It was just lately that I tiled my bathroom on my own. Without the help of a professional tiler, I found out firsthand how difficult it is to complete a tiling project on my own. However, I tiled my bathroom by following a video guide. Here are 10 of my most useful pieces of advice, culled from my own tiling expertise and the advice of the experts in the accompanying film, to get you started on your bathroom tiling project.
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Compute the sum needed, and then increase it by 10%.
Find out how many square metres of wall or floor tile you’ll need with the help of the Tile Calculator on the Style Bathrooms website. Every tile product page has a link to a tile calculator! If you need to chop the pieces, add 10%. This will prevent you from running out and having to rush an additional order. If you find yourself with unopened packaging, you can always bring it back to Style Bathrooms.
you must make preparations.
Careful planning of your tile rows is essential for achieving a neat and polished look. Always start tiling at the wall or floor’s centre so that any offcuts will be uniform in size and fit neatly towards the room’s edges. That way, your work will be finished symmetrically and expertly. Use a tile gauge to help you accurately measure and mark your tile rows (a length of wood with the length of your tiles marked on it).
Enhance grip when walking on wet or slippery areas.
Anti-slip tiles should be installed near the bathroom’s wet areas, such as the shower and the tub, for more traction and security. At Style Bathrooms, you can pick from a plethora of non-slip floor tile options. Beautiful clay tiles, genuine stone-effect tiles, spectacular and eye-catching wood-effect designs—all of these may be found so that you can relax while your loved ones get in and out of the tub or shower tray.
Check everything twice before you start tiling.
When the tile finally arrives, make sure it’s perfect. To avoid disappointment, double check your tile order before making a booking. Verify that it satisfies your needs and that you are pleased with the results. There is nothing more frustrating than placing a tile and then realising it isn’t quite right.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly
Separate your order of natural items into three piles: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Tiles made from natural materials like stone or cork may have subtle imperfections like tiny pits or divots due to the materials’ inherent beauty variations. Sort them into those you find appealing, those you find merely passable, and those you find repulsive (unusable). Place the items where they will get the most attention, such as in the middle of the room. The best places to go to the bathroom are to the sides of your room or beneath and around the back of the sink and toilet. These are excellent for use as cutlery. Break apart the ugliest bits if you have to. If they don’t work, throw them away.
Prepare your surfaces.
Make sure the surfaces you plan to tile are actually suitable for tiling before you get started.
Before you start tiling, check to see that the wall or floor is dry, stable, and strong enough to support the tiles. Plastering the wall prior to tiling it may be necessary if the surface is not flat. You may also want to consider applying a levelling compound or screed if your floor is not perfectly flat.
Keep your hands to yourself
The value of this is something I’ve experienced myself. It is strongly advised that rubber gloves be worn when working with adhesives or grout to prevent dry, irritated skin on the hands. Marigolds from your kitchen cupboard will serve just nicely.
Make sure your grout and glue are watertight.
It is essential to use adhesive and grout that can withstand water for tiling sections like the wall next to your shower, which is constantly exposed to moisture. This will prevent water from penetrating the tile and instead keep it where it belongs, on the surface. BAL CTF4 Tile Adhesive is available from Style Bathrooms, and it is both water-resistant and appropriate for use in a Style Bathroom. The water-resistant BAL Superflex White Wide-Joint Grout is ideal for modern and traditional bathroom design. Those with grout joints of between 3 and 20 millimetres in width can use it. To tile a shower area without worrying about leaks, I suggest this Ardex WP1 Waterproof Shower Kit. An acrylic flexible coating, polyester tape, polyester matting, and an acrylic primer make up this set.
Putting up tiles around the bathrooms’ water fixtures
If you’re tiling a bathroom, at some point you’ll have to work around the toilet and sink. Instead of trying to set your chopped pieces first, tile up to these barriers using full tiles. Distribute as many complete sets as possible around the bowl and toilet. Do not touch the freshly cut pieces until they have set. The correct form of your cut pieces will be much less of a challenge.
Make up your own mind.
Don’t put any leftover tile adhesive or grout in the toilet or drain after you’re done tiling the bathroom. It will cause clogs in the pipes, necessitating the services of a plumber. The remaining liquid should be transferred to a plastic bag and let to harden. After it has solidified, it can be thrown away in the trash or treated as hardcore.
