External Corners \ Butt Joints

[scholesy]

Hi all

I'm currently in the midst of tiling my bathroom with some large format porcelain tiles (600x300) and thanks to the great advice on this website and GCols guide its looking pretty good.

The bathroom is like a stumpy 'L' shape,
(pic here to help with description //www.diynot.com/network/scholesy/albums/372/1050 )
With the bath area and boxing being done in a dark tile and the rest of the room in a lighter creamier colour.

Now I have 2 problems with external edges and would really apprecitae some advice...

(1) Their is one external corner in the bathroom which I was going to butt joint. I've rather stupidly done the tiles on one side so they finish totally level with the other plasterboard face so now when I apply adhesive to the other face the tiles will be raised 5mm ish above the other tiles if that makes sense. What should I do? I'm thinking maybe of not putting any adhesive at that end and slowly thickening the adhesive to the other end of the tile, would this be OK?

(2) This applies to (1) as well. The boxing ledge next to the bath again will have a butt joint. However the tiles laid on top will have a dull edge to them. Whilst the rest of the tile faces are semi-polished. What would you do to get around this? Can the Porcelain edges be polished?

(3) Just a general query regarding Butt Joints, I take it you should leave no gap for the joint? Do you still need to seal the joint with maybe some clear sealant?

cheers for any help

Scholesy

 

[bsr]

Edge beading. B & Q have it in lots of colours.

 

[lancenotalot]

(1) Their is one external corner in the bathroom which I was going to butt joint. I've rather stupidly done the tiles on one side so they finish totally level with the other plasterboard face so now when I apply adhesive to the other face the tiles will be raised 5mm ish above the other tiles if that makes sense. What should I do? I'm thinking maybe of not putting any adhesive at that end and slowly thickening the adhesive to the other end of the tile, would this be OK?

When butt joining the tiles you should still leave a grout join between the tiles where they meet at the corner at a right angle.

(2) This applies to (1) as well. The boxing ledge next to the bath again will have a butt joint. However the tiles laid on top will have a dull edge to them. Whilst the rest of the tile faces are semi-polished. What would you do to get around this? Can the Porcelain edges be polished?

You could try a polishing pad to buff the edges up.

(3) Just a general query regarding Butt Joints, I take it you should leave no gap for the joint? Do you still need to seal the joint with maybe some clear sealant?

Leave a gap and grout the joint.

 

[scholesy]

cheers fellas

I think that because of the edge of the tile, (its almost a totally different grey colour) then beading is the best option. The stuff i've got leaves a chrome flat edge when applied with a very slight gap. Is this gap meant to be grouted?