Tiling with Travertine for the first time.

[Sean Kelly]

I’m tiling a bathroom this week:
Wall tiles: 10mm Ivory travertine honed and filled (305x200). Approx 12 sqm.
Floor tiles: 12mm Ivory travertine honed and filled (406x203). Approx 3 sqm.

Walls are a mixture:
Two walls are of plaster. One wall is aquaboard. One wall is plasterboard.

Floor is 18mm floorboards.

I plan to use a 2mm grout gap on the walls and 3mm on the floor.

Materials I plan to use are:
BAL single-part flex white. (to be used on walls and floor)
BAL Superflex wall grout Ivory
BAL Superflex W/J ivory grout for floor
6mm Hardibacker for floor
Topfix Rapidset flex (for under the hardibacker)
Fila unpolished trav/marble sealer
BAL bond sbr primer (for plasterboard wall).

I plan to use a 10mm notched trowel for the walls & 12mm notched trowel for floor. I intend to back butter (and scrape off excess adhesive from each tile).

All cuts to be done on wet cutter.

My price has been accepted and is broken down as follows:
To tile approx 12sqm of wall tiles (inc primer & sealer & grout) £565
To glue & screw 3sqm of 6mm hardibacker £130
To tile approx 3 sqm of floor tiles (inc primer & sealer & grout) £155
I’m also charging £3 per hole (approx 9 holes) £27

This will be the first time I have tiles with natural stone. Do I need to know anything special before I start?
Do you think my pricing is about right (for West London)?

Cheers for your replies guys and girls.

Sean

 

[Fred]

Sean, I'm Kingston and thats a nice price in current climates. I'd use 2mm spacers on all, including the floor, it just looks better IMO.

 

[heatybob]

hi sean,
I may be a little late with this but pls check weights/m2 for the plastered walls,i think you may be exceeding the recommended.
im not trying to be smart but just point out something for the future,take care m8
ged

 

[Sean Kelly]

Ged, I was just waiting for the primer to dry when I read your message (on my phone). I did know about the weight issues. However, I'm only going half way up the bathroom wall with the tiles. Cheers anyway. Sean

 

[davy_G]

Nice prices Sean, london though so a different world from me.

Last time I used trav I was able to dry cut it, yep i did break about one in 10 but it was much quicker and used the breaks for (wet) cuts. Give it a go with a deep score with a big wheel, nothing to loose!

You seem tho have planned well. Good luck

 

[White Room]

There'd need to be good quality Davy

 

[davy_G]

Your right whitebeam, but i always try with the dry cutter first, can save a heap of time.

 

[Fekin]

That's a very good price for you, though it is in London so I don't really know whats what there, but if it was here, it would be a very good job.

 

[heatybob]

Ged, I was just waiting for the primer to dry when I read your message (on my phone). I did know about the weight issues. However, I'm only going half way up the bathroom wall with the tiles. Cheers anyway. Sean

Hi Sean,
Was thinking bout that last night(how sad am i)and thought about that question"wots the differance between a hole an half a hole?".Does that apply here,i mean the tiles are stuck to the plaster on half a wall "could" and only could that part of the wall be overloaded,again it would be great if one of the more experienced lads could help here to clear things up for the future,an so i sleep tonite:mad2:
Keep up the good work Sean an if you need any advice plumbing wise give us a pm,your a top guy
Ged

 

[Sean Kelly]

Last time I used trav I was able to dry cut it, yep i did break about one in 10 but it was much quicker and used the breaks for (wet) cuts. Give it a go with a deep score with a big wheel, nothing to loose!

Did what you said Dave. It worked!! U used TS-40 and a small wheel. Scored 3 times and snapped. Not a clean cut, but good enough for the tile edges that will never be seen i.e. on the floor and into the wall corners. I saved loads of time. Some of the tiles were very brittle and fell apart in my hand. Most were of good quality. Thanks again for the tip.

Cheers Sean