Cutting in

[TR1CKY]

I am about to start tiling a walk in shower. The wall you face as you walk in will be the focal point. If I start from dead centre, there would be a row of 3 and a half tiles to the ceiling and three and a third to the bottom.

However, if I add some ceiling coving, I can pretty much get away with a line of 7 tiles with a minor cut to one end or the other.

The wall is 220cm in height all the way round the shower tray, so that's ok (apart from where I will be tiling to the floor just outside the tray) and the tiles are 31cm in height, so 7x31 = 217cm, with the coving on top, that's the wall covered.

The tiles butt up to each other to give the effect of a whole wall so there are no spacers / gaps.

My question is, what's the best way to do this?

Should I go for seven in a row or forget the coving and go with the centre point and do top and bottom cuts? As there is no pattern / gaps, I am wondering if I should just do the line of seven. (Obviously, I'll have to cut the side tiles in).

Any advice gratefully received!

Shower area:


Tile:

 

[AdamCH]

"The tiles butt up to each other to give the effect of a whole wall so there are no spacers / gaps."

No gaps? Do you mean no grout? Hope your taking is good!

 

[Skimmers]

can we get a better pic and the name of the tile please as there are interlocking tiles that have lines that look pre grouted but you have to to match the tile grout and still grout in the tiles.

and as said before are you tanking it or just acrylic priming. DONT SAY PVA

Id set out a row up from the tray and tile all the way up to the ceiling if your coving it then it wont matter on the cut.
or if your good with a level then set in your first row ontop of the tray level then up and run off that

 

[TR1CKY]

Tiles are here. I have BAL micromax2 bagged adhesive.

The plasterboard was moisture resistant on the end walls and the "main" wall has been skimmed and I'll be priming with this

Thanks

 

[Skimmers]

youll still need to grout the joints in mate i mite be wrong

 

[AdamCH]

You need to tank the plasterboard. Priming won't waterproof it.

 

[Skimmers]

no you dont you need to use a acrylic primer and good powered addy and miroflex grout with silicon joints

 

[AdamCH]

You won't need to look far to see what happens if the grout or silicone fails. Tank it or you'll end up with a repair in a few months.

 

[Skimmers]

no you wont and id bet if you asked it a tile shop they will say the same
have just done over 90 bathrooms most (wetrooms) and kitchens.
and the spec was non slip vinyl flooring the walls was 18mm ply then 12mm plaster board then topped with MR board tape and jointed primed then tiled
finished with miroflex grout and silicone corners. thats site spec a and not had any problems.

 

[Skimmers]

So thats just primed plasterboard tiled straight onto it ??? not even skimmed

 

[AdamCH]

If you need to see what can happen with plasterboard take at look at the picture below.

Untitled

• AdamCH
• 10 Nov 2013
• 1

Doesn't surprise me that builders specs are plasterboard - it's cheap. Best is to use waterproof tile backer boards like Wedi, Marmox etc, next is to tank it.

Any movement that opens a crack in the grout or silicone will let water in that will then lead to more damage.

 

[AdamCH]

So thats just primed plasterboard tiled straight onto it ??? not even skimmed

No point skimming plasterboard it if it's to be tiled. You just reduce the weight of tiles you can stick to it.

 

[TR1CKY]

youll still need to grout the joints in mate i mite be wrong

You were right, I had to use 2mm spacers and grouted...(well, I'm STILL grouting) round

Just to clarify for anyone else who stumbles across this post, in the end, I went with the MR PB which I primed all round then did the tiling and am now finishing with BAL miroflex grout and will use BAL silicone for the corners.

As for the tank -v- prime arguments if there are no more posts here then that worked a treat. If I get any issues I'll update here (honest!)

Finally - thanks to all who took the time to reply. Much appreciated

 

[tpt]

You should tank it, many don't but then many have problems.

Site specs often cut it out because of costs, but if (and when) water gets behind the tiles, the pb will fall apart. Lots get away with it because the shower head isn't facing the tiled area.

Priming won't make the PB stand up to water, acrylic priming is just to help the addy stick.

 

[tpt]

although actually, the best spec is to use a backer-board. no need to tank then.