Metro tiles grout size for a London Underground look - Tile Advice

[StephenMarlowe]

Before I'd seen @Protiler 68 's and @MissTiler 's posts, I told my tiler to go for the 3mm spacers. And then, while I was thinking about whether to go for 2mm after all he had already started installing them. So now it's 3mm. But when I saw them it kind of looked like 4mm almost. In some places it even was 4mm. Here are some pictures, it is not yet finished of course. My only worry is that the spacing will appear even larger when the grouting is done. What do you think?

 

[Dan]

Personally I think that looks great. I'm certain the underground use the bigger of their options. I guess looking at yours it must be 3mm but looks in places like 4mm, just like yours.

I'd go with that. The grout line looks alright to me. I can't see it looking anything but spot on once the grout is in.

 

[StephenMarlowe]

Personally I think that looks great. I'm certain the underground use the bigger of their options. I guess looking at yours it must be 3mm but looks in places like 4mm, just like yours.

I'd go with that. The grout line looks alright to me. I can't see it looking anything but spot on once the grout is in.

Cheers Dan. Thank you for the reply. I'll send some pictures when the grouting is done.

 

[Lou]

I would love to see that when you have all your signs up and stuff

 

[StephenMarlowe]

My tiler has started putting in the grout, and the grout line looks huge. With the grout in it looks like the spacing between the tiles is 4-5mm. It's so big, I'm considering taking them all down and redoing everything. I'm just waiting for it to be completely grouted and then I will decide, maybe it's just first impression. So far, it's not promising. It was fine before the grout though. Will send pictures as soon as it's done, here are some where it's partially done. You can clearly see the difference between the grouted and ungrouted areas. In person it's much more noticeable though. Cheers!

 

[Lou]

I like it

 

[Old Mod]

Some of the older stations with original subway tiles have sand and cement joints bigger than that.

 

[StephenMarlowe]

Some of the older stations with original subway tiles have sand and cement joints bigger than that.

But I think the tiles themselves are bigger also? If I'm not mistaken. This looks bigger than Bond Street/Camden/or Oxford Circus that were supposed to inspire this. Maybe it's not actually bigger, but it looks bigger.

 

[StephenMarlowe]

I've measured the grout, it's definitely 4mm now for some reason, somewhere even 5mm. It's not 3mm as I originally wanted. So as a warning to all the people wondering about what spacers to use for bevelled metro tiles, 2mm spacers will give you 3mm grout lines, and 3mm spacers will give you 4mm grout lines. At least in my limited experience.