Kitchen Solid Floor Tiles

The_Biff

Has anyone had any experience of solid kitchen floor tiles - ceramic/slate etc. Were they OK? Difficult to fit etc & any cheapish suppliers?? Cleaning problems?

tru

We've got quarry tiles in our kitchen, but we covered them with carpet because they're freezing cold in the winter and I'm always barefoot ;D Lovely and cool in the summer though.

The floor has to be dead flat, so best to get a pro in to screed the floor. Don't start fitting at the edge of the room, walls are always out of square, start a row or two in, then you can cut the edges to fit the walls/units. I used to clean mine with hot soapy water (washing up liquid), don't use bleach even if it's diluted, it erodes the glaze eventually.

And that's all I know ;D

IM

I'm waiting on a sample from this guy http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5926471041&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT for my kitchen at the moment.

They are (as far as I can tell) exactly what I want, and seem very cheap.

I'll post back once I've seen the quality.

In terms of fixing, I'm leaving the existing (vile, pitted 70s ) tiles down, and will tile on top. It'll mean a bit of a step, but I don't fancy pulling them up and laying a screed - especially seeing as the new units etc. are already in place.

vansboy

We've just found out how difficult the task is - listen to what Troo, said!!

Must be why a tiler wantd £30/mtr to do the job!!

Another tiler said he wouldn't lay anything with red back to the tile - always cracks.

Guess what colour the backs of ours are?? OK 'till now, though.

Think we'd go for the slate effect, to avoid an unlevel finish, next time - everyone will think it's supposed to look that way!!

GET SOME VINYL!!!!

VB

tru

I've just spoken to hubby, he says for an even better result, start in the centre of the room. That way, if the tiles don't fit exactly from wall to wall (they hardly ever do), all the ones you've cut to fit round the edge of the room are the same size so it all looks nice and central.

And it's not ideal to lay tiles on top of tiles, but if you must, then you must ;D

tru

IM, hubby just had a look at the auction on ebay, he says it's not a bad price though it's difficult to tell the quality of the tiles from a pic. Best thing to do is go to a shop and compare the thickness and quality of the sample you've got with one in the shops, if they're about the same then it should be OK

I didn't think they were allowed to add charges for using Paypal though :-/

N9eav

Real terracotta tiles can make a great finish. They even stay fairly warm in winter. Only drawback they are quite thick and so will raise your floor level. They look great in an old house though

Galtizz

I've got THESE

From topps tiles 79p a tile.  They seem to have some good offers on but they make there money out of selling the tile cement, spacers and grout so I got all of these from Wickes.

I thought they were quite easy to lay and my floor is as wobbly as the irish sea in winter!!! (and I'm a girl )

As Mr troo said I'd start from the middle.
(the setting out should take almost as long as the laying) lay one in the middle then put a big cross of tiles leading to either side of the room (just dry tiles don't use cement yet) when you are sure they look OK (making sure you've put more down where necessary and checked to make sure there are no funny thin cuts to make near door ways cabinets etc.) and the lines are level with the walls,
draw along one edge of one of the lines of tiles and mark out where the edges of the tiles meet.  
Take up the tiles and screw a peice of wood (about 1 or 2 meters or the width/length of the room long) onto the floor along the tile side of the line.  
Make sure the tiles are stacked behind you (they can be in a different room as long as you don't have to step over the tiles you've laid to get them - 'cause you'll forget and tread on them).  
Make sure you have everything you need (bucket of cement, trowel, jagged tile layer thingy, spacers, big 1m ish level, small 'brick' level, bit of rag, knee pad, rubber mallet)
start laying the tiles upto the bit of wood, from one end.  
Continue laying the tiles along the next line until you get to the edge and have to cut them to fit.  
Once the first ones you laid have set take up the bit of wood and lay from that side.  
Once it has all dried (usually at least over night) then grout it
Then stand back and admire your handy work!

We (Well, my partner, cause I was too scared) used an angle grinder to cut the tiles (a bit of over kill but you can cut them to any shape i.e around the door frame etc).

Make sure that you (very, very gently) wipe the tile cement off the tiles as soon as they have been laid because it sets like cement(!) and you can't get it off after.  Also (carefully) using the end of the trowel clean out the edges of the tile because any cement sticking up will show through the grout.

Don't use the spacers in the conventional way turn them so they are standing up (crucifix style) and put 2 along each edge.  If you're using loads of tile cement to get the floor levelish they will just dissapear into the cement and not work.

As I said, my floor is wobbly as hell but I just made sure (using the little brick level) that each tile was level with each other.  This way the tiles wobble with the floor (adds to the rustic charm ::))  but there are no bits of tile sticking up that you might fall over.

We were always treading on ours before they had gone off and having to re-lay them especially when they are just inside the front door or somewhere you walk alot so I put little crosses on all of the freshly laid ones with red electricial tape that way you tended to think before you stepped.

And, remember my Dad's 2 favorite phrases - 'preparation, preparation, preparation' and 'measure twice, cut once'  ;)

I'm sure you'll do just fine.  Once they are laid you never have to do it again and they look so much better than lino, easier to clean too.

Edited link p.s Sorry for waffling

plumb1_2

Heard the one about the Husband who got layed on the tiles,his Wife walked over him for years ;D ;D

The_Biff

Delighted with responses - especially GALTIZZ-do you live in East Midlands!!!!!