the room by using the wall that your eye follws when entering the room.
I find I can fix 20 m2 a day on a straight forward floor using this method.
And welcome to the forum.

Thanks for all your comments and thank you Andy for your welcome. I only do it occasionally but I am starting to enjoy it more as I learn a few tips along the way. i hear a lot of people say they do not use spacers does that mean on wall tiles also?

 

[White Room]

I use spacers for floors and walls....

 

[Just Rizzle]

Thanks for all your comments and thank you Andy for your welcome. I only do it occasionally but I am starting to enjoy it more as I learn a few tips along the way. i hear a lot of people say they do not use spacers does that mean on wall tiles also?

I remember the days when we used matches and dried spaghetti

 

[Dan]

Changed the thread title to something more helpful. "Need advice" is just too generic. All threads needs advice.

 

[Dan]

I remember the days when we used matches and dried spaghetti

Christ you're showing your age now!

 

[widler]

I always put cuts in as i go, i hate going back to put cuts in, much quicker for me
Same on a wall, when i use a batton to work off i do the wall, take batton off and put cuts in , does my head in having to fill in

 

[Old Mod]

Yep never go back over any wall or floors, always insert cuts as I go.
When I was doing contract work I often used 2mm yachting yarn as a spacer. U can remove all the spacers in a minute or so and it cleans the joints as u pull it free! And of course u can insert your spacer along a whole course in one go, takes seconds.

 

[Just Rizzle]

Yep never go back over any wall or floors, always insert cuts as I go.
When I was doing contract work is often use 2mm yachting yarn as spacers. U can remove all the spacers in a minute or so and it cleans the joints as u pull it free! And of course u can insert your spacer along a whole course in one go, takes seconds.

never used it my self but sceen it used yrs ago
some thing I use is karndean design strips there 2mm or 2.5mm in width there excellent for holding mosaic in place then when set pullout

 

[Old Mod]

never used it my self but sceen it used yrs ago
some thing I use is karndean design strips there 2mm or 2.5mm in width there excellent for holding mosaic in place then when set pullout

Good idea!
Yeah the reason I used to get it from a marine store is because as its a marine cord, it doesn't absorb moisture like a regular string.

Can we edit previous posts, like with the old format?
My last post is not English at its best! Haha