Questions!

[ag1975]

I've been looking around mainly this site and other sites for a few weeks trying to get as much useful info as possible. I plan to go into the tiling trade sometime in the future and have a little bit of practical experience that I have the chance to build on in the next few weeks with other projects for friends. Basically, I've got a few (more than a few) general questions to ask, I won't throw them all at you at once but here are a few:

1. Should you leave edge tiles as equal as possible on both sides...horizontal and vertical?
2. What do you do when walls are badly out, other than stripping everything down and building a new wall frame?
3. Do you leave your tile cutting till last or cut them as they come?
4. Do plasterboard walls ever need priming? (outside of shower)
5. Do screeds/concrete floors (old and new) always need priming?
6. Does BAL SBR primer work with all substrates/cementitious adhesives?

That's it for now

I posted on the bathroom I was tiling/plumbing/fitting on here a few weeks ago, I'll put some pics up soon.

[kendo1]

As for question 2, I normally swear. Silently.

[kendo1]

As for question 1
It depends. If you are doing a plain wall, you need to centre up. It then depends on the size of tile- where do they finish at the corner? The layout comes into account too, brick bond, pattern.
If you have a window the tiles should be centred on that,and of course you have to think about where the cuts wiil be depending on the size of tiles and window.
And if you are doing the whole room you have to start thinking about door frames and the other corners as you follow the pattern around.

[Bubblecraft]

1. Should you leave edge tiles as equal as possible on both sides...horizontal and vertical?

I do where possible. If there is a bath though, I do try to start with a full tile on the bath but depends how the cuts look top & bottom. I think it looks better having a full tile on the bath. For chases, I generally start with a full tile on the external edge & work back.

2. What do you do when walls are badly out, other than stripping everything down and building a new wall frame?

If they are that bad, re-sheeting is the way to go. There might be more time & cost to do this but better using your time sheeting it square than trying to loose it in the tiles. Just make sure to check it when pricing the job & quote it accordingly.

3. Do you leave your tile cutting till last or cut them as they come?

I always cut as I'm going, that way you can finish a wall & the whole side will be set & ready for grouting.

4. Do plasterboard walls ever need priming? (outside of shower)

Plasterboard - No, Plaster - Yes!

5. Do screeds/concrete floors (old and new) always need priming?

I always prime. It enhances the physical properties & performance of mortars including adhesion, durability, flexibility, waterproofing and workability.

6. Does BAL SBR primer work with all substrates/cementitious adhesives?

Yes. Works with plaster, screed, timber & vinyl surfaces.

Hope that helps. I'm sure other people will have their own take on it but that's mine.

[whitebeam]

3, cut as I go
4, if there is bare gypsum showing
5, I tend to on older type screed floors
6, sbr be it bal or other is quality stuff

[ag1975]

As for question 2, I normally swear. Silently.

funny

[ag1975]

As for question 1
It depends. If you are doing a plain wall, you need to centre up. It then depends on the size of tile- where do they finish at the corner? The layout comes into account too, brick bond, pattern.
If you have a window the tiles should be centred on that,and of course you have to think about where the cuts wiil be depending on the size of tiles and window.
And if you are doing the whole room you have to start thinking about door frames and the other corners as you follow the pattern around.

Cheers. I've noticed you need to be very careful when there are corners, recesses etc. So do you take everything into account and try what you think will be the best on the eye, not leaving any slithers? Are there any big do's and donts when it comes to the layout of the tiles?

[whitebeam]

Don't put your first tile up until you know when the last will be fixed..

[Gall.B]

I do where possible. If there is a bath though, I do try to start with a full tile on the bath but depends how the cuts look top & bottom. I think it looks better having a full tile on the bath.

.

I generaly set out for full tile or very close to at ceiling, never come of bath, half tile or cuts round ceiling I think look terrible.

If walls are not flat, sorry they need to be.

Mostly cut as I go (if walls are flat/plumb allcuts are same size) depends on my mood that day tho.

I tend to do the full room dado height, then take up the rest of the room to the ceiling.

Prime all floor types.

[ag1975]

3, cut as I go
4, if there is bare gypsum showing
5, I tend to on older type screed floors
6, sbr be it bal or other is quality stuff

4. there would be gypsum showing when a board's been cut?

[whitebeam]

On the edges and any scrape marks on the face of the board which could have broke the paper face...

[Gall.B]

Cheers. I've noticed you need to be very careful when there are corners, recesses etc. So do you take everything into account and try what you think will be the best on the eye, not leaving any slithers? Are there any big do's and donts when it comes to the layout of the tiles?

Setting out is VERY important and shouldnt be rushed. as Whitebeam says dont start fixing until you know where every cut is going and its size.

Normal bond: centre (for big cuts)

Broken bond or border: Cuts need to turn the corner (like wall paper) so the pattern carryr on round the room, more tricky and time consuming.

Wall & Floor tiles same size: I like to line thru the full room

Floors: I aim for full tiles at door thresholds where possible at the main door in to a room where the tiling starts.


