Yorkshire Tiling Academy - Course Discussion Thread

[mikebidd]

Y.T.A trainig bradford

Not sure if its in the right place but thought id write a little about my first day off training, As to be honust they deserve to be talked about lol

So to start off with i was in a really bad mood i got up at 6 am to catch a bus that never arrived. Also my car that was meant to be picked up yesterday didnt go so i was short on cash.

Eventually got there ready to explain that i couldnt afford to do it when i found out they would take paypal! superb so i paid for rest off course.The two blokes that rub it will go out off there way to help if they can.

We sat for about 5 minutes listening to just some common sense advive. Then straight in at the deep end with preparing the surface (you get your own cubcle whch is set out like a kitchen with window cupboards and plug sockets. I have not done one second off even dIY in my life (im a mechanic by trade) so pancked not knowing which bits i needed clean off. Straight away 1 off the many lads they have working there came over and showed me. Next we were taught abot about Adhesives and priming the walls. We were shown how to mix it and which were the best to buy (honust advice not just by the dearest)

We were taught about tools off the trade and given our own tools to use They were superb in explaning things and from what iv gathered so far only believe n hands on learning which is brilliant for me as i have Adhd.
I cant believe how much they have taught me in one day. There was always some one popping in to see how you were going and teach you 1 to 1 different methods off doing it they had to show me more than once lol but even that wasnt a problem.



Im at begginng off week and for some one who has never even lifted a tile i have done this (please no micky taking i know its not perfect by any means and i need alot more practice)

Pics were taken with my phone and are rubbsh ill keep updating as the week goes on if any ones intrested

 

[united]

Nice post mate, keep us up to date with how the rest of the week goes

 

[mikebidd]

Day2 if your stil intrested. lol

Finished the tiling in our kitchens. Then were taught how to growt Mixing it up etc. Struggled abit to start off wth as i was taking abit too much time over it. Until i was shown a technique by one off the lads that runs it off gettng a "pasty" shaped dolop then pushing it in the gap and sliding it acroos then away. I finished 3 quarters off the ktchen in a quicker time then it had taken me to do the first quarter.

Shocked at how much grout makes a difference In the overall finish. Took a step back and was proud at what i had done.

Next we had to tile round a window. The lad teachng us warned me that my window was nackered and had lumps and bumps and had seen better days. This didnt really bother me until i had cut all the tiles and started putting them uo and they wouldnt line up ot would but sat at an angle. Again the instructor lad came over and one off the lads that ran it. and explained i could chisel it out ot reboard it and showed be how to "double butter" it using a bigger trowl. Worked a treat and i was even prouder lol.
I could have had a perfect wall but im just counting it as expierence as how many houses will work in that will actually have perfect flat walls. Didnt get to grout it but still happy.

Again like yesterday you always have some one there keepng an eye to point you in the right direction if your going wrong. The lads that work there are or have been tilers so they can give you real advice. theres 7 lads on the course with me and theres 3 trainers plus the two lads that own in walking around and showing you how to do it. Admittadly if i ddnt catch sumthing the frst tme i was shown again with out a probllem

Bts that messed up on in the day was. Cutting a top row off tiles (about 6 tiles) putting them up and realisind that the cutter was abit loose (my fault i had been playing about with it i love new tools lol) and the top row lookes like the sydney opera house lol

And the frst quarter off my grouting when t came to cleaning it i hadnt put enought in and it looked abit annerexic.

Tommorow we are shown how to remove tiles ( will be devastated pullng my kitchen down) and cabit more surface prep. Then we move into the bathrooms

Pics are my kitchen finshed except for cleaning bottom tiles

My window before ( know it would have been better to re board it f it was a customers house)

Durng

And after (not cleaned or grouted)

 

[mikethetile]

your doing well for day 2
do you think you will stick it:lol:

didnt they show you how tile a reveal thats out and make it square

 

[mikebidd]

your doing well for day 2
do you think you will stick it:lol:

didnt they show you how tile a reveal thats out and make it square

Ill definatly stick at it mate theres not much stuff im good at but am enjoying learning this.

And Dont understand mate sorry. In non tiling terms (for a thicko lol) and ill answer u

 

[mikethetile]

they will probably get onto that its more for when your tiling the reveal to the top but i still do it when tiling part way up

so if a right hand reveal is out of plumb strike a line down from the the part of the reveal thats over to the left and mark on the cill, cut your key cut as you have done but cut it to the mark. tile up the face so that the left hand edge is plumb. you can then make good to the reveal so that you have an even adhesive bed

its the opposite hand on the left hand reveal, when the jobs finished the window is framed nice and square, theres nothing worse than tiles folowing a reveal that is out of plumb and it really shows on the finished job

they will probably show you this but if they dont ....ask!

 

[mikebidd]

they will probably get onto that its more for when your tiling the reveal to the top but i still do it when tiling part way up

so if a right hand reveal is out of plumb strike a line down from the the part of the reveal thats over to the left and mark on the cill, cut your key cut as you have done but cut it to the mark. tile up the face so that the left hand edge is plumb. you can then make good to the reveal so that you have an even adhesive bed

its the opposite hand on the left hand reveal, when the jobs finished the window is framed nice and square, theres nothing worse than tiles folowing a reveal that is out of plumb and it really shows on the finished job

they will probably show you this but if they dont ....ask!

They have probably shown me mate i just dont understand it in the terms your using. Not that good yet lol

 

[doug boardley]

Good thread Mike and good on you for posting it. I hope you stick it out as it's a great job to be doing

 

[mikethetile]

They have probably shown me mate i just dont understand it in the terms your using. Not that good yet lol

it will all become clear when they show you

 

[faithhealer]

Yeah, good thread, hopefully it will all fall into place Mike. Re the spacers, I was shown that way, then you learn tiles come in all shapes and sizes.
.

 

[hemingway]

Hello mikebidd.R you on the course as in this week because im on the same 1 this week,im in my second week mate down in the bottom bay.Doing the diamond shape patterns.drove mi mad lol.Yeh them windows are well out.

 

[mikebidd]

Hey up mate yes im the one with shaved head second from end in the kitchens.

 

[thevinnyofoz]

mikebidd, how's the coarse doing ?

 

[mikethetile]

come on mike
wheres our update

is it too much:8:with hemmingway and lots of:lol:

 

[mikebidd]

Sorry Lads i broke my iphone which had all my photos on it. Y.T,A are sending me out a C.D with some off my pics on so as soon as that comes up i will update this.

 

[faithhealer]

look forward to it mike