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 […]
How to Deal with 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 […]
How to Lay Floor Tiles
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 […]
Tile Calculator
Use the chart below to find out how many tiles you will need for your tiling project. Remember to add around 10%, to allow for breakage and tile cuts you will no doubt have to make.
Removing Grout and Regrouting 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 […]
How to Cut Tiles
To cut tiles you have a wide choice of tools available, you can use a scribe, which has a diamond or carbide tip to mark a cut line on a tile. There are manual tile cutters, powered tile cutters and various tile saws, hole cutters and drill bits. To use a scribe to make a cut in […]
How to Tile a Wall
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 […]
Setting-Out Before Starting a Tiling Job
Spending a little time on the setting out of your tiling can save you having to make difficult cuts in tiles and improve the overall finished look and layout. Having the first row of tiles perfectly level is the key to a good tiling job, if they are not level you will be making adjustments to […]
How to Grout Tiles
Tools required :- Grout spreader, sponge, sealant gun, damp and dry cloths. When the tile adhesive has set, you can grout the joints between the tiles. Most ready mixed adhesives double up as a grout as well. Check the adhesive you have left over for grouting doesn’t have any dust or debris mixed in with […]
Preparing a Wall for Tiling
The first job to do is to remove any existing tiles from the wall, this can be done using a hammer and bolster chisel (wear safety goggles and gloves), protect any surfaces in the work area to avoid damage caused by falling tiles and be aware of any sharp pieces of tile on the floor. […]
How to Drill a Hole in Brick, Concrete or Tile
Whenever you have to drill a hole in brickwork or concrete, whether it’s for a fixing or for a pipe/cable to pass through, once you have marked the centre of the hole start drilling using a good quality masonry bit with the hammer or SDS action switched off so the drill bit creates an indentation. You might like: […]