Wet room gradient tiling - TilersForums.co.uk | Tile Forums

08-08-2008

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Can anyone out there give me some good advice on tiling over wet room formers? Not the preparation, just the cutting of the tiles to allow for the gradient. I've done a lot of tiling over the years in the refurbishments that I've undertaken but this is the first time I am doing a wet room area. The former is approximately 1200 x 1100. I have been advised that using smaller tiles in the shower area makes the job easier.

Thanks

**uug197h** · 08-08-2008

easier to use mosaic' s but if you look at the wet room area it looks like an envelope. just cut your tiles to keep that shape and lines

**MICK the Tiler** · 09-08-2008

Smaller format tiles are always easier to get fall into a waste pipe, but if you need to fix large format tiles as we do down here alot then you need to dry lay your tiles in the shower area then use a pencil and straight edge and mark lines from the waste grate to the corners of the recess the remove the tiles and cut on your cutter.

09-08-2008

Hi Oli,Thanks very much for the advice ( from so far away). Do you think it would be better and more accurate to use an electric rotary cutter rather than normal hand cutter?

**Oli** · 09-08-2008

I'd love to take the credit mate, but i think you meen Mick.

**MICK the Tiler** · 09-08-2008

You can use either, but chipping will be a concern using a wet saw also you will lose the slightest amount of tile due to the saws kerf so you will see a tile joint once laid. If you use a dry cutter the size of the tile remains the same and the tiles can be laid without a joint where you have scored them. also chipping is eliminated.

Hope this helps.

**MICK the Tiler** · 09-08-2008

You could also lay the tiles on a 45 deg angle to get better fall into the waste when using larger format tiles as shown in the pic below.

09-08-2008

Sorry about that. Nice dogs.

10-08-2008

Thanks for the further advice and the photo example Mick.The shower area I will be constructing and tiling has got level access ( unlike the photo example ) and to make the job slightly more tricky, electric underfloor heating mats. The heating mats won't be going into the shower area, so the levels are going to be different. Do you think with a good quality diamond cutting blade the tiles will still chip?

Regards,

Chris

pt44 · 11-08-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by holbrook

Thanks for the further advice and the photo example Mick.The shower area I will be constructing and tiling has got level access ( unlike the photo example ) and to make the job slightly more tricky, electric underfloor heating mats. The heating mats won't be going into the shower area, so the levels are going to be different. Do you think with a good quality diamond cutting blade the tiles will still chip?

Regards,

Chris

Hi Chris

Have spent today laying 600x300 tiles over a devimat - u/f heating - on top of a wedi pre-formed tray, which is 1200x1200. Cut the tiles similar to that shown in the previous photo's, so that the diagonal cuts go along the fall lines. Used tile adhesive to cover the heating mat and lay the tiles, at the same time.

Cut with a Porcelain blade on a wet saw (the blade was the Rubi CPC2). Yes, there is a very minimal splintering along the edge of the tiles, however, its minimal (in my opinion - and I like perfection). And I think, once the grout goes in, to fill the 2mm gap between the tiles, it will be superb.

Paul

**MICK the Tiler** · 12-08-2008

I normally cut them on the tile cutter if I'm doing a tray that's the same level to avoid chipping, but you could wet cut them just score them on the dry cutter first before you wet cut and you should be sweet.

pt44 · 12-08-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by MICK the Tiler

I normally cut them on the tile cutter if I'm doing a tray that's the same level to avoid chipping, but you could wet cut them just score them on the dry cutter first before you wet cut and you should be sweet.

Good idea about scoring them first. Thank you for that. I've not really used a dry cutter for years. (not that I've been tiling for years - but I mean that I tried one once, broke loads of tiles, then discovered wet cutting and was sold on it. However, the minimal chipping issue is one that I've never considered and probably is the reason that people still dry cut (I have wondered why they do). So even tho I'm not going to quickly convert to dry cutting, the scoring idea may well reduce the minor chipping, so could help big time.

Paul