Ceramic tiles for kitchens and bathroom

Ceramic tiles are easy-clean, hygienic and hard wearing.

Modern ceramic tiles are thin slabs of clay, decorated on one side with coloured glazes. These are baked on to give the tile a hard, glassy surface resistant to water, heat and almost all household chemicals. The clay from which tiles are made, which is known as the biscuit, varies and you need to know the differences before you choose the tile to use.

Kitchen fitters, Bathroom installers

The thinnest ones with a pale coloured biscuit are good on all vertical surfaces (including doors where extra weight puts stress on the hinges). If the biscuit is reddish/brown it has been high baked (vitrified). The thicker and darker coloured it is the more strength the tile has — floor tiles, for example, are usually big in size as well as thick in biscuit., Work surfaces need tiles that are strong to withstand weights of heavy pots, while splashbacks and bathroom surfaces can take lighter, thinner ones. Types of tiles Within each range of tiles there are usually three types.

Spacer tiles have small projections on each edge called lugs which butt up to the neighbouring tile and provide the correct space for grouting (with these it is very hard to vary the width of the grouting). Border tiles are squared off on all sides but are glazed on two adjacent edges — these give a neat finish to outer corners and top or side edges. Universal or continental tiles have no lugs and are square on all edges.

All three can be used successfully in small areas, but do remember that if tiles do not have lugs you have to include grouting space in your calculations — the thinnest tiles need to be spaced by nothing more than torn-up pieces of cardboard, 6mm (1Ain) tiles are best with a matchstick width in between. Tiles are sold by the sq metre, sq yd, boxed in 25s or 50s, or can be bought individually. Boxed tiles usually advise on adhesive and grout needed for specific areas. When buying, if there’s no written information available always check that the tile is suitable.

How to plan the layout

When tiling small areas you don’t have much space to manoeuvre. The idea in all tiling is to create a symmetrical effect, using whole tiles or, if any have to be cut, making them equal. Knowing about the different sizes of tiles helps in the planning. For example, if you know the width and height or depth of the surface you intend to tile, you can divide this by the known size of tiles until you find the one that gives the right number of whole tiles.

Remember that the width of grouting has to be added to the measurement with non-lugged tiles – and except with the very thinnest tiles this can be slightly widened if it saves cutting a tile. If you’re prepared to incorporate cut tiles into the planning remember:
• on the width of the tiled area, place equal cut tiles at each end • on the height, place cut tiles at the top edge • on the depth (eg, window-recesses) put cut tiles at back edge
• frame a fitting by placing cut tiles at each side and the top

A mix of patterned or textured with plain tiles is best done first on metricated graph paper. This will help you see where you want the pattern to fall. Fixings should be made in the grouting lines where possible. Some tile ranges have soap dishes, towel rails etc attached to tiles so they can be incorporated ina scheme, but if these don’t suit your purposes, you can drill the tiles to screw in your own fitting (see page 58).

A working plan

All tiles should be fixed level and square so it’s important to establish the horizontal and vertical with a spirit level. Draw in the lines with pencil. If you plan to tile where there is no support (eg, on either side of a basin or sink) lightly pin a length of 50 x 25mm (2 x 1 in) timber below the tiling line – the batten will prevent the tiles slipping. On doors you may have to consider adding a timber surround to keep the tiles secure as they will be subjected to movement (see section on Adhesives).

Adhesives and grouting

The choice of both of these depends on where the tiles are to be fixed. In a watery situation (eg, a shower cubicle or a steamy kitchen) it is important to use a waterproof variety of both, even though you might have to wait for 4-5 days before exposing the tile surface to use.

All ceramic tile adhesives are like thin putty and can be bought ready mixed in tubs or in powder form to be made up with water. They are what is known as thin-bed adhesives in that they are designed to be applied in a thin layer on a flat even surface. The spread is controlled by a notched comb (usually provided by the manufacturer but cheap to buy where you bought the tiles) to make furrows of a specified depth.

