1st Job: Re-tiling bathroom. Need some advice please

[davestephens0]

Hi,

Now that Christmas is over, my wife has tasked me with the job of retiling our main bathroom (how kind). I have a question about cutters.

I will be tiling the floor and the walls. As can be expected, she has picked out these "designer" wall tiles

Would a standard cutter be sufficient for both these types of tiles. I am looking at this Portable-Wet-Saw, it is at the lower end of the cutters available, but would it be upto the job? I don't mind spending a bit more if it will give a better end result.

Are there any other tools I will need to prevent me turning these very expensive tiles into sawdust or putting them on back to front?

If you need any more info, please ask

Cheers
Dave

[grumpygrouter]

For cutting the tiles that you have selected Dave, a normal good quality manual cutter will suffice such as a Montolit. These though can be a bit pricy if you are only doing the occassional job. Porcelain tiles are much harder than ceramic tiles and the size of tile you have selected would possibly make you struggle on your selected wet saw.

if you have a CTD near to you, you may be able to hire appropriate cutters, and they would also have a good selection of tiles too. They would be able to advise on an approriate cutter for your porcelain.

[365drills]

Oh and if its a one off project you will need to cut holes into your tiles for:

a) Standard service pipes (waste, radiator, tap feeds, shower head)
b) Fixtures & fittings (6mm light duty for accessories and 8mm for load bearing)

We do an "all in one" solution for a bathroom called the BFKMX or Bathroom Fitters Kit.


£49.99

Is a seven piece set of tile drills which if purchased separately from Screwfix the price works out at £120 so this kit represents excellent value for money.

[Daz]

The wet saw that you link to can also be hired from Topps, if you don't want to purchase it. Why not have a chat with the store that you are purchasing the tiles from?

Make sure the Topps store agree that you can take back un-opened bags of adhesive, grout and un-opened boxes of tiles for a full refund, too, 'cos they always sell you too much - IMHO.

[brian c]

i cant open the link,what size of tiles is it as ctd are doing a special on a rubi cutter at the moment ts50 i think.

[grumpygrouter]

The links were ok earlier today. Tiles are up to 700 (by 350 i think) Bri, porcelain for the floor!

[brian c]

dont seem to open for me Russ,oh well if they are that size then its ctd for him or hss.

[grumpygrouter]

No, Bri they don't open now for some reason....

[365drills]

Dave one other thing I thought I would add is that for the sake of the project, if its a one off, then it may be easier, cheaper, quicker to hire a tiler to come do the work for you.

The money you lash out on tools might instead cover the cost of labour, plus with a hired gun they will bring experience ensuring your tiles are not sawdust.

I did the same myself and made myself busy supplying the tiler with help plus tea and coffee.

Just a thought

[brian c]

WITH rICHARD...NOT JUST BECAUSE IM A TILER BUT AS HE POINTS OUT YOU WILL PROBABLY GET THE JOB DONE quicker also.

[doug boardley]

was thinking the same as well, altho' I couldn't open the link, if I'd not done any tiling before I'd not want to start with expensive porc! What area are you from dave, I'm sure one of the forum regulars would be willing to have a look at your job and advise further.
Doug

[davestephens0]

Thanks for all the good advice. Those links seem to have been replaced with links back to the forums. Here they are again (apologies if posting external links is against forum policy)

The "designer" tiles (They are 25x75cm): Imperiale

The portable wet saw: Portable Wet Saw 500W