Largish Kitchen/Diner - Idiots Guide to Floor Tiling?

[Homer]

Hello All,

I'm having a kitchen/diner knocked through with a small extension added. Finished size is about 6.5m x 6m. The existing screed floor will be dug up and plumbed UFH fitted there and in the new extension before being re-screed.

Idiot question #1: How long should the screed ideally be left before tiling?
Idiot question #2: Should the tiling be done before kitchen units are installed or after?
Idiot question#3: I like the look of stone (some nice darker travertines, some polished, some vein cut/honed), but am concerned about wear and tear. Are porcelain tiles a lot more robust to kids/dogs/spills?
Idiot questions #4: I've been told that I will need an isolation membrane (large format tiles on screed). What adhesive should I use to fix this and then what exact adhesive should I use to fix the tile to it (I'm told that a rapid set cement based adhesive is what I need, but there are a lot of them).
Idiot question #5: What depth of adhesive (trowel notch size) should I use. What determines whether deep bed adhesive is needed?
Idiot question #6: I would like the grout to roughly match the tiles (mid brown). Is there a way to get testers or check the colour in advance?

Thanks in advance!

Ian

 

[paul flight]

:welcome:
1.. allow to dry for 10 - 14 days this depends on the thinckness of the screed
2. tile before kitchen is installed wall to wall leave a 6 mm gape between tile and wall for expansion. prime screed before fitting matting s.b.r primer
3 . ufh . fix a flexi decouping matting before tiling use grey rapid set flexi small notch trowel
4 . fix tiles with a 10mm notch trowel use flexi adhesive .mapie or bal are good!!
5. grout with fleix grout supplier will have colour chart( most trav is grouted with limestone grout)
6. as for tiled this is up to you porcelain has higher wear rate but trav looks better in my opinion.
good luck