Tiling over kitchen tiles

[Numpty]

I want to , rather my wife wants me to, tile over the existing tiles in my kitchen. We have standard ceramic tiles on the wall and do not fancy taking them off for fear of damaging the plaster and more importantly the recently put on Granite Transformations worksurface which butts up to the tiles and as it is over the old worksurface covers the bottom 12mm of the old tiles.

As a result I want to put the new travamene (sp) tiles over the old ones. I can work out how to do most of the job but I am flummoxed by the problem of the edging at the top of the tiles. I have the wall, then the old tiles, with their top edging, and then the new tiles which are mosaic and about 8mm thick. I would appear to need edging which is about 22mm thick. That does not seem to exist. Is there a simple way out of this problem?

Any help gratefully received

 

[charlie1]

sorry mate, what type of tiles are you thinking of installing? travamene ?

 

[Numpty]

Sorry my classical upbringing is letting me down! I think that Travamene was a battle.

I meant Travatine mosaic tiles about 30cm x30cm (2.5mm pieces)- the highest bit will be 60cm mostly about 40cm over a standard ceramic tile. It is just edging the top edge that I am worried about. there will only be about 1.5m of edging as most of the tiling is under the units.

Thanks for the reply.

Any help gratefully received

Jeremy

 

[Numpty]

any ideas gratefully received.

Are you out there Charlie 1

numpty

 

[grumpygrouter]

Hi Numpty, if I haven't said before, welcome to the forums.

Firstly, if you are looking to fix mosaics, you will need a very flat wall! Mosaics do not look good if the surface they are fixed to is not flat. I would consider using something like Ardex Feather Finish to skim over the old (glazed ceramic?) tiles after giving them a good clean with sugar soap and letting them dry thoroughly.

Once you have a flat surface and assuming that the moasaics are light in colour I would fix using BAL Mosaic-fix adhesive. When applying the sheets hold with each top corner tile and offer the sheet up to the wall and when setting into the adhesive use a grout floot to pad them in , this helps set the tiles evenly. I would not use a trowel bigger than a 3 or 4mm notch.

As for finishing the visible edges, why not follow you mosaic tiles around the edge so you have a mosiac edge finish. You will need to cut the tiles individually but it is worth it for a nice job. I have photos of a similar thing on another thread have a look here -> http://www.tilersforums.com/tilers-forums-arms/7420-ok-what-am-i-missing-here.html

Sorry you woon't be able to see that you won't have access to that forum Ill try something else.

 

[Numpty]

Hi Numpty, if I haven't said before, welcome to the forums.

Firstly, if you are looking to fix mosaics, you will need a very flat wall! Mosaics do not look good if the surface they are fixed to is not flat. I would consider using something like Ardex Feather Finish to skim over the old (glazed ceramic?) tiles after giving them a good clean with sugar soap and letting them dry thoroughly.

Once you have a flat surface and assuming that the moasaics are light in colour I would fix using BAL Mosaic-fix adhesive. When applying the sheets hold with each top corner tile and offer the sheet up to the wall and when setting into the adhesive use a grout floot to pad them in , this helps set the tiles evenly. I would not use a trowel bigger than a 3 or 4mm notch.

As for finishing the visible edges, why not follow you mosaic tiles around the edge so you have a mosiac edge finish. You will need to cut the tiles individually but it is worth it for a nice job. I have photos of a similar thing on another thread have a look here -> http://www.tilersforums.com/tilers-forums-arms/7420-ok-what-am-i-missing-here.html

Sorry you woon't be able to see that you won't have access to that forum Ill try something else.

Thank you so very much. I will do as you say and if I get it right will post result here. If I fail I will just pretend to myself that it all went swimmingly and wish I had got in a professional.

The tiling is really therapy for me! My real job is a tad stressful and although tiling has its pressures you get a lot more satisfaction on completion than you do fighting with the board!

Thanks again

Numpty

 

[DHTiling]

Good luck on the job numpty..and some pics would be great..........we luv pics on the forums........

 

[charlie1]

Well said Grumpy,

That is what i would also suggest, When tiling with natural stone yo want to see the edge of the tile. So cut the mosaics down and slip them in behind the back. Hope you follow what i mean.