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

[doug boardley]

Hi!

I'm having a new extension built on my house. In fact, I've spent today putting in the CAT6 ethernet network (cables and conduit) and bashing through the old gable wall to join the two lofts. But that's another story.

My wife also ordered the 600x400mm porcelaine floor tiles (10mm thick) from Topps. I've got 90 sq metres coming by the end of the week. I am growing more than a little nervous about the laying of these tiles. I've got the porch, hall, dining room and kitchen floors downstairs to do, as well as the downstairs toliet (walls and floor). I've also got the floor and walls of the upstairs bathroom to do.

I'm going to be under pressure to be quick as the other trades are going to be waiting for me to finish before the 2nd fix carpenty and plumbing goes in.

I'm expecting the upstairs bathroom to be a special challenge. It will contain a quadrant shower enclosure with on wall mixer. The bath, basin and toilet will be placed against a low wet wall of about 1m high, containing all the pipework. The basin and toilet will be hung off this wall using Gerberit installation frames and a hidden cistern. The bath has wall mounted taps.

So. My worries. Well, the main one is making sure I'm doing things right.

The floor will be a moisture proof chipboard, topped with hardybacker. Do I need anything else? Should I also put down a waterproof membrane? How about the joints of the hardybacker? Do I need to use waterproof membrane on the walls/floor of the shower? How about the dry lined walls generally? Should I seal them with something like uPVA before tiling?

I've read with interest some of the banter over Sigma and Rubi dry cutters. The 3B or TX-700-N look good. But are these really going to do the business in the hands of a novice like me or should I be looking to buy a wet saw? I've used a (cheap) dry cutter before, many years ago, without much success.

I'm very worried about cutting the hole for the toilet flush plate. It's a fairly large affair (Gerberit - Kappa). How on earth am I going to cut such a big hole in a porcelaine floor tile? Using a jigsaw? mg_smile:

Clearly, I've got a lot of holes to drill. Are those Porsadrills really my best bet? I was shocked to see that each bit lasts long enough for two holes before it's ready for the bin. I do have a large drill press.....does this give me other options?

I'm fairly practical and can turn my hand to just about anything. I used to be a skilled labourer in my younger years and I am a qualified (but inexperienced) plumber. I'm hoping with a bit of good advice and encouragement I can pull this off. :hurray:

Grateful for any comments.

if you can, try straddling the flush plate with two tiles, (I've done hundreds of these geberit ones) with the joint in the middle of the plate. Use an angle grinder for the two cuts from the tile edge into the tile, then use your dry cutter (TX700 would be my choice) to score and snap the rest out

 

[PJPro]

Wohaa. So many replies. Thanks guys.

The job is being managed by a local building firm. He gets in subbies to do the work and he does the carpentry. I'm the customer! So I can tell the plumber to come back a week later. But the time limit is as much about the holiday I have left and pressure of my day job (which is paying for the bulk of the work). And, clearly, my misses is keen to get the job done....as am I.

OK. So I won't use PVA on the walls, I'll use tile primer. Not heard of that before! I believe we have order BAL flexible fast drying adhesive (or whatever Topps recommended). The walls will be dry lined on concrete block. There are no stud walls.

Sounds like the Porsadrills are a fairly save bet then. The 2 holes quote came from their own site.

So, the dry cutters are going to be up to the job then. I don't have a real preference between Sigma or Rubi. I've seen some cool videos of the Sigma in action but it seems to be a lot more money than the Rubi. I don't mind spending money on tools and have a large range of what I regard as quality (or at least the most I can afford) hand and power tools to hand.

The tiles themselves cost a fair whack....mainly because there are so many of them! They're called Menissa I think. But, ya know, when I compared the cost of the tiles to carpet and underlay or engineered wood they seemed quite reasonable and should be longer lasting. Just need to get them down right.

OK. I'll use waterproof membrane around/under the shower. I've seen a 10m roll at Topps for £50. Sound good?

 

[Dan]

Wohaa. So many replies. Thanks guys.

The job is being managed by a local building firm. He gets in subbies to do the work and he does the carpentry. I'm the customer! So I can tell the plumber to come back a week later. But the time limit is as much about the holiday I have left and pressure of my day job (which is paying for the bulk of the work). And, clearly, my misses is keen to get the job done....as am I.

