Victorian tile path from scratch

[Stepbark]

Hello All,

First post in the forums….great website! Already had loads of info and ideas from looking through some of the posts.

I’m planning to lay two Victorian tile paths from scratch for customers who live next door to each other. Each path roughly 6m x 1m and to be separated with a run of Victorian rope edging.

This may be a foolhardy move as I’m really a gardener who does a bit of landscaping and haven’t done any tiling before but am keen to give it a crack (no pun intended) and hopefully with some of your help I’ll be able to get a good job done.

I’m planning to lay concrete 100mm thick on to 50mm compacted sub-base. One path a couple of days after the other so they can still get to their front doors easily while each one cures, and with a gap between the two paths for the rope edging.

I was after some advice on whether the thickness of concrete and sub-base sound ok? Also, should the slabs be reinforced, have expansion joints, or both? I noticed a post about fibres for concrete which I’ve never used before – would they be an alternative? Obviously don’t want expansion joints running through the middle of the tiles, so if they are required how would I avoid them being seen on the finished paths?

Any help would be massively appreciated.

Will be back at some stage with photos if all goes to plan, or a cry for help if it doesn’t!

All the best,

Steve

 

[DHTiling]

You are very brave to tackle this project with no tiling experience... IMO i would leave well alone and sub the work out to someone who knows what they are doing as this would be a very costly job to naff up..

But then again everyone seems to think tiling is easy

 

[Alan.P]

As above /\ /\ /\

 

[foggy34]

as above m8 been tiling 12yrs and these jobs make me nervous,sub it out

 

[andyb1]

As above, leave well alone, not the sort of tiling job you want to be doing without any experience whatsoever!

 

[Andrew]

I have been working with Victorian/ geometric tiles for 23 years and would definitely not recommend you taking on this tiling with no experience. As above experienced tilers are hesitant to take on Victorian work.
Where is the job? if you do take it on and need some help don't call me I'm to busy, no joking I would be happy to assist!

 

[MTiler]

you'll also have the British weather to contend with aswell. Rain isnt good and you also have to watch the temperature. Im no expert on concrete etc but any moisture in the adhesive can freeze if its too cold and later crack. Im waiting for the weather to improve to start a victorian pathway, all good fun.

missyT