Layout advice, please. Would this look too bad? - TilersForums.com

[Rosa]

By the way your floor looks great!!
The thing is my house is small and I think invisible grout lines make a space look bigger...but of course it will do no good if it'll be too difficult for a first timer to do and I end up with a mess..

 

[Sean Kelly]

He he thanks for the laugh Sean!
So how do you know if they are rectified?.. In the box it said digital glazed vitrified..do that mean they are or are not rectified??

a)It should say it on the box.
b)They should be expensive tiles.
c)Ask at the shop you bought them.
d)Measure a few tiles.

 

[Sean Kelly]

By the way your floor looks great!!
The thing is my house is small and I think invisible grout lines make a space look bigger...but of course it will do no good if it'll be too difficult for a first timer to do and I end up with a mess..

It would be very difficult (for anyone) Rosa.

 

[Rosa]

Great, thanks a mill Sean. I call the shop and they are rectified.
I'll plan the layout and then decide if I take the chance..
Thanks a lot for your advices!

 

[Rosa]

Sean I don't mean to sound ignorant, but why is difficult to keep the line with big tiles? Shouldn't they keep themselves straight together when you push one into another?

 

[Rosa]

Not quite sure what you mean by your reply tbh Rosa, but if that is your intended layout in the photos, that is not how most of us would set that out.
Personally I would have a centre line down your hallway.
It would give you two equal cuts off the centre line, I would not have two thin cuts down each side of one tile like that, or thro the doorways.
Again it would be centred as near as possible.
The way you have it, you have unacceptable sized cuts everywhere, which are also extremely difficult to do let alone keep in one piece.
Try moving your hallway half a tile over, similarly move everything down half a tile, this will give you much better cuts everywhere.
Ok there may be the odd small cut here and there, but there is always a small compromise to be made.
As it is, as a diy project, it will be a uphill battle all the way.

With the line in the middle of the hall should I also do the closure in the doorways? So cut the tiles in the doorways as if there was an invisible barrier but keep the grout lines in the adjoining rooms aligned (?).

 

[Dumbo]

a)It should say it on the box.
b)They should be expensive tiles.
c)Ask at the shop you bought them.
d)Measure a few tiles.

Can't agree that they should be expensive their are a couple of shops in my town selling rectified tiles that are good to work with for the price that average tiles would of cost you 15 years ago

 

[Rosa]

I bought them on an offer but still expensive.

 

[Sean Kelly]

Sorry Rosa, was out doing a quote. The substrate would need to be absolutely flat (no deviation). You are tiling many rooms and there will be a few lumps and bumps along the way. British standards (a guideline) state a minimum of 3mm on the floor. Sometimes you can get away with a 2mm. If you make a mistake on a 1.5mm joint (i.e. it opens up to 2mm or down to 1mm then it will be very difficult to get back on track to a 1.5mm grout line.

Are you going to use levelling clips?

Remember that you are new to tiling, once you get adhesive onto the floor and the back of the tile (back buttering) then the clock is ticking with regards to the adhesive beginning to set. You may get in a panic and make a mistake!!

Anyway, I'll pop over on Saturday and give you a hand. However, I may not get many tools in the back of the Ferrari I'm going to buy on Saturday morning!!

 

[Rosa]

Lol!!... I'm upgrading my prayers for you to this Friday 100 millions jackpot. Get an extra Ferrari for your tools. See you on Saturday!

Thanks a mil Sean for your reply and for explaining . I'll do what you advice and leave 3 mm. In my mind they will come up all nice and streight, but you are right, when I put them dry on the floor it was a struggle to move them, and the adhesive will make them even harder to move.

Yes, i'll be definitely using levelling system and slow setting adhesive. I know I will be panicking so I will go very very slow....Although I'm expecting some professional help this Saturday, so I might be done for next week!