Find a Tiler you can trust in Reading.

Are you interested in fitting tiles in your home or office? If yes, then you’d probably want to know the total cost of getting the project over the line. And being fully aware every job is unique, having a cost per square metre to work with will give you a more accurate price estimation for the overall project. 

First and foremost, the cost of a tiler depends on a wide range of factors such as the type of floor tiles and the size of the area. The cheapest of them all is the vinyl tiles which can be easily cut through and waterproof when properly sealed. As a result, making them a better fit for bathroom floors. Other kinds of tiles include ceramic tiles, mosaic tiles, quarry tiles and porcelain tiles. Each of the types have their own unique qualities including the quarry tiles’ durability and the afore-mentioned vinyl tiles’ waterproof qualities.

Having in mind that the major part of your tiles cost largely depends on the size of the area and the type of tile selected, you can then go ahead to contact your preferred tiling professional for an installation quote. The average price of bathroom tiles installation ranges about £20 to £25 per square metre. Meanwhile for a kitchen floor tiling project, the cost should range between £20 to £50 per square metre.

Finding a tiling professional you can rely on to complete your project and deliver a top quality job while also offering a very competitive price can be almost impossible. The professional you use greatly determines the price of your tiling effort, so there’s the need to review various professionals before making a decision.

Kitchen fitters are often trained carpenters and not all will offer tiling but many will know a tiler that they have worked with in the past. If you are looking to get your kitchen retiled without fitting a new kitchen when it's worth talking to tilers directly to get a range of prices.

It's useful to know in advance what tiles you like, a visit to your local tile store and either pick up a brochure or take some photos. It's probably better not to purchase the tiles at this moment though as often your appointed tiler may be able to get you a better price for the tiles or recommend alternatives. 

Tiling a kitchen wall can seem like an easy task until you get started. Errors made will forever be evident for everyone to see unless you’re prepared to spend some extra bucks. When done right, it can actually be a very satisfying project, but don’t even think about rushing into it. If you lack a proper training or experience, it’s advisable to leave the task to a skilled professional for the best results and to avoid extra costs. This guide is meant to give you a detailed insight into the process and help you avoid possible errors.

• Preparation

✓ Ensure you have the required amount of tiles, adhesive and grout.

✓ Take the tiles measurement and calculate in square metres.

✓ Determine the number of tiles to be used and add about 10% to the total number to cover for possible wastage.

✓ Check to surface to make sure its clean and dry.

• Mark Out The Area To Be Tiled

✓ Mark out the width of the tiles with spacers using a baton of timber.

✓ Position a tile against the bottom-most point and draw a line.

✓ Put a baton along this line and follow this by a vertical line at the wall’s end.

• Install The Tiles On The Kitchen Walls

✓ Apply an even layer of adhesive with a wall trowel on the kitchen’s wall surface.

✓ Place the first tile on the adhesive and apply small pressure, do this for the remaining tiles with similar pressure to ensure its levelled.

✓ Make use of tile spacers to get a uniform space in between.

✓ Leave the adhesive to harden before applying the grout.

• Grouting

✓ Remove the tile space and clear out excess adhesive

✓ Prepare the grout

✓ Make use of a grout float to apply the mixture into the joints.

✓ Let the grout dry up a bit before washing the surface off with a sponge and water.

How To Take Tiles Off A Wall

The bonding agent or adhesive usually incorporated to hold a tile against the wall are always very strong or else you’ll find your tiles peeling off. As a result, to have them removed is not the easiest of tasks and bashing them with a hammer, will only have them broken leaving you with the task of having to scrape off the pieces. A better and much easier approach to removing tiles from a wall will be to pry them off one after the other. So how do you go about this? Let’s have a look!

lSafety First, Then Remove The First Tile

• Wear a protective eye goggle and gloves.

• Break up the grout around a tile located atthe wall’s centre using a putty knife and hammer.

• Place the putty knife under the the tile and gently it with the hammer.

lRemove The Remaining Tiles

• By tapping and prying using the tools - hammer and putty knife, wipe off all the tiles in the vertical row.

• Once done, continue to detaching the tiles in the adjacent rows until you’re able to open a wallboard section that’s around 12 inches wide and does not obstruct a stud.

• Use a keyhole blade to poke it through the wallboard.

• With the help of a reciprocating saw, cut out the wallboard’s section.

lCut The Fasteners

• Using a metal-cutting blade, cut te wallboard-holding fasteners. Make sure the fasteners holding the wallboard to the top and bottom plates of the wall are both detached.

lRemove All Wallboard Sections

• Using a similar approach, gently remove the other sections of the wallboard.

• Once completed, you can easily sweep the tiles’ broken pieces.

• Finally, vaccum the grout dust to ensure the work is neatly done.

If you lack a proper training or experience, taking off your tiles from a wall is best left to a skilled professional for the best results and to prevent potential damages which can lead to additional costs.

Have you laid your tile and left it to set? If yes, then the next step is to start grouting. Before you get started there’s a need to make ready the right grout for the type of your grout as well as background material. If you’re not certain of the right grout you can reach out to the grout manufacturer for help. Grouting of floor tiles is not the easiest and tasks and should be left to a reputable professional in order to avoid costly mistakes and unnecessary costs. In this post, we’re going to take you through the processes involved in grouting of floor tiles in order to put you on the right track. Let’s take a look!

