Ask The Trades - Print Page

Ask The Trades
https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Painting, Decorating & Tiling Questions >> tiling https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1146584953 Message started by hannah on May 2^nd, 2006, 4:49pm

Title: tiling
Post by hannah on May 2^nd, 2006, 4:49pm

I am going to tile my bathroom. Should I start with the floor first or the walls.

Title: Re: tiling
Post by jasonB on May 2^nd, 2006, 6:19pm

Start with the walls first, set a batten where the first full row of tiles will come and tile up from there. Next tile & grout the floor, finish off by doing the row of cut tiles at the base of the wall then grout wall.

Jason

Title: Re: tiling
Post by CWatters on May 2^nd, 2006, 8:17pm

Best advice is to learn how to use a serrated adhesive spreader and a rubber faced batt to get the tiles all the same height.

PS I think what its called (a Batt) but Jason will correct me.

Title: Re: tiling
Post by hannah on May 3^rd, 2006, 9:57am

Thanks for the advice. I attended a tiling course some years ago, the advice then was to start with the floor. Cant remeber why this was said. Have since been reading different manuals and they give conflicting information about where to start...

Think I will take your advive and start wtith the walls.. :)

Title: Re: tiling
Post by Twobarrows on May 3^rd, 2006, 11:45pm

wrote on May 2^nd, 2006, 8:17pm:

Best advice is to learn how to use a serrated adhesive spreader and a rubber faced batt to get the tiles all the same height.

PS I think what its called (a Batt) but Jason will correct me.

Jason my man, kindly explain please.
Cheers.........

Title: Re: tiling
Post by Twobarrows on May 3^rd, 2006, 11:47pm

[quote author=CWatters link=board=diypainting;num=1146584953;start=0#2 date=05/02/06 at 20:17:53]Best advice is to learn how to use a serrated adhesive spreader
quote]

And if you have lots of tiling to do, & you are left handeed, get left handed tools, it will drive you mad otherwise !!! It of course didn't affect me, you just ask my camel.

Title: Re: tiling
Post by jasonB on May 4^th, 2006, 7:05pm

Nothing much to using a notched trowel, just lay it on with the smooth side, then rake it out with the notched on keeping a consistant angle.

Never heard of a "bat" for leveling tiles, or do you mean using a grout float to "pat" mosaics into the adhesive. I do use a rubber mallet for large format floor tiles, easy does it ;)

Jason

Title: Re: tiling
Post by CWatters on May 4^th, 2006, 11:53pm

wrote on May 4^th, 2006, 7:05pm:

Never heard of a "bat" for leveling tiles, or do you mean using a grout float to "pat" mosaics into the adhesive. I do use a rubber mallet for large format floor tiles, easy does it ;)

Jason

Well I guess it's a bit like a grout float but without the handle and perhaps deliberately heavier. The one I have is wood, about 18" long, 5" wide and 1" thick. It's faced with rubber. Instead of a handle there are groves down the long edges. You need two hands to use it really.

My father was a keen DIY and taught me how to use it He allways called it a batt (or possibly a Blat?) but he's not alive now so I can't ask him why.

To use it you rest one end on a tile(s) that are already level and sort of wack/press/blat the other end onto the new tile that needs leveling. It works by pressing on any high spots. Makes a great job of getting tiles all flat.

It's locked away in a container right now so I can't look to see if the makers name is on it.

This is the last job I used it on...although you can't see how flat they are in the photo....!

Title: Re: tiling
Post by CWatters on May 5^th, 2006, 12:06am

The nearest thing I could find on the web is this site which just calls it a leveling board. ..

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Improve/TileTools.html

"A leveling board can be made from a length of 2' x 4' covered with carpet or some other padding material. Use this device by placing it over several tiles and gently tapping the board with a rubber hammer to level the tiles in the adhesive"

Title: Re: tiling
Post by runninwata on May 5^th, 2006, 5:30pm

I always thought it was simply a case of spreading the adhesive evenly then pressing your tile gently into the adhesive to ensure even coverage only tappingrequired when mosaics etc sheet tiles are being fitted never had to whack any other types ::)