How best to Tile a room?

[mp3wizard]

Hi All,


I've just had an extension done and I'm wondering how best to tile the room, I am a novice and haven't tiled before, as if that wasn't hard enough, I am also fitting underfloor heating and dealing with 800mm by 800mm floor tiles.


From the attached picture I am looking to tile the red lined areas, I haven’t got any kitchen or bathroom fitted so the floor is completely free for tiling, the only obstacle in my way is the soil pipe in bathroom and a few radiator pipes, I was intending to mark the size of soil pipe on the tile and use an angle grinder to cut the shape out on the tile, would you agree this is the best method? And for the radiators to cut out a square piece and cut the remainder of the small piece of tile to put behind the pipe and use a filler for any gaps?


From the research I have done, a lot of people advise to start from the centre of the room, but because the living room, kitchen, bathroom will all be the same tile and I want it to flow and I wonder if starting from the centre of the living room is really the best idea?


I have been told that it would be a good ideal to use a levelling compound or levelling boards, for the underfloor heating, but It’s a new wood floor fitted with big wooden sheets, which is quite level and underneath that is 100mm in insulation boards, so my plan was to coat the floor in some heatflex which is a primer used to stop heat escape for underfloor heating, then the underfloor heating mats, and then the mapei adhesive recommended for the tile, then the tile and grout as normal.


The tools I’ve got for the job are;

Electric Wet cutter, dry cutter (800mm wide), mixing trowel, 6mm notched trowel, plastic scraper for grout, grout float, 2 mixing buckets, sprit level, 3mm tile spacers, suction grabber, 4 hard sponges, heatflex primer, adhesvies and grout, tape measure, square edge.


I’d appreciate any input as I’d like a good finish and if there are any additional tools that you think I might need.

Thanks a lot.

Mark

 

[Simons70]

''I am a novice and haven't tiled before''
Underfloor heating,800 x 800 mm tiles,big area,diagonal,all this details make the difference between professional tilers and the DIY.
This project is definitely not for DIY,best think to do is find a professional tiler!

 

[mp3wizard]

The Diagnal lines were just to show the area, I want to tile it normally, yeh I know it's not the easiest of jobs but I have run out of money to finance a tiler to be honest.

 

[Simons70]

The Diagnal lines were just to show the area, I want to tile it normally, yeh I know it's not the easiest of jobs but I have run out of money to finance a tiler to be honest.

Is not a joke this job,if was a small bathroom or cloak room you can try yourself,but this job is not easy for a tiler with 2-3 years experience day by day,so better to think twice.
You already spend a lot of money in all materials for take the risk to do it again,if you not have money now is better wait until you can afford a right tiler.

 

[WetSaw]

Is it a floating floor? If so you'll have to rethink your plans.

I'd be setting out from the biggest area, check that you don't have any little slithers to cut in doorways etc.
800 × 800 will need a perfectly flat floor and probably someone to help you. Levelling clips will also help with lippage.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

I'am with @Simons70 - there is giving advice and trying to explain years of experience in a few posts.
There is a library of information in the search area and I'am sure everything will be there to help.
Good luck.

 

[Ttt1601]

I agree with above its best to save up a bit of cash and get pro but if you are going to do it, please don't lay with a 6mm notch trowel, you will need a 12mm and they will have to be back buttered, and read as much info from here as possible, we are all willing to help with advice as no one wants you to end up with a poor quality floor, but as stated before this isn't an easy thing to just have a go at

 

[mp3wizard]

no it's just a standard floor, right ok, thanks for the advice, I will buy a 12mm trowel.

Do you think it would cause me any problems, if I tiled the bathroom first? as I'd like to have a bathroom fitted asap. It's a really small room so 4 tiles and some cuts would do it pretty much.

 

[Dumbo]

W

no it's just a standard floor, right ok, thanks for the advice, I will buy a 12mm trowel.

Do you think it would cause me any problems, if I tiled the bathroom first? as I'd like to have a bathroom fitted asap. It's a really small room so 4 tiles and some cuts would do it pretty much.

What do you mean by standard floor if it chipboard or any sheet material on top of insulation without being fixed down to any timbers it is a floating floor .

 

[mp3wizard]

There's timbers, then insulation between the rafters then big sheets of board screwed down.

