B&Q - Tiling Course!!

[Deleted member 9966]

all too familiar case there Bob. merely a few years ago I was the same, tiling virgin in the hands of B&Q advice. thankfully I found this place whilst doing some research and my first tiling job went without a hitch.

it's a shame that diy sheds are trying to dumb down trades to allow members of the public to do it themselves. sometimes you just have to realise you don't have the ability, capability and knowledge to do these jobs. I wouldn't touch gas or complex plumbing or complex electrics. but so many people do and then end up getting caught out.

 

[Dan]

Hmmmm.

 

[Deleted member 9966]

what are you thinking Dan?

 

[Dan]

I can see lots of bathrooms going wrong here. I wish they'd just search the net and find us instead. Oh well.

 

[SandyFloor]

I mentioned this to the wife last night and asked her reaction as a civilian. She said " Is it a bad thing for people to learn it's not as easy as it looks and it takes quite a while longer than most think?"

I think she has a point. I've worked in many new kitchens where the customer has tiled their own splashback. In most cases it's been a tidy enough job but, by their own admittance, it's taken them a week, stressed them out, they wouldn't do it again and certainly wouldn't attempt a bathroom.

 

[user123]

lets face it most peeps with a bit of DIY knowledge can pick up tiling in a few day's, it's not rocket science is it !!!

:lol: :lol: you're funny... :lol:

 

[david campbell]

You know, I'm not sure, but I think it might be something to do with Construction Skills College Limited (tradeteacher.co.uk). He mentioned something about B&Q the other day when I was there.

paying attention dan?

 

[tfs]

Many people are trying to save money in this climate and will do there own tiling etc. B&Q as a diy outlet will be trying to capitalise on this. B & Q will probs just show them the basics e.g.

1. Tell them how tiles are cut (ceramics)
2. Tell them what is used to stick tile to the wall (ready mixed ofcourse lol)
3. Explain the grouting procedure (again, readymixed probably) lol
4. Possibly a litlle on tile care

Customers/ diyers will probs appreciate this as many have no idea how it is done. They will probably be shown some tiling being done on a small board of MDF.

This will be nothing in depth at all and not enough information that will be great use but, it may give customers the confidence to tackle small jobs and this may get B&Q a few sales and some good publicity.

I personally wouldnt take any offence to this. There are many niave people who under value trades, I dont think B&Q fall under this catagory. If you have ever done any work for B&Q you will notice that they pay well for your skills.

 

[andy8758]

Agree with latest posters - B & Q are not offering courses teaching you to be a professional tiler in 4 hours - their customers want to DIY and B & Q have taken a marketing opportunity to encourage them to DIY tile (and buy their superior (cough) products in the process). Sandyfloor is right - most will get totally stressed out by the experience of wife saying "haven't you finished that little tiling job yet?" as they try to cut a 3mm wide L-shaped tile around a fused spur......

 

[Bathfix Bob]

I've seen some shocking diy tiling.

Tiling over wallpaper

Tiling over the flimsy 6mm hardboard airing cupboard wall over the bath, and having tiles drop off evertime you get in the bath

Tiling right upto sockets without taking cover off

Tiling round the toilet cistern and leaving a silly gap around the lid that can't be filled with anything

Tiling straight over loose floorboards

Laying wall tiles on the floor with wall grout

Tiling up to a bath panel (mainly floor) so bath panel is near imposible to remove

Starting with a full tile at one end and having a 10mm slither cut at other end

Cracking that delicate cut tile (you know the ones!) and leaving it cracked

Those are just the ones off the top of my head.

 

[White Room]

I've seen some shocking diy tiling.

Tiling over wallpaper

Tiling over the flimsy 6mm hardboard airing cupboard wall over the bath, and having tiles drop off evertime you get in the bath

Tiling right upto sockets without taking cover off

Tiling round the toilet cistern and leaving a silly gap around the lid that can't be filled with anything

Tiling straight over loose floorboards

Laying wall tiles on the floor with wall grout

Tiling up to a bath panel (mainly floor) so bath panel is near imposible to remove

Starting with a full tile at one end and having a 10mm slither cut at other end

Cracking that delicate cut tile (you know the ones!) and leaving it cracked

Those are just the ones off the top of my head.

Moved into a house many moons ago, it made my life so much easier taking the tiles off

 

[DJS]

I just seen Nick Knowles booking onto a course. Watch out Phil!!

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

well I must be a real dimwit then!!, still learning after 30 odd years!

we all still learn new stuff because the industry is always evolving , but the BASICs can be learned in a few day's,anyway tiling was part of a plasterers job when i did my apprenticeship, and not a trade on its own, there are still lots of good tilers that are skilled in other trades as well !!

 

[newton&stockley]

Hi all, new to this forum, I was at the constuction skills college a few weeks ago, and the b&q staff were doing courses learning different trades. All never done any work around the house, never cut a skirting board, never tiled, never fitted a tap. They did about 2/3 days training on each trade. Iv'e been thinking off booking myself on the course to ask some hard questions! Plus its a joke that the people on the course get 10% off tiles and people with trade cards only get 5%.

 

[user123]

we all still learn new stuff because the industry is always evolving , but the BASICs can be learned in a few day's,anyway tiling was part of a plasterers job when i did my apprenticeship, and not a trade on its own, there are still lots of good tilers that are skilled in other trades as well !!

That's true, the same goes for all trades, from seamstress to plumber, to get to know the principles, the tools, the materials to some extend. But then comes the perfecting for the basics to become more than basics. I can use my sewing machine reasonably well, but couldn't make a suit without getting a nervous breakdown, I can make mosaics but haven't mastered all techniques for all conditions with all materials yet, I'm pretty good at woodwork and have made tables, small cabinets and shelves but wouldn't feel confident about a dovetail jointed chest of drawers, and thanks to NETT I'm a better tiler now than I was before but couldn't do most of the stuff as well as you top guys, and we all know about plumbers knowing the basics and making a complete hash of it. The journey of mastering a subject, any subject you're into, there is nothing better, is there?