Tiling's getting harder

[4x4]

Hi all, been laying 500 x 500 porcelain tiles today, the tile's have no bevel at all they are just really sharp and square!
obviously I strive to get no lippage at all, and on these beggars you really cant! or its a cut toe for the customer
which got me thinking that tiling with todays tile types is so much harder and slows the job down a lot more,
rather than a few years back when a lot of floor tile's had rounded off edges which hid a lttle bit of lippage here and there.

does anyone curse the fashion of tiles today

[Alan.P]

What is hard / impossible, is getting no lippage when the [NO LANGUAGE PLEASE] tiles are bowed and trying to explain to the customer / client that it is the tile and not the fixing, but yes, in answer to your question, it is getting to be more of a precise art than years ago.

[whitebeam]

What cutter you using mate

[4x4]

Hi whitebeam I'm using a D24000 but what thats got to do with it I dont mean that rudely by the way

[SRFredrick]

What is hard / impossible, is getting no lippage when the [NO LANGUAGE PLEASE] tiles are bowed and trying to explain to the customer / client that it is the tile and not the fixing, but yes, in answer to your question, it is getting to be more of a precise art than years ago.

This is not what us newbies want to hear Better make sure I go on a quality training course.

[whitebeam]

You could've had a wickes special, obviously not.

[4x4]

tiling in the real world is a thousand times harder than the course prepares you for, we were told if we can tile the bad bay walls on the course (with a 6 inch tile I may add), then we can tile anything, well guess what..... most of the walls I have had to tile in the real world have been worse! put that with the fact that the customer now wants a tile the size of a barn door, it is not easy

[4x4]

I did have a wickes special...still got it buried in the van....have you got the D24000 whitebeam?

[whitebeam]

No mate, I use a rubi nd200.......

Your right about the tiles sizes though and the walls

[Dan]

4x4, I've added you to the TilersForums Arms.

[Phil Hobson]

Hi 4x4 If tiling was easy, everyone would do their own. Large format, rectified edge, can be a callenge to the most experienced amongst us.

[peckers]

oh yes tiling is getting harder and harder due to the size and nature and hardness of the tiles! and due to this the substrates have to be flatter more rigid and so on! you cant put right tiles that are not flat etc from the manufacturer but you can tell the customer if there is a problem with the tiles before you start.
but due to the tiles becoming more complex etc then the tiling tools are getting better and larger to cope with them too.
And to be honest I like it getting more awkward and harder to do as this will stop a lot of cowboys from being able to do the job(all though some still have a go) and tiling is becoming more known imo as a specialist job!
I just wish the trades that went in before we do was as specialist as we are and could read a levels bubble so they too can get things flat and plumb!!!!! Its got alot to do with the preparation....

[4x4]

I'm fairly new to the trade and think I do a good job but I seem to be too slow, I also wonder if I'm too fussy over lippage but with tiles like this I think you really have to be,

I'm begining to wonder if I'll ever speed up ,...............did anyone else think this when they first started

[4x4]

thanks Dan.... thats great.... I'l pop in later....

[Phil Hobson]

oh yes tiling is getting harder and harder due to the size and nature and hardness of the tiles! and due to this the substrates have to be flatter more rigid and so on! you cant put right tiles that are not flat etc from the manufacturer but you can tell the customer if there is a problem with the tiles before you start.
but due to the tiles becoming more complex etc then the tiling tools are getting better and larger to cope with them too.
And to be honest I like it getting more awkward and harder to do as this will stop a lot of cowboys from being able to do the job(all though some still have a go) and tiling is becoming more known imo as a specialist job!
I just wish the trades that went in before we do was as specialist as we are and could read a levels bubble so they too can get things flat and plumb!!!!! Its got alot to do with the preparation....

Steve, you are spot on, I think some trades put their levels in the freezer overnight, so the bubble stays in the middle.

[peckers]

Steve, you are spot on, I think some trades put their levels in the freezer overnight, so the bubble stays in the middle.

