How to cut fixed porcelain tiles up to door frame?

[chris.hughes23]

I'm not a tiler. Hope that's OK! We had a new kitchen, and the builder laid the porcelain tiles. After he'd finished (and we'd paid him), we saw the line by the living room door wasn't straight. He apologised, and offered to cut it straight with an angle grinder, but he can't get to the edges with it. He can't take the tiles near the door up and re-lay them because there aren't enough tiles left if he breaks any adjoining tiles (it was an end of line), and because there's electric underfloor heating near the edge. He says he'll borrow an oscillating multitool to do the edges. But as far as I can see, they won't cut porcelain tiles. Apart from leaving it as it is or getting him to take the lot up and relay it, is there any solution?

 

[Andy Allen]

I wouldn't be going anywhere near it with a grinder if you have ufh mat, is the doorway out of square with the rest of the room..?

 

[tweakyboy]

What do the tiles adjoin to? If its carpet could you cover it with a wide door strip?

 

[CJ]

Pictures may help??

 

[cam_low]

Do you not have a threshold strip covering Z bar carpet to tile ?

 

[Martyn Leeds]

As above pic's please. Good to hear a builder excelling at tiling as per... But I'm sure it probably is do-able, with a grinder or a multi-tool with the correct blade - I'd presume the UFH cables don't go right up to the edge of the last tile in the doorway. I might be wrong though

 

[Andy Allen]

As above pic's please. Good to hear a builder excelling at tiling as per... But I'm sure it probably is do-able, with a grinder or a multi-tool with the correct blade - I'd presume the UFH cables don't go right up to the edge of the last tile in the doorway. I might be wrong though

errr he said a BUILDER did it.....:lol:

 

[ian158]

Sounds like it just needs a threshold bar to me

 

[Martyn Leeds]

I'm guessing that they've been cut too long, petruding into the next room, or cut wonky so the bar doesn't fit, or something...

 

[ian158]

Ka! Builders for you

 

[gamma38]

I would go so far as to say it serves you right, you got a builder to lay your tiles. Probably because he said he could do it, he's done loads before, it's easy. You should have got a tiler. Simple.

 

[Andy Allen]

he might of been a multi trader...:smilewinkgrin:

 

[ian158]

I would go so far as to say it serves you right, you got a builder to lay your tiles. Probably because he said he could do it, he's done loads before, it's easy. You should have got a tiler. Simple.

in thier defence the word builder covers a broad range...the client hires a builder to do the job from start to finish..relying on them to get the relevant trades to do it..or feel they are capable to do it..

 

[gamma38]

in thier defence the word builder covers a broad range...the client hires a builder to do the job from start to finish..relying on them to get the relevant trades to do it..or feel they are capable to do it..

Sort of a fair point, but how many people come on here and say the same thing over and over, until the general public change how they get trades and what they get trades to do nothing will change. I am starting another re-do on Tuesday, this one i can get pics of. It's shocking. Done by a builder friend of the family. :yikes:

 

[afright]

O why o why, Builder, " gives a job I can do that " its his fault if he cant fix it, charge him for a new floor.

 

[afright]

It can be done if he cuts half way thru the tile with a grinder then gently breaks away the excess that's if he's bedded them down well, but by doing this he might mark into your doorframe a multi tool will not do it and there's a chance he could damage your ufh that's why I am saying only half way thru the tile.

 

[Andy Allen]

think the op's disappeared now...lol

 

[AliGage]

There are options here. Post some pictures so we can see how its laid. Shouldn't be any cabling in the doorway.

Mind you. Could always wait a little while and there is the chance tiles will come up of their own accord. Lol. I've got an bathroom floor Monday that's a failed UFH floor done by a builder.

 

[prceramics]

a milti tool wont touch it

 

[andyb1]

Same old story builders done it, i done kitchen walls a while ago on an extension, every floor tile was loose, builder had done it TWICE!

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

Must of uses Wickes floor tub adhesive

 

[chris.hughes23]

(Hope this isn't a duplicate posting - I sent one yesterday, but it's not here!)
Thanks for all the replies. Yes, I wish now I'd used a tiler. We did check the builder's work. We saw a kitchen he did, and the tiled floor looked good.
After the kitchen was done, we had a new carpet in the adjoining living room. The fitter said the metal strip could only follow the line of the tiles.
The builder now says he's going to borrow a specialist tool that will cut through porcelain tiles up to the door frame.
I tried to download some photos, but wasn't able to. I'll try again later.

 

[AliGage]

So has the builder taken the tiles past the door stop? Im a little confused

 

[chris.hughes23]

Please see the 2 attached photos. The 1st shows the edge of the tiles, with the door closed. The 2nd shows the carpet edge metal strip lipping over the edge of the tiles (also with the door closed). The UFH doesn't go near the edge. It's about 6 inches away, so should be OK. The builder says he's going to borrow a specialist power tool that will let him trim the porcelain tiles up to the door frame, so the edge is in line with the door. The tiles should have finished under the door, of course, but at least if the edge is straightened, the carpet edge metal strip will be straight, and it won't look so bad. I know I could tell the builder he has to take it all up and re-lay it, including the UFH, at his own expense, but I haven't the heart to do it!

 

[Gazzer]

I am always amazed with what some clients let the "builder" get away with... if anyone working with or for me did a cut like that, they would be up the road ....The difference between a pro tiler and a "builder"

 

[Martyn Leeds]

Working out your last tile cuts in the doorway takes about 2 mins to think about. Double checking where the trim and the door will sit on the cut tiles takes another 2 mins. Maybe that's the difference between someone who cares about the actual 'finish' and someone paid to stick the last tiles down quickly. If you're happy with your floor, great. I wouldn't be happy. If you post more pictures of the whole floor, I bet there's plenty more issues also.. In this case, I think I'd just leave it and live with a wonky door trim... This post also kind of helps to give answers to other thread questions re negativity in some posts from Tilers..

 

[Andy Allen]

i'd be more annoyed about the bodged up slither by the door frame...sorry to say but it's a typical builders tiling...

 

[Martyn Leeds]

the bodged up slither by the door frame

What you on about?!? I think he's done well to get that slither/pieced bit cut just right.
Not sure I could do it half as good!

 

[merit]

looks like hes snapped it in half on the slither, n stuck it in anyways

 

[Fliselege]

Would have been quicker and tidier to cut away bottoms of door frame with a fein and slide tiles under