How to tile 3x1.5metre porcelain fitting methods for wall mounting

[Dan ivory]

Hello everyone, have been tiling for many years now and do more Victorian work generally but have somehow ended up taking over a job that's been messed up, I'm fixing 3 metre by 1.5 metre 6mm porcelain on the wall in two bathrooms they are bookmarked and have a running marble vein the excess have been broken by previous tiler there are no spares each "tile" is £1000 and takes ten weeks delivery from Italy, I have to cut for services before fitting the tiles which weakens them but have rounded all corners to reduce likely cracks, have tried rubi slim lifting system but it makes everything too heavy and uncontrollable(quite a flimsy bit of kit for the money wouldn't recommend this at all), any advice for fitting methods or wishes of good luck would be really welcome

 

[Old Mod]

Hi and welcome to the forum Dan.

Do you have any images of where they are to be fitted?
Are they already cut?

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Good luck!
Marc (3_fall ) is your man.

 

[WetSaw]

Good luck Dan, unfortunately you've just metaphorically got yourself stuck in the corner at the party with the boring guy who will talk at you all night.


Seriously though @3_fall is The man ( apart from Gary who taught him..) on here who knows all there is to know about fitting bookmatched thin porcelain.

 

[Simons70]

For avoid the broken risk you need a frame,unfortunately is not cheap frames in the market,especially for this measures.
Sigma 1A3 KERA-LIFT 3400mm x 1600mm Tile Lifting System

 

[Italy]

Sure it is 300x150?

 

[Flintstone]

I'm supprised you have taken it on if you have no prior experience of these large tiles, or have you ?

 

[Italy]

Did we run away?
Or conversation, is it over in another place ?.

 

[One Day]

Marc is probably asleep. I've just been woken by a 2yr old raring to get outside on his bike at 5.30am though!
I've fixed these magnum 3.2 X 1.6 x 6mm.
The first thing you need is a very flat, very stable work table. Either made or bought.
If you try to cut these with any dips or twists in the tile, even half a mm, the cut can fail.
I Can't vouch for the rubi gear, but my overall opinion of rubi is pretty poor.
I Use the sigma kera lift and kera cut.,
Straight cuts are easy if your table is good.
Cuts for services are easier if you drill rather than grind. I had a bad experience using the grinder, the tile didn't like it and vibration caused a ruined cut, even with carpet to cushion the tile.
Say for instance you want to cut for a flush plate, I'd drill the corner holes and then link them with the grinder. Other holes, get the right sized bits.
Don't try to lift them without a proper frame!
And don't accept liability if they break unless it's your fault.
I Had one which sounded duff when tapped. I suspected it was broken already. The cut failed, it was already broken and I was free of blame! Phew!
Have fun!

 

[Italy]

Marc is probably asleep. I've just been woken by a 2yr old raring to get outside on his bike at 5.30am though!
I've fixed these magnum 3.2 X 1.6 x 6mm.
The first thing you need is a very flat, very stable work table. Either made or bought.
If you try to cut these with any dips or twists in the tile, even half a mm, the cut can fail.
I Can't vouch for the rubi gear, but my overall opinion of rubi is pretty poor.
I Use the sigma kera lift and kera cut.,
Straight cuts are easy if your table is good.
Cuts for services are easier if you drill rather than grind. I had a bad experience using the grinder, the tile didn't like it and vibration caused a ruined cut, even with carpet to cushion the tile.
Say for instance you want to cut for a flush plate, I'd drill the corner holes and then link them with the grinder. Other holes, get the right sized bits.
Don't try to lift them without a proper frame!
And don't accept liability if they break unless it's your fault. View attachment 90104 View attachment 90106
I Had one which sounded duff when tapped. I suspected it was broken already. The cut failed, it was already broken and I was free of blame! Phew!
Have fun!

how table of job, is recommended to use the packing in wood, that contains the plates.
laminam and kerlite, advise to turn upside-down the box in wood and to support her/it on two easels.