1. Depending on the adhesive used to lay your tiles, make sure you leave enough time for the tiles to fully set.
2. Get a mixing bucket and mix grout powder and water as instructed on the packaging. Ensure not to make too much as this will make it solidify quickly and unstable.
3. Apply some grout on the tiles - hold the grout float at 45 degree angle and apply the grout to fill all of the joints.
4. Once you’re done grouting all of the joints between the tiles, leave it for up to 10 to 15 minutes to dry before wiping down the tile surface using a damp sponge. Ensure not to apply too much pressure on the grout joints.
5. Let the tiles rest for about an hour so as to allow the grout solidify and harden a bit more. Once done, proceed to take off the excess grout and smooth it off.
6. Wipe down the tiles until they’re totally clean using a clean cloth.

How To Tile A Bathroom Wall With Large Tiles

It is crucial to make the walls of your bathroom waterproof, and a great way to do this is by installing tiles on them. And to make it more effective, less time consuming and a lot easier, you can make use of the large tiles in your shower. So how do you have them installed? With this brief guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the bathroom wall large tiles installation. Let’s have a look!

lGet The Appropriate Substrate

• Clean the surface on which the large tiles will be placed

• Make use of levelling spacers to ensure the large wall tiles are even.

• Get a cement-made backer board to install the tiles

• You made require a large format wall adhesive for the installation, if the large wall tiles are different

lSet The Layout

• You may need a dry layout for the tiles installation (installation without mortar or other bonding agents).

• Start with the first wall opposite the bathroom’s entrance

• Once completed, you can continue with the remaining parts of the bathroom wall.

• Place the first tile at the centre.

• Place the subsequent tiles on each side of the previous ones to have a more balanced installation.

There are three varying materials that can be utilized in installing heavy wall tiles. These includes thin set mortar, epoxy and mastic. However, you should always make use of epoxy for large format tile layout. To do this, simply place the tiles at your desired angle and gently twist them to hold firmly in place. Continue with this process till you have successfully covered the entire bathroom wall with the large tiles. Once done, leave the bathroom wall to dry.

It is advised that you hire the professional services of a tile installation company in order to get the best outcome especially if you lack the necessary experience, tools and knowledge to carry out the project. This will save you some time, effort and money.

Are you looking to tile your bathroom floor very soon? Well, we’ve got you covered! Tiling is not the easiest skill to acquire and definitely not one you’d want to try out on your bathroom without some practices.  For the best results and to get it right the first time, we’d recommend you hire the services of a reliable professional especially if you’re inexperienced or without a bathroom tiling training. Hopefully, this quick step-by-step guide will put you in the right direction.

1. Make Sure You Have A Levelled Subfloor
   Your subfloor’s stability is crucial for the success of your tile laying.
2. Once done, then you can start planning how to level the floor.
3. Identify the highest point of your floor and place a really long level to determine the dip and hump spots.
4. Fill in the identified low spots with mortar.
5. Cut The Tiles
6. Using a wet saw with a diamond blade and pump, cut through the tiles to get the appropriate shape.
7. Choose The Appropriate Adhesive
8. To best adhesive is probably the one written on the label and suggested by the manufacturer. If uncertain, you can make use of a modified mortar
9. Prepare The Area
10. Using the prepared mixture of your mortar, prime the surface by spreading it on the floor with the trowel’s flat side.
11. Once done, you can add more mortar with the ridges of the trowel.
12. Space The Tiles
    Tile spacement depends largely on the surrounding walls. Straight walls equal straight tiles, if not your judge would be required to ensure a great outcome.
13. If the wall is straight, make a space of about an eighth of an inch. The bigger spacing, the higher the possibility for the grout to become visibly discoloured.
14. Use The Right Grout
15. With sanded and unsanded grouts having a variety of colours, choosing the ideal grout can a tricky affair.
16. The size of the spaces play a huge role in determining the best choice.
17. Use a sanded grout if the spacing is an eighth of an inch or more. However if less, make use of the unsanded grout.

How To Tile A Bathroom Wall

Tiling your bathroom walls will not only increase the visual appeal of your space, but also provide an additional layer which helps protect against potential moisture damage, moist growth and also makes the bathroom a lot easier to clean up. So if you’re are looking to tile your bathroom, it’s recommended to get in touch with a skilled professional to ensure you get the best results. However, this guide will provide you with a good insight on how to get through the process smoothly and avoid costly errors. Let’s take a look!

lPrepare The Wall’s Surface

• Make sure that the surface is clean, smooth and dry.

• If there are any dips or holes, ensure to have them patched or sanded.

• Measure the area to be tiled and shape the backer board to fit, if a new wall surface is necessary.

• Cover the new surface area with adhesive to attach the back board to the surface.

lMix The Mortar

• Firstly determine the tile layout and make a layout tool

• Install the datum

• Follow the instructions of the adhesive package as the type you’re to use depends on the wall type.

• Create a consistent and smooth paste by mixing the adhesive with water.

lInstall The Tiles

• Using a notched trowel, spread the mortar.

• Put a thin layer at the back of each tile and press it against the surface.

• Create ridges using the notched side of the trowel.

• Clear out any excess adhesive on the tile’s surface as you continue.

• Put the spacers at the joints

• Remove the datum planks when ready to install the outer edge tiles.

lApply The Grout

• Put the grout over te tiles with a grout float

• Clean out excess grout with a damp sponge

• Seal the tiles once the grout is dried