I don’t Excel at tiling

[Big Tone]

Sorry if I have posted in the wrong place or if it’s not suitable here. It’s really a software problem more than DIY but I hope someone can help me. If someone has an answer it could well be useful for others in building too.

It started when I decided to tile my kitchen wall, above my worktop. The area is ~70x280 cm and the tiles I want to use are 20x25 cm.

So clever me thinks I’ll use Excel to create tiles of 20x25 cm where I can get a better visual idea of the situation and how many tiles etc. (I’m using the word ‘clever’ very loosely ).


Firstly I select all cells by clicking in the top left hand corner
Next I use Format - Row - Height and enter the value 25
Next I use Format – Coulomb - Width and enter the value 20

You get something which is absolute nonsense! To put it a different way if you enter the value 20 for both height and width you would expect a square but instead you get a long thin rectangle. Try it if you don’t believe me.

What am I doing wrong?

I actually know Excel very well and have used it to do many things over the years but this has me stumped. The ‘Help’ is no use either BTW.

 

[Fred27]

I'm not sure exactly what you're going to do once you've got your grid of squares. How is Excel going to help then?

Buy a pad of graph paper. WH Smiths do them. I found it helpful planning tiles for my very complicated multi-room layout. That way you can sketch options until you're happy.


To answer your question though - Excel sets row heights in points (1/72 inch) but widths in number of characters that will fit. Weird I know, but designed for accountants not graphic designers.

 

[Big Tone]

I actually just wanted to do the electronic equivalent of using graph paper. The tiling is more complicated than I have said, (for brevity’s sake).

Unlike graph paper, I thought it would be easier to use and move/adjust the e-tiles and border tiles around to see how it may fit in the space available.

So it looks like I can’t use it for what I wanted. I am somewhat surprised there isn’t an option or something but I take on board what you say.

Thanks for the answer Fred.

It's not what I wanted to hear but that's life

I feel a John Cleese moment coming on… “I mean what is the point of having a height and width entry if it doesn’t alter the bloody height and width!”

 

[Big Tone]

Oh, BTW, what threw me was the fact that if you place the cursor over the height or width bars, (at the top and LHS), to drag the coulomb height or width to a new distance they both show the distance in terms of pixels. So you would therefore expect any measurement you input to be in pixels too.

I’ll let the bone go now. Grrrrr...

 

[TonyV]

Oh, BTW, what threw me was the fact that if you place the cursor over the height or width bars, (at the top and LHS), to drag the coulomb height or width to a new distance they both show the distance in terms of pixels. So you would therefore expect any measurement you input to be in pixels too.

I’ll let the bone go now. Grrrrr...

Hi BT

You can use Excel as a basic CAD package - just written how to but explorer shut down and i lost typiny - so will try again quickly. Basically use Autoshape - insert a rectangle and format it to the size of your wall, then insert further rectangles and format to your tile size(s) you can then copy and move to see ho they fit. Just remeber to add 1/2 grout thickness to tile size

Have fun

Tony

 

[olly_k]

hehe like the title

I think you are perhaps being a little overcomplicated tbh. I do admire someone who takes time over the planning of the job, and I agree it is very important to check how ALL cuts work out so solutions or compromises can be made but I think a combination of measuring, holding tiles to wall and sketching is all you need tbh

If there was really a need I would have thought there would be a small program available on the web.

Hang on (checks on google...)

 

[TonyV]

hi Olly

Hang on (checks on google...)[/quote]

Did you find one?

I would do same as you - mark out wall with tiles & tapemeasure.
But have been off site for sometime and was just intrigued that someone would like that detail - but could'nt do it using Excel.
Just thought I would let Big Tone know that he could do it using Excel if he wanted to - Mr Gates surely had tilers in mind

I have used it rather than CAD for simple office layouts - so that the users of office can shuffle bits around till they get the layout they like.
Tony

 

[Big Tone]

Oh, BTW, what threw me was the fact that if you place the cursor over the height or width bars, (at the top and LHS), to drag the coulomb height or width to a new distance they both show the distance in terms of pixels. So you would therefore expect any measurement you input to be in pixels too.

I’ll let the bone go now. Grrrrr...

Hi BT

You can use Excel as a basic CAD package - just written how to but explorer shut down and i lost typiny - so will try again quickly. Basically use Autoshape - insert a rectangle and format it to the size of your wall, then insert further rectangles and format to your tile size(s) you can then copy and move to see ho they fit. Just remeber to add 1/2 grout thickness to tile size

Have fun

Tony

I'm havin' a go; just trying different colours. Not sure where to stick the mains sockets yet either. Marks out of ten please

 

[olly_k]

Quite impressive that well done for persistence

 

[Big Tone]

Thanks Olly_K

I used to have Autocad Lite, (back when I was using a 486 processor), which is fantastic of course but it’s nice to have something very basic and reliable I think.

Autocad is more of a sledgehammer to crack a nut, in this instance, so since every man and his dog has Excel I just thought I’d try using it but didn’t expect the faff. It’s a shame really because if it did what I originally wanted it would have been much quicker and easier.

As has been said, it was never designed to be graphics tool although there again, a screwdriver wasn’t designed to be used as a chisel but I confess mine sometimes is. (Awe come – I’m not the only one! )

Good suggestion from TonyV.

