If you are reasonably competent at DIY then tiling your own walls or floor should be fairly straightforward; of course, some aspects of tiling are harder than others – if you choose large porcelain tiles for an awkward space you may find cutting them to shape a nuisance but, providing you have made a sensible choice for your room and your own capabilities then there is no reason why an amateur cannot achieve a professional-looking finish.
Getting a tiling project underway can be an exciting time for any DIY enthusiast. But before you start getting ready to work, check out our list of essential items for your project so you don’t have to suddenly rush out to the hardware shop for something you’ve forgotten. The exact shopping list will depend on the project you are doing, but you should definitely have the basic essentials listed here…
It might seem a straightforward process to remove tiles from the surface of walls or floors, however if you don’t know what you are doing you could end up damaging the adjacent tile and making a simple job into a major task. Whether you need to replace a broken tile, want to swap a plain tile for a patterned or coloured tile or just get rid of a tiled area in your home, make sure you follow these step by step instructions to help the process go more smoothly.
Depending on the conditions in a bathroom, mould can develop quickly or only after a few years but whenever it appears it is an unwelcome site. It can be a range of colours from reddish brown to black &hash; it will initially develop on the grout and sealant but eventually start to form on porcelain or ceramic tiles as limescale builds up on them.
There are a number of standard classifications of tile adhesive that determine how flexible the adhesive is and this should concern you if you are installing tiles in a position where there is likely to be movement after the tiles have been fixed in place. This could be ongoing movement due to temperature and moisture changes such as floor tiles laid over a timber floor, which is liable to expand and shrink as the climate changes. It could also be tiling installed in a new building where a concrete or brick structure may initially be subject to some settling. But movement of a tiled surface can also happen to a lesser extent in other situations such as a tiled bath panel which may suffer some minor movement every time the bath is filled.
Ceramic and porcelain tiles are widely used in our homes in kitchens, bathrooms, conservatories and other rooms, and the laying of these tiles on either floors or walls can often be tackled as a DIY job. Laying straight lines of tiles is a relatively easy job as is making straight cuts in the tiles, but rooms are rarely perfectly square around the edges and it is the finish around the edges that is the most difficult to get right.
Slate tiles are one of the most versatile coverings and can be used as floor tiles and wall tiles and in almost every aspect of the home. A whole room can be lined with natural slate tiles. You can even cover furniture with it. It looks just beautiful on bars, tables, and worktops. Even home accessories such as wall clocks, coasters, trivets, and chess boards can be made with slate. But why use natural slate tiles?
Travertine tiles can have four major finishes, polished (shiny), honed (matte), brushed and tumbled. The type of finish given to the travertine tile will determine how shiny the surface will be. Polished and honed surfaces are flat and smooth, the brushed and tumbled surfaces are textured. A polished tile surface is the shiniest, while the tumbled surface reflects the least amount of light.
We are probably all familiar with inkjet printers and their many uses from printing paperwork, children’s homework, photos, our own greetings cards etc. but industrial strength versions are also now being used to print designs on ceramic tiles with specially formulated inks. This opens up a whole new world of design possibilities in our homes with a range of new decorative effects from established ceramic tile manufacturers and also from smaller companies who will print your own designs onto ceramic tiles.
Bathroom tiling is often seen as a just a practical choice when designing and building a bathroom. It’s a wet environment, so of course it’s better to have the water stopping power of tile, which won’t mold or allow water to seep through into the main floorboards. Furthermore, tile is easy to clean and can be mopped up. Moreover, it allows water to evaporate more easily, which can help to reduce moisture damaged in the rest of the room. Without a doubt, it’s the best possible material for a bathroom. However, many people don’t think about how much color and style they can add to their home with the skillful use of tiling. […]
Whether you’re moving into a new home, renovating your current one, or you just think your bathroom tiling job needs a facelift, there is always the dilemma of whether you should knowledge-up and do it yourself, or hire a professional to complete the job for you. But unless you’re a qualified tiler or you’ve had some experience with tiling, you’re probably going to be out of your element. Choosing what tiles you want is the easy part; the hard part is installing those tiles if you want a finish like professionals can deliver. […]
One of the most important factors in any tiling project is thorough planning. It is not usually a good idea to just start in the corner with a full tile and work up or across from that. This might leave you with a small and unsightly row at the top or side of the wall or floor. To avoid this problem, make yourself a gauge stick before you start. Take a length of 50mm x 12mm soft wood and lay a row of tiles along one edge of it. Use spacers as you would normally so that the tiles are spaced properly, then mark the position of each tile on the gauge stick. Before you begin tiling, you must ensure that the walls are clean, unbroken and dry. The surface should be as flat as possible so you’ll need to take off any wallpaper and paint over any flaking paint. Make sure you have your gauge stick ready. […]
If you have a swimming pool on your property you’ll find that laying tiles is a great improvement over a more standard pool lining material as well as improving its appearance. You can make a lovely swimming environment by installing colourful tiles or using mosaic tiles to create creative patterns. It doesn’t matter if you’re tiling just the walls or the entire pool though, make sure you use specialised swimming pool tiles and waterproof grout to ensure you get proper, long term coverage. […]
As a professional tiler (or even a keen DIYer) you may in the past have come across the problem of trying to install border tiles that were thinner than the surrounding, large tiles. This can be a particular problem with mosaic borders or feature areas because due to the small size of mosaic tiles they are often thinner than standard tiles. But this problem needn’t be a problem anymore with the tile backerboard system from Dukkaboard […]
Flooring tiles come in many different materials, styles and uses. This article will break down the basic definition, and uses of those tiles most popular in today’s home renovations.
Ceramic tiles
What are Ceramic tiles? Ceramic tiles aremade from clay fired in a kiln. A coloured glaze is added, and the tile is fired again, making the colours that have been applied come alive in vivid variations. Ceramic tiles can be slippery, so they are usually treated with an abrasive if they are to be used as floor tiles. Unglazed ceramic tiles, called quarry tiles, are also available. They stain easily, so they should be sealed for use as flooring. Remember that slick surface tiles are not ideal in places like the bathroom, pool changing rooms, or anywhere water may collect. […]
Conservatories are used for many different purposes – a kitchen extension, children’s playroom, additional living space – and are very popular to gain that additional space without the expense of moving house. The most...
When selecting the best type of flooring for a new conservatory there are a number of factors to bear in mind. Will it be used frequently by children who will be going in and...
We supply a huge range of wall and floor tiles suitable for a new bathroom – ceramic, natural stone and porcelain tiles in an extensive range of colours and finishes. We also offer professional...
Cutting porcelain tiles is not as straightforward a job as cutting ceramic tiles and an electric tile cutter with a diamond blade will almost certainly be required. But these tools do not have to...
The major manufacturers of porcelain tiles are now producing tiles that closely resemble natural stone such as marble, limestone and travertine. Natural stone has a unique beauty that is not easy to reproduce but...
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