Advise for a new tiler!

[Bobbymoore66]

Hi all,

So glad to have stumbled across this website. I completed a Tiling course last year and have been tiling since then but keeping myself limited to kitchen splashbacks and small floors to gain experience.

I’m well aware I need to try and gain some more experience from a professional tiler but there are a few things the course never teaches you, which I have come across and wondered if anyone can give me some advice

1) Running bond (brick bond) up and around a door way (I have about 6inches of wall the other side) do I have to tile up, across and then down or is there an easier way to do this. I find my tiles slip as I come down the other side

2) the course always taught to never use a tape to measure cuts. Use the tile and flip and then allow for spacers. I find this causes more mistakes so have been using a tape but this takes more time. Views?

3) Tiling windows and window trim. Gives me anxiety as it’s the focal point of any room. Any hidden tips to make it easier.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Flintstone]

Hi Bobby, your in the right place if your serious about learning.
In answer to your 3 questions.. never tile from the top down always start from the bottom and always keep level, take measurements and tile up both sides and it should meet at that top of your measurements are right and you have stayed level.
Measuring and marking tiles, it's a personal decision, personally I always use a tape measure or ruller, then mark the tile for accurate cuts. Others do as you have said and mark directly on the tile. With a big tile you don't want to be moving tiles about more than you need to.
Windows ? Tile the main wall first then the reveals and make sure your tiles are flat on all 4 sides of the window.

Andy

 

[MTiler]

If you dont already have one get yourself a laser level, itll make life easier. Measure cuts the way it suits you. I measure in different ways depending on what Im doing but I never use a tape measure.

 

[faceman]

I agree with the last comment, lasers have changed everything and enable you to make constant checks when going up and over doors etc. Try and tackle the things that challenge you because you can’t escape them and never forget ‘check twice cut once’.

 

[Bobbymoore66]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Really helpful and I hope to get using this forum as and when I come up against scenarios I’ve never come across before.

One question about running bond/brick bond tiling, I’ve always been taught to start with a half tile with the next course being a full tile and then running this around the room ( so the off cut is the first tile on the adjacent wall) this can’t be full proof if you’re Tiling a huge bathroom is there a quick way or any tips on how to to set out this type of bond? I know a gauging rod with two sets of marks on is a way but doesn’t seem to solve the issue of always keeping the bond running around the room.

 

[NZ_Tiler]

Measuring with a tape/ruler is a lot faster.
Another way is to measure and simply use the measuring guide on the tile cutter rather than mark each tile.

 

[Brian the Tile]

I only use a tape measure on the big tiles that are to heavy to mark and flip

 

[faceman]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Really helpful and I hope to get using this forum as and when I come up against scenarios I’ve never come across before.

One question about running bond/brick bond tiling, I’ve always been taught to start with a half tile with the next course being a full tile and then running this around the room ( so the off cut is the first tile on the adjacent wall) this can’t be full proof if you’re Tiling a huge bathroom is there a quick way or any tips on how to to set out this type of bond? I know a gauging rod with two sets of marks on is a way but doesn’t seem to solve the issue of always keeping the bond running around the room.

There’s no set rules to setting out, just good starting points to try. If you’re doing walls measure every wall first and work out what layout gives you good cuts and what looks good going around corners giving you the look of a full tile. If it’s a busy wall with lots of grout lines symmetry on your edges isn’t always necessary. It’s whate looks good on the eye and that usually means no small cuts.