advice on how to tile around a window.

[sasik]

I just finish to tile over a complete bathroom (floor to ceiling). There was one part of the job that i found quite of a challenge, tiling around the window! using large porcelain tiles (600 x 400). So my question is:
- where would you start? would you start from the centre and work your way out towards the walls either side of the window?.
- how do you support the tiles on the top side of the window?

Could someone can give a professional and detailed advice of a start to finish tiling around windows.

thanks

 

[peteablard]

I'll always try and centre the window providing it doesn't leave slithers at the walls. When tiling across the top I use wooden props to hold the tiles in place until the addy sets

 

[Rich]

Hello and welcome to the forum!


Windows are usually a real focal point of a room so it is very important to get the setting out right. If you can, centre them so that you have an even (and not small) cut around the window, this is sometimes easier said then done as every room is different and often this doesnt work with the rest of the room.

When it comes to tiling around the window, I bring the tiles up the wall on either side of the window first, making certain that every course is bang on level and even. The reveals of the windows are very rarely level or square. In this case I cut the tiles on the wall slightly over the edge of the window and cut the tiles around the window the same size to create a level and square edge. Before these tiles are fixed to the wall, I run the back edge off with the grinder ( be careful no to take to much off as you can weaken the edge) to allow the trim or tile to sit flush against these tiles. When it comes to tiling above the window, I find it easiest to either stick or screw a piece of baton to the underside of the sill that will give me something to wedge the tiles against. After you have tiled all the way around the window and created a level and square frame, use some rapid setting adhesive to skim the reveals. Then tile the inside of the reveals.

Hope that makes some kind of sense?

 

[doug boardley]

I always use the centre of the window as my starting line, trying to get a healthy sized cut up the sides (not reveals).

 

[Rich]

Here is a pic of a bathroom I did recently

 

[sasik]

Hello and welcome to the forum!


Windows are usually a real focal point of a room so it is very important to get the setting out right. If you can, centre them so that you have an even (and not small) cut around the window, this is sometimes easier said then done as every room is different and often this doesnt work with the rest of the room.

When it comes to tiling around the window, I bring the tiles up the wall on either side of the window first, making certain that every course is bang on level and even. The reveals of the windows are very rarely level or square. In this case I cut the tiles on the wall slightly over the edge of the window and cut the tiles around the window the same size to create a level and square edge. Before these tiles are fixed to the wall, I run the back edge off with the grinder ( be careful no to take to much off as you can weaken the edge) to allow the trim or tile to sit flush against these tiles. When it comes to tiling above the window, I find it easiest to either stick or screw a piece of baton to the underside of the sill that will give me something to wedge the tiles against. After you have tiled all the way around the window and created a level and square frame, use some rapid setting adhesive to skim the reveals. Then tile the inside of the reveals.

Hope that makes some kind of sense?

I didn't quite understand the bit about the grinder. Can you explain that bit a gain please.

 

[Peter]

Another useful tip is to leave your side cuts out until you've joined up over the window incase there's a few mm that needs swung, which you won't be able to do if there's cuts in place.

 

[Rich]

Sorry, hard to explain what I mean.

When I tile the wall around the window (not the inside of the reveals), I cut the tiles either side of the window to the widest point. So if you imagine a wall that is tiled apart from the cuts up either side of the window. If you measured from the edge of the tile to the edge of the window and it went out by 10mm (from top to bottom), i would cut the tiles all the same size to the widest point so that when the wall is tiled it will create a level edge.

To cut these tiles I measure the widest point and set that measurement up on the guide to my rail cutter so that I can cut all the tiles exactly the same size. After cutting them all with the manual cutter, I run the back of the cut edge off with the grinder (as if mitering the edge but not at such a steep angle). When these tiles are fixed, this allows the trim (or the tile if butt jointing the window) to sit neatly against the tile without the biscuit of the tile holding the trim away.

Im sure that could be explained much better by someone else. Sorry, hope that is a little clearer?