My DIY bathroom refit - Lots of advice needed

[dazzler9000]

I’m embarking on my DIY tiling project. I’ve got lots of questions so I’m hoping you can help me out!!

I’m going to be gutting my bathroom and having a new bathroom suite including a freestanding bath. I’ll be fitting new tiles on the walls and floor. I’ll be using a Norton clipper TT200EM to make the cuts.

The bath will have a mixer tap and shower attachment so the room shouldn't get that wet.

I’ll be using quartz on the floor (300x600), gloss white ceramics for the walls (300x600)and mosaics for a feature wall and window ledge.

Questions!!

1 – The walls are plasterboard and plastered. They have been painted and they have a slight ripple effect on them? Not sure what this is as it was there before we moved in. Will I need to flatten this out or can I tile straight on to it? Will I need to board the walls with a "no more ply" type product?

2 – Will I need to primer everything with an SBR primer?

3 – I currently have ply on the floor over the floor boards. Does this ply need to come up and be replaced with “no more ply” or equivalent

4 – Is it advised to use edging strips or try and join the tiles at the edges? If I go with edging strips, what’s the best finish to go for with gloss white tiles – White or silver? You chaps see this stuff all the time, what’s the best finish, flat or round?

5 – I’ve noticed that the tiles on a lot of websites I’ve seen are are arranged in a grid like fashion and not staggered. Is this the right way to do it or is it simply down to personal preference? Also I’ve noticed that 300x600 tiles can go in portrait or landscape orientation. Is there a right or wrong way to do them and what looks best in your opinion?

6 – Which spacers would I use between tiles (2mm?)

7 - Cutting the edge tile in half on mosaics – (I’ve asked this question on another thread but I may as well ask it here for addition comments). I’m going to be laying two rows of mosaics and I’m a little nervous about the amount of cutting I’m going to have to do, any advice on cutting those nuisance edge tiles.




Adhesives

8 – Walls - Do I need a flexible adhesive for the Walls? Would something like this be OK?
Slow Set Wall/Floor Tile Adhesive Grey 20kg (Adesilex P9)

Do I need something different for the glass/stone mosaics?

9 - Floor - Guessing this would be OK for the floors - Fast Setting Flexible Quartz Tile Adhesive Grey 2 Part

Grouts

10 – I’ve used the Kerapoxy epoxy grout before in my kitchen floor and quite liked it. Should I use this again on the bathroom floor as it will get a little wet?

11 – As the kerapoxy is expensive, would the “Keracolour FF White 5kg” be OK for the walls considering I’m not planning on having water splashing on them all day long?


Sorry for the overload of questions but I’d rather get it right first time :hurray:

 

[Mr Tiler]

Also for question 4 no i wouldn't personally "butt" joint ceramic only certain stone

 

[Mr Tiler]

5, because of the "brick" type shape it may look best to brick bond these but again it is simply down to prefference. If u do plan to brick bond them be sure the tiles are not advised 'not for brick bond' or u may have trouble getting them flush.

 

[Mr Tiler]

6, again that prefference use match sticks if that's the perfect joint lol. I would do 2mm on walls and 3mm on floor

 

[Mr Tiler]

7, if you have a dry cutter simply line them up, score and pinch the ends off.

 

[Mr Tiler]

Not commenting on the rest lol

 

[Mr Tiler]

And i also agree with Martyn mate, get a tiler in and save yourself the hastle its a lot harder than it looks to get a decent Finnish.

 

[dazzler9000]

Thanks Mr T,

You've been a great help and I appreciate it.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

And i also agree with Martyn mate, get a tiler in and save yourself the hastle its a lot harder than it looks to get a decent Finnish.

Amen to that Ash, tiling is not rocket science,but I have never met a rocket scientist who could tile.

 

[Mr Tiler]

Amen to that Ash, tiling is not rocket science,but I have never met a rocket scientist who could tile.

yes phil the simple stuff is pretty straight forward, some of it is difficult and thinking to deeply into it can get confusing. lol. but it is a leage of its own

 

[Dan]

1, Remove all paint
2,I prefer the Mapei G primer, if you use sbr thin down to 3 water-1 sbr on the gypsum plastered walls...for plasterboard I would'nt but allways read manufacturer's instructions
3,Hardie or no more ply after removing the ply...how thick is the ply.
4,white or silver is a personal choice, I prefer silver square brushed/mat
5,Your choice, my preference is landscape
6,2mm
7,Manual or wet cutter,make sure the wet saw blade dos'nt chip the glass mosaic
8,For ceramic the P9 white not grey should be fine
9,Do you have UFH and what colour are the Quartz tiles

As above.

As for the grout questions, use what you're comfortable with but you don't have to use an epoxy grout really.