Wetroom floor tiles cutting & grout

[Essexsteve]

Hi all. I have just had my first attempt to cut the tiles for my raised wetroom floor. They are approx 600x300 porcelain tiles. I have a standard score and snap tile cutter and a cheap electric wet circular cutter from screwfix.


I have done an 'ok' job and one that I'd probably be ok with keeping and not redoing, but I'm still debating hiring a proper sliding one to get it better.


Anyway, my question. Edges. Obviously there is large grouting gaps, mine are 4mm in between full tiles, but what do I do to waterproof the angled cuts to accommodate the fall in the tray? I used the score and snap tool so even though they lay down and fit into one another perfectly, I'm worried about the obvious hairline gap.


What do the pros do?

What could I do?


Thanks. Steve.

Ps if you zoom in on the picture you'll see the lines I mean.

 

[Deleted member 49260]

Diy'er here, when I asked about envelope cut spacing the answer was that the blade gap and an edge polish would be sufficient for grouting, given you've scored and snapped I guess you'll have to create bigger gap somehow, hopefully one of the big boy's will be along shortly with full answer.

 

[Qwerty]

Why have you chosen 4mm grout joints?

 

[Essexsteve]

Why have you chosen 4mm grout joints?

I did a bit of reading about and between 4 to 5 was the average that I saw. Would you not recommend that?

 

[Essexsteve]

Diy'er here, when I asked about envelope cut spacing the answer was that the blade gap and an edge polish would be sufficient for grouting, given you've scored and snapped I guess you'll have to create bigger gap somehow, hopefully one of the big boy's will be along shortly with full answer.

I know what you mean, if I have to rent a big sliding cutter I will. However I have seen it done like this before, but just don't know what they did to fill the lines

 

[Qwerty]

I did a bit of reading about and between 4 to 5 was the average that I saw. Would you not recommend that?

No, I would personally recommend 2-3mm

 

[Essexsteve]

Well I'm now looking at getting a diamond blade for my circular saw or rent a proper sliding cutter to can alter the groutline.

 

[Flintstone]

Are they ceramic tiles ?

As above really you need to cut with a diamond blade which removes a couple mm of material which then becomes your grout joint. You must have that Joint to grout otherwise you have no way of closing up the open joint you have made basically.

 

[Essexsteve]

Are they ceramic tiles ?

As above really you need to cut with a diamond blade which removes a couple mm of material which then becomes your grout joint. You must have that Joint to grout otherwise you have no way of closing up the open joint you have made basically.

That's what I was worried about. Great just wasted a box of tiles. Lol. I was thinking about buying a diamond wheel for my skill/circular saw and using a straight jig. Would that work? Same principle as a proper skidy one.

 

[Bill]

You haven't cut the envelope cuts in the right place anyway.

To get the falls correctly, you need to cut from the corner of the square drain, not to the centre of the drain plate. This so that the tiles will be flat all around the drain and not have lips.

 

[Essexsteve]

You haven't cut the envelope cuts in the right place anyway.

To get the falls correctly, you need to cut from the corner of the square drain, not to the centre of the drain plate. This so that the tiles will be flat all around the drain and not have lips.

Don't!!!! I realised that afterwards!! And I knew it had to go the the corners as I've watched videos of it being done. What a div. definitely going to do it again. Envelope to corners, 2-3mm grout lines and using a diamond blade circular saw.

Any other advice?

 

[Qwerty]

Dry lay, mark with pencil/ pen on tape, cut, ensure marks still visible, dry lay again, take a photo, remove all, then tile away for the last time fixing with cement tile adhesive.

Basically a giant jigsaw puzzle.... (zoom in!)

 

[Essexsteve]

Mate that looks awesome. Thank you.

I plan on getting a diamond blade for my circular saw and making a jig up so it's a sort of diy sliding saw tile cutter. Think that'll work?

 

[Spare Tool]

Why not run a groutline through the centre of the drain and get rid of those small cuts on both sides?
Edit..infact if you did that you could use your dry cutter for the envelope cuts and just open them up with a 2mm spacer

 

[Essexsteve]

I'm sure that is a fantastic idea however I have no idea what you mean. Lol. I'm sorry to take up your time but could you explain it a 'little simpler' for me? Thanks.

What small edges do you mean? And what do you mean by 'run groutline through the centre of the drain'?

 

[Spare Tool]

Bit of a crude sketch...

 

[macten]

You've centred the drain on the vertical and not the horizontal.
So you have a full tile with 2 small cuts top and bottom. If you centred the drain on the horizontal as Andy says then you would only need 2 large cut tiles (which would look better and as Andy says - you can then just open the dry cuts out without messing up the spacing.

 

[Spare Tool]

Cheers Mac sorry too many tiles on that sketch...

 

[Essexsteve]

You've centred the drain on the vertical and not the horizontal.
So you have a full tile with 2 small cuts top and bottom. If you centred the drain on the horizontal as Andy says then you would only need 2 large cut tiles (which would look better and as Andy says - you can then just open the dry cuts out without messing up the spacing.

I kind of get what you mean. But don't see how I'd only need to cut two full tiles. (I'm sorry I just can't picture it)

Is this anything like what you mean?

I'm still trying to work out another way that you could mean.

 

[Spare Tool]

I kind of get what you mean. But don't see how I'd only need to cut two full tiles. (I'm sorry I just can't picture it)

Is this anything like what you mean?

View attachment 95934

I'm still trying to work out another way that you could mean.

Yep you got it, now see how you could cut the envelopes on the slide cutter and just open them up with a two mill spacer without it messing any other spacings up?

 

[Essexsteve]

Was looking at this way too but o don't have a 600mm cutter, only a 500mm

 

[Essexsteve]

Yep you got it, now see how you could cut the envelopes on the slide cutter and just open them up with a two mill spacer without it messing any other spacings up?

Yes I can see about 'opening them up' now yes.

What did you mean about only cutting two full tiles? I'd have to cut all 8 wouldn't I?

The only downside this way is it's 8 tiles whereas the other way it's only 5. But suppose if it's going to be better it shouldn't matter.

 

[Spare Tool]

Think you've misinterpreted Mactens post, he meant only two large tiles across cut, but yes obviously you'd have to cut all 8 and having a 500 cutter won't matter, your only cutting the 300 side off..

 

[Essexsteve]

Excellent. Will have a stab at it ok my days off. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Essexsteve]

I know this is a few weeks old now but thought I’d show you how I got on. I think it’s looks alright for a first time.

 

[dexo]

View attachment 96204 View attachment 96205 I know this is a few weeks old now but thought I’d show you how I got on. I think it’s looks alright for a first time.

 

[dexo]

Well done Essexsteve for asking for help & persevering.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

That looks the business but why the mosaic off centre?

 

[Qwerty]

That looks the business but why the mosaic off centre?

Just a feature border inline for the shower?

 

[Essexsteve]

That looks the business but why the mosaic off centre?

I wanted it to look a little different. Plus I fitted the shower knobs off centre so that when you turn them on, you don’t get a blast of freezing cold water as it would if was in the centre. It looks a little odd in that pic but now the glass is up it looks more linear.