Chiselled edge travertine laid in french pattern ( grout joints ) - Tile Advice

[peegee tips]

Hi Everyone,
With this kind of travertine being laid in the french pattern, how do you accommodate the smaller square tile in the pattern?
On dry laying the tiles, the smaller square seems to be the one that throws the grout joints out. Am i'm right in saying that the smaller square should be of a slightly different size. If you dry lay them on the floor they with no grout joints they fit perfectly.
Anyone got the solution or will the joints just have to vary?
Many Thanks.

 

[DHTiling]

Just fix to accommodate the small ones.. , with it being a chiselled edge,once grouted it will not stand out.

 

[Gazzer]

Just fix to accommodate the small ones.. , with it being a chiselled edge,once grouted it will not stand out.

Unless it was like some i was asked to lay recently , then there would have been a 10mm difference :mad2:

 

[merlecollins]

You can only fix them the best you can Peegee.

If the smaller tiles have a tighter joint in comparison to the rest then that's just the way it is.

As already mentioned above, I would give the smaller tile a respectable enough joint, circa 5mm or above then the rest are what they are.....What joint would that give you on the other tiles?

I've just laid a chiselled edge trav floor with 10mm pegs and it looks great

 

[DHTiling]

If you can dry lay and they fit ok, then they will be alright once spaced

 

[merlecollins]

Just take your time mate and keep back tracking and checking your spacing/lines

 

[peegee tips]

Thanks for your replies so far people......Appreciated.

Dave...you would have thought that if they all fit together perfect when dry laid butting each other , that they would be the same when spaced, but it just doesn't seem to happen.....Am i missing something?

Has anyone else noticed this??

 

[Time's Ran Out]

We had the same problem with these and as Dave said keep them that little bit tighter and when grouted they should look okay!
What I did find however was it became easier to fix in a total random 'pattern':smilewinkgrin:

 

[DHTiling]

It is a common fault with some pattern sets.... i tend to trim them if there is the odd tight one and if chiselled edge then you can use the tile nips to replicate the effect on the cut edge... and once grouted will look great

 

[Time's Ran Out]

It is a common fault with some pattern sets.... i tend to trim them if there is the odd tight one and if chiselled edge then you can use the tile nips to replicate the effect on the cut edge... and once grouted will look great

Exactly what I do Mr Dave but I'am not going to give away all my secrets!
As I now remember it wasn't the 150x150mm which had the size problem it was the 300x150mm. After laying them out and consulting the customer (and after getting a new batch of 1 type of tile) it was agreed to go ahead with the 'random' design.
Always thought it was me being too fussy.

 

[peegee tips]

It is a common fault with some pattern sets.... i tend to trim them if there is the odd tight one and if chiselled edge then you can use the tile nips to replicate the effect on the cut edge... and once grouted will look great

I was contemplating doing this, as I did it on a slate floor once, was just wondering how the 'doctored' cut edge would look once grouted....I think i'll have a word with the customer & see what they prefer.
I guess it would be better if those 150x150 were actually 150 x 145
Thanks for your inputs folks.

 

[simon1]

Same problem on this one

 

[simon1]

Sorry but had to bath the nippers (guv's orders) hence the extra post.

would take too long to trim and replicate the edge of this one, Roman Opus with 12 tiles to the pattern and 4 would of had to be adjusted.

Dry laid, openning the joints slightly for the customer. They liked it before grouting and loved it after as they could not see what the poblem was

 

[Gazzer]

Sorry but had to bath the nippers

thats going a bit far isnt it? I usually just wipe the adhesive off and give them a squirt of WD40 :smilewinkgrin:

 

[doug boardley]

whenever I've laid chisel edged tiles, I've always put the joints as tight as I dare, as when grouted the joint always looks wider anyway