[tommyzooom]

Don't worry about speed at the moment,concentrate on the quality, It will stand your business in good stead.
I have been called in to deal with tiles like yours a few times when other "tilers" gave up as they were too difficult to lay, so stick with it

[peckers]

I'm fairly new to the trade and think I do a good job but I seem to be too slow, I also wonder if I'm too fussy over lippage but with tiles like this I think you really have to be,

I'm begining to wonder if I'll ever speed up ,...............did anyone else think this when they first started

Speed will come in time! your main aim is to do the job correctly and precisely! to get your speed up you need experience and you will only get experience by doing more jobs! and you get more jobs from being known as a good tiler rather then a fast one!
so you will become faster and better with experience in time.
The main thing is too get your name around as a good tiler for work well done. Speed will come, (and you dont have to be the fastest to win jobs)

[Stewart]

Peckers is spot on with his advice........... you get recommended for being a good tiler with an eye for detail, and not a quick tiler who rushes the job to get to the next one. Take your time and do a good job as reputation is king.

[Dave]

tiling in the real world is a thousand times harder than the course prepares you for, we were told if we can tile the bad bay walls on the course (with a 6 inch tile I may add), then we can tile anything, well guess what..... most of the walls I have had to tile in the real world have been worse! put that with the fact that the customer now wants a tile the size of a barn door, it is not easy

Welcome to the REAL world of a tiler..

[faithhealer]

welcome to the arms 4x4

[NETT Darren]

Some cheap tiles are irregular in size that makes it difficult, on theses, try and go for a bigger spacer joint as this will hide any irregularity or lippage a bit better, On dodgy walls try going up in trowel sizes as well, On the floor use a coin to slide across the tiles as you lay them one by one, if the coin doesnt slide over them smoothly there is a lip so just rub the tile into the adhesive a bit more to reduce the lip, that should help you out a bit

Regards
Darren
NETT

[hillhead]

Welcome indeed 4x4,drink anyone? lol.
I have a bathroom and ensuite to start tiling tomorrow with 450x450 square edged polished marble !! most definitely no forgiveness there either but like most on here i love a challenge and take pride in jobs like this.Last week i had 78m2 of 600x600 polished porcelain with square edges,turned out a treat and the joiner even noted it to me and took a fist full of my cards. Stick at it 4x4 and don't worry about speed yet,you will find your pace at some stage.

[whitebeam]

An old clerk of works trick was to roll a coin over the tiled floor, if it took off, trouble ahead

[lcjohno]

I'm fairly new to the trade and think I do a good job but I seem to be too slow, I also wonder if I'm too fussy over lippage but with tiles like this I think you really have to be,

I'm begining to wonder if I'll ever speed up ,...............did anyone else think this when they first started

You will speed up mate, you can never be too fussy either. Speed will come with time, i used to really worry about it but you will get faster without even realising. Doing the job right is the most important thing.

[BoldreChris]

This week I'm doing a bathroom with 25m2 of 600x400 travertine on the walls - sharp unbevelled edges and it's taking me ages to get them flat and unlipped. I really feel slow today. The guys are right though, concentrate on the quality and the jobs will flood in !

[tootall66]

Tiling is indeed getting harder but as someone said it keeps the cowboys away. I recently tiled bathroom walls in 1000x500mm square edge porcelain, the builder said "his tiler" was on holiday & couldnt manage it. I know what that really meant was he wasnt capable, so i charged him a tidy sum & got the job done.
Its a far cry from 26 years ago when i 1st started 99% of tiles were 4" or 6"
What i charge for a square metre now was a weeks wages back then

[badger]

main thing when your starting out is to do the job right.you will speed up over time

[marktiling]

Thank goodness I am not the only slow (but precise) tiler, only been doing this since April this year and am getting work but its taking a long time. Customers really pleased with end result but at some point going to have to get a bit faster ! I also have faced large tiles (not taught on course) and walls that would be better suited for a off road drive ! Currently working with pebbles which I think have been picked off a beach and thats a real challenge doing a floor with them.
Onwards and upwards

[doug boardley]

An old clerk of works trick was to roll a coin over the tiled floor, if it took off, trouble ahead

I believe that Saddam Hussein slid his gun across a marble floor in one of his palaces, he found one slight lip and then made the tiler relay the whole floor. When it was relaid to his satisfaction and his gun didn't hit any lips he picked it up and shot the tiler for not getting it right first time!!