When the tiles are pressed on with a slight twist, the adhesive evenly grips the back of the biscuit. Special latex-jbased adhesives (usually, two-part products which have to be mixed before using) have much more flexibility and are good for tiles where there is any movement (eg, on doors).

Spread the adhesive on an area no more than 1 sq metre (1 sq yd) at a time, or it will lose its gripping power before you have time to place the tiles. If you remove a tile, before refixing comb the adhesive again.

Grout gives the final finish to the tiled area, filling the spaces between the tiles and preventing moisture getting behind them and affecting the adhesive. Grouting can be done 12-24 hours after the last tile has been pressed into place. Grout can be standard or waterproof (with added acrylic), and both are like a cellulose filler when made up. If you only make up one lot of grouting, you can colour it with special grouting tints – but remember that it’s hard to make other batches match the colour.

Waterproof grouting cannot always take these tints. Press grout between the tiles with a sponge or squeegee and wipe off excess with a damp sponge. Even up the grouting by drawing a pencil-like piece of wood (eg dowelling) along each row first vertically, then horizontally. Do this within 10 minutes of grouting so it is not completely dry. Leave the tiles for 24 hours before polishing with a clean dry cloth. Wash clean only if a slight bloom remains. Tiles should never be fixed with tight joints for any movement of the wall or fittings will cause the tiles to crack. Similarly where tiles meet baths, basins, sinks etc, flexibility is needed – and grout that dries rigid cannot provide it. These gaps must be filled with a silicone rubber sealant Techniques with tiles To cut tiles, lightly score th’e glaze with a tile cutter to break the surface.

Place the tile glazed side up with the scored line over matchsticks and firmly but gently press the tile down on each side. If using a pencil press on one side, hold the other. Smooth the cut edge with a file. Very small adjustments are best done are best done by filing the edge of the whole tile.

line heavily by drawing the tile cutter across the tile more firmly several times in the same place. Then use pincers to ‘nibble’ the waste away in small pieces and smooth the edge. Glaze on broken tiles is as sharp as glass, so be careful not to cut yourself. Templates for awkwardly shaped tiles are not difficult to make. Cut the shape in card, place on a tile and score a line freehand with the tile cutter. Any straight score marks can be deepened afterwards, using a straight edge for support. Then nibble away the waste with pincers. If there’s a large amount to be cut away, score the waste part to divide it into sections, then nibble away. A good tip is to do this on a soft or padded surface so the tile doesn’t break in the wrong place. 2 Another type of cutter has’jaws’which clasp the tile during breaking. (It also has a small ‘wheel’ for scoring through the glaze on the tile). 4 Place pencil centrally under tile and score line, hold one side and press firmly I on other. With thin tiles, press lightly both sides.

Suitable surfaces

The ideal surface for tiling is one that’s perfectly flat, dry and firm. Small irregularities will be covered up, but any major hollows, bumps or flaking, need to be made good.

Plastered walls and waterproof sheets: perfect for tiling, but wait a month after any new plastering to allow the wall to dry out completely. Unless surface has been previously painted, apply a coat of plaster primer to prevent the liquid in the tile adhesive from being absorbed too quickly.

Plasterboard: again, ideal for tiling as long as it’s firmly fixed and adjacent boards cannot shift. (If they did the joins would probably crack). To prepare the surface, remove all dust, wipe down with white spirit

Laying plywood over a timber floor

A floor which is subject to movement will disrupt tiles laid over it so if you intend tiling over a suspended wooden floor you will first have to make the surface as firm as possible by covering it with a layer of man-made boards. Water-resistant resin-bonded plywood is a suitable material as it will resist penetration by the damp adhesive you will be spreading over it and you will avoid the problem of rotting boards. The boards should be at least 12mm (1/2in) thick. To prepare the floor to take the plywood you should punch any protruding nails below the surface at the same time checking that the floorboards are firmly secured. You can then go ahead and fix the sheets of plywood to the floor using nails spaced at 225mm (9in) intervals across the middle of the sheets and at 150mm (6in) intervals round their perimeter. You will have to cut the boards to shape round any recess or alcove , and where there is a pipe run, fix narrow strips of plywood over the pipes to make access to them easier. Make sure you stagger the joints; this will prevent any floor movement causing the tiles to break up in a run across the floor.

