Whats best way of tiling up straight from the floor? - TilersForums.com

[abdev]

hello
ive had a search through and i cant quite find what i think is the best way of doing it.

ive got a laser level and id like to start to tile up straight from the floor rather than installing a batten all the way round, tiling up from that, then tiling the floor, then infilling the bottom row of tiles.

ive got a bathroom to do in 600x300 polished porc with the floor to be done in the same. There are a few obsticles and build-outs to tile around on the walls.

the floor is ply lined.

ive sort of seen the idea of marking a laser level line all the way around the bathroom at about waist height, so roughly 3 tiles high. then mark down to the top of the bottom tile and make some sort of marking stick to put on the floor at each side of the 600 and measure it to the line? or do you set your laser level exactly at the height of the first tile and tile to that (im guessing thats not the case because it would be a bit fiddly to get it set correctly).

can somebody start from the beginning and explain how they setup to tile directly off the floor.

thanks

 

[Dan]

We'd all like to do that but floors are not level.

If your floor is very nearly level, find the lowest point and start tiling from there, then you'll be nibbling off a little off each tile as it raises, and you'll want to be keeping to an actual level line one tile heigh, rather than keeping the tiles flat to the floor and them end up following the unlevel floor.

It takes more time in most cases doing it that way though so it's nearly always easier to tile above and put those in as you to the rest of the cuts (if that's the way you want to do your cuts).

 

[John Benton]

You can use the laser level around the room and use that as a guide to cut down from, but as Dan says you will need to find the low point on the floor and the high point on the ceiling. Also, watch out for if this creates small cuts above the bath and top and bottom of windows prior to fixing any tiles. It's easier to cut 10mm off a 600mm tile, than it is to cut a slither of 10mm in piece off a tile to fill a small gap without it snapping.

 

[abdev]

hi
thanks for replies.
it doesnt have to be a full tile at the bottom it could be a cut tile at the lowest point. obviously it depends on setting out and where the cuts will be etc.

ive seen another tiler tile 2x bathrooms and he did both straight off the level ply floor without a laser.

ive also read various posts on the net and it seems quite a few people do start straight from the floor. there are also lots of youtube vids of tilers who have started straight off the floor.

i cant find the post, but there is one where a few members try to explain where they strike a level about waist height, then use a making stick and a lower level line to measure up from and make the bottom row of cuts and come straight up from the floor. i dont quite know how their method works and i cant find the post.

 

[Sean Kelly]

As John says, don't forget the height of:
The bath.
The window (top & bottom)
The ceiling
The floor.

You can never just walk into a room and start tiling from the floor (unless you checked all above heights), and only if the floor was level.

I've seen a tiler 'speed tile' a wall without making any cuts. This is because the dummy wall was made up to the exact measurements of his tiles.

I measure all the heights (above) and work out where my bottom row of tiles should be. I use a laser to mark around the room and batten. I start tiling up. The bottom row of tiles should ideally be 3/4 of a tile or big enough to get a decent cut on the tile without having to nibble away with my nippers.

 

[rj1884]

I also batten from the bottom tile and work upwards. I also make up a story stick which I can use on all the walls to see what the cuts will be.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

If its on you tube it has to be right!
Start at the bottom a go up.

 

[abdev]

Hi
yes i understand about setting the tiles out and everything, thats not really what im asking.
i dont even mean start tiling with a 'full tile' straight up from the floor.

i can tile using a batten and then infill but ive never done it without battens.

what i mean is, start tiling up from the floor without using a batten. the first tile could be a full tile or a cut, either way its the method of going straight up off the floor instead of using a batten that im interested in.

using a batten it means tiling up from that, then infilling the last row of cuts later. i want to put the first row in straight away and not use a batten which is what quite a few people seem to be doing.

i think it would save some time and there would be no need to mess about with the bottom row at the end.