Uneven tiles on floor

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9 May 2004
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Morning all,

I've just had my kitchen floor tiled and I'm more than disappointed with the results.

The grout lines are uneven in width and not straight in places. You can also see the tiles are not bedded to the same depth, particularly where the corners of 4 tiles meet.

To be fair it's not horrific, but it was obvious to me. I spoke to the tiler and he said it's because I chose cheap tiles so they're all slightly different sizes and widths etc and that's as good as I can expect with those tiles.

I don't buy it. I've tiled a couple of bathrooms with the cheapest tiles known to man and the grout lines were cock-on throughout. Did I just get lucky or is he pulling my plonker?
 
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If he had concerns about the quality of the product (in terms of the tiles being different dimensions) he should have raised it with you as soon as he noticed and not continued.

Can you post a pic?

Sounds like you're also suffering from some lipage. This can be massively reduced by using a tile levelling system.
 
Not sticking up for your tiler BUT, no it is not unusual to find tiles in a box that are maybe a 1 or 2 mm different in width, Places like B&Q have been mentioned quite a bit over the years for this problem, when it comes to the likes of slate you can actually get a depth difference of up to 1/2 " between some of the tiles

But as said above, the tiler should have stopped work and brought it to your attention as soon as he realised what was wrong, not carried on
 
Thanks for the input all. I'm away at the moment so no pics but will try to update you when I get back.

If it makes a difference, the tiler was arranged by the shop. In my mind, if the tiles are the problem, then I feel there should be some comeback against them. If the tiles are fine and the tiler is at fault then it's still the shop that need to address it (i paid the shop only, not the tiler). I'd have gladly paid more for better tiles if that would have avoided the problem, but in my naievety, I never foresaw this and the shop never mentioned it either.

Thanks,

Nick
 
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Thanks for the input all. I'm away at the moment so no pics but will try to update you when I get back.

If it makes a difference, the tiler was arranged by the shop. In my mind, if the tiles are the problem, then I feel there should be some comeback against them. If the tiles are fine and the tiler is at fault then it's still the shop that need to address it (i paid the shop only, not the tiler). I'd have gladly paid more for better tiles if that would have avoided the problem, but in my naievety, I never foresaw this and the shop never mentioned it either.

Thanks,

Nick


Does the tiler actually work for the shop OR is he just a self employed tiler who gets work from that shop, that's the way it normally works, Did the tiler give you an estimate or even call out and measure up for you. Have you been in touch with the shop to let them know that you are not happy with the workmanship ?
 
As it was the shop that supplied the tiles, and the tiler, then you should bring the issues to their attention and get their opinion. I've taken back B&Q tiles that were different sizes, but they came from different batches. Tiles are seldom perfect, but a good tiler will adjust and juggle the tiles as they go, but the lines should be straight even if they are different widths, I've never seen them narrow as they go; and they certainly shouldn't be different heights. As the others have said, he should have brought it to your attention as soon as he noticed it, not blamed the poor job on your choice of tiles.
 
I'm no tiler and have very little experience diying tiles but with respect to the levels surely you just vary the grout a little?
 
The level of the tiles is down to the adhesive under the base, and if the floors not level, then you can get caught out if the adhesive bed is too thin. but it's often down to the tiler wanting to get the job done quickly, and isn't making sure that the tiles level to the surrounding ones - you just need s pirit level to tap the tiles down every now and then. Obvioulsy, if the tiles not flat, then it should be lifted, and replaced, but I suspect this tiler would consider that too much like hard work.
 

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