Help!: Acceptable Tile Level Difference

[Forum_H]

What is the acceptable difference in tile level, the change in height between tiles?

0.5mm? 1mm?

I have just had a granite floor laid by a recommended tiller and I’m not 100% sure of the quality of workmanship. A lot of the tiles are at different heights to each other and I’m not sure if it’s me being over fussy.

It was laid on a concrete floor, the tiller put levelling compound down a few day before putting down granite tiles.

I think I have attached photos!!

Many thanks

[david campbell]

being totally honest with you,you shouln't be able to notice any height difference at all,but i don't think 99% of people would be able to notice 0.5mm of a difference unless it was a polished tile

[basshunter]

think theres a british standard for this.maybe one of the big boys knows?

looks like a nice job though!

[Alan.P]

Mmmm, definite lippage going on there, how many tiles are like it ?

[basshunter]

...............

[Forum_H]

Generally most of the floor has a difference of about 1mm between each tile but there are about 6 areas that are bad, the worse being the photo with the 2p in it. I was expecting the floor to be perfectly flat. The really obvious problem started around the plinths, where we have obvious belly gaps – can get a pound coin underneath. Then we started to examine more closely and found the lippage. Also, some tiles appear ‘flawed’ – probably granite variation, but tiler has managed to lay all the flawed tiles in the main areas! One right in front of the hob is badly scratched – not sure if something to do with the sealant or whether the original was damaged.

[Oli]

What siz and make are the tiles, how much were they and where did you buy them from?

[Forum_H]

Tiler got them from CTD (That's what he said) 30.5cm, Gemini Graniti Polished Absolute Black, £79 Sq M.

[Oli]

They look a bit light in colour for the absolute black but it might just be the reflecting light.

Anyhow from the TTA website.....

The British Standard for tile fixing, BS5385, suggests the following tolerances on finished work.



Flatness and variation from plumb:
± 3mm under a 2m straightedge.


Variation across Joints:
±1mm for joints less than 6mm wide
±2mm for joint 6mm or more wide

[Oli]

I should add that the British Standards are guidelines only.

[Dave]

Those guidlines are for tile sizing and not lippage...

A 2p coin is about 2mm thick , so thats too much IMO....0.5mm then fair enough but really needs to be as flat as poss...

Tile sizing can happen in joint width but should not cause lippage..it can happen when cross bonding as some tile planertise (convex) in shape but straight bond should be ok...

Some rough cut stone will have lipping probs but not honed and rectified stuff..

[Oli]

[Bolter]

Those guidlines are for tile sizing and not lippage...

A 2p coin is about 2mm thick , so thats too much IMO....0.5mm then fair enough but really needs to be as flat as poss...

Tile sizing can happen in joint width but should not cause lippage..it can happen when cross bonding as some tile planertise (convex) in shape but straight bond should be ok...

Some rough cut stone will have lipping probs but not honed and rectified stuff..

What we have here is the professional tiler has put in a feature to the room. He should call it "the toe breaker"

[david campbell]

polished tiles should appear to have no lippage altogether or they seem like a botch job! even the 3mm over 2m would make these tiles look nasty!

[oogabooga]

Looks like too much lippage to me, but the tiles in the 2nd photo look inconsistent. One has a noticeable bevel and the adjacent one has none. Maybe just my eyes though.

[Dave]

Looks like too much lippage to me, but the tiles in the 2nd photo look inconsistent. One has a noticeable bevel and the adjacent one has none. Maybe just my eyes though.

I noticed that too....i have come across afew tiles like that...some have zero chamfer and some have more....usually look ok when grouted though..if you leave the grout to set enough before washing down..

[basshunter]

they are all beveled mate! you just cant see it because of the g-rout

[Forum_H]

Basshunter is correct. The bevel is under the grout.

[basshunter]

Forum h do the honorable thing and post some more pics please to allow for further armchair snagage

[Forum_H]

A couple more!!

[Dave]

what makes it look worse as well is because to much grout has been washed out of the joint...but deffo some lippage...not the wrst i have seen but some...

can you post a photo a bit further back to see if it stands out from a not so close up shot..?

[Forum_H]

Photos below, the bits near the plinths are going to be sorted, no problems there. Generally from standing the floor looks good, as anything when you look close up you see the lippage and start to question things.

Again back to my original question, I’m I being too fussy??

[basshunter]

ooooh naughty tiler

you could scribe the kickboards to fit.

Answer to your question is no.

[frostfree]

Are you being too fussy?
That really depends on how much you paid for the tiles to be laid.
If you paid top dollar you can be as fussy as you like.
If it was a cheap job then this is acceptable lippage.
Hopefully it was a top dollar job and the tiler will happily rectify any tiles you are not happy with!!
Good luck.

[Daz]

IMO, you are not being too fussy.

With regards to the scratching...... did the tiler wear knee pads? did he cover tiles that had been fixed and he was kneeling on? did he point out the scratched tiles prior to fixing them?
It seems to me that the tiler may have scratched the tiles after they were fixed???
The lippage does not look good and the grouting could be a lot better.

[whitebeam]

Should allways keep a good clean set of knee pads for the polished tiles

[CJ CERAMICS]

Looks like too much lippage to me, but the tiles in the 2nd photo look inconsistent. One has a noticeable bevel and the adjacent one has none. Maybe just my eyes though.

i must have the same eyes cos it looks like that to me too, but i dont think you are being too fussy but would have been less noticeable had the grout not been washed out as much. what size room is it and how long did it take him.

[LM Ceramics]

when using granite the floor has to be really flat thats how ive found ayway on used it on a bathroom floor which was flat maybe more slc was needed didnt look to bad of a job to be honest but 2 mm lippage is too much

[LM Ceramics]

woops not seen all the pics if the tiles are scratched get the tiler to replace them but i agree i think to much grout has been washed out which makes it look worse

[Saltire69]

If the tiler sl the floor it should be better than that. At the kickboards he's just not been checking his levels. All he had to do was lift tile and put a bit more addy under it. Pic 3 also looks like it's a bit high with lippage. Would say you are not being fussy.