Tools required :- Bolster chisel, preferably with a hand guard, 16 oz hammer or small lump hammer, paint scraper, old towels or dust sheets, hand brush and scoop, safety goggles and protective gloves. Safety tip :- Do not attempt to remove wall tiles without safety goggles (not safety specs) and protective gloves, fragments of the tiles being removed will shoot off in every direction and they can have extremely sharp edges. Before you start work, if you are removing wall tiles above, around or near sinks, baths, worktops etc, protect these surfaces with several layers of … [Read more...]
DISCOLOURED GROUT
Tools required :- Liquid soap/sugar soap, old toothbrush or small stiff brush, dry cloth or towel and a lot of elbow grease and patience, grout reviver pen. Tile grout, especially in wet and damp areas such as showers and around baths does tend to discolour after a period of time and if left alone will eventually turn Black and become very unsightly. I have the same problem in my own bathroom but rather than re-grout the tiles (one of my top three don't want to do it jobs) I tried a grout pen which basically colours the grout white. The discoloured grout should … [Read more...]
FLOOR TILING
Please read tips and advice on the tiling page for tips on tools required, setting out, using a guide rod, cutting tiles and using tile spacers. DIY tip :- To achieve a better finished 'look' to your tiled floor, skirting boards can be removed and replaced after the floor has been tiled to give a cleaner looking edge. Just like a wall that is going to be tiled, the floor needs to be clean, solid, flat and free from any loose debris, dust or holes before you start to lay tiles on it. Start tiling from the centre of the room, so measure and mark the centre … [Read more...]
RE-GROUTING TILES
This is one of those less desirable DIY tasks, if the grout has become discoloured and won't clean up using the various cleaning solutions that are available in the shops, the only option left is to re-grout the joints. The existing grout needs to be removed, Ideally to a depth of around 3 to 4 mm using a grout removing tool (see below). Use a protective sheet to cover worktops, baths and sinks etc. Grout removing tool blades can be changed for new ones as they wear down, take care not to damage the edges of tiles whilst removing the old grout. When all the old … [Read more...]
TILING A WALL
Tools required :- Grout spreader, tile spacers, spirit level, manual or power tile cutter, tape measure, pencil, hacksaw, small mitre box, tile file. Tiling a wall is straightforward providing the wall has been prepared correctly (see where to start), I always use a ready mixed waterproof adhesive and plastic tile spacers with a width of around 3 mm, which can be purchased from all tile and DIY stores. The spacers are in the shape of a cross and make tiling a wall a great deal easier, providing the first row of tiles stuck in position are perfectly level (See diagram … [Read more...]
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