"Random" Pattern.

[oleras]

Hi Folks, Mother in law has roped me i nto tiling her kitchen splashback, about 3 yards.

The tiles she picked are 3 different colours. How do you tile a random pattern without looking terrible ? Any hints or tips ?

[dptiling]

i work with say 10 of each colour at a time.
then i know im using even amounts. only 3 colours its harder to kept apart.
but random is random. i try not to put the same colour next to each other.
may be only the same corner to corner.

[macten]

I've just finished one of these - I took 3 of each colour (9 in total) and gave them a shuffle like a pack of cards and stuck 'em up as they were dealt.
I did have to tweak it now and again to avoid a block of 4 which can look bad and it's also wise to stand back every now and again to make sure you haven't inadvertently tiled a 'penis' shape or something equally inappropriate
Here's a few piccies:

[Carl Hammond]

That looks good mate - I like what you done there

[Fekin]

Yeah, looks nice

[macten]

Thanks guys

[wayne]

place the three colours in equal stacks in front of you take one from each and make one single stack. just make the order you take them from different each time eg 1,2,3 2,3,1 3,1,2 etc.... hope you understand as its easier to do than write

[JEC-CTD]

Thanks guys

Thats one of the truest randoms I've seen for a while m8.

I've had many a debate about this, so many people say random but actually have no idea what it is and end up with stripes or checkerboard.

It looks good to me but I bet some customers would complain about having blocks of colour etc.

[burncross]

macten, how come you didn't start with a full tile from the worktop?

[macten]

Full tile from worktop left a fanny-hair slither at window sill.

[burncross]

thought it must be something to do with window, i'v sometimes put a piece of plaster board to raise sill
looks good tho mate

[JEC-CTD]

make sure you haven't inadvertently tiled a 'penis' shape or something equally inappropriate

Made me laugh

[macten]

I normally do that too but in this house you would have been left with a fanny hair slither of a window frame

[macten]

Thats one of the truest randoms I've seen for a while m8.

I've had many a debate about this, so many people say random but actually have no idea what it is and end up with stripes or checkerboard.

It looks good to me but I bet some customers would complain about having blocks of colour etc.

Totally agree. Fortunately this customer loved it. I did point out before I started that random with 3 colours means blocks of colours. If you avoid blocks with 3 colours then stripes or checkerboard will always be the result ie. a pattern, and then they'll bitch about that.

[Woody123]

Looks excellent macten. Well done
All the pictures of tiling i have seen of yours always look like a good quality job. Keep up the good work mate.

[macten]

Thankyou for the kind words Woody

[Oli]

Never tiled a random pattern, but in non tiling matters i usually find that the harder you try to make something random, the less random it turns out!

[grumpygrouter]

Full tile from worktop left a fanny-hair slither at window sill.

Blonde or brunette and was it curly?

[macten]

^ ^ ^^


Not sure about the colour but I didn't need to square the window so it couldn't
have been curly

[sWe]

That looks great macten. Bit of a shame about the window screwing your groove, but wth, looks really good anyways.

[dptiling]

why didnt you start whole tile off the work top?

[dptiling]

sorry question aready answerd

[dptiling]

just added couple of random pics to my gallery

[Mike Strutter]

just added couple of random pics to my gallery

Just looked at those, that's a nice job mate
----
Like yours too Macten, very neat and tidy. No trim around the window?

[macten]

Just looked at those, that's a nice job mate
----
Like yours too Macten, very neat and tidy. No trim around the window?

I turned up with my mitre block but no trim had been provided - this is a new build and the site manager told me to go ahead without it.
I personally prefer the look without trim tbh (and it's easier )

[Mike Strutter]

Looks good enough without it anyway, i'll always try to sell the idea of a nice chunk of wood on the window sill, personally i think it looks nicer.

[Hpst]

That is exact colour scheme I am looking at for my kitchen. Could you tell me what colour are your units and floor and where did you get your tiles from and their size. Ideally, I like the 15 x 15 but don't think they look good in random.
Nice effect

[marc1106]

just a couple of pics of my tiling after installing the kitchens, client chose the pattern on the bottom one !
( just practising on how to attch pics to replys really)

[marc1106]

http://www.tilersforums.co.uk/member...y-abby-290.jpg

this is a random 3 tile i did (appliance in the way as usual)

[marc1106]

HELP cant get this right!