Advice Needed On Using Mosaic And Large Format Wall Tiles

[DaveM]

@3_fall

Thanks for that! I was originally looking for an alternative to tiles that I could have stuck to the wall, but could only find the upvc cladding and glass splashbacks. The bathroom that has been ripped out was from 1992 and isn't unlike some of the new ones we saw when we were buying the bath, basing and bog! Anyway, I have bought the tiles now, they are being stacked, I've almost convinced her that a border is old hat too.

I'm just wondering, if I run the mosaic up the end of the bath/shower area, how do I cut circular holes in the mosaic for the 15mm shower pipes to come through? if it was just a single tile out for each pipe, that would be easy enough, but I'm not that lucky!

 

[Old Mod]

Just remove minimal amount of mosaic to accept pipe work then cut each piece as required to replace back around pipes.
It'll depend on the mosaic as to how easy/well they'll cut.
Most are easy enough to cut with a pair of tile nippers.
Just nibble at it rather than trying to take chunks.
Most shower controls/diverters come with a fairly large shroud/cover plate to go around pipe work.
Long as the plate covers it, they'll be fine.
Although the plates are generally designed to justpush up tight to the tiles, for added peace of mind u can put a thin Silicon bead around the outside which can be cut easily with a box knife if u ever need access.

 

[Flintstone]

Trim to mosaic around it. Cut out enough to get the sheet on the put the 4 bits in. Will have a cover plate over it

 

[Old Mod]

Had you considered tanking around the shower/bath area?
I think for £50 it'd be well worth considering.
Nothing worse than sitting down to breakfast and the ceiling from above joining u for coffee when u've had a unoticed leak!

 

[DaveM]

Ok thanks, wasn't sure if I could nip at them as some of the bits are glass?

It's all tanked with an aquaseal kit, did the entire wall where the bath/shower, basin and toilet are as I had a lot of paint left over.

 

[DaveM]

These are the mosaics, I got some of the mesh backing today from al murads, it does seem to make them more manageable.

 

[Old Mod]

Yeah apparently they do make them easier to manage, never use them myself, but whatever makes your life easier has to be a bonus!
When u say u have a lot left over, did u just get the 4.5m kit, or the bigger 7.5?

 

[DaveM]

Yeah apparently they do make them easier to manage, never use them myself, but whatever makes your life easier has to be a bonus!
When u say u have a lot left over, did u just get the 4.5m kit, or the bigger 7.5?

I got the 7.5 kit off ebay for 40 quid. I've got a 4 year old that likes to splash, so I thought it wise to do as much as possible.

 

[DaveM]

I have a setting out question, am I right in thinking that it's best to start with the wall that the window, end of bath/shower, basin and toilet are? Which gets priority, the window, or bathroom suite when it comes to lining up the tiles? Hope that makes sense. I've read loads and watched loads of vids, but not been able to find one that has all these things on one wall.

Apologies for the temporary bathroom.

 

[Old Mod]

When we walk in to any room are eyes are always drawn to the biggest source of light first, namely a window.
That's what has to look right.
So avoid small pieces adjacent to window reveals.
And what typically looks most pleasing is equal cuts top and bottom, and side to side. (n/a in your case)
And as big as piece as possible.
Ideally we'd all like to see full tiles around every window!
If only!
And also keeping one eye on the tile line parralell to the bath.
This is the next place people look in a bathroom haha,
Oh and then the ceiling.
Sometimes there's a compromise, and u have to make that call.
Remember for every proposed joint line u mark on the wall, the tile can either butt up to it, or it can straddle the line 50/50
Eg. If u've 400 X 400 tiles and you're left with 100mm cut into corner then move your tile off the line u've made and straddle it instead.
U'll then be left with a 300 cut instead.
Hope that's suitably confusing!

 

[DaveM]

@3_fall OK thanks mate. I was planning on tiling just below the bath, maybe 6 inches as the walls are nice and square, and the bath is slightly shorter than the distance between the walls by maybe 20mm. So you reckon keep a grout line away from the line of the bath? Would say a half tile's worth be ok?

I'm putting a false ceiling in using batons, upvc cladding and some downlighters. I was going to to it after I tile and attach the battens to the tiles. You can't see it in the photo, but at the window wall end of the bathroom, there's a 45 degree slope in the ceiling at that end where the eaves are and the plan is to drop the ceiling to get rid of that. It still leaves plenty of headroom above when stood in bath.

And yes, that last bit was confusing haha

 

[Old Mod]

No no, all I meant was it notices if the cut around the bath is very small and it also becomes a weak point because when u fit a small slip like that u increase the chances of it not getting full coverage on tile.
But if you're going to tile from below bath with a full tile then no problem. Although u can improve water integrity within the bath by cutting down on to it.
You're relying solely on a Silicon joint otherwise to prevent moisture ingress between wall and bath.
If u cut down onto it, u can install something like this between wal and bath first which will give u 100% leak free bath, if installed correctly.
These are excellent.
Classi Seal Flexible Waterproof Self-Adhesive Upstand - 2M - https://www.rubberduckbathrooms.co.uk/classi-seal-flexible-waterproof-tile-upstand-2m?source=googlebase&kw=&fl=1000&ci=84361459935&network=pla&gclid=CK6J75XQ0s0CFasV0wodNXwFCg

imagine u draw a centre line on the wall perpendicular to your bath.
U start a tile either side of this line and work towards the corner. When u get to the corner u are left with 100mm cut, not desirable if the tiles are 500mm long!
So instead straddle the line with the tile. 250 each side. Now your cut will be 100 + 250 ...350mm much more acceptable.

 

[DaveM]

No no, all I meant was it notices if the cut around the bath is very small and it also becomes a weak point because when u fit a small slip like that u increase the chances of it not getting full coverage on tile.
But if you're going to tile from below bath with a full tile then no problem. Although u can improve water integrity within the bath by cutting down on to it.
You're relying solely on a Silicon joint otherwise to prevent moisture ingress between wall and bath.
If u cut down onto it, u can install something like this between wal and bath first which will give u 100% leak free bath, if installed correctly.
These are excellent.
Classi Seal Flexible Waterproof Self-Adhesive Upstand - 2M - https://www.rubberduckbathrooms.co.uk/classi-seal-flexible-waterproof-tile-upstand-2m?source=googlebase&kw=&fl=1000&ci=84361459935&network=pla&gclid=CK6J75XQ0s0CFasV0wodNXwFCg

imagine u draw a centre line on the wall perpendicular to your bath.
U start a tile either side of this line and work towards the corner. When u get to the corner u are left with 100mm cut, not desirable if the tiles are 500mm long!
So instead straddle the line with the tile. 250 each side. Now your cut will be 100 + 250 ...350mm much more acceptable.

Ah I get it now, thanks

So that window and the bath need to be balanced out so the cuts aren't small. Got it. Thanks again mate, much appreciated!

 

[Old Mod]

No problem, but window should take priority.

 

[Italy]

for @DaveM .
attention @3_fall
now send invoice.............ahahha