Floor/ Wall Tiles

Installing tiles in different parts of the home is not an easy task. There are tips that will allow you to get rid of all issues that you may face when you tiling. Here are ways in which you can avoid all the headaches that are related to tiling. Building advisory, House plans, building plans and architectural design services offered by Archid architecture.

The Mix for Tiles

The mix needs to be smooth and to be able to achieve this, you need to wait. After you mix your thin grout or set, you should leave it to stand for some few minutes. This allows all dry chunks to absorb water before you mix one final time. After you do the layout work and prep, it means you are ready to start setting the tiles and get some amazing results. If you use a chunky mix, you will not be able to comb thin sets into the floor of wall. If not sure ask Archid architecture for advise on house plans and home design and installation guidance.

Starting..check dimensions with your architect

The best way to start is with a floor that is flat.  When you use a self-leveling compound, you will be able to achieve a very smooth and flat base where you will tile. It also becomes easier to embed the cables and heating mays. Also check the measurements against all sets of drawings, house plans, architectural design drawings and all available building plans from the architect.

Dealing with a wavy floor is simply a nightmare because you will end up with protruding edges from the tiles adjoining and this is most visible at the corners.

The baseboard

The next step is to remove your baseboard. After this, you don’t have to have very precise cuts and measurements. This means you will be able to work much faster and you will also have to deal with few miss-cut tiles on the pile. The base trim can be left in place.

The guide boards

You should also consider setting against some guide boards. It is better to have boards rather than lines. Unlike the chalk lines, the guideboards will not be lost under a thin set and they will not allow a shift in the tiles as you set others. When you are using the boards, make sure that they are straight or you may use strips of plywood. The edge of the guide can also be wrapped using duct tape so as to make sure that the thin set doesn’t stick. When done you can always replace the boards in accordance with house plans, building plans or the architects instructions.

The walls as per house plans

For these, you will need to make a straight start. You can set the tiles on ledgers. In such a case, the ledger has to be fastened to the wall so as to make sure they are supported. The ledger can be removed much later so as to trim tiles and fill in any gaps. Start from the bottom and work all the way up. This works well if the base is level and flat. Tiles amplify imperfections and misaligned tiles can be an eye sore.

After this you should:

• Clean up immediately
• Tackle any tough cuts using a grinder
• Slow down drying
• Pay attention to house plans and building plan details