how easy is it to do tiling?

David_1979

i want to do my bathroom with natural stone tiles, is it a simple task for someone who live general DIY, and do i buy cheap or expensive tools? any tips would be appreciated, i will youtube it as well but want help on here if possible. thanks

-taff

the flat bits are easy, cutting to fit round pipes, and other bits, not so easy. Right tools, easier, not right tools, it'll look terrible.
Natural stone is expensive, so if you do get it wrong, it will look awful.

If you're fairly competent, you should be able to do a passable job but it'll never be as good as someone who does know what they're doing.

These tile spacers and multitool were excellent, I've got some.

https://www.suretile.co.uk/category/tile-spacers-tiling-tools

martinsurrey

tiling is easy, tiling well is hard.

as above, right tool for the job and a clear understanding on what to do is important.

you'll want an electric tile cutter for natural stone, and a cheap one will not make your life easy.

I used something like this for mine

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-erb337tcb-750w-tile-saw-230v/34771

A1P

-taff wrote: »

the flat bits are easy, cutting to fit round pipes, and other bits, not so easy. Right tools, easier, not right tools, it'll look terrible.
Natural stone is expensive, so if you do get it wrong, it will look awful.

If you're fairly competent, you should be able to do a passable job but it'll never be as good as someone who does know what they're doing.

These tile spacers and multitool were excellent, I've got some.

https://www.suretile.co.uk/category/tile-spacers-tiling-tools

There are enough warnings here to make you think twice.Top tilers go mad when they hear ANYONE CAN TILE.It is a highly skilled finishing trade which makes or breaks a kitchen/bathroom.You are buying expensive tiles.The skill level for these is a notch up and specialist tools are essential and expensive.I am always advising people to go on Tilers Forum and you will see some expensive disasters ,some done by so called professionals.You will also see some amazing work.You can post a job on there but the really good tilers often have 2 months work booked in.You need to see a genuine portfolio of work if you hire someone.Good luck either way.

SuzieSue

I had my bathroom tiled by someone who specialises in tiling and he did a brilliant job because he has done it day in day out for over a decade.

My friend had her bathroom tiled by a competent carpenter who also does general diy. I could tell at once that she hadn't used an experienced tiler when I compared her bathroom to mine - the finish was nowhere near as good as mine.

StuC75

Its definitely one of those 'easy to learn'[in principal], but difficult to master type jobs [over many years].. so since it gives the finishing touch to the room there isn't much that can be done if it just doesn't look right...

unlucky67

Basic tiling - like a splashback around a bath on square walls with ceramic tiles -messy but easy.
Expensive, thick tiles on whole bathroom having to go round pipes, etc and keep level straight and depth constant for long stretches...I wouldn't do it.
If you are going to take it on you need good tools and good adhesives and grout. And allow for a lot of wastage (as well as a strong and firm wall base, those tiles can be really heavy)
A few years ago, I had a handyman doing some work for me, his next job was sorting out a DIY tiling disaster . Apparently DIYer had started job but it had gone horribly wrong (his level had gone off and where tiles joined up after going round the room they were off by a couple of centimeters). He had used good adhesive though. He had tried to take some tiles off, resulting in broken tiles or ones with adhesive he couldn't get off the back as well as ruining the plaster and making holes in the plasterboard walls...was costing a lot more than it would have to get someone in to do it in the first place...

wallbash

Well I did my first tiling ( a seperate w/c ) at the tender age of ......11.
That was the best part of 50 years ago , no fancy tile cutters in those days, Can anyone else remember the 'chicken ' primary coloured tiles??

The hardest tile is the first one.
I still draw the tiles onto the walls, esp if using a patten

phoebe1989seb

I'd echo that it's definitely not a simple task.......but agree that with the right tools and some practice/experience a good effect can be achieved. I wouldn't think that starting off with expensive stone tiles would be recommended though

We've taken on several project houses over the last 20 years and DH has acquired quite a few skills along the way. He was taught plastering by a relative when he was a teenager and whilst he's never done it as a trade (he was in interior design for many years), he became proficient enough to tackle a large six bed house amongst others we've owned.

Similarly with tiling. He started off with relatively simple, small areas and has progressed to tiling an entire shower room. Currently he's doing two in our newest house - one with porcelain, the other with glass mosaics. His finish is now as good as anything done by the tilers employed by his friend who owns a high-end bathroom showroom.

He's a bit of a perfectionist and has invested in the *right* tools for the job - for example when faced with laying 48 sq m of limestone floor tiles last year he bought a *Versatile Power Pro Bridge Saw* tile cutter, a large floor standing piece of kit that set us back a couple of hundred quid, but we knew we'd have masses more tiling do do here......:p

cyclonebri1

martinsurrey wrote: »

tiling is easy, tiling well is hard.

as above, right tool for the job and a clear understanding on what to do is important.

you'll want an electric tile cutter for natural stone, and a cheap one will not make your life easy.

I used something like this for mine

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-erb337tcb-750w-tile-saw-230v/34771

Yes, I wouldn't attempt tiling using modern heavy porcelain or stone tiles without a saw table and the correct blade.

Your only issue is are you going to do any more tiling projects? if not the cost of buying or even hiring to neccesary kit can make it wasteful.

Most of us by the tools as we go, we spend a lifetime collecting stuff and it gets used over and over again. It depends which camp you see yourself in.;)