Grout lines

[crazysteve123]

HI, am in the process of tiling a floor looks good but what concerns me is that in some areas the grouts lines are 3-4mm wider than they should be can anyone shed some light on this matter thanks...

[grumpygrouter]

Not a lot of info there Steve. What are the tiles, how big ,what grout etc? More info you give the better we can respond mate.

[sWe]

Many many things can cause uneven grout lines. For example, if the tiles differ in size, and you do not compensate as you go. Another example is if you fix one tile slightly out of line with the rest of the tiles, the error can multiply as you go, and result in a "V" effect on the grout lines. Also, if the floor isn't flat, the tile rows can "bend", so to speak, to follow the uneveness.

[d noulton]

done a bathroom floor today with wickes tiles don't think any two grout lines were the same

[Droopy]

done a bathroom floor today with wickes tiles don't think any two grout lines were the same

I used them on a job a few weeks back too.
Some were a full 4mm bigger than others.
The customer wasn't at all bothered either.
He had way too many tiles though, so i just had to find ones that were closest in size to each other. But it was impossible to make it perfect.

[kilty55]

same today for myself,,using the cheapest tiles ive ever laid eyes on,,an ice cream wafer would be stronger than these things,,good old b and q jobbies up to 2mm out on every 2nd one,,total rubbish

[crazysteve123]

Thanks lads my mind is at rest, the tiles are cheapo jobbies from wickes, but the first row was spot on with the sprit level and i continued checking as i went a long still level, there was a wall taken out before hand so i think the problems might be a result of that..top lad as usual...many thanks

[bigandy]

i remember tiling my mates garage floor flat concrete (using quarry tiles)and he said how hard can it be? let me do it, i had done about half and let him have a go three rows later he had 12mm gapps at one end and nothing at the other!took me about ten mins to sort it. JUST GOES TO SHOW SOMETHINGS ARE BEST LEFT TO US!!!agree have used cheap in the past never again

[reaper72]

Quality calibrated tile=perfect grout joints...

[Varley]

Thanks lads my mind is at rest, the tiles are cheapo jobbies from wickes, but the first row was spot on with the sprit level and i continued checking as i went a long still level, there was a wall taken out before hand so i think the problems might be a result of that..top lad as usual...many thanks

I have done a few jobs now with tiles which differ in size, and what I have noticed is that all the tiles in each box tend to be the same, but tiles in another box can be anything from 1mm - 5mm different in size (turino tiles from topps, was a nightmare job). This is probably why your first row was spot on, because thos tiles would have came from the same box. Best thing I can recommend is open all boxes, mix up the tiles (which you should really do for shading reasons anyway) and don't use spacers, just line them up with your eyes as best you can. If you line them up nicely no one will ever know they are different sizes.

[nufcjim]

crazysteve
i have just had the same problem done a job for a friend took him to collect his tiles from discount tiles took a look at the tiles he choose i tried a couple of the tiles for size and new straight away i was going to have bother.tried explaining this to him but he wouldnt listen i know im only a beginer but it has to be the worst job ive done and he is over the moon its that bad i never took any photos for it.
the first time
pay cheap pay twice

[pjtiler]

joints !!!!!!!!!

[grumpygrouter]

joints !!!!!!!!!

You can get arrested for smoking those!

[pjtiler]

You can get arrested for smoking those!

being a clean living lad i would,nt know about that

[crazysteve123]

Same as mate i well worried that the customer was going to pull me up on it but they love it and i have got a couple of jobs off the back it so happy days..