OK. So I won't use PVA on the walls, I'll use tile primer. Not heard of that before! I believe we have order BAL flexible fast drying adhesive (or whatever Topps recommended). The walls will be dry lined on concrete block. There are no stud walls.

Sounds like the Porsadrills are a fairly save bet then. The 2 holes quote came from their own site.

So, the dry cutters are going to be up to the job then. I don't have a real preference between Sigma or Rubi. I've seen some cool videos of the Sigma in action but it seems to be a lot more money than the Rubi. I don't mind spending money on tools and have a large range of what I regard as quality (or at least the most I can afford) hand and power tools to hand.

The tiles themselves cost a fair whack....mainly because there are so many of them! They're called Menissa I think. But, ya know, when I compared the cost of the tiles to carpet and underlay or engineered wood they seemed quite reasonable and should be longer lasting. Just need to get them down right.

OK. I'll use waterproof membrane around/under the shower. I've seen a 10m roll at Topps for £50. Sound good?

You may find you can rent a cutter, I've rented a couple of Rubi's before now.

 

[Gazzer]

You could hire a cuttter or even buy and then sell it on when done.

 

[doug boardley]

You may find you can rent a cutter, I've rented a couple of Rubi's before now.

but make sure it's in the TX range (imo)

 

[PJPro]

what's your timescale for the bathroom PJ, maybe we can address this first as it seems to be the priority at the mo

Thanks for your reply Doug. The work isn't going to really going to kick off until the house is secured....tomorrow! I've got a ton and a half of tiles, adhesives and grout arriving at the end of the week.

I suspect the plumber will start next week. He's got to fit a boiler and run pipework for the bathroom, downstairs toilet and the underfloor heating. He's also got to consider how he's going to tie into the existing house. A reckon it'll take him a week. I suspect the bathroom will be ready for a start next monday. I'll have a week to get the job done (including the fitting of the installation frames and wetwall).

 

[Gazzer]

but make sure it's in the TX range (imo)

If you were to buy a cutter then a good one stands a better chance of getting a good resale price. The TX range from rubi, Sigma and Montolit are the top cutters IMO and are sought after.

 

[Alan.P]

OK, so lets assume and I think I'm right,your gonna tackle this, right first room being the bathroom, what are the walls and floor substrates ?

 

[Gazzer]

OK, so lets assume and I think I'm right,your gonna tackle this, right first room being the bathroom, what are the walls and floor substrates ?

And how big is the room ? Sounds a lot of work to do in one week.

 

[PJPro]

but make sure it's in the TX range (imo)

I was intending to buy a cutter. Looks like the Rubi TX-700-N is the one to go for? How does the TX-700 (no N) differ to the TX-700-N? Is the N worth the extra?

I'm gonna have to buy the cutter tomorrow at the lastest, along with the (10mm) notched trowel, grout trowel, knee pads, etc, etc, etc.

 

[kilty55]

pj do you have a wet cutter

 

[White Room]

It's a longer measuring bar with the N, I'd go for the standard 700

 

[Gazzer]

I was intending to buy a cutter. Looks like the Rubi TX-700-N is the one to go for? How does the TX-700 (no N) differ to the TX-700-N? Is the N worth the extra?

I'm gonna have to buy the cutter tomorrow at the lastest, along with the (10mm) notched trowel, grout trowel, knee pads, etc, etc, etc.

Give Tradetiler.com Home a call and David will sort you out. order tomorrow and it will be with you the day after.

 

[guil.rocha]

whats the size of this room?

 

[PJPro]

And how big is the room ? Sounds a lot of work to do in one week.

The room dimensions.....

Approx 3m by 2m by 2.4m (LxWxH)

The substrates....

The floor of the bathroom will be moisture resistant chipboard sitting on top of joists at 400 centres. The chipboard (25mm?) will be topped with 6mm Hardybacker.

3 of the 4 walls are concrete block (the big soft white ones). The 4th wall is brick (it used to be the external wall of our house). There are no stud walls. The walls will be dry lined with plasterboard (12.5mm?).