Levelling a concrete floor for bathrooms and kitchens

A concrete floor which is out of true can be levelled using a self-levelling flooring compound so it is suitable for tiling. For the compound to form a smooth, even surface it should only be applied to a floor which is clean and free from dust, oil, grit or grease so you should first sweep the floor and then scrub it thoroughly (1). You may find you have to use a proprietary cleaner to remove stubborn greasy patches. The compound comes in powder form and you will have to mix it up according to the manufacturer’s instructions so it forms a runny paste

If you try covering the entire floor in one operation, it’s likely the compound will set into large pools which are difficult to join up. It’s better to work in small areas; you can delineate your working area by forming a bay using timber battens. Pour the compound onto the floor and then spread it out as evenly as possible using a steel float, any marks from the float will disappear quickly. The compound will set within a couple of hours. If you want extra thickness you can apply a second coat once the first is hard.

Grouting the tiles

Mix the grout according to the manufacturer’s instructions; make up only a small amount at a time and, as with adhesive, work in areas of 1 sq metre (11 sq ft). Apply it with the straight edge of a rubber float, or a sponge or squeegee, making sure the joints are properly filled.

Pack the grout firmly into the joints and smooth off using a small rounded stick-don’t try using a finger as the grout is likely to irritate your skin. It’s best to remove excess grout (and adhesive) as soon as possible. If it sets it will be difficult to remove.

Laying tiles

Finding the starting point

The first whole tile you lay will determine where all the other tiles are laid, so it is important that you get this positioning correct. Choose the corner in which you wish to start tiling and, laying your tile gauge parallel to one of the walls, measure how many whole tiles will fit along that side of the room. There will almost certainly be a gap left over. Measure this gap, and divide the answer by two to find the width of the cut tiles that will fill the gap at each end of the row. (These should be of equal size.)

If these cut tiles turn out to be less than one quarter of a tile-width across (and therefore tricky to cut), reduce the number of whole tiles in the row by one. The effect of this is to increase the width of each cut tile by half a tile – much easier to cut. Return to the corner and with your tile gauge parallel to the wall along which you have been measuring, move it so the end of the gauge is the width of one cut tile away from the adjacent wall. Mark this position off on the floor – it indicates where one edge of the first whole tile in that row will fall. Repeat this same measuring process along the adjacent wall to establish the positioning of the row at right angles to the one you’ve just set out; you will then be able to mark off where the other edge of this same first tile will fall, and so fix its position precisely.

Once that is done, every other tile’s position is fixed right across the floor. You can then place thisfirst tile in position. Mark off and cut the boundary tiles between it and the corner. Remember to allow for the width of the grouting gap when measuring each cut tile. Each cut tile should be measured individually because the wall may not be perfectly straight. You may then go ahead with laying whole tiles, starting from your original corner.

In the corner area spread adhesive evenly on the floor over an area of about 1 sq m (11 sq ft) – it is important to work on only a small area at a time, otherwise the adhesive may have begun to dry out by the time you reach it. With a gentle, twisting motion, place the first tile in the corner, and use light hand pressure to bed it firmly in the adhesive. Place the second tile alongside the first, using the same gentle pressure, and placing spacers of cardboard or hardboard between the tiles if they don’t have spacer lugs.

