Diagonal Wall Tiling

[Mr_Crispy]

I'm looking to tile my kitchen with the tiles on the diagonal. Not too sure how to start off though.

1)Can't really run a baton through, so I assume I'll need to just tile off the worktop.

2)For the first row, do I just cut the tiles in half and then continue up the wall with whole tiles??

Any help in keeping my diagonals on the straight and narrow would be great...

 

[DAZB]

It is as easy as you think it is. Cut your tiles in half along the diagonals and set them on first using the worktop as your guide because the worktop will be level .You can double check the first row of your cut tiles by sitting a spirit level on the peaks and adjust accordingley . Then just infill with the full tiles as you would normally using spacers to keep things equal. Remember to keep checking with a spirit level or other straight edge against the tiles so they all stay the same depth on the wall . If you take it steady and don't rush you shouldn't have any problems .

 

[Mr_Crispy]

Cheers DAZB...I'll give it a go this weekend...ta for the tips...

 

[masona]

The most important thing I would say,make sure the tiles is cut dead centre or you could find the tiles goes out of line slightly.

 

[Plugus_Maximus]

Just searched and found this thread.

I'm not doing diagonals but is there any reason why I couldn't tile off the kitchen worktop instead of from a wall nailed baton? The kitchen worktop is not completly level but it's a only a miniscule amount out. I reckon if I was to nail a baton to the wall my tiles would be even more out.

One other query ... the wall is almost freshly plastered- it's dead smooth. Do I need to rough it up a bit? Score it for example? Some bits have emulsion where I have 'over painted'. Do I need to get every last scrap of this removed? and then touch up the paint after?

I've not tiled before but I'm just plucking up the courage ...

K

 

[Bry]

This reply is probably a bit late but others may find it useful.
If turning a corner (e.g. adjacent wall) it is important to have equal size tiles butting up into the corner or it looks odd.
This calls for a lot of setting out but is well worth the effort. I managed this in the bathroom and even managed to have equal tiles around a window.
Vertical lines on the wall help keep tiles straight as does regular checking with a spirit level. A length of baton marked out with tiles widths was also useful.
(It took hours of planning so be patient and don't throw the tiles out the window in frustration)

 

[Bry]

For Plugus-maximus.
I would be inclined to tile off the worktop if it as level as you say.
However, check distances to any window sills above as it is here any out of true will show most. Also you do not want small widths of tile at this level. Use plastic tile edges sold in all tile shops if your tiles do not have a glazed edge.
Check out all round the tiled area for problems like this. Use a baton marked out with tile widths (plus spacers) to help plan. If you find any such problems, you would be better tiling off a baton and cutting tiles to the worktop afterwards.
If the bottom edge should look a little ragged, one solution would be to use coving tiles such as those used around a bath at worktop/wall junction.

I would rough up the wall a little but provided the paint on the wall is sound there is no need to be over-fussy about removal.

 

[Plugus_Maximus]

Cheers bry!

I've made a good start and so far so good! I've worked straight off the worktop with no probs ... even the window sill is nicely parallel. However, I have found I need to cut tile 'slithers' coz the gap between the worktop and the widnow sill is about a tile and a 10th! I'm gonna have a few tiles left over so I might double tile (one on top of the other) the window sill so I don't have to cut the slivers above the worktop so narrowly. Currently when I run them through the circular tile cutter they fragment. Though I have found the more water sloshing about the blade the thinner slice of tile I can cut!

K