Advice on my method please

[0Floz0]

Hi

I’ve read through the sticky a number of times. It’s really helpful. I’m doing my first major diy tile job (hopefully this weekend). I’m just looking for a bit of confidence that my plan is solid. It’s a newly installed en suite that we’ve put in the dormer conversion. All done by myself and my Father.

The tiles I’m using are 9mm porcelain 600x300 for the walls and exactly the same for the floor although they’re 600x600.

These ones:

https://www.wallsandfloors.co.uk/modern-statuario-polished-marble-effect-tile-600x600

Preparation
I’ve foam core cement boarded all the walls along with appropriate waterproofing for the joints
Floor is also cement boarded but not the foam one.

Tools
Diamond hole saws
Screw top levelling spacers
score and snap tile cutter
Electric tile cutter with a new blade (it’s a cheap table top cutter)
Trowel - I’ve got a 10mm square notch trowel but I’ve read so many different opinions. Seems a lot recommend getting a tiger trowel.

Adhesive
Ultra slow set
Bal grout

Method
I’ve screwed wood into the bottom of each wall to start tiling from

I’m laying in stack bond format so I’m going to get the laser level to show where I go. I’ll be laying the levelling spacers as I go along and probably using the x spacers where the 4 corners meet. Both are 3mm.

Trowel adhesive on and comb with the notch
Back butter the tile with flat end of trowel
Push tile on and twist a little to make sure it beds in

I’ve got square edge trim for going round the window.

Grouting I’ve done before so relatively happy with that.

The website says the tiles are pre sealed so not bothering with sealer.

Plan is to do the walls first and then the floor.

Have I missed anything major?

Main concerns
Should I use a 10mm square notch trowel and if so, should that be for both walls and floor or would you use something else for the floor.

How to approach tiling round the window

Do I fit the shower tray first and tile on top of that?

Thanks all

 

[johnny2007]

Larger tiles, I use 20mm round notch tiles.
I don't bother buttering the tiles after seeing how the adhesive works at a mapei exhibition stall in italy.
Use a levelling system, even cheap ones are good.
Screwfix no-nonsense works fine.

 

[0Floz0]

Larger tiles, I use 20mm round notch tiles.
I don't bother buttering the tiles after seeing how the adhesive works at a mapei exhibition stall in italy.
Use a levelling system, even cheap ones are good.
Screwfix no-nonsense works fine.

Thanks. Yeah I’ve got a levelling kit

Any idea what the difference is between round notch and square notch? I assumed square notch gives a better contact point.

 

[johnny2007]

Round notch apparently spreads better on larger tiles.
I am not a tiler, I only tile my own house and that of friends and family without charging them.
I saw a mapei exhibition where they were showing various techniques for tiling, good, bad and ugly.
They used glass to show what happens to adhesive when tiling.
Buttering not necessary, just a waste of adhesive.
I tried to remove a 300x300 piece of glass stuck with that technique after an hour or so, no chance.
I have very strong arms and that glass wouldn't move.
I suppose tiles, with rough back, will be stuck even better.