Continue laying tiles, building up a rectangular area, until you have reached the edge of the adhesive bed. Use a spirit level to check that the tiles are level; if any are too low, lever them off the bed as quickly as possible with a wide-bladed trowel, add adhesive and re-set them, pressing them down gently. With the first square metre of tiles laid, you can spread another layer of adhesive over a further area, and lay the next area of tiles. As you lay the tiles, it is worth checking every now and again that adequate contact with the adhesive is being made and that there are no voids beneath the tiles – any gaps or hollows under the tiles will become weak points later on. You can proceed with the tiling in 1 sq m sections until all the tiles are,in place, then leave them for at least 24 hours. The tiles must not be walked on during this time so that any risk of them being knocked out of place or bedded too deeply is avoided.

http://youtu.be/DVj8MfkN7eo

If you have to walk on the tiles, lay a sheet of plywood or chipboard over them first to spread the load. When 24 hours – or longer; check the manufacturer’s instructions – are up, you can remove the spacers. Check with the adhesive manufacturer’s instructions to see whether you need to allow extra time after this before you begin grouting. Cutting tiles You will have to cut each tile individually since you will almost certainly find variations around the room. Place the tile which is going to be cut against the wall and on top of the adjacent whole tile.

Mark it off for cutting. Using a straight edge as a guide, score the tile surface and edges with a scribing tool. You can use a hand tile cutter to cut and break the tile along the scoreline; but its probably worthwhile hiring a special floor tile cutter to make the job easier. To cut a tile to give an L-shape you will need to use tile nips to nibble away at the waste area. You can use a tile file, carborundum stone or coarse glasspaper to smooth off the rough edge. For curved shapes (eg, to fit round a WC pedestal), you will need to make a template and again use tile nips to nibble away at the tile.

Preparing the floor surface for tiles

Surfaces to be tiled should be dry, flat, stable, clean and free from grease, dirt and unsound material. A flat, dry, level concrete floor can be tiled without special preparation. If, however, there are small depressions in the concrete these should be filled with a mortar mix of 3 parts sharp sand and 1 part cement.

A more uneven floor should be screeded with a proprietary brand of self-levelling flooring compound. The screed should be left for two weeks to allow it to dry thoroughly before fixing tiles. If the floor is a new concrete one, it should be left for a minimum of four weeks to allow all moisture. to disperse before you begin covering it with tiles.

Existing ceramic floor tiles, quarry tiles or terrazzo surfaces can be tiled over. They should be checked to ensure that there are no loose or hollow-sounding areas. Any defective sections must be made good before you lay new tiles on top. You can tile on suspended wooden floors, but it is important that the floor should be made as rigid and firm as possible.

To achieve this, cover the floorboards with a layer of water-resistant resin-bonded plywood at least 12mm (1/2in) thick. Alternatively, you can use chipboard of the same thickness. Before laying tiles over timber floors cover the surface thoroughly with a priming coat – either a special priming agent from the adhesive manufacturer, or else diluted PVA building adhesive.

Planning the floor tiles layout

Planning

As when tiling a wall, it is well worth planning your layout on paper first, particularly if you intend using a. complicated design. For rectangular or square tiles make a scale drawing on graph paper; for hexagons or other specially-shaped tiles, draw the shapes to scale on tracing paper, to act as an overlay to a scale floor plan of the room. From your scale drawings you can see if the layout you have in mind is going to work.

It will help you set out an attractive design and it will also enable you to work out the number of tiles you will require. Mark on your plan the position of fixtures such as a WC, wash or sink stand, cupboards or pipes to indicate where cutting will be required – where necessary adjust your plan so you will not have to cut pieces which are too narrow for convenient cutting.

Similarly, your layout should be designed so you avoid having to cut narrow pieces of tile to fit around the perimeter of the room. Floor tiles, being so much tougher, are less easy to cut than wall tiles and attempting to obtain narrow strips is likely to cost you several broken tiles. Where you are not using a_complicated design you can plan your layout directly on the floor. For this you will need a tiling gauge.

