Bathroom Retile Tool Advice

[trogre]

Hello All. Hope you all had a good Xmas, as usual I ate too much and now suffering.

Not a Tiler by trade just a DIyer. Tiled my kitchen a couple of times in past + the bathroom once.

Started out using a scribe then trying to break tiles over a block which did not work. Then went up to a Wickes tiler cutter which for ceramic was ok but very slow going back & forth to garage.

Need to retile the bathroom and am going to use 250 x 400 x 8 mm ceramic tiles. The long cuts will only by at the ceiling but for the corners & ends it will be just the 250mm cut, I think it is a total of around 90 tiles before cutting.

I have been reading a lot on how you do not need a wet cutter for straight cuts but a dry cutter. The two I have been looking at are the Rubi 50-N Plus £84.99 Screwfix. Most of YouTube vids I have seen on Rubi seem to be in Russian but they seem to hold the 2 bars up as they press down on lever .Do not know if this is because of too much flex in tube or just the way it is done.

The Big Clinker 2 to be honest for my 400 mm tiles does seem a bit of overkill but seems from reviews of professional tiles a very efficient cutter. Then gain they were talking about cutting the larger porcelain tiles rather than the much smaller ceramic tiles. There is about £25 difference in the price of the 2 at screwfix which is not a lot if there is a difference in cutting quality. I am not one to sell my tools after use so will go into loft.

The other point is I have always used Wickes ready mixed but then again only on 200 x 250 mm ceramic tiles. It worked & stuck ok but worked out very expensive. From what I have read the 250 x 400 are on the limit of normal adhesive so I have either got to go with some more ready mixed stronger (expensive) adhesive or go with mix my own as a better & cheaper alternative.

Not sure if it is the adhesive I need but Mapei Keraflex White seems to fit the bill?? Do not want a rapid set and Keraflex seems to be ok. Mixing adhesive seems easy when you look at videos but from my experience of mixing cement very hard if not done on a daily basis to get consistency correct. Too dry and the tiles will not stick or too wet and they will be slipping all over the place.

I will be using adhesive on old plastered walls but will make good any plaster pulled off by old tiles and thoroughly prepare the walls in advance. Not sure since walls have been tiled before if I need a primer?

So again undecided on the ready mix or mix your own!!

Any feedback will be appraeciated.Thank you

 

[dynamictiling]

Hi dynamictiling. I will be using a spirit level to check the walls. I do need a 1200mm level so an excuse to buy one.
Will not be starting in corner and the tiles I am using are or will be 330 x 250 ceramic. I think from what I have read they may be on the limit of tub adhesive. The only think I hope is if I have to use powder is mixing it consistent as never used it before. I would prefer for the one off job to use tub as I know it will be mixed correctly but if tub adhesive presents adhesion problems I will not use.
Thanks for advice

Reading the comment back. The spirit level was not a pop however getting a level Base makes the world of difference with tiling.

With regards to adhesive slow set for the walls- rapid set flexible for the floor.

Mixing the adhesive is easy. Just add a small amount of water, mix it with a trowel. For your 1st couple of pales it is better to mix a small amount as appose to a large amount, although most slow sets have 3-4 hour pot life.

Just a wee note. Remember and 'match' your adhesive colour to your grout. I.e using white grout- use white adhesive. You will thank me when it comes to grouting.

Best of luck mate :-D

 

[trogre]

No problem if anyone has a pop or has a laugh at my comments. I have a good sense of humour so bring it on, as long as no one minds a bit of flak coming their way

.😉😉😉

I will be using my Bosch laser level on the tripod to get the tiles straight but do need a 120cm sprit level anyway. I was surprised when I used my smaller level on kitchen wall how many dips & bumps there were so took my time in getting wall as flat as I could.

Things on bit of a hold at the moment, as well as trying to finish purchasing the rest of bathroom suite and all the stacks of bits you need to do the job had the usual pre Xmas disaster. Dishwasher died now the fridge has packed up!!, as well as saving up for a telescope but that is a different story!!

Did pop into tileflair to buy some mosaic tiles for a border which were in the sale. He showed me a Bellota Pop 60 R-C which looked a very sturdy cutter especially for my 250 x 330 ceramic tiles. I am still leaning in direction of a second hand Rubi TS40 as the base looks wider and spares are easier to get anywhere. Seen a few good ones on fleebay but nearly all over 2 hours drive which does not sense when you add on petrol, not so much of a bargain in the end, still will keep on looking

 

[bcd-87]

No problem if anyone has a pop or has a laugh at my comments. I have a good sense of humour so bring it on, as long as no one minds a bit of flak coming their way

.😉😉😉

I will be using my Bosch laser level on the tripod to get the tiles straight but do need a 120cm sprit level anyway. I was surprised when I used my smaller level on kitchen wall how many dips & bumps there were so took my time in getting wall as flat as I could.

Things on bit of a hold at the moment, as well as trying to finish purchasing the rest of bathroom suite and all the stacks of bits you need to do the job had the usual pre Xmas disaster. Dishwasher died now the fridge has packed up!!, as well as saving up for a telescope but that is a different story!!

Did pop into tileflair to buy some mosaic tiles for a border which were in the sale. He showed me a Bellota Pop 60 R-C which looked a very sturdy cutter especially for my 250 x 330 ceramic tiles. I am still leaning in direction of a second hand Rubi TS40 as the base looks wider and spares are easier to get anywhere. Seen a few good ones on fleebay but nearly all over 2 hours drive which does not sense when you add on petrol, not so much of a bargain in the end, still will keep on looking

Which tile flair mate? Reading

 

[trogre]

It was Swindon Tileflair,nice people ,very helpful.

 

[bcd-87]

It was Swindon Tileflair,nice people ,very helpful.

Yes mate, all good staff. not like Topps tile all fecking retards