Newly tiled hallway but gaps all around the edges

[minipharm]

Hi

We have just had our hallway floor tiled. I am very happy with the tiling itself and paid the tiler when he left late on Sunday.

However on closer inspection the next day I realised that there are gaps along most of the edges (ie, where the tiles meet the skirting board). In a few places they are filled with grout but in general there is just a gap.

Please can you advise whether these gaps ought to have been filled with grout, or with something else (?caulk, silicon?) and whether the tiler ought to have done this before he left? The grout is grey but the skirting board is white, in case this is relevant.

He did a good job so I'm happy to finish this myself if it's easy to do, I just don't know what ought to be there. I'm pretty sure there shouldn't be a gap though!

Thanks in advance for your help

Jo

 

[area tiling]

Do the skirting boards have to be re fitted, or had you the tiler tile up to them ???

 

[minipharm]

Do the skirting boards have to be re fitted, or had you the tiler tile up to them ???

Hi - the tiler tiled up to the skirting board

 

[CJ]

Whilst it would have been a better finish if the skirtings HAD been removed first.....this isn't always practical.
An expansion gap should have been left and then a small bead of silicon run along the skirting/tile.

Usually this is part and parcel of the job........so the tiler should have done this.

 

[steve187]

sometimes best to repaint if required before silicone, was there no discussion prior to the job being finished.

 

[prceramics]

he probably just forgot if he finished late sure he wont mind coming back to do it, if he used a grey or dark grout he may of wanted it to dry before doing a bead of white silicone as it can smudge if done when wet

 

[minipharm]

sometimes best to repaint if required before silicone, was there no discussion prior to the job being finished.

The skirting is all newly painted. I'm just surprised that he left without mentioned anything about filling around the edges. clearly the job is not finished with these gaps everywhere.

It was late on Sunday night and I think they were in quite a hurry to get home, to be honest.

I'll get some silicon and fill around the edges myself.

Thanks for your help.

 

[afright]

He should have grouted the joint against the skirting.

 

[Qwerty]

He should have grouted the joint against the skirting.

This is a movement joint so should be siliconed, not grouted

 

[afright]

Would still grout it could be solid floor,if the tiles are cut tight looks better than silicone.

 

[prceramics]

don't agree with that, i think it looks awfull when grouted

 

[afright]

Each to their own I think a silicone joint looks awfull especially white gets dirty better to cut the tiles tight and grout .

 

[widler]

Each to their own I think a silicone joint looks awfull especially white gets dirty better to cut the tiles tight and grout .

Going against the grain here alfright, you be getting ousted you rebel you !

 

[afright]

Just dont like to see ugly silicone joints like to see good cuts that dont get hidden by the stuff have never used silicone against skirting.never had any problems.

 

[Brian the Tile]

no silicone for me either to the skirting thats not what silicone is for imo a nice cut and grout

- - - Updated - - -

but what do i know

 

[afright]

A couple old lags we are Brian lol.

 

[charlie1]

Have done it all ways, grout, silicone but always remove skirting now and re fit over the top. Only thing about grouting is, as the skirting expands and contracts it will crack the grout, customers probably live with this minor issue where as silicone will not look great. So remove and refit every time for me.

 

[Brian the Tile]

yep and now watch for the replies i get on that comment

 

[CJ]

:sofahide:

 

[Brian the Tile]

and may i ask what you do if the walpaper is ripped or the plaster comes away with the skirting ? do you build that in with your price in case of misshaps?

 

[Brian the Tile]

lol CJ

 

[Brian the Tile]

anyone for a take-away?

 

[charlie1]

and may i ask what you do if the walpaper is ripped or the plaster comes away with the skirting ? do you build that in with your price in case of misshaps?

Stanley knife wall paper to isolate any issues their, remember brian your floor is going to be moving up 15 - 25 mm in places. Always remove skirting the correct way (find studs) on frame wall and lever skirting off from there. If there is a little bit of plastering .... Well, filling, then that's no problem.

 

[widler]

I've just done one, kitchen,didn't want skirtings off,so I left them,cut tiles and grouted.
Only time I silicone is floor tile to wall tile .
I actually can't see skirting which has been on for years,painted umpteen times swelling moving a lot at all.
It's also impossible to remove all skirting and replace in a lot of houses

 

[Ian]

I'm going to jump on the band wagon and say, I've never siliconed up to skirtings and I've also never caulked up to a ceiling, always grouted both. My own hallway is done this way and there is no signs of cracking 3 years on, I do think using flexible grout helps stop/minimise cracking. I hate seeing siliconed edges unless it's tile on tile.

 

[charlie1]

I'm only a course tiler so what do I know lol, here is how I do it...
50 m2 kitchen / hall floor with UFH, I'm not taking any chances with expansion so there coming off and refitted and I don't care what customer tells me, it's my job and it will be me who gets the call if it fails. Each to there own though, if it works for you then fine.

 

[Brian the Tile]

Stanley knife wall paper to isolate any issues their, remember brian your floor is going to be moving up 15 - 25 mm in places. Always remove skirting the correct way (find studs) on frame wall and lever skirting off from there. If there is a little bit of plastering .... Well, filling, then that's no problem.

im afraid if my floor moved that much in my hallway i woud be moving out sharpish in case it was falling down,

 

[charlie1]

im afraid if my floor moved that much in my hallway i woud be moving out sharpish in case it was falling down,

No, your tiled finish will increase the height of your floor 15 - 25mm ( maybe more)... No?

 

[Brian the Tile]

and what happens then if there is movement or am i missing something here,does your skirting move with the floor because it has silicone there, there maybe movement after you have tiled no?

 

[Brian the Tile]

also what kind of floor in a house moves that much if it did i wouldnt be tiling it in the first instance