Adhesives for laying floor tiles

Types of adhesives

There are several types of adhesives for laying floor tiles. Some come ready-mixed, others in powder form to be mixed with water. A number are waterproof and where the floor will be subjected to frequent soakings (as, for example, in a shower cubicle, wet floor, kitchen floor) or heavy condensation you will need to use one which is water-resistant.

The picture below shows wall tiles adhesive 🙂

Usually the adhesive does not become waterproof until it has set completely, which means that you can clean tools with water and do not require a special cleaner. On a solid floor with underfloor heating you should use an adhesive which is also heatresistant or the adhesive will fail and the tiles will lift necessitating continual re-fixing.

A cement-based floor tile adhesive is suitable for use on good, level concrete whereas a suspended wooden sub-floor will need an adhesive with some degree of flexibility built in. Combined cement/rubber flexible adhesives are available for this purpose but even these, sometimes should not be used on suspended wooden floors which are subject to a lot of movement, you will have to add a covering of external grade plywood boards to provide a more stable surface before fixing the tiles.

Manufacturers’ instructions give guidance as to the type of adhesive suited to a particular situation and you should study these carefully before making your choice. You should also follow their recommendations as to the thickness of adhesive bed required; most resin-based ready-mixed adhesives are used as thin beds (3 to 6mm/Vs to 1/4in), while cement-based powder adhesives may be laid up to 12mm (1/2in) thick. Usually a spreader is supplied with the adhesive to make applying it a straightforward job.

Laying ceramic floor tiles in kitchens and bathroom

You can lay ceramic tiles to provide a floor surface which is particularly resistant to wear and tear.

Ceramic floor tiles provide a floor-covering which is attractive, extremely hardwearing and easy to maintain and keep clean. The wide variety of tiles available means you should easily find a pattern which suits your colour scheme. Floor tiles are usually thicker than ceramic wall tiles (they are generally at least 9mm thick), very much stronger and have a tough hardwearing surface to withstand knocks as well as wear from the passage of feet.

The backs of the tiles have a brownish appearance caused by the extra firing – done at a higher temperature than for wall tiles, which are often almost white on the back.

Types of tiles

Square tiles are commonest, in sizes from 150 x 150mm (6 x 6in) to 250 x 250mm (10 x 10in). Besides square tiles you can choose objong ones in several sizes, hexagons or other interlocking shapes. Surfaces are usually glazed but are seldom as shiny as those of wall tiles or scratch marks would inevitably become apparent as grit was trampled in. So most floor tiles are semi-glazed; others have a matt, or unglazed finish. Patterned ceramic tiles are quite frequently designed in such a way that several tiles can be laid next to one another to complete a larger design. The commonest is built up by laying four identical tiles in a square, each tile being turned at 90° to its neighbours.

The full impact will only be achieved if a sufficiently large area of floor is being tiled. Patterned and plain tiles can also successfully be intermixed to create unusual designs, but it is essential that the tiles are all supplied by the same manufacturer, and ideally come from compatible ranges, to ensure uniformity of thickness and size. Some manufacturers supply floor tiles1 designed to co-ordinate with wall tiles, and in addition make matching panels to act as skirtings between wall and floor tiles.

Drilling tiles

When drilling in hard shiny surfaces, ceramic tiles, for example, you often find that the drill bit wanders out of position as soon as you turn on the drill. To avoid this, cover where you want the hole with masking or sticky tape.

It’s not just hard surfaces that can make the drill wander off course. It can happen on plaster, too. Here the answer is to make a shallow dent by turning the bit by hand. The dent should then keep the tip of the drill just where you want it.

Sticky tape is also handy for making sure you don’t drill too deeply. Just wrap it round the drill bit the length of the plug in from the tip, to form a little flag. When the flag touches the wall, you know you’ve drilled far enough.

Take care when drilling into walls not to go through electric cable. The main danger areas to avoid are above and below light switches or power sockets, and anywhere near wall lights. Also avoid areas near pipes.