DIY Tiler - 90 sq m of large format porcelaine tiling making me nervous!

[PJPro]

I suppose for completeness I should record the tools I've bought for the job.

Cutting Tools
Vitrex - QEP Pro-750 Wet Saw 240v
RUBI TX-700-N
Marcrist CK850 180mm diametre 22.2mm / 25.4 bore
Rubi Ceramic Block
Rubi General Purpose Nippers

Drilling Tools
365Drills Bathroom Fitters Kit
1x 120mm Drill bit only
1x 80mm Drill bit only

Adhesive Tools
Rubi Stainless Steel 'U' Notch
Rubi Stainless Steel 10 mm x 10 mm

Grouting Tools
Rubi soft rubber grouting trowel
Super Hydro Tilers Sponge x 10

Other Tools
Rubi White Rubber Mallet - standard
Adhesive and Grout Whisk
Stanley Chalk Line
Gorilla Tub - Small 14 ltr
Gorilla Tub - Medium 26 ltr
Gorilla Tub - Large 42 ltr

Consumables
3 mm Long leg Cross Spacers x 1000
Red Chalk

Protective Gear
Platinum Knee Pads
Latex gloves - box of 100

Everything was purchased from TradeTiler except for the drills, which I bought from 365Drills.

I have a lot of additional gear already (grinders, drills, drill press, levels, various hand tools, safety gear) so this above does not necessarily reflect what I think I use on the job.

 

[DHTiling]

It is a tapered edge board.. and will be fine.. Make sure you tape the joints.

 

[Bathfix Bob]

Are you saying when you offer up the straight edge to the two moisture resistant boards there is a V shaped hollow? Is it just in the middle (tapered edges) or accross the whole boards?

I've done my fair share of plastering and never not got two boards flat with each other when dot & dabbing.

Edit: Ah my 100th post, nearly catching up to you Dave!

 

[White Room]

The boards need to be laid flat rather than leaned against the wall

 

[Dan]

The boards need to be laid flat rather than leaned against the wall

I thought that you know.

 

[PJPro]

I've had a word with the plasterer and, using one of his long straight edges, the boards are almost perfectly flat. I told him "spot on" would be adequate ;-)

The bad news is that the plumber is moving house today and won't be back in until Friday. This means I won't be able to do the setting out to ensure that, for instance, the flushing plate for the wall mounted toilet falls across two tiles, enabling me the cut them. The setting out is actually going to be quite tricky. I need to consider where the tiles will be pierced by pipes, where they will meet the ceiling and where they will meet the doors and windows if I am to avoid silly thin slithers of tile which I will be unable to cut.

In fact, I think the actual laying of the tiles will be fairly straight forward (fingers crossed). From where I sit today, the biggest challenge appears to the setting out, especially as the walls/floor all seem to be more or less flat. I intend to spent a lot of time working out where to place the bottom baton and the vertical alignment of the tiles before I actually commit to laying any tiles. If I get this right, I hope to avoid insurrmountable difficulties later.

 

[doug boardley]

while you have this downtime PJ I'd suggest marking some datums on your walls then, I'd find the centre (vertical and horizontal) and level them round (and up). Then make yourself a guaging staff so that you can get an idea of where your tiles will pan out.

 

[PJPro]

Thanks for the advice. I'll do that. I also need to get my primer and waterproof solution. I'll use BAL ADP for the primer and am considering BAL WP1 and tape for the waterproofing. I intend to get that on the walls as soon as I can.

 

[PJPro]

Well, I've got the BAL ADP and a BAL Showerkit. The latter was on a special trade deal at The Tile Source (£39?) down from £75. I provided a card from one of the builders on site (with his permission) and got trade prices. Also got some trim but couldn't get a threshold I liked.

I asked about sealant for the grout and they didn't have any. I forgot the tape and the wax remover (doh). I'll use someone more local tomorrow to get the last bits a pieces.

 

[PJPro]

The builders on site are keen to see what sort of mess I'm going to make of the tiling. Clearly, as the client, I've been doing a bit of snagging of their work along the way. This is their opportunity for a bit of payback. It's all in good humour and the foreman has been giving me the benefit of his advice where he can. Apparently, they are going to give me a score out of ten.

 

[doug boardley]

The builders on site are keen to see what sort of mess I'm going to make of the tiling. Clearly, as the client, I've been doing a bit of snagging of their work along the way. This is their opportunity for a bit of payback. It's all in good humour and the foreman has been giving me the benefit of his advice where he can. Apparently, they are going to give me a score out of ten.

:yikes::yikes::yikes:

 

[jay]

this could be good

 

[PJPro]

this could be good

Well, he does oversee jobs where pro-tilers are used so he knows the materials they use and has observed them going about their work. But I know what you're saying.

 

[PJPro]

I've marked out the walls to arrive at the centres and drawn floor to ceiling lines at each centre and the horizontal line all around the wall. I need to make up some guide battens to start sussing out how I'm going to set these tiles out.

Oh, the drills from 365Drills arrived today. Seems they bunged in a free guide with a suction cup for the 80mm bit. It's too small from the 120mm but, then again, I'll be using my drill press for that.

Nothing from TradeTiler yet so I'll be unable to make my guides battens until the delivery arrives including the spacers. I did expect something today.

 

[Bathfix Bob]

PJ, Have you received your text yet from Trade Tiler? He texted me to say my box was on its way.