Help with limestone tiling

[Edmund]

Hello everyone!

I'm new to the forum and am soon to start my bathroom update so I thought I'd try and get some tips and and answers to a few questions I have before I commit trowel to adhesive.

I am not a complete novice to tiling and plumbing but this is my most ambitious project to date.

I am replacing my shower cubicle and tiling it to full height and tiling the remainder of the bathroom to dado height. In terms of materials I will be using:
1. Rochelle polished limestone tiles, 30.5cm x30.5cm. I have sealer which I will apply to the face and edges before applying the tiles.
2. wedi tile board to replace the current soggy mess behind the tiles in the current shower.
3. tiles will go over plasterboard for the remainder of the bathroom which I will seal with Bal primer
4. Dunlop adhesive and Dunlop limestone grout

My questions are:
1. what depth of adhesive should I be using, thin or thick bed and what depth and size of notched trowel should I use (any recommended trowels?)
2. what tools are recommended for grouting? I've never used a float before so thoughts gratefully received.
3. I have some diamond core drill bits for cutting holes for service pipes. Where pipes already protrude above what will be the finished depth of the tiled wall should I drill holes in the tile before fitting, or should I cut back the pipework, apply the tile and redo the pipework (the wall is a partition wall and I have access to the pipework from behind).

Any other general tips and guidance will be very welcome.

Thanks very much! Edmund

 

[DHTiling]

Hello and welcome...How thick are the tiles..?

 

[Smithy153]

As far as grouting with a float goes I'd check out sWe's guide on this thread here http://www.tilersforums.com/tiling-forum/10603-swes-guides.html
that should help you out

 

[wetdec]

Rochel is one of Mandarins, its 10mm thick and will need sealing b4 you grout to be safe the stone is Molianos I think......

..

 

[doug boardley]

Hello everyone!

I'm new to the forum and am soon to start my bathroom update so I thought I'd try and get some tips and and answers to a few questions I have before I commit trowel to adhesive.

I am not a complete novice to tiling and plumbing but this is my most ambitious project to date.

I am replacing my shower cubicle and tiling it to full height and tiling the remainder of the bathroom to dado height. In terms of materials I will be using:
1. Rochelle polished limestone tiles, 30.5cm x30.5cm. I have sealer which I will apply to the face and edges before applying the tiles.
2. wedi tile board to replace the current soggy mess behind the tiles in the current shower.
3. tiles will go over plasterboard for the remainder of the bathroom which I will seal with Bal primer
4. Dunlop adhesive and Dunlop limestone grout

My questions are:
1. what depth of adhesive should I be using, thin or thick bed and what depth and size of notched trowel should I use (any recommended trowels?)
2. what tools are recommended for grouting? I've never used a float before so thoughts gratefully received.
3. I have some diamond core drill bits for cutting holes for service pipes. Where pipes already protrude above what will be the finished depth of the tiled wall should I drill holes in the tile before fitting, or should I cut back the pipework, apply the tile and redo the pipework (the wall is a partition wall and I have access to the pipework from behind).

Any other general tips and guidance will be very welcome.

Thanks very much! Edmund

1. don't seal the edges, the grout has to "grab the tile" not sealer
2. good
3. fine
4. powdered or tubbed adhesive? needs to be single part flexi imo (powder)

and now to your questions

1. I'd use a 10mm square notch trowel and back skim the tiles
2. a grouting float, used like a plastering trowel
3. yes, in my opinion

 

[Edmund]

Thanks everyone for all the replies.

The tiles are indeed 10mm thick.

The adhesive is powdered - Dunlop Set Fast Plus Floor & Wall Adhesive (White). Hopefully it should be ok as I made sure the tile supplier knew I needed it to be suitable for a shower enclosure.

I presume back skimming the tiles is what it sounds like - skimming a thin layer of adhesive over the back of the tile before fixing to the adhesive bed on the wall.

The guides are really good. I wanted to check whether you need to be more careful when grouting natural tiles to avoid unnecessarily difficult clean up. Also, probably a stupid question, but are the grouting float and cleaning float the same or different?

Thanks again, Edmund

 

[Terry Cottar]

grout float is quite heavy and rubber and a clean up float is uswuaqlly a coloured emulsifying pad on a plastic handle

tel