- Reaction score
- 5,031
Wall and floor tiling can often be seen as 'easy'. And the DIY sheds certainly make it seem so. Grab everything you need in one place, head off home, whack them up, job's a good 'un.
In reality it isn't quite like that. While the tiles may stay on the wall for a while, they're likely to fall off earlier, or even damage the background you've tiled, meaning if/when they come off, you need to spend more money than it was worth in the first place to get a good job done to a professional standard.
I'd like to think that you would consider putting a request in the "[DLMURL="http://www.tilersforums.com/im-looking-wall-floor-tiler/"]I'm Looking For a Wall or Floor Tiler[/DLMURL]" forum category if your job is of any great size and not just a splash back.
That said, we're here to help (well, most of us are, you will get the odd professional who isn't willing to provide advice as they assume you're stealing their work - but ignore them and report any offensive comments so we can get back to the advice). So feel free to post any question at all, no question is a silly question.
Have a good read around the forum categories, find some general information out.
When it comes to tiling walls, you have to make sure that your background (plaster, plasterboard, whatever) can take the weight of the tiles you're choosing. Large porcelains or stone tiles can often pull plaster off the wall. Plasterboard can take a better weight, but still not much considering it has to take the weight of the tiles, the adhesive (which adds up! You've felt the weight of those adhesive bags!), and grout.
Your setting out has to be spot on for it to look right, and it can be a work of art and take the most amount of time on a full bathroom or kitchen believe it or not!
Your adhesive and grout choice is usually never ever "just the cheapest on the shelf" (that adhesive probably isn't good for much) so make sure you're asking the right questions about adhesive and grout.
Your tools will make your life easier, and make the job look neater, so make sure you're asking about those too.
Tile choice is often a biggy - it's not just about the looks. There are many tile types and some are not as suitable as others in certain areas or applications.
Still not thinking about posting in the "[DLMURL="http://www.tilersforums.com/im-looking-wall-floor-tiler/"]I'm Looking For a Wall or Floor Tiler[/DLMURL]" forum category? Oh okay then. Read on.
Bathrooms will require 'tanking' when it comes to power showers and / or sunken drains (proper wetrooms). And you'll sometimes need actual tile backer boards and not just plasterboard to make sure the place is water tight, and is going to last the length of the looooooong guarantees the manufacturers give us these days.
We have some pretty decent manufacturers in the UK. A whole range of them even. So speak to their technical departments and compare what they're saying, so that you end up with a couple of options.
Note that all these products at retail price can seem quite expensive, but I assure you that NOT using them is a lot more expensive in 3 or 4 years time when it needs doing properly.
A professional tradesman will often get trade prices from his regular suppliers, so it might be worth posting in the "[DLMURL="http://www.tilersforums.com/im-looking-wall-floor-tiler/"]I'm Looking For a Wall or Floor Tiler[/DLMURL]" forum category to get a price including materials? And compare that to what you're working out materials only, and then your time?
If you're still willing to take on the risk, post a new thread in the DIY Tiling forum by clicking [DLMURL="http://www.tilersforums.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=163"]HERE[/DLMURL]!! And good luck.
Remember - before and after shots of your work will earn your brownie points on the forum. So make sure your camera is charged and ready to go at every point possible. If you get stuck, take pictures, hit the forum, we'll see how we can help.
Thanks for reading. And remember to at least consider an actual professional tiler who knows what he's doing, and not "bob from the pub" or whatever. Cheeeeeeerrrrrs.
In reality it isn't quite like that. While the tiles may stay on the wall for a while, they're likely to fall off earlier, or even damage the background you've tiled, meaning if/when they come off, you need to spend more money than it was worth in the first place to get a good job done to a professional standard.
I'd like to think that you would consider putting a request in the "[DLMURL="http://www.tilersforums.com/im-looking-wall-floor-tiler/"]I'm Looking For a Wall or Floor Tiler[/DLMURL]" forum category if your job is of any great size and not just a splash back.
That said, we're here to help (well, most of us are, you will get the odd professional who isn't willing to provide advice as they assume you're stealing their work - but ignore them and report any offensive comments so we can get back to the advice). So feel free to post any question at all, no question is a silly question.
Have a good read around the forum categories, find some general information out.
When it comes to tiling walls, you have to make sure that your background (plaster, plasterboard, whatever) can take the weight of the tiles you're choosing. Large porcelains or stone tiles can often pull plaster off the wall. Plasterboard can take a better weight, but still not much considering it has to take the weight of the tiles, the adhesive (which adds up! You've felt the weight of those adhesive bags!), and grout.
Your setting out has to be spot on for it to look right, and it can be a work of art and take the most amount of time on a full bathroom or kitchen believe it or not!
Your adhesive and grout choice is usually never ever "just the cheapest on the shelf" (that adhesive probably isn't good for much) so make sure you're asking the right questions about adhesive and grout.
Your tools will make your life easier, and make the job look neater, so make sure you're asking about those too.
Tile choice is often a biggy - it's not just about the looks. There are many tile types and some are not as suitable as others in certain areas or applications.
Still not thinking about posting in the "[DLMURL="http://www.tilersforums.com/im-looking-wall-floor-tiler/"]I'm Looking For a Wall or Floor Tiler[/DLMURL]" forum category? Oh okay then. Read on.
Bathrooms will require 'tanking' when it comes to power showers and / or sunken drains (proper wetrooms). And you'll sometimes need actual tile backer boards and not just plasterboard to make sure the place is water tight, and is going to last the length of the looooooong guarantees the manufacturers give us these days.
We have some pretty decent manufacturers in the UK. A whole range of them even. So speak to their technical departments and compare what they're saying, so that you end up with a couple of options.
Note that all these products at retail price can seem quite expensive, but I assure you that NOT using them is a lot more expensive in 3 or 4 years time when it needs doing properly.
A professional tradesman will often get trade prices from his regular suppliers, so it might be worth posting in the "[DLMURL="http://www.tilersforums.com/im-looking-wall-floor-tiler/"]I'm Looking For a Wall or Floor Tiler[/DLMURL]" forum category to get a price including materials? And compare that to what you're working out materials only, and then your time?
If you're still willing to take on the risk, post a new thread in the DIY Tiling forum by clicking [DLMURL="http://www.tilersforums.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=163"]HERE[/DLMURL]!! And good luck.
Remember - before and after shots of your work will earn your brownie points on the forum. So make sure your camera is charged and ready to go at every point possible. If you get stuck, take pictures, hit the forum, we'll see how we can help.
Thanks for reading. And remember to at least consider an actual professional tiler who knows what he's doing, and not "bob from the pub" or whatever. Cheeeeeeerrrrrs.
Last edited:
