Tiling Tips for Beginners
If you've never done any tiling before, trying it for the first time in your own home can be a daunting prospect. Tiles are the perfect surface for walls of bathrooms, kitchens and anywhere that could be exposed to water. Tiles provide a waterproof surface whilst appearing stylish and clean. There are plenty of resources available online and with the right amount of confidence and a little bit of know how, you should be able to crack it. There are a few things to remember before you attempt to tile any surface yourself.
You should always give some time to choosing the right tiles for you. They should be right in terms of the correct material for your needs as well as suiting the feel of your home. There are plenty of different styles of tile to choose from, so it really is worth shopping around until you find the perfect option. Once you've decided on a style of tile, you need to work out exactly how they will be positioned. Draw up a detailed plan so that you know if you have enough tiles for the job.
Any surface should be prepared before any tiling takes place. This means that the surface is level and even. Walls can be smoothed over by re-skimming with plaster or alternatively you could use plasterboard, which makes life that little bit easier. Without a completely flat surface, tiling will be near impossible. If you can attach the tiles on an uneven surface, the end result will be far from impressive.
To secure the tiles to your chosen surface, you must use a special adhesive. When the adhesive is completely dry, you should fill in the gaps between tiles with a special grout. Make sure that you wipe away any excess grout with a damp cloth to give a more professional look.
Whilst you're tiling, you will have to cut several of your tiles down to size to enable them to fit snugly into corners etc. This can be done in several ways, perhaps the easiest being using a flat bed cutter. Using this machine is incredibly simple and effective. First, you lay the tile on the flat bed and push the scribe over the surface at the desired point. This will create a perfectly straight score across the surface of the tile. Next, all you have to do is place the tile in the cutting jaw and pull down on the lever. Your tile will be cut in two with minimum effort.
You should always give some time to choosing the right tiles for you. They should be right in terms of the correct material for your needs as well as suiting the feel of your home. There are plenty of different styles of tile to choose from, so it really is worth shopping around until you find the perfect option. Once you've decided on a style of tile, you need to work out exactly how they will be positioned. Draw up a detailed plan so that you know if you have enough tiles for the job.
Any surface should be prepared before any tiling takes place. This means that the surface is level and even. Walls can be smoothed over by re-skimming with plaster or alternatively you could use plasterboard, which makes life that little bit easier. Without a completely flat surface, tiling will be near impossible. If you can attach the tiles on an uneven surface, the end result will be far from impressive.
To secure the tiles to your chosen surface, you must use a special adhesive. When the adhesive is completely dry, you should fill in the gaps between tiles with a special grout. Make sure that you wipe away any excess grout with a damp cloth to give a more professional look.
Whilst you're tiling, you will have to cut several of your tiles down to size to enable them to fit snugly into corners etc. This can be done in several ways, perhaps the easiest being using a flat bed cutter. Using this machine is incredibly simple and effective. First, you lay the tile on the flat bed and push the scribe over the surface at the desired point. This will create a perfectly straight score across the surface of the tile. Next, all you have to do is place the tile in the cutting jaw and pull down on the lever. Your tile will be cut in two with minimum effort.