Setting out is often a giveaway as to where the room was tiled by a pro or not.

[ag1975]

BUBBLECRAFT - that does help thanks. Just a couple of things:

1. What are chases?
2. How do you re-sheet? Would that mean evening walls out, then putting plasterboard, backer board whatever on them? How would you even the walls out?

[ag1975]

GALL B - Thanks, very helpful.

Would you literally know the cut size of every tile before you start fixing them?

[Ajax123]

Not all screeds need to be primed. It depends on the nature of the surface, type of screed and type of adhesive.

That said most good tilers prime most screeds.

[Bubblecraft]

BUBBLECRAFT - that does help thanks. Just a couple of things:

1. What are chases?
2. How do you re-sheet? Would that mean evening walls out, then putting plasterboard, backer board whatever on them? How would you even the walls out?

Chases as in pipe chases etc. More or less all external corners (Where possible)

To even out the wall, you first will have to remove tiles. For old plaster walls, take back plaster to at least the scratch coat or to the brick then dot & dab your new sheets on. Use a large piece of 4x2 timber to whack it in place then use your bead to level out. Be sure to put plenty dry wall adhesive on it. Use 12.5mm plasterboard to re-sheet (MR plasterboard or equivalent around baths & showers. Hardi backer etc) The more you do it, the easier it will become. For hollow walls, remove old plasterboard (lathe & plaster on older houses) to the stud partition & re-sheet.

Not all screeds need to be primed. It depends on the nature of the surface, type of screed and type of adhesive.

That said most good tilers prime most screeds.

I agree with you here but with him being relatively new to tiling, I'd say prime all floors until you have a better understanding of floor types.

Setting out is the MOST important thing. As said above, don't start with your first tile until you know where your last ends. Carry your pattern around walls where possible.

With floor types, I make sure it is a full tile at the door (where possible) in most cases.

[Bubblecraft]

Lathe & plaster on right



Back to brick and/or scratch coat

[ag1975]

Chases as in pipe chases etc. More or less all external corners (Where possible)

To even out the wall, you first will have to remove tiles. For old plaster walls, take back plaster to at least the scratch coat or to the brick then dot & dab your new sheets on. Use a large piece of 4x2 timber to whack it in place then use your bead to level out. Be sure to put plenty dry wall adhesive on it. Use 12.5mm plasterboard to re-sheet (MR plasterboard or equivalent around baths & showers. Hardi backer etc) The more you do it, the easier it will become. For hollow walls, remove old plasterboard (lathe & plaster on older houses) to the stud partition & re-sheet.



I agree with you here but with him being relatively new to tiling, I'd say prime all floors until you have a better understanding of floor types.

Setting out is the MOST important thing. As said above, don't start with your first tile until you know where your last ends. Carry your pattern around walls where possible.

With floor types, I make sure it is a full tile at the door (where possible) in most cases.

Very helpful again, thanks.

Just one thing, when I asked how do you even the walls out, what i meant to say was how do you straighten walls rather than level. I've just tiled a bathroom where the walls were wider at the top than the bottom by about 20mm. We hadn't set out well enough (we used brick bond so was tricky for us) and were left with edge tiles in the corner by the door, tapering from about 70mm at the top to 50mm at the bottom. Doesn't look great but not too bad as they're not that visible. Is there anything you can do about straightening walls out or do you just have to make the best of it?

[kendo1]

I would make the tiled walls vertical, then that does not happen. A lot of tI've come across, the previous tilers have just followed the wall. Seeing as I'm a bathroom fitter, it doesn't half bugger up fitting shower enclosures. The first one I did the tiler did his work and left. There wasn't enough play in the uprights to fit the shower enclosure- there was a difference of about 75mm between top and bottom.

[ag1975]

I would make the tiled walls vertical, then that does not happen. A lot of tI've come across, the previous tilers have just followed the wall. Seeing as I'm a bathroom fitter, it doesn't half bugger up fitting shower enclosures. The first one I did the tiler did his work and left. There wasn't enough play in the uprights to fit the shower enclosure- there was a difference of about 75mm between top and bottom.

Did you have to cut the tiles and substrate to get in?

As well as tiling the bathroom I'm working on, I'm painting, plumbing and fitting shower enclosure, toilet and sink so I can understand what you're saying. First time I've done anything like this, my head hurts

[kendo1]

I always keep tiles plumb to avoid these problems, that's why I started doing my own tiling.
I had to cut into the tiles with an angle grinder and pack out the top. Tiles were black porcelain 600 x 300.

[whitebeam]

Lathe & plaster on right

Back to brick and/or scratch coat

Scratching sand/cement should be horizontal wavy lines....

[Mike]

Scratching sand/cement should be horizontal wavy lines....

it looks a botch job, a decent plasterer will always leave neat 'scratches'

[Bubblecraft]

I agree. All the houses up this way are like that, hence why there all blown. Guess that was acceptable 70 years ago lol

Works in my favour though, plenty of bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, living rooms, bedrooms etc for me to do! Lol

[plan-it-earth]

What a good bit of advice