My DIY bathroom refit - Lots of advice needed

[dazzler9000]

I’m embarking on my DIY tiling project. I’ve got lots of questions so I’m hoping you can help me out!!

I’m going to be gutting my bathroom and having a new bathroom suite including a freestanding bath. I’ll be fitting new tiles on the walls and floor. I’ll be using a Norton clipper TT200EM to make the cuts.

The bath will have a mixer tap and shower attachment so the room shouldn't get that wet.

I’ll be using quartz on the floor (300x600), gloss white ceramics for the walls (300x600)and mosaics for a feature wall and window ledge.

Questions!!

1 – The walls are plasterboard and plastered. They have been painted and they have a slight ripple effect on them? Not sure what this is as it was there before we moved in. Will I need to flatten this out or can I tile straight on to it? Will I need to board the walls with a "no more ply" type product?

2 – Will I need to primer everything with an SBR primer?

3 – I currently have ply on the floor over the floor boards. Does this ply need to come up and be replaced with “no more ply” or equivalent

4 – Is it advised to use edging strips or try and join the tiles at the edges? If I go with edging strips, what’s the best finish to go for with gloss white tiles – White or silver? You chaps see this stuff all the time, what’s the best finish, flat or round?

5 – I’ve noticed that the tiles on a lot of websites I’ve seen are are arranged in a grid like fashion and not staggered. Is this the right way to do it or is it simply down to personal preference? Also I’ve noticed that 300x600 tiles can go in portrait or landscape orientation. Is there a right or wrong way to do them and what looks best in your opinion?

6 – Which spacers would I use between tiles (2mm?)

7 - Cutting the edge tile in half on mosaics – (I’ve asked this question on another thread but I may as well ask it here for addition comments). I’m going to be laying two rows of mosaics and I’m a little nervous about the amount of cutting I’m going to have to do, any advice on cutting those nuisance edge tiles.




Adhesives

8 – Walls - Do I need a flexible adhesive for the Walls? Would something like this be OK?
Slow Set Wall/Floor Tile Adhesive Grey 20kg (Adesilex P9)

Do I need something different for the glass/stone mosaics?

9 - Floor - Guessing this would be OK for the floors - Fast Setting Flexible Quartz Tile Adhesive Grey 2 Part

Grouts

10 – I’ve used the Kerapoxy epoxy grout before in my kitchen floor and quite liked it. Should I use this again on the bathroom floor as it will get a little wet?

11 – As the kerapoxy is expensive, would the “Keracolour FF White 5kg” be OK for the walls considering I’m not planning on having water splashing on them all day long?


Sorry for the overload of questions but I’d rather get it right first time :hurray:

 

[Martyn Leeds]

A lot of questions there,

Someone will no doubt go through each one and give you a reply to each..

But, I think its quite obvious that you need to find and employ a Tiler

 

[White Room]

1, Remove all paint
2,I prefer the Mapei G primer, if you use sbr thin down to 3 water-1 sbr on the gypsum plastered walls...for plasterboard I would'nt but allways read manufacturer's instructions
3,Hardie or no more ply after removing the ply...how thick is the ply.
4,white or silver is a personal choice, I prefer silver square brushed/mat
5,Your choice, my preference is landscape
6,2mm
7,Manual or wet cutter,make sure the wet saw blade dos'nt chip the glass mosaic
8,For ceramic the P9 white not grey should be fine
9,Do you have UFH and what colour are the Quartz tiles

 

[dazzler9000]

I know, sorry!!

I thought that might be peoples response but I like to try and do things myself with a little guidance.... It's quite rewarding to have a go yourself as long as things go well that is :smilewinkgrin:

 

[dazzler9000]

1, Remove all paint
2,I prefer the Mapei G primer, if you use sbr thin down to 3 water-1 sbr on the gypsum plastered walls...for plasterboard I would'nt but allways read manufacturer's instructions
3,Hardie or no more ply after removing the ply...how thick is the ply.
4,white or silver is a personal choice, I prefer silver square brushed/mat
5,Your choice, my preference is landscape
6,2mm
7,Manual or wet cutter,make sure the wet saw blade dos'nt chip the glass mosaic
8,For ceramic the P9 white not grey should be fine
9,Do you have UFH and what colour are the Quartz tiles

Hi whitebeam,

1 - How would I go about removing the paint? That doesn't sound an easy job?

2 - I've got no preference, I just thought I needed to use the SBR? Should I just use the Primer G?

3 - I can remember without ripping up the current lino.... I'd only put it down to make a good surface for the lino. I was looking at using the 6mm no more ply as it should be OK looking at their website. It will also help to keep down costs as they seem to be spiraling out of control.

9 - No, we don't have UFH. She's found a dark grey quartz that she seems to like..

 

[dazzler9000]

Any advice on grouts?

 

[Mr Tiler]

1, bucket of warm water and a damp sponge should do it mate if it is water based that is... If not get a Stanley and lightly score the paint and remove with a scraper.

 

[Mr Tiler]

2, unless it is fresh plasterboard everything needs to be primed, so yes prime the plaster.... Read the instructions on your specific sbr.

 

[Mr Tiler]

If the floor is solid and hardly any movement as it is your own it is simply down to you, you can either glue (with adhesive) and screw some 6mm James hardie backer boards (would be my choice) and also screw. Or you can simply prime the ply and take the risk be sure to use a 2 part flexible adhesive (bag and a bottle)... The risk is simply your choice.

