Find a Tiler you can trust in Grays.

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. 

If you’re thinking about the better option between tiling your walls either before or after fitting a kitchen, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ll give a good insight on the best practices to help you plan and also avoid making costly mistakes.

The short and simple answer to this question is - it depends. It depends on structure of your home or property, your kitchen as well as the surface in question, the materials selected and also your unique preferences. This answer is mainly provided because there’s no tile industry standard explaining when a kitchen or cabinet should be fitted. Therefore, there’s a need to check the suitability of any structure and substrate needs by a professional before you determine the type of tile installation as well as when to install the tile.

If you decide to install the wall tiles before fitting the kitchen, here are some benefits you stand to derive:

✓ There will be no finish cuts or sealant application required for the perimeter joints at the finished sides of the cabinets making the installer’s job a lot easier

✓ This also implies extra square footage for the installer, but less detail as well as trim work.

✓ Water leaks from the kitchen won’t be able to cause much damage.

✓ It allows for more flexibility when remodelling in the future.

However, installing the wall tiles after fitting the kitchen also comes with some advantages. Let’s have a look!

✓ This means less in square footage, but more time in both detail as well as trim work.

✓ The risk of damage to the wall tiles by other trades is significantly minimized.

✓ It’ll be easier to change the wall tiles later on without having to remove the kitchen.

How To Remove Tile Floor

Removing old tile can be a very tricky process which require lots of skills and experience to get right, the first time. Here, you’ll learn the best approach to removing your old tile by yourself. During the removal process, be sure to incorporate the necessary tools while also protecting yourself by putting on the recommended safety requirements. These includes a floor scraper, paint scraper, dust mask, handheld chisel, safety glasses, drop sheet as well as leather gloves or top quality riggers.

Tile Removal Process

lBreak The First Tile

• Use a hammer to break the first tile (target the centre of the tile with the hammer).

• To protect yourself from the sharp edges of the broken tile, use a drop sheet to cover the surfaces.

lRemove The First Tile

• With a chisel, remove the broken tile that’s still bonded on the floor.

• Position the chisel on the grout line at the tile’s edge to remove the broken but glued tile.

lBreak Up The Remaining Tiles

• Break up several tiles at once and use the floor scrapper to remove it.

• Ensure that the bonding agent used is pliable to make the job a soft work. If the bonding agent is a bit more permanent in nature, then you might want to consider a dynamite to dislodge the flooring.

lRemove The Mortar

• Hit the mortar with a hammer on a 2 to 3 foot square section to remove it from the underlayment.

• Scrape off the mortar’s broken pieces using a floor scraper

• In the event whereby most of the mortar is not removed, your best bet would be to change the underlayment.

• Bonding agent (adhesive) removal is not the easiest of tasks. To make it a bit simpler, you can softening the adhesive with a heat gun before scraping with the help a wide putty knife.

Tile removal is not only a tedious task, but can also be harmful if adequate care is not taken. If you’re inexperienced or not well trained, we’d recommend you hire the services of a professional to avoid making mistakes and incurring extra costs.

How To Remove Tile From Wall

Have you stumbled on some stylish new tiles you wish to install in your home, be it bathroom, kitchen or living room? Or perhaps you just feel your old tiles have outstayed their welcome and need a to install a more modern and appealing wall tile. The first step before installation of the new tiles will be to remove the old ones which can be done by following these simple steps below:

lSafety

• To remove wall tiles, you’d have to chip them away and that implies shards of porcelain, ceramic or glass flying around. Hence, your safety should be a top priority.

• Use safety goggles and protective gloves to protect both your eyes and hands.

lCover Up

• With several sharp objects flying everywhere, all objects in the room are far from safe.

• Use a cardboard or old sheet to protect the room and valuable objects from damage.

lAssemble The Tools

• For wall tiles removal, you need just two tools - a hammer and a chisel that’s a bit thin.

• In the event whereby a chisel is not available, you can make use of a flat headed and large screwdriver.

lGet To Work

• Feel for a loose tile to start with and if successful, chip it out with a chisel.

• If you can’t find a loose tile, then break one by sticking the centre of a tile with a chisel and hit it hard with a hammer.

lRemove All Tiles

• Once you’ve been able to chip away or break the first tile, you can easily get access to other tiles.

lClean Up

• Try to get as much dried adhesive off the wall as you can by gently tapping it with the chisel and hammer so as not to damage the wall.

• Once done, put away the cardboard and dust sheet which should have collected much debris.

• Use a brush and dust pan to clean out the loose pieces (if any).

Wall tiles removal can be a very dangerous process which should be left to a professional especially if you lack a proper training or experience. This is not only to prevent anybody being hurt, but also to avoid any possible damages to the wall or any valuable object which can result in additional cost on repair or replacement.

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.

Mosaic tiles is a popular choice amongst most homeowners for several reasons. Not only can they be used to create a colourful and beautiful background for your space, they’re also very easy to maintain while also lasting a very long period of time when properly installed. In addition, they’re very easy to install and can also blend perfectly with other types of tiles. If you’re thinking about fitting mosaic wall tiles in your home or office, you’d probably want to know how you can go about the installation. The installation process is actually very easy but if you do not have the confidence required to pull this off, then we’d recommend you call in a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results for help.

✓ Prepare the surface. This involves switching off the power to electrical outlets, removing wall plates as well as other accessories anchored to the wall and protecting the countertop and other surfaces.

✓ Draw reference lines. Determine the layout of the mosaic tiles.

✓ Install a tile finishing trim. This should be done at the edge of the tiled surface with flat head nails. Then use a 3/16 inches notched trowel to spread a thin coat of tile adhesive over a small section of wall, to one side of the vertical line.

✓ Spread the adhesive. Use the notched side of a trowel to spread the adhesive.

✓ Lay the first sheet. Use the reference lines as a guide to the first mosaic tile sheet.

✓ Verify adherence. Push the sheet gently into the adhesive to ensure that it adheres very well to the wall.

✓ Tap the tiles lightly. Use a rubber mallet to tap the tiles lightly to ensure the sheets are set firmly on the wall.

✓ Caulk the joints.

Are Floor Tiles Expensive?

Are you considering installing floor tiles in your home or office? Just like many other home and property owners, this is one of the many questions that first pops up. Floor tiles can add colour and texture to your living space and comes in various shapes and sizes. The cost of floor tiles depends on a wide range of factors such as the type of floor tiles as well as the quality. 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 floor tiles cost largely depends on the type selected, you can then go ahead to contact your preferred tiling professional for an installation only quote ( this can go a long way to help control the overall cost). The quote provided will, of course, be based on the room’s size as well as your preferred choice of tiles. The average price of bathroom floor tiles installation ranges about £20 to £25 per square metre. Meanwhile for a kitchen floor tiling project of about 8 square metres in size, the cost should range between £500 to £600 ( this quote includes both installation cost and all the materials included).

Finding a tiling professional you can rely on to complete your project and delivery 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 floor tiling effort, so there’s the need to review various professionals before making a decision.