 

[widler]

What you should do is glue and screw insulation boards down , lay electric matting , pour self leveler on top, then tile when slc has set .
Id find the center on the bifolds and work your setting out from there, either grout joint in center of glass or full tile spanning the middle door.
Measure your cut to the long wall, cut them all and work from that wall.
Id get standard set adhesive as well

 

[mp3wizard]

thanks for your input widler, i'm not planning to use insulation boards, i'm planning to lay the electric matting straight onto the wood as you see it above after painting it with a heat resistant primer, without any self levelling, as the surface is flat, I was going to use 3mm spacers inbetween the tiles, but I've seen levelling spacers which look like a better option for me. I'd like the smallest grout line possible but I see most people recommend 3mm as the smallest line, would you agree?

So basically all the cuts should be on the lefthand wall, so you can see full tiles infront of you as you walk in the room, makes sense.

 

[Flintstone]

Regardless of what good info you read on here, your own ability will probably fall short on a job like this, get some one in and save up if need be, you have to walk on this floor every morning when your having your weetabix

 

[Kyle Knowles]

Just imagine years on being unhappy looking at the floor lips everywhere joints all wonky and un even thinking what It could have been id for sure just live with what u have till u can get a professional

 

[Ttt1601]

Regardless of what good info you read on here, your own ability will probably fall short on a job like this, get some one in and save up if need be, you have to walk on this floor every morning when your having your weetabix

He is right

 

[widler]

Call me a bit daft in the head if you want , but forums are for help , to help people who need it.
By telling someone the blloody obvious
" get a tiler "
is not helping matters .
If this chap can't afford a tiler , and is a competent diyer he may just be able to pull it off , seeing some of the work put on here he may just get one of the shhit ones anyway 😉
BUT i will say if he does not listen to the advice about how to do the job , then thats his problem, and it would be imo a big problem if he does not lay insulation boards over that timber , or use slc over the wiring 😵

 

[Time's Ran Out]

@widler - you tried and he didn't listen so surely that's going to say it all!
Your daft 😉 for trying to help to this extent , there is no way that the amount of advice he requires can be provided in a few posts but he can search threads to obtain it.
Paint on primer with 2 separate wood substrates?
For me I have to draw a line with how much involvement I'am prepared to give as in this instance its not DIY but a major investment that could go badly.
Just my humble opinion.

 

[mp3wizard]

I realise that it's not in Tilers interest to say that I can make a decent job of it as ofcourse it's less tiling work for the trade, but I've successfully done some DIY which turned out well, I've changed an alternator on a sports car with absolutely no mechanical knowledge, simply following instructions and pictures from a forum saving me a thousand. So aslong as I don't rush in gun ho and think methodically I believe I can make a decent job of it.

Seems like I shouldn't skimp on the insulation boards especially seeming i'm attempting it myself, i'll order some, thanks Widler.

 

[Simons70]

Call me a bit daft in the head if you want , but forums are for help , to help people who need it.
By telling someone the blloody obvious
" get a tiler "
is not helping matters .
If this chap can't afford a tiler , and is a competent diyer he may just be able to pull it off , seeing some of the work put on here he may just get one of the shhit ones anyway 😉
BUT i will say if he does not listen to the advice about how to do the job , then thats his problem, and it would be imo a big problem if he does not lay insulation boards over that timber , or use slc over the wiring 😵

True,this forum are here for help,but due to difficulty of this job must give him the right direction.
IMO go on heating floor with 800 x 800 is a high risk to damage wires,fit 800 x 800 is hard for an experienced tiler,do it right is another story,so I can't encourage him when I know all this issues.

 

[widler]

@timeless john
You are always right ofcoarse john 😉
I do think its only the one substrate though , looking at the drawing the tiling is stopping at the floorboards 🙂

 

[Dumbo]

Call me a bit daft in the head if you want , but forums are for help , to help people who need it.
By telling someone the blloody obvious
" get a tiler "
is not helping matters .
If this chap can't afford a tiler , and is a competent diyer he may just be able to pull it off , seeing some of the work put on here he may just get one of the shhit ones anyway 😉
BUT i will say if he does not listen to the advice about how to do the job , then thats his problem, and it would be imo a big problem if he does not lay insulation boards over that timber , or use slc over the wiring 😵

What needs to be pointed out is that he would the same volume of adhesive to fill voids between wires as he would smoothing compound

True,this forum are here for help,but due to difficulty of this job must give him the right direction.
IMO go on heating floor with 800 x 800 is a high risk to damage wires,fit 800 x 800 is hard for an experienced tiler,do it right is another story,so I can't encourage him when I know all this issues.

