LARGE AREAS
Plan the work carefully, so that you do not have to cut tiles at external corners or along the top of half-tiled walls. You must start from a level line at a height to suit the overall plan of the tiles, such as skirting board. However, most skirting is not level and you may want to fll1ish the wall with a new skirting over the bottom edge of the tile. You may also have problems tiling above windows and doors. The solution is to fix a temporary batten to the wall to support the first row of tiles you lay.
Decide on a suitable starting point, an exact number of tiles from the top of a half-tiled wall, or in line with existing tiles over a window or doorway, and fix the batten in place with masonry nails. Check that it is exactly level with a spirit level. Spread adhesive and lay tiles as before, working upwards from the batten. Some ranges of tiles include special fittings, such as soap dishes and towel rail fittings.
If you are using these accessories, they may be a little heavy, so hold them in place with sticky tape until the tile adhesive is dry. Finally, fill in to cut a thicker tile, score the cutting line and position the jaws of the snapping tool on either side of the marked line and squeeze to make a clean break. Use a tile sanding block to smooth the cut edges. To cut tiles to fit around awkward shapes, nibble at the area to be cut away with a pair of pincers after you have cut a template from paper and traced it onto the tile.
When the whole area is tiled, leave the adhesive to set – normally at least 12 hours. Then spread tile grout over the surface, paying particular attention to the gaps between the tiles. Immediately clean the grout off the face of the tiles with a sponge, rinsing it out frequently.
TILING WALLS
TILING LARGE AREAS
Plan the work carefully, so that you do not have to cut tiles at external corners or along the top of half-tiled walls. You must start from a level line at a height to suit the overall plan of the tiles, such as skirting board. However, most skirting is not level and you may want to finish the wall with a new skirting over the bottom edge of the tile. You may also have problems tiling above windows and doors. The solution is to fix a temporary batten to the wall to support the first row of tiles you lay. Decide on a suitable starting point, an exact number of tiles from the top of a half-tiled wall, or in line with existing tiles over a window or doorway, and fix the batten in place with masonry nails. Check that it is exactly level with a spirit level. Spread adhesive and lay tiles as before, working upwards from the batten.
Some ranges of tiles include special fittings, such as soap dishes and towel rail fittings. If you are using these accessories, they may be a little heavy, so hold them in place with sticky tape until the tile adhesive is dry. Finally, fill in ” 2 around the lower part of the wall, or neater the area around the top of the window or door with part tiles. When dry, apply grout and polish up the tiles. If you have to drill into tiles to make fixings after they are laid, use a slow drill speed and choose round or dome-headed non-rust screws.
Plan the work carefully, so that you do not have to cut tiles at external corners or along the top of half-tiled walls. You must start from a level line at a height to suit the overall plan of the tiles, such as skirting board. However, most skirting are not level and you may want to finish the wall with a new skirting over the bottom edge of the tile. You may also have problems tiling above windows and doors.
The solution is to fix a temporary batten to the wall to support the first row of tiles you lay. Decide on a suitable starting point, an exact number of tiles from the top of a half-tiled wall, or in line with existing tiles over a window or doorway, and fix the batten in place with masonry nails. Check that it is exactly level with a spirit level. Spread adhesive and lay tiles as before, working upwards from the batten.
Some ranges of tiles include special fittings, such as soap dishes and towel rail fittings. If you are using these accessories, they may be a little heavy, so hold them in place with sticky tape until the tile adhesive is dry. Finally, fill around the lower part of the wall, or neaten the area around the top of the window or door with part tiles. When dry, apply grout and polish up the tiles.
If you have to drill into tiles to make fixings after they are laid, use a slow drill speed and choose round or dome-headed non-rust screws. Place a piece of adhesive tape over the tile to prevent the drill slipping while you work.