Centering vs Different Cuts to a Full Tile in a corner?

[pendleh]

Hi everyone

Since a customer has specifically asked for equal cuts on both sides (centre of wall) and my Professional Tiling Solutions (PTS) bible doesn't do this although it looks to be a full tile in the corner (if you know what I mean). Which way is best it must be a matter of opinion Im thinking. Is there a difference for say site work vs domestic vs commercial? Your experience appreciated!!! Thanks to all the members on this site they have been very helpful. When Ive learnt a bit more maybe I can answer questions but being a newbie I lack experience. So please dont be offended if Im not replying just yet!

[GazTech]

[quote=pendleh;54348]Hi everyone

Since a customer has specifically asked for equal cuts on both sides (centre of wall) and my Professional Tiling Solutions (PTS) bible doesn't do this although it looks to be a full tile in the corner (if you know what I mean). Which way is best it must be a matter of opinion Im thinking. Is there a difference for say site work vs domestic vs commercial? Your experience appreciated!!! Thanks to all the members on this site they have been very helpful. When Ive learnt a bit more maybe I can answer questions but being a newbie I lack experience. So please dont be offended if Im not replying just yet!:thumbsup:[/quote]I always centre each wall to largest cut to centre and centre window to largest cut either side....:yes:..Gaz

[pendleh]

Thanks Gaz

[Sir Ramic]

Centred if possible as Gaz says but what if you have a pattern or border that needs to be followed around the room.
I would always set out with pencil marks and find out all options. If the client is there then i can discuss with them.

[pendleh]

Anyone got notes on how to find the centre of a wall - would you take different width measurements then average them?

[Sir Ramic]

Centre of the wall is half the width....now you have me confused

[Fekin]

Originally Posted by pendleh

Anyone got notes on how to find the centre of a wall - would you take different width measurements then average them?

Did you really think about what you we're typing as you we're .... umm.... typing it

You have a wall, lets say it's 12 feet wide.
No matter how many times you measure that wall, it is always going to be 12 feet wide.
So the center of this wall will be exactly 6 foot from the left hand side, and it'll be also 6 foot from the right hand side, making the full 12 feet.
So no matter how many time you measure it, it will always be this, so there is no averages to come into play

You did give me a bit of a laugh, so full marks there

ps.

I thought it was so good I've actually made a sig out of it... hope you don't mind

[sWe]

Stop reading if you haven't got a few minutes to spare.
I figure most of the people on these forums know the things I'm about to write, but I'm going ahead anyways, as there's sure to be people who don't.

There are a few things you need to consider when centering tiles on a surface.

First you need to measure it. Remove say 4mm from that number for 2mm margins on both sides of the surface, as tiles could come loose or crack from building movement otherwise. Then divide that number with the width of one tile plus the width of the grout. That give you the number of tiles you'll be able to slap onto that surface. Here's what to do next:

1. If the number of tiles is a whole number, say 11, just go ahead and use whole tiles all the way, unless the costumer wants something else. If the decimal numbers are very low, or very high, say 11.1 or 10.9, then you might be able to compensate by altering the width of the grouting, depending on the size of the surface, the size of the tiles, and the customers wishes. Pretty much self explanatory.

2.If the number of the last whole tile you can fit onto the surface is UNEVEN, for example 5.4, then you can go ahead and just mark out the centre on that surface, unless 1. is applicable. This is because the border tiles will always be half of a tile (which can only happen if the number of possible tiles is a whole number) or LARGER. The centre of the surface is found by dividing the width by 2.

3.If the number of the last whole tile you can fit onto the surface is EVEN, for example 4.7, then you need to approach it sligthly differently. I will get to how in a sec, but as to the why, it's because the border tiles will always be half of a tile (for the same reasons stated ), or SMALLER, if you work from the center of the wall.

Instead, you need to offset the centre of the wall, and work from the center of the middlemost tile. You can just adjust it so that it sits centralized on the centerline, but if you want use that line as a guide, you can do like this:


Divide the width of the surface by two, and then substract (or add) the width of half a tile. Mark the result on the surface, and work from there. You just made an offset central marking. It's offset by half a tile, and thus, the border tiles will be half a tile or larger.

If you want to check that your markings are correct, and that the border pieces really are as big as they can get, here's one way:


Add 1 to the decimals from the result of the calculation where you figured out the number of possible tiles.

For example, if the result was 6.7 tiles, then do 1+0.7. That gives 1.7. Multiply 1.7 with the width of one tile, and then divide that number by 2. The result is the largest possible width of two equal sized border tiles. Mark them out on the surface if you want additional guide lines.


I probably don't need to say it, but all of the above works vertically as well as horizontally.

I hope someone finds this usefull. Proper measuring and planning makes work sooo much easier.

[tops111]

WOW!! what can i say to follow that! very informative. I think ill stick with my measuring gauge.

[whitebeam]

[sWe]

Originally Posted by tops111

WOW!! what can i say to follow that! very informative. I think ill stick with my measuring gauge.

Surely that's cheating?

Seriously, if one gets the hang of these formulas, which only look complicated because of all the text, it takes only as long to do as it takes to measure what ever it is that you want to measure, pressing a few buttons on a calculator, and drawing a few marks; five minutes at the most for an entire bathroom! You'd have to try real hard to screw up

I did wonder about how people find the center too...in an old house like mine there can be a significant difference in width between top and bottom. I decided to take the eye-level measurement and go from there, if that had left me with small cuts at the top I probably would have adjusted and taken the width at the top.

**** DISCLAIMER - I HAVE NOT GOT A CLUE WHETHER THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO OR NOT - I HAVE NEVER TILED BEFORE SATURDAY!!! ****