Looking forward to my 1st ceramic floor tile project , any good tips , different adhesives ready mixed / cement water based?

Laying onto concrete floor which is in smooth condition having scraped up the old marley tiles.

Any use sealing with unibond or similar?

I was a tiling novice, now done several walls and floor, including exactly the floor type you are doing. My tips would be as follows:

Get an electric tile saw & several spare blades. You will also want a tile cutter (older wheel style) for awkward cuts, and a tile file for smoothing dodgy edges.

We used Dunlop adhesives and grout - not premixed as it would be a lot more money.

Ge the largest tiles you can comfortably use (more coverage for the same work!). Try to get tiles that iof chipped, will not show up - ie not ones that are just a thin layer on top.

Plan plan and plan again. Don't end up with silly half cuts all over the place.

Have plenty of spacers to hand, and I preferred using them vertically between tiles rather than trying to ensure they sit perfectly between them.

Lastly, don't worry if some don't sit quite as they should - by the time you grout, you will have forgotten which tiles were pants!

When you grout them, clean off the excess as you go.

Guess how I know.

David

Ive laid slate tiles before. They have to be sealed off before grouting otherwise a pain to clean the grout off. Glazed ceramic tiles will be ok though.

Dont some need a ply underfloor first? or is that only if laying onto wood floor?

Probs a good idea to read instructions on the adhesive packet.

As said above ready mixed stuff is expensive. Mix yourself is easy to do after the first batch and might save some money. If floor is flat and level to start with and tiles uniform thickness they should go down easily. (Slate tiles were different thicknesses - that tested my thinking capacity no end!).

Here is a tiling guide. Makes it sound easy.

http://www.tiles.org.uk/about/tileitright.pdf


basically says ensure surfaces are sound, level and clean. Plan the tile layout. Tile 1m2 at a time and clean off tops of tiles as you go.

Decent adhesive spreader will probs be good investment (as well as sponge and bucket).

Porcelain or ceramic?

A tile cutting disc for your angle grinder is useful for around awkward shapes.
Cheers,
Bob

I cheated, and employed a local tiler to come and do it for me. He did it in a fraction of the time it would have taken me, did it far better than I could have managed, and wasn't a stupid amount of money (big floor tiles and halfway up the walls with small tiles with varied colours).

I know it sounds extravagant, but all I had to buy were the tiles - he had the tools, adhesive and grout.

I've done loads of floors, but got caught out by my old dear.

She picked the tiles, a bit expensive I thought but that's what she wanted, but when I went to lay them, my tile saw kept on dying. Put a new diamond blade in and it still struggled.

Talking to the tile shop after the job about grout sealer and told him my dilema and how hard the tiles were.

Then he said they were porcelain

Thats why they were so expensive, didn't look porcelain to me

if you are laying big tiles, have a spirit level to hand. And check the floor first. Its harder to make up any differences than it is with small tiles.

Employ a professional tiler

Guys this is Locostbuilders. If he can build a car, then surely he can tile a floor - its not rocket science!

Thankyou.............

quote:

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Originally posted by twybrow
Guys this is Locostbuilders. If he can build a car, then surely he can tile a floor - its not rocket science!

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Locost is a way of thinking, not just a car! Do it and be proud of the floor every time you walk on it/trip on the uneven edges!

quote:

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Originally posted by twybrow
Locost is a way of thinking, not just a car! Do it and be proud of the floor every time you walk on it/trip on the uneven edges!

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Buy a darkish grout. We used a light color in the kitchen and were later sorry as the sealer we were counting on to keep dirt out wasn't very effective.

Check your room for squareness and interior walls for perpendicularity. There may be some surprises.

Do your layout to avoid having any very narrow tiles against any visible wall, and for symmetry down walkways.

There is a type of saw for cutting away doorframes, cannot remember the proper name. This allows you to slid the tile under the frame rather than trimming. I used an electric one for a big job, which was very nice, but a hand saw is fine for a room with a couple of doors.

Plastic baseboard is Locost and is fine for kitchens and baths. Avoid rubber, which is hard to keep clean.