Recess in a partition wall

[Deleted member 1779]

I've seen the sensor pads fitted behind the tiles of a kitchen wall.

Website
Like anything if they go wrong you have to take off the tiles. But thats no different than water problems etc.

Nice idea - but I personally prefer to switch everything electrical on and off outside the room.

This is my downstairs bathroom. Switches outside

Closer shot
1) Light switch for on/off of main light
2) Heating temperature control
3) Fused spurs for shower, washing machine, (inside cupboard), shaver socket

Upstairs bathroom
1) A double rocker light switch for main light and also switch for the cabinet
2) Large switch for the extract

When I wired both bathrooms I put the lighting onto the lighting ringmain via the loft and the extract fan I Tee'd off from the socket ringmain.

However I am not an electrician so in commercial work you need to be Part-P but this was my own home. But I would suggest that if you can do it outside the bathroom (and all the zones!) then you have the best options. Especially if it comes to fault finding later....

Tracey and John loved their new bathroom with its concealed lighting.
However Finding the on/off switch was a bugger. And so was finding the concealed
loo roll holder, towel rail and where are the bloody hot and cold taps....

 

[DazJWood]

Hey thanks 365drills for taking the time to give your detailed reply. Much appreciated.
It all looks good so I'll probably follow the same sort of thing I think.

Incidentally, on your post before the last one (6:09pm one) I like the way you've done your recesses without that tile edging stuff. It looks like you've used a natural stone tile? I was looking at using travertine. Is this a similar stone you have used? If so, what's the best tool to cut it with?

Thanks,

Daz

 

[Colour Republic]

However I am not an electrician so in commercial work you need to be Part-P but this was my own home. But I would suggest that if you can do it outside the bathroom (and all the zones!) then you have the best options. Especially if it comes to fault finding later....

Do you mean commercial work as in getting paid for it? or commercial i.e not domestic?

Part-P relates to domestic properties, I believe you don't have to be part-p to work on commercial properties
Even if you do the work in your own house (which you are allowed to do) you still have to get the work signed off by the council..

 

[Deleted member 1779]

When selecting edging you have two choices

1) Use edging strip

2) Dont use edging strip

The tiles above are Porcelain tiles which means they have a homogeneous mix of tile dust distributed through the tile. Laid on its edge the tile shows the same colour as the face.

If you are going to lay tiles in the niche with edge on show make sure they are not ceramics. A ceramic has a top glaze and a biscuit base. So the edges will look different. The only way to do that is to mitre the joint.

Tile edges.
Obviously when you cut the tile there will be score marks visible on the edge. You have two choices here:
1) Only use tile cuts where the edge on show is the perfect edge supplied.
2) Diamond grind (polish) any rough edges with a grit file.

Heres a close up of an edging strip

Heres a closeup of a tiled edge

An heres a very close photo of a muck up where the tiler got it wrong!

The tile edge used still had the serrated edge where it had been cut to the correct width. It was installed the wrong way round with
the perfect edge facing the back of the niche and the rough edge facing out and not noticed by the tiler

So be careful about your cuts and what you show... Especially tile edges. You can use natural stone (you mention travertine) and this of course will need to be polished on every edge prior to laying

 

[DazJWood]

Once again thanks for your reply!

The tiling without the edge strip does look better.
It'll be a while before I'm ready to do my tiling but as someone who has never done any tiling maybe I'm taking on too much but I think I may have a go and see.

Have you any recommendations for tools to initially cut tiles (probably travertine) and then to polish edges or are tile cutters and files of comparable quality?

Thanks,

Daz

 

[jimbob]

Sorry if this is a stupid question 😳, but with regard to the recess, how do you allow for "run off"?? Surely if you put a little slope in to ensure no water puddles remained, then whatever you put in the recess (eg shampoo bottles etc) would slide out, or at the very least look a little wonky. Or is the run off so mild that you could never tell just by looking at it??

 

[jay]

just enogh fall so water doesnt sit is the answer to your question:8:

 

[Deleted member 1779]

Daz something that may be becoming obvious as this post builds is the complexity of the job.

Professional Tilers are skilled at all of these tasks (and more) and my very strong advice is that you pay someone to do the actual tiling.

Compared to the cost of the materials, the white goods, the fittings, adhesive, grout plus other bits and pieces the day rate for a tiler is actually not as bad as you might think.

Please consider the use of a professional tiler in what would seem to be to me a large job.

One great thing your research will achieve is to inform you of the way things can be done. That way when you discuss the job with your tiler you can speak to him with clarity.

A professional tiler will be able to bring speed, experience and may actually save you a lot of money in broken tiles, layouts, correct adhesives, cuts. And finally of course if he makes any mistakes its him that has to sort it out.

For example imagine a week after the tiles have been laid the shower starts to leek...

When cutting tiles always wear safety goggles and ear defenders.

To cut tiles (even hard porcelain) you can use a small basic wetsaw.
The quality of the diamond blade is critical.
1) To last the length of the job
2) To resist chipping the edges of the tiles.

When cutting tiles always wear safety goggles and ear defenders.

You can also use an overhead radial tile cutter. (or hire one)
Again use a good quality diamond blade. Ive got my best shoes on in this shot!

 

[DazJWood]

Thanks again for the detailed reply.

Please consider the use of a professional tiler in what would seem to be to me a large job.

I appreciate what you are saying and I'd probably advise the same to someone else; but my bathroom has sort of become my mini project at the moment and I'm keen to continue building up my skill sets.

I've so far removed the flooring and installed the pipe work. Took the opportunity (whilst the walls have been down) to add some extra electric points to my adjacent computer room and installed a security light for the back garden. My next task is to get the rest of the flooring down.

I'm not in a hurry to get it done so am happy to take my time. If I get stuck, which I'm sure I will, then I will call in help from my mate who installs bathrooms for a living.

Daz