Advice sought or is it a 118 118 moment.

[deano32_uk]

Hey all,

Sorry to post a problem on my second ever post.

I have just moved into a new build house.

The main bathroom has been tiled half way up the wall, which I thought continuing 'should be easy' (I hear you crying first mistake).

The problem I have found is the tiles that are in place are not 100% level.

This is my thinking -

As I am using different tiles I have put in a border (two metal strips either side of some mosaic)

1. I either use, full tiles and continue the level, which is about 4-5mm drift from a true vertical line over ~1.2m
2. I use a batten method and cut to fit the bottom tile (which is now my middle) when finished above this line, although I fear at almost eye height will look nasty.
3. Cry and rip it all out and make sure it is level from the start - with a professional
4. Sell and move

Any thoughts on these or any other options would be tip top.

Regards,

Dean

[dagger]

oh this sounds like a sell and move, lets face it the damage is already done!!

only kidding, so you have a half height datum and you wish to tile off it,
like you say a mosaic or border tile will distract the eye, and tile off that whole tile with what you have chosen!! if you end up with a slither at the top, is that a big problem? if it is you an always drop the celing befor you move out!!!

[whitebeam]

I take it the whole of the bathroom has been tiled half way, check the level all of the way round and then see how much it runs out

[timeless john]

First question - if its half tiled how have they finished the top row - tile trim?
b) - What size tile are you using on the top half - same/different?
Third - With 2 trims and a mosaic piece you may well be able to make up 4mm without it being an eyesore!
4 - tilers don't cry its just a piece of tile in the eye!
7th - Only move if you get a cash offer for more then you paid!

Timeless John.

[Daveyboy]

Hi Dean..here's a few options for you to consider..

1. As it's a new build, you should be able to compain about the tiling and get it redone correctly, at no cost to yourself, or at least get a refund..

2. If [1] is not an option, then use your border to absorb the out-of-level bottom section of tiles, giving you a level line to tile on..adjust the mosaics slightly to lose some of the 4mm drift and use the metal trim to absorb the rest...

[dagger]

Hey all,

Sorry to post a problem on my second ever post.

I have just moved into a new build house.

The main bathroom has been tiled half way up the wall, which I thought continuing 'should be easy' (I hear you crying first mistake).

The problem I have found is the tiles that are in place are not 100% level.

This is my thinking -

As I am using different tiles I have put in a border (two metal strips either side of some mosaic)

1. I either use, full tiles and continue the level, which is about 4-5mm drift from a true vertical line over ~1.2m
2. I use a batten method and cut to fit the bottom tile (which is now my middle) when finished above this line, although I fear at almost eye height will look nasty.
3. Cry and rip it all out and make sure it is level from the start - with a professional
4. Sell and move

Any thoughts on these or any other options would be tip top.

Regards,

Dean

dean has already put in a mosaic border seperated by a trim top and bottom! so its tiling off a trim "top half".

[dagger]

[deano32_uk]

Hey thanks for the reply.

Happy with the tile-layout, it was more that my datum horizontal is not level. So if I carry on up my vertical lines are not normal to the true horizontal e.g. 91 deg and not 90 deg (although this is not the actual angle). So worse case is that my cut tiles at the corner and ceiling might need a slight angle on them to match (assuming my walls are 100% sqaure, big assumption I know)

Is this the best action? or will I see it in the 'omg look at this' section one day!!

I could always build new walls and ceiling with the same angle

Dean

[dagger]

Hey thanks for the reply.

Happy with the tile-layout, it was more that my datum horizontal is not level. So if I carry on up my vertical lines are not normal to the true horizontal e.g. 91 deg and not 90 deg (although this is not the actual angle). So worse case is that my cut tiles at the corner and ceiling might need a slight angle on them to match (assuming my walls are 100% sqaure, big assumption I know)

Is this the best action? or will I see it in the 'omg look at this' section one day!!

I could always build new walls and ceiling with the same angle

Dean

adjust the spacing between the border trim to come back square,
i know this will mean an expanding grout join but only you will know!

whole tile off datum with 1mm to 2mm difference around the room,
if i understand!

in other words if your datum is off by 1 degree, correct it after the trim, a bigger grout join off the border but no one will know!

[dagger]

or you can sell NOW, Now i said!!!! call the agent, i know its 11pm, he dont care about you so......

