Please Help With Corner Cut Of V-shaped Tile On Steps!!

[Kylem]

Hello,

New to this forum and I have done quite a bit of tiling in my life but I am not an expert by any means. I am trying to do the front landing of my steps in a v-shaped tile and am having a hell of a time with the corners. The problem I have is that the corner pieces are 32cm long where everything else is 30cm. There are no corner pieces, only straight corner pieces (That sounded like it made no sense). Meaning, for the corner (not the edge) the pieces have to be cut diagonally somehow. I just can not get it to work without messing up the length of the run in either direction. My wife is convinced it can be done without cutting the entire run in one of the two directions. I dont think its possible without cutting, but if someone could please tell me how, I would be eternally grateful. Here are pics for you can understand exactly what Im talking about...

 

[Kylem]

Here's one more pic that might better explain...
To have the grout lines all line up is next to impossible (notice the huge gap on the corner). If I cut corner to corner it will end up being diamond shaped. If I cut a few cm shorter (see pic) and square the two pieces it is much shorter. I want to just go ahead and do that and cut a few cm off all the other edge pieces, but my wife is not happy with that. Is it possible to do it without cutting all the other edge pieces?

 

[Tile Shop]

If this is the Cerrad Plytka Kalahari range, external corners are not made in the V-shape. So because of the size I'm afraid you're fighting a losing battle. They're only designed for steps with closed ends.

For this situation you may have been better off opting for the standard 30x30 steptread RE and REX, and overhang the step by 12-13mm so the upstands sit flush with the underside.

The only way I can see it being done is by doing a bit of a jigsaw puzzle using 4 edge tiles and 2 plain to fill in the gaps. but its going to look ugly as hell and a nightmare to fit.

 

[Qwerty]

I would opt for taking the small amount off of the whole front row personally. Or you could infill that corner with a bullnose piece cut with two 45° cuts and fixing that in

 

[Rich Midge]

If there is no v shape corner made for this range then your only option is to make it work as aesthetically as possible. One way I'd suggest is to cut two corner to corner diagonally to form the corner as you've started to do. I'd then cut both in a straight line parallel to ribs but say 5mm back. I'd then cut down a plain tile to fit the square shape. You could either leave it as a square or cut it corner to corner to follow the grout joint of the newly formed corner. Hope that makes sense!

 

[Old Mod]

If there is no v shape corner made for this range then your only option is to make it work as aesthetically as possible. One way I'd suggest is to cut two corner to corner diagonally to form the corner as you've started to do. I'd then cut both in a straight line parallel to ribs but say 5mm back. I'd then cut down a plain tile to fit the square shape. You could either leave it as a square or cut it corner to corner to follow the grout joint of the newly formed corner. Hope that makes sense!

Nope! Hahahaha

















Actually it does! Hehe
I'd wanna cut ribs off them all tho to make it all bond.

 

[Old Mod]

The way I would do this is to start with your external corner, (that is your set out point, everything emanates from that) bring the two pieces together until the front corners meet.
Square them off to each other as u've done and cut diagonally thro them.
What u've suggested is absolutely correct imo.
It will leave them short
Then cut the backs off the rest of the bull noses.
U won't get oblong pieces to turn 90o corner to corner.
U can't, not when one specific edge on the same axis has to be perpendicular to another.

It won't look wrong, in fact quite the opposite.
A lot of bull nose pieces are actually shorter than their field tile anyway, a cap piece if u will.
But the important thing is it will look right.
Little adjustments like these set you apart from others who would just miss match the corner cos it's easier and faster.
But if things are to look right, then u do what it takes.

 

[Tile Shop]

This is my idea about the Jigsaw, exploded. Might not be too bad if you can get the grout joints along the ribs around the main square. Can't do anything about the diagonal cross cuts other than make them even. If you want measurements and angles, let me know if this is an option. This will keep the main bulk of the tile free from cuts, but will take a little more patience than 3falls idea.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

I'd let your wife do it - they are always right . ( even when they're wrong)!

 

[Dan]

Those Round Edge tiles appear to be a pain in the backside.

I'd just take them back and then tile the upstand first level with the step, then with the top tiles finish them off overlapping the step, meeting the edge of the tile on the upstand, and if you want to, perhaps get a fancy L-shaped chrome trim or something.

They've made it near on impossible to get right by only providing RE's and no REX's.

 

[Italy]

I cut off. 2 cm all angles. The problem is solved. yet it remains. better system.
the wife. say whatever. who said john

 

[Italy]

Those Round Edge tiles appear to be a pain in the backside.

I'd just take them back and then tile the upstand first level with the step, then with the top tiles finish them off overlapping the step, meeting the edge of the tile on the upstand, and if you want to, perhaps get a fancy L-shaped chrome trim or something.

They've made it near on impossible to get right by only providing RE's and no REX's.

I'm allergic. to that type. rounded and cut back. very fragile

 

[Bill]

You need to over hang the risers so that the treads will cut to size on the new corner points. You can't start full tile (length wise) risers on both sides.

 

[Tile Shop]

Thought i had a great idea for a second. Then read the first post and saw he'd tried already. Simplest is to cut 20mm off the back of every tread. She'll have to put up with it as the best of a bad bunch.

 

[Old Mod]

Was racking my brain with this all day, then the simplest solution hit me.

Can't you just cut 20mm off the arse end of every tread and then mitre the corner? Then everything is 30x30 and will fit.

Yeah its extra cutting but makes sense. A wet cutter will file the edges as its going so won't be a sharpe edge like a ceramic. Gotta get it spot on though.

See post #7

 

[Italy]

See post #7

and post 11

 

[Tile Shop]

Ok so its been a long day!!!!! Attention span very short.

 

[Kylem]

Thanks for everybody's suggestions. Unfortunately, as Paul C. said this is not the only losing battle I'm fighting. The boss/wife fired me from the job ( and

I'd let your wife do it - they are always right . ( even when they're wrong)!

this made my day and made me laugh so hard I started choking (maybe it was the beer at the same time). So, since the boss decided I am too incompetent to do this she decided to call a professional, You can only imagine the smug expression on my face when he told her exactly what I have been saying before posting on this forum. I really liked the bullnose idea, but my concern is how sturdy it will be as it wouldnt be attached to the actual concrete slab, but be more of a floating piece supported only by the mortar filling the inside curve. Paul C's second post looks good, but these edge pieces are quite expensive and cuting so many is costly. 3_Fall's comment was a little hard to make sense of at first, but I think it is what I wanted to do from the get go... Anyways, once again.. Thank you for the advice.. Cheers! (oh, by the way, when the professional told her what I have been telling her the whole time, I got my job back and now she's bitching why it isn't done yet)

 

[Kylem]

one last question. If cutting all the tread pieces, what is the best way to get a smooth grout line cut.. The wet saw or an angle grinder. I replaced the blade on my hand cutter, but sometimes there is still some chipping.

 

[Kylem]

ok, I lied. I have another question. should the riser be above or beneath the tread piece below it. Im sure there is a post about this already or I can google, but I would rather hear your opinion.