Is my builder tiling correctly?

katy may · 22 Oct 2006

Hi, I have a problem. My builder offered to put up the tiles in my bathroom - on all four walls. I don't do DIY but I was expecting the following:
a) he would measure the walls and plot out the tiles so as to have an equal sixed tile at top/bottom and left/right.
b) that he would spread the adhesive on with those comb like devices

What he has done is to start with a full tile at bath level and is putting the adhesive (very slowly) around the edges of the tile (25cm square tiles). Will this not leave the tiles with a gap behind them? Is that a problem? He's not done any cutting of tiles yet. Should I be worried,? (His other work has been OK so far but not as delicate - more in the line of making trapdoors and shelves etc)

Thanks for any advice.

2scoops0406 · 22 Oct 2006

He's not doing it correctly no. Tile layouts should be planned so you don't get left with slivers / or an unbalanced look, also as you have noted the adhesive should be combed over the wall and the tiles bedded in properly.

katy may · 22 Oct 2006

That's what I thought. Oh God, now I'm going to have to go and mention it!

Thank you for the advice, appreciate it.

Zampa · 22 Oct 2006

Most builders will attempt almost anything rather than get a pro in...

What is a 'builder' anyway?...to me its a bricklayer not someone who can also brick, plaster, do the carpentry, tile, paint (cos anyone can 'slap' a bit of paint on cant they

) do the roof put the windows in etc...

My advice to anyone...if you want a carpenter, then get a carpenter not a builder who can 'do a bit'

And be careful when it comes to employing someone to paperhang...not all so called decorators can hang paper and as a ratio id say 60% cant/wont ...10% can but only when pushed and arnt very good...18% can and are very good 2%...only paper and are normally experts.

I love the blokes who say 'i can paper dont I dont like doing it'...

Any other dekkies reading this care to tell everyone else what this normally means to the rest of us ????....

noseall · 22 Oct 2006

it's probably better to avoid slivers than be too picky about having the same size cut from top to bottom and side to side, though a balanced wall will look better.
if you tile diamond ways on then you must follow the pattern round the room terminating at the least visible corner (usually above the door).

a notched trowel spread is best, and usually leads to the least hollow spots, though this is no guarantee.

gcol · 22 Oct 2006

There's nothing wrong with starting with a full tile on the bath as long as the bath is properly level and you finish with a decent amount of tile at the ceiling. By decent, I mean around 3/4 of a tile.
Have a look to see whether he'll end up with an even tile at the sides though, cause that always looks dodgy.
Buttering the edge of the tile, as mentioned, is not the right way to go about sticking tiles up. Whilst they'll probably hold up ok and you'll probably not have any problems, due to the void, there's always the risk of cracking the tile if it's impacted or if you need to fix a screw through the tile.
On the plus side, the tiles will probably come off a bit easier if you decide to get someone else in or if you re-tile in future.

2scoops0406 · 22 Oct 2006

Better than buttering it like a brick though !

Tozzy · 22 Oct 2006

I think you are supposed to start from the corner like this:

Yes, he should be using a notched spreader or adhesive trowel.

Btw, please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm no tiler

.

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Is my builder tiling correctly?

katy may

2scoops0406

katy may

Zampa

noseall

gcol

2scoops0406

Tozzy

DIYnot Local

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