Help!: Extending Existing Tiling

[MSutton]

As a novice tiler (only tiled a couple of bathrooms and a couple of showers in the past), I've a few questions on an imminent tiling job I'm planning for my kitchen/breakfast room.

Currently I have a rectangular kitchen/breakfast room, with the kitchen half tiled and the breakfast room half not tiled. Additionally I now have a new extension on the side of these rooms. I would like to extend the kitchen tiling throughout the breakfast room and 2 of the rooms in the new extension. I was thinking of following the current tiling lines within the kitchen through to the rest of the area without using any thresholds, but am a little concerned that the floor will not be square once it enters the new extension, or will not be central to the new rooms, possibly leaving a small trip along one edge of the room. The only other option I can see is to put a wooden threshold down between the breakfast rm and extension and tile them as two separate rooms. If I do this however, It will probably look a little odd as there will be a mismatch in the tiling lines........I've just thought this may be a little hard to follow without a diagram, so I've attached one!! I'd be grateful for any ideas/recommendations?

Thanks,

Marcus.

[Alan.P]

Hi Marcus and welcome to TilersForums.

A couple of things to try, to see where your tiles and cuts would fall.

One thread here

And another one here, it applies to mainly walls but the same staff technique can be used for floors.

Hope that helps

[user123]

I just lost my lenghty write up! ok, briefly again then, using your Datum stick (see Alan's links) you'll be able to judge better where things would fall. However, if I was you I would use a threshold between breakfast room and extension, especially if you think they might not be quite square or in line to each other, as with having doors there rather than open plan the line through I feel is less important than the look of the indvidual rooms.

[MSutton]

Thanks for that (and to Alan P for the links). I was also thinking that the lines wouldn't be too important with a doorway between breakfast room and extension. I was however toying with having no threshold between the two rooms, as the door will most likely be open for the majority of the time (the area being tiled into the extension is a utility room which will also house the fridge/freezer etc......I may even remove the door if it's never closed!). If I did that, then carrying the line thtough into the extension becomes more important. Do you think it would it be particularly bad/obvious if I did end up with off centre tiling (and possibly a small strip of tile down one side of the utility room)?

[Alan.P]

I just lost my lenghty write up! ok, briefly again then, using your Datum stick (see Alan's links)

Sorry MG

Do you think it would it be particularly bad/obvious if I did end up with off centre tiling (and possibly a small strip of tile down one side of the utility room)?

What size tiles are we talking here, I don't see it mentioned as yet, make a quick staff, tile plus grout and see, more or less where your gonna end up, if one side of the room /s or another are going to end up with a daft cut then we might be able to suggest a way around it.

[user123]

Depends what would bug you more in the long run, a threshold or tiling you're not happy with. Use the datum stick and have a play around. You could also insert a geometric tiling/rug effect tiled frame in the extension room to balance out discrepancies....or you could use the same tiles but on the diagonal which could look amazing.

And bear in mind heating etc and peace and quiet from the utilities if you are thinking of taking off doors...

[user123]

Sorry MG



What size tiles are we talking here, I don't see it mentioned as yet, make a quick staff, tile plus grout and see, more or less where your gonna end up, if one side of the room /s or another are going to end up with a daft cut then we might be able to suggest a way around it.

That was in my lengthy write up, too....ain't it fun...

[Dave]

Depends what would bug you more in the long run, a threshold or tiling you're not happy with. Use the datum stick and have a play around. You could also insert a geometric tiling/rug effect tiled frame in the extension room to balance out discrepancies....or you could use the same tiled but on the diagonal which could look amazing.

And bear in mind heating etc and peace and quiet from the utilities if you are thinking of taking off doors...

Spot on...you is learning to think like a tiler......

[MSutton]

Thanks for that everyone. I'll certainly go and measure up just to check. Maybe I'll have no problems after all. I'll admit that I am one of those types that stresses about potential problems before I know for sure that they even exist!!

Alan P. In respons to your question on tile sizes, I don't have them in front of me at the moment, but I'd guess that they're about 350-400mm square, glazed terra cotta effect (maybe slightly darker than terra cotta).

Going to a diagonal pattern sounds like a great idea....never even crossed my mind.

Thanks again everyone.

[Alan.P]

That's evens then MG, when I said that we might suggest a way around it if the problem arose, that was going t o be a suggestion, border / diagonal etc.

Well done TEAM TF Now there's a logo

[tile55]

Just a thought, would it be possible to put a movement joint or listillo type tile between the original tiles and the new tiles.
Are the tiles recently put down and do you have the tiles to do the rest of the room. A new set of tiles may not be exactly the same size as the ones you have.

[MSutton]

Hi Tile 55,
I've no idea what a listillo type joint is and to be honest with you, I didn't think a movement joint would be necessary! In theory, I suppose anything is possible, the tiles are going onto a concrete floor. I was planning on putting a wooden threshold down between the rooms and tiling upto it from each side.Regarding the tiles, the old ones I had put down about 6 years ago after buying them from a local tile shop. I have been back to them with my original receipt and bought some more of the same. I didn't think to see if they were exactly the same size or not, they looked about right when I picked them up!! I'll measure to be sure!

[tile55]

A listelo tile are also known as pensil border tiles and are primarilty used to separate two different tile designs.

I suggested a movement trim to separate between the old and the new tiling but if you are using a threshold then thats fine go for it.

When looking to measure up the tiles it might be easier to just offer the new tile against an old tile as opposed to trying to put a tape measure against the tiles.