[deano32_uk]

First question - if its half tiled how have they finished the top row - tile trim?
b) - What size tile are you using on the top half - same/different?
Third - With 2 trims and a mosaic piece you may well be able to make up 4mm without it being an eyesore!
4 - tilers don't cry its just a piece of tile in the eye!
7th - Only move if you get a cash offer for more then you paid!

Timeless John.

John,

A legend is always timeless.

The top tile had no finishing, well some paint.

The current tiles are ~330x200mm and the new one 150x150mm

I think the idea of taking it up with the border sounds a top one. And I wished I had done that before jumping in. I think it might be coming off.

Although I wonder if you can tell by eye that the datums are not true.

Are there any cash buyers in the house?

Dean

[deano32_uk]

adjust the spacing between the border trim to come back square,
i know this will mean an expanding grout join but only you will know!

whole tile off datum with 1mm to 2mm difference around the room,
if i understand!

in other words if your datum is off by 1 degree, correct it after the trim, a bigger grout join off the border but no one will know!

Yeah the expading joint will be about ~2mm across the length of bath. Drawn up it looked like my worse nightmare, do you think once tiled it won't look quite as bad. My soultion will be never to use the room

Although if my new line is square, will the exisiting tile line look odd?

[dagger]

John,

A legend is always timeless.

The top tile had no finishing, well some paint.

The current tiles are ~330x200mm and the new one 150x150mm

I think the idea of taking it up with the border sounds a top one. And I wished I had done that before jumping in. I think it might be coming off.

Although I wonder if you can tell by eye that the datums are not true.

Are there any cash buyers in the house?

Dean

okay dean in a tough market i will give you:

2 bags of self level,
a used condom (part worn)
and a empty beer can...HIc,

you can fix this, dont take me up on my offer!,
i have plans for that condom!!!!!!!

[whitebeam]

You animal

[deano32_uk]

okay dean in a tough market i will give you:

2 bags of self level,
a used condom (part worn)
and a empty beer can...HIc,

you can fix this, dont take me up on my offer!,
i have plans for that condom!!!!!!!

How about I take a 5 year lease hold on the condom, or maybe a time share?

[dagger]

How about I take a 5 year lease hold on the condom, or maybe a time share?

lets face it dean.....you have enough problems!!!!!!!!!

[dagger]

[deano32_uk]

lets face it dean.....you have enough problems!!!!!!!!!

How did you know about them
So I am stuck now between -

taking it up by adjusting the first row of tiles square, which will mean an ever increasing gap at the bottom

or

Carrying on up as found and adjusting the corner tiles to suit.

or

Anyone working in the Hampshire/Berkshire area

[faithhealer]

What about diagonal tiling the top half?

[brian c]

good point john.

[TheWrightTiler]

gonna sound silly but when using your level to check the datum did you flip it round each time as if you didnt it can easy run out that much

andy

[deanotile]

Did you check the level is true? And what make is the level?

[deano32_uk]

Looks like I can take up the gap by jigging around with the border and few tiles etc.. fingers crossed.

many thanks for the tips

Now I am sure this will make you laugh, but do I need to remove the paint from the plasterboard?

Deano

[faithhealer]

Looks like I can take up the gap by jigging around with the border and few tiles etc.. fingers crossed.

many thanks for the tips

Now I am sure this will make you laugh, but do I need to remove the paint from the plasterboard?

Deano

Yes mate, sometimes you get lucky and it flakes off with a scraper, sometimes not!!

[doug boardley]

given the original post, I'd go for blank canvas option 3

[beanz]

Yeah the expading joint will be about ~2mm across the length of bath. Drawn up it looked like my worse nightmare, do you think once tiled it won't look quite as bad. My soultion will be never to use the room

Although if my new line is square, will the exisiting tile line look odd?

Am i reading this right!?! It's going out 2mm, over the entire length of the bath? What level are you using, and are you rotaing it as you extend your line? I only ask because my Wickes level goes out that far over its 1200mm length, and if i didn't rotate it there'd probably be about a 4inch difference by the time i got all the way round the room.

[deano32_uk]

Yes mate, sometimes you get lucky and it flakes off with a scraper, sometimes not!!

Any hints... on scrapping the only thing that lifts is the paper.

Dean