 

[Mr Tiler]

4, white, chrome, square or round is down to prefference... I personally with white ceramic would go for either square white or round depending on the utilities in the room. Just be sure you get the correct size trim for the thickness of tile you plan to use

 

[Mr Tiler]

Also for question 4 no i wouldn't personally "butt" joint ceramic only certain stone

 

[Mr Tiler]

5, because of the "brick" type shape it may look best to brick bond these but again it is simply down to prefference. If u do plan to brick bond them be sure the tiles are not advised 'not for brick bond' or u may have trouble getting them flush.

 

[Mr Tiler]

6, again that prefference use match sticks if that's the perfect joint lol. I would do 2mm on walls and 3mm on floor

 

[Mr Tiler]

7, if you have a dry cutter simply line them up, score and pinch the ends off.

 

[Mr Tiler]

Not commenting on the rest lol

 

[Mr Tiler]

And i also agree with Martyn mate, get a tiler in and save yourself the hastle its a lot harder than it looks to get a decent Finnish.

 

[dazzler9000]

Thanks Mr T,

You've been a great help and I appreciate it.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

And i also agree with Martyn mate, get a tiler in and save yourself the hastle its a lot harder than it looks to get a decent Finnish.

Amen to that Ash, tiling is not rocket science,but I have never met a rocket scientist who could tile.

 

[Mr Tiler]

Amen to that Ash, tiling is not rocket science,but I have never met a rocket scientist who could tile.

yes phil the simple stuff is pretty straight forward, some of it is difficult and thinking to deeply into it can get confusing. lol. but it is a leage of its own

 

[Dan]

1, Remove all paint
2,I prefer the Mapei G primer, if you use sbr thin down to 3 water-1 sbr on the gypsum plastered walls...for plasterboard I would'nt but allways read manufacturer's instructions
3,Hardie or no more ply after removing the ply...how thick is the ply.
4,white or silver is a personal choice, I prefer silver square brushed/mat
5,Your choice, my preference is landscape
6,2mm
7,Manual or wet cutter,make sure the wet saw blade dos'nt chip the glass mosaic
8,For ceramic the P9 white not grey should be fine
9,Do you have UFH and what colour are the Quartz tiles

As above.

As for the grout questions, use what you're comfortable with but you don't have to use an epoxy grout really.

 

[prceramics]

you going for the post count record ash ?

ps i would stack the tiles and not bond epecialy as its diy 🙂

 

[Mr Tiler]

you going for the post count record ash ?

ps i would stack the tiles and not bond epecialy as its diy 🙂

lol was a bit bored last night so thought id jump on and give a few posts

 

[Mr Tiler]

but after grouting 2 en-suites, 2 bathrooms and 6 sink splash's I don't think I can do it again tonight lol

 

[dazzler9000]

Is the stack pattern a lot easier then? I used the running bond when I did my kitchen floor and didn't have too many issues. At least I may be making life easier for myself by using the stack for the walls.....

I used the Epoxy grout in the kitchen and I found it strangely satisfying.... That sounds weird 🙂 BTW, would I need a flexible grout for the bathroom floor? Wooden floorboards overlayed with no more ply or hardibacker?




Mr T, I don't have a dry cutter just a wet.... I have a decent grinder with cutting blade or somebody suggested using a dry cutting blade in my wet saw....

 

[dazzler9000]

I was only going to go for the 'no more ply' as they sell it where I'm getting my tiles from. Presumably it's the equivalent of Hardibacker?

 

[Mr Tiler]

I havnt used no more ply so cant comment bud only ever used hardie but that is your call 😉, as for the grinder or wet saw for these cuts id mark the cuts with a straight edge and use the grinder but be careful some blades will chip the tile edge away that's why a wet saw is used

 

[The D]

but after grouting 2 en-suites, 2 bathrooms and 6 sink splash's I don't think I can do it again tonight lol

so you finished at breakfast then :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Mr Tiler]

Lol eye on 4 0clock mate was hard graft same again tuesday

 

[RDTiling]

I was only going to go for the 'no more ply' as they sell it where I'm getting my tiles from. Presumably it's the equivalent of Hardibacker?

NMP is an equivalent of Hardie. If you can get NMP from the same place as your tiles, then you might as well get that.

I think the main difference is in the installation of the boards. NMP uses its own adhesive that is applied to the back of the board via a silicon gun and is then screwed to the floor using 25mm NMP screws. With Hardie, you need to comb a non-flexible tile adhesive to the floor and then screw down. (many on here have used flexible adhesive with no problem).

I cant remember if NMP board joints need to be taped, so check with your stockist.

The boards should ideally be laid in a brick bond pattern.

 

[dazzler9000]

4, white, chrome, square or round is down to prefference... I personally with white ceramic would go for either square white or round depending on the utilities in the room. Just be sure you get the correct size trim for the thickness of tile you plan to use

Quick question about trim, my tiles are going to be 8mm thick. Would I use a 10mm tile trim?

When tiling to the ceiling, is it best to use a tile trim touching the ceiling? It hadn't occurred to me but I saw a photo of a bathroom that had used them?

 

[Mr Tiler]

No mate just be accurate with your curs and mark ceiling cuts point to point