Price wise material costs it will cost no more to use slc as if he doesn't fill voids in ufh with slc he will have to do it with adhesive roughly speaking they are the same price

 

[Simons70]

I realise that it's not in Tilers interest to say that I can make a decent job of it as ofcourse it's less tiling work for the trade, but I've successfully done some DIY which turned out well, I've changed an alternator on a sports car with absolutely no mechanical knowledge, simply following instructions and pictures from a forum saving me a thousand. So aslong as I don't rush in gun ho and think methodically I believe I can make a decent job of it.

Seems like I shouldn't skimp on the insulation boards especially seeming i'm attempting it myself, i'll order some, thanks Widler.

Is not about our interest here,if this job was near to me I come free to help you at lest to set up and start,is just about too many steps need to be done right where we fail after 20-30 years on tools.
All I can do is:
I wish you luck!

 

[mp3wizard]

Well I appreciate all the feedback, and whilst there are a lot of articles to help me, one size doesn't fit all, so by starting this thread I have picked up some additional useful tips.

 

[Old Mod]

@mp3wizard, believe me when I say that there is not one tiler on here trying to discourage you from tiling your own floor because it's taking trade from us!
I would bet that the vast majority of fixers here are already well booked in to next year.

We are indeed here to help, and that is what we will do, provided you take heed.
However, there are many tilers out there that would run from such a project.
So make no mistake, what you are about to embark on is a major task, measure 5 times & cut once!!

 

[mp3wizard]

I understand,

I've seen mixed reviews on the tile leveler spacer, would you recommend I use it over a normal spacer?

 

[John Benton]

Agree with what has been said.

Listen to the advice and then plan your strategy of how you will proceed. Use diamond hole cutters for round rad pipes etc, it will look so much better.

And get a good cutter, even if you have to buy it and then sell it afterwards, it will be worth it

 

[Old Mod]

I understand,

I've seen mixed reviews on the tile leveler spacer, would you recommend I use it over a normal spacer?

Are you talking about a levelling system like this?

http://tilelevelingsystem.raimondispa.com/

 

[mp3wizard]

yes similar, but there are ones that act as a spacer also, so it would be 3mm grout line.

I don't think I can get away with a 1mm grout line with such a big tile could I?

 

[Dumbo]

Bri

yes similar, but there are ones that act as a spacer also, so it would be 3mm grout line.

I don't think I can get away with a 1mm grout line with such a big tile could I?

British standard minimum is 3mm

 

[Old Mod]

yes similar, but there are ones that act as a spacer also, so it would be 3mm grout line.

I don't think I can get away with a 1mm grout line with such a big tile could I?

That was just an example, they do come in 3mm widths however.
I'd suggest that with each stage, you start a new thread, otherwise you'll be inundated with information and it'll probably overwhelm you.

First thing is first, make sure you have the correct tools.
For such a large format tile, this is the trowel you should purchase;
RAGNI R319-10 10mm Tiling Trowel - 1 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/9788034470/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_5J0myb1S9VK57

Not necessarily from Amazon, selco's sell them too.
Make sure it's 10mm notch.
And you'll want to use your 6mm to stick down the insulation boards.
You will also want to lay your insulation boards perpendicular to your existing floor boards.
And lay them brick bond.
Make sure you do not have insulation board joints lining up with boards below.
And then tape the joints.

What mechanical cutter do you have?
What wet cutter do you have?
What adhesive do you have?

That'll keep you busy for a bit.

 

[mp3wizard]

firstly thanks for taking the time to write,

I was told that I should buy a 12mm trowel earlier,

well as i'm laying on big boards not floor boards, is that still relevant? I'm not sure what brick bond is, today is the first time I've realized i'll need the levelling boards, so i'll have to do some research.

Mechanical cutter is Jokosit Professional Tile Cutter 800mm/80cm Plus Extra Titanium Gold Tile Blade

Wet cutter is Vitrex 113402NDE 450W Torque Master Tile Saw 240V

The adhesive is - Keraquick white fast setting adhesive 20kg x 5

The Grout is - keracolor sf 100 white grout 5kg x 1

I realise that i'll have to do small areas because the adhesive sets quickly.

I have read somewhere that for small grout lines of 1mm the floor would need to be very stable and a high quality tile, seeming its a level floor which will have levelling boards and I believe the tiles are high quality could I reduce my grout line?