The guide to Tiling
November 15, 2008
By Samantha Finley
Whether you’ve got a self build on your hands, are moving into a new home or simply want to update your existing property, tiling your bathroom or kitchen is a great way to add colour and texture. This week we examine the “what “ and the “how” to getting the job done right.
Tiling is one of the best ways to improve the aesthetics of your bathroom or kitchen. The key to the process is in the preparation. Surfaces need to be clean and dry with cracks repaired well with a filler or this can cause you problems later on when fixing a tile. When it comes to choosing the tiles, colours, designs and textures are integral to the overall spatial appearance, textured tiles in particular can make a fabulous contrast to sanitary ware. Tiles bring a great sense of character to a room and require little maintenance. They are perfect for updating bathrooms and kitchens and coloured tiles can really coordinate a room with matching towels and other accessories.
A common misconception is that floor tiles are for floors only, you can actually create a fabulous contrast with mosaic or border tiles for a stunning, eye catching result. Rob Jull, MD of RAK Ceramics says that “the beauty of using slate or stone look-alikes in your scheme is that they are lighter in weight than their natural cousins, thus helping you achieve the look without the extra work involved, both during installation and aftercare”. Using the same tiles on the wall as on the floor can create an opulent feel with a wet room appearance. For a really elegant appeal, natural coloured tiles work best. The current trend matches a natural stone finish tile with mosaic strips for a luxurious setting.
The size of the room will determine which colours and tiles to use. Choose pastels and neutrals to create a larger appearance for a relaxing retreat. Opt for darker colours and patterned designs in larger spaces and accessorise with candles for a romantic haven. Rob Jull recommends “mixing the two to give stunning results, try to use tiles from the same family to give a cohesive feel to the room, such as RAK’s ceramic Slate which is available in 3 colours (black, blue and white) and two sizes and will give an excellent lifelike slate finish to your walls and floor, yet with the ease of use, perfect texture and resilience a man-made material provides”.
If you are tiling a large area, combine brilliant white tiles with borders or choose different but subtle textures which will have a timeless appeal. Joanna Davila, managing director of Rocco Stone comments: “When attempting to create the impression of space in a small bathroom, the fundamental rule is to stick to light, neutral coloured tiles in the largest possible format. It’s important to stick to simple tile patterns – don’t overload the enclosed space with complicated and intricate designs. If you do want to add a touch of colour into your bathroom then ensure that it’s used sparingly – avoid dark colours and if you do introduce a stronger shade only use on the floor”.
If you are tiling on top of other tiles, remember that new tiles will be thicker which can also create problems when tiling up to door frames. Always use a spirit level to ensure the batten is exactly vertical. It is also a good idea to calculate how much tile adhesive you will need by the manufacturers guidelines to save time and wastage. When applying the adhesive to the surface you can put on just enough for however many tiles you feel comfortable in laying in one time, although you shouldn't finish for the day halfway through a row. When you have finished all of the rows of the full tiles take advantage of the adhesive still being pliable to check and correct any tiles that may have slipped out of position.
Finally, Joanna Davila suggests “you can create a feeling of space by mirroring the top half of a room. Together, these simple tricks can turn a tiny room into one that feels large and spacious.” Tiling can be costly, it usually goes in hand with quality and remember that they have a huge amount of resilience when maintained, so it can be worth the investment – use water and vinegar to keep them sparkling!
Address Book:
Original Style – http://www.originalstyle.com 01392 473000
Rocco Stone – http://www.roccostone.co.uk 0800 023 4118
RAK Ceramics – http://www.rakceramics.co.uk 01730 815507
Expression Tiles – http://www.expressiontiles.co.uk 0870 760 2686
Tiles etc – http://www.tilesetc.com 020 7607 2700
Related articles