You can easily format the boxes by typing in the actual measurements, or a division of. Overall, I think there is some merit in using Excel because, unlike paper, I can change the colours and patterns quickly using a simple program which is what I wanted. Also, because I haven’t bought the tiles yet I can’t physically place them up to get a feel for it all.

Slight drift: I did use a bit of freeware some months ago to arrange the floor space which was quite good. It was very basic, couldn’t even put a radius on a worktop, but it did the job. I must see if I can find it and post again.

Thanks to all who have helped here.

I am a wiser and happier man. Now I've just gotta find the love of a virtuous woman with no baggage. “I may be some time”…

 

[TonyV]

Autocad is more of a sledgehammer to crack a nut

All depends on wall / floor layout - used in indrustry for quotes (even simple ones if natural stone).

As has been said, it was never designed to be graphics tool although there again, a screwdriver wasn’t designed to be used as a chisel but I confess mine sometimes is. (Awe come – I’m not the only one! )

You would only use mine as one if you replaced as new - sorry

Good suggestion from TonyV.

Thank You - but is a bit of a faff - so is everthing till you have used it a few times

(As for spreadsheet tile layout , although not that accurate to solve row hieght vs column width, multiply column width by 5.44 to give the row height - should give you a square. will be within about +/- 2% - but cummulative - then you scale again depends on size or complexity whether worth doing? Really JFI)

Mr Gates Was'nt really doing it for tilers

Have a nice wall


Tony

 

[Big Tone]

Well you imply you would at least lend me your screwdriver Tony, which is nice.

I think I painted myself to be worse than I am there. I actually take great care of my tools. The screwdriver which I have on rare occasion used to chisel a bit of wood has its metal shaft running right through the handle to the top where it's splays out. So I think it was designed to be hit and when used on wood it doesn’t hurt the tip. Just wanted to quickly explain that one; I felt like I was on trial there for a minute.

I’m struggling with the tiles because they’re a throw back, (or more like a throw-up), from the 60s. I can’t find them anywhere and since the entire kitchen is covered in them I’m looking at a big job when I really only need to replace about seven. They’re a kind of satin white with dappled small squares, like this..

That’s why I say the job is much more complicated than I mentioned at first. If I'm to do it right I've either got to find the same tiles or do the whole kitchen

Anyway, I mentioned a simple program which was very basic but okay. It’s called Room Arranger http://www.aplusfreeware.com/misc/RoomArranger/RoomArranger.html



It has limitations but I found it useful to plan my kitchen. Sadly, I feel they spoilt the ship for a ha'porth of tar because, like a said, you can’t even put a radius on a box - at least not that I know of. But, it is simple to use and does what it says on the tin. This is my kitchen; the doorway isn't as restricted as shown because I can't put a radius on the worktop in the diagram but it was still helpful nonetheless.

Cheers again

Tony

 

[kevd]

if you have got access to it, then Microsoft Visio is great at doing all this layout thingy. Thats what I have used.

You can download a trial from the microsoft site which I think is good for 90 days or somthing.

 

[Big Tone]

if you have got access to it, then Microsoft Visio is great at doing all this layout thingy. Thats what I have used.

You can download a trial from the microsoft site which I think is good for 90 days or something.

"Visio"!!! That name rings a bell from circa 1980 something! Blast from the past methinks; didn't know it was still 'doing the rounds'. Cheers Kevd, I’ll check it out later. I'm sure I have it on two floppys somewhere

Oh BTW. I'm still a newbie to this forum so if I come across like a nut please don't beat up on me - I really am a nut. DIY has sent me crazy....

Seriously, I appreciate everyones' input guys. Since I bought this house a year ago from a lovely 80 year old married couple, whom were off to simpler pastures, I’ve learnt there’s no such thing as a simple job like never before.

For instance, I've just spent all day today installing a 'Toilet-to-go'. Sorry to drift again but it was £60 from Screwfix. Nice toilet but what a palaver!!! It was going well, until I got to the waste pipe! Jackanory...


I purchased a flexible/expandable/universal wastepipe months ago, knowing I'm going to do this one day, and today was the day.

Now I don't know if it's a case of metric meets imperial but I nearly gave myself a stroke trying to force the waste pipe into the old external poop pipe. It was like the ribbed rubber bendy waste pipe, (black part), was suited to mate with a metric 90mm I/D watse pipe but I was trying to push it into a smaller imperial 3.5" I/D or something.

Long story short - I ended-up cutting the ribbed bits off the flexible rubber connecting pipe, to make life easier, which is meant to fit inside the external waste pipe going through the wall to the outside.

So, with plenty of shower gel on the rubber, I did the equivalent of a 500lb leg press to get it into the external waste pipe. Is this making sense? The opposite end of the connecting tube went on the outside of the toilet seat okay, allbeit at a funny angle. I’ll throw another picture or two in...

The thing is, I transferred to a water meter, (difference between £530 p/a and £200 p/a) and wanted a dual flush bog. Damn thing nearly killed me though! I don’t have a pic of me trying to get a hernia...

 

[TonyV]

Big Tone

Was only "Joshing" with you re: screwdriver use

But with your tiling problem - apart from looking for reclaim yards - can you possibly find some from your current kitchen(as you do not need many), from behind dead spaces - I'm sure you have already looked - but if not can you create one with cupboard, picture(poster) or mirror?

Tony