 

[Italy]

how table of job, is recommended to use the packing in wood, that contains the plates.
laminam and kerlite, advise to turn upside-down the box in wood and to support her/it on two easels.

 

[Old Mod]

Don't see the point of posting if the OP isn't going to respond, and yes I was asleep at 6.30 Mark.
And there's another method of cutting these tiles for services that could be considered less risky, that's why I asked for images of their intended location.

 

[Dan ivory]

Sorry everyone ended up oh hospital with a serious eye infection, have laid large formats before but stay away generally as it ruins my back. Have set a large flat cutting bed and lined with insulation to cut on, am about to purchase sigma system, thanks for advice will catch up again when I'm back on job

 

[Dan ivory]

Hey everyone, eye is getting better slowly so for know I'm a one eyed tiler!!
The first pic below is where I picked up from, you can see the shower waste grate opposite the steps and the 45mm gap that's been left there is also next to no grout lines and more lip than a teenager.
The next two show the tiles I've fitted and cut prior to installing, used the rubi slim lifter to fit the first one but did the second(with gerberit fittings) by hand as rubi is too heavy and has weak unreliable handles, on 2nd tile I only cut the waste and tap holes first then cut the rest on the wall the next day. Slightly scary!!!
Next pic is poor but shows the tile location that mark 3 fall has asked about, may be hard from this pic but any advice for setting these out would be interesting as the tile widths and room size mean I will have to have cuts that are thinner than 20%, if they were not sequenced it would be simpler but is quite restrictive.
Next pic is my cutting bench which is similar to the suggestions I've read, I chose to use the spare insulation as it doesn't flex and can be cut into.
Sigma system should arrive this week so shall let you know how it goes, thanks to everyone for your suggestions and support any further tips would be very welcome.

 

[Old Mod]

Not the easiest design to manipulate, it has to be said, not knowing your material quota or how much flexibility you have with materials.
But the only real cheat I can see is to mirror the centre of the wall. That way you can increase the corner cuts by taking out the middle of your centre tiles. Other than that you can only just wrap it.
But you'll be surprised how much the joints disappear. The main pattern takes the eye and joints are invisible, so wrapping it isn't a problem.
I had exactly that problem couple months back. I had a cistern 60mm off centre of the wall, which effectively meant I'd have a 30mm cut wrap in the corner of the shower, which wasn't happening.
So I took 30mm off each centre tile, that meant a full tile in shower corner and a 90mm wrap in the other.

 

[Dan ivory]

That looks mustard m8, nicely set out. Have spent an hour trying to calculate if I can drop 30mm on any edges but I will loose the vein if I do. My layout is forced by the 3000mm by 1500mm tile size and as you rightly ask about materials I have no spares left and may well be forced by client into creatively using a couple of broken tiles thanks to the previous fitter. Cheers for the response and will let you all know and see the finished job, if my brain isn't mush by the end of it!!

 

[Old Mod]

Haha yeah it can do that.
Unfortunately with the design running at an angle your options are very limited.
You do need to be granted artistic license with this kind of thing, or it's either very limiting or expensive for the client.
But trust me, even with small undesirable cuts, they will all but disappear when grouted, as long as you're matching the background colour.
Good luck!

 

[Dan ivory]

Ok have got a new question for you mark, so far I have had to cut out for taps and waste prior to fitting and have then cut sockets and gerberit wc holes once the tile is fitted. For sockets etc I use my laser to mark locations onto the ceiling or walls and then repeat them onto the tile face once adhesive is set I then cut out, which works really well but the pre-cuts have been bang on vertically but 5-10 mm out from a perfect cut horizontally. As I have no wall to see as such I am struggling to set a datum, I have attempted to work from the floor but the screed must have been laid by a sailor!! All of my cuts are within cover of the surrounds so all ok really but I'm a typical anal tiler and get bothered by the cuts not being spot on any ideas to improve my method are welcome, the only way I can think of is middle of tile to a level line around the room in the centre of the wall remembering the room is 2.8 high and the tiles are 3.0 metres. Thanks in advance for any response

 

[Old Mod]

Template the wall with a sheet of corex.