Find a Tiler you can trust in Llanerchymedd.

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. 

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.

Due to the plethora of benefits ceramic floor tiles are able to provide, there’s little surprise they’re a popular flooring choice amongst homeowners. Not only are they durable and good looking, but they’re also resistant to both moisture and stains. Hence, they’re very easy to maintain and with skill, confidence and patience, can also be relatively easy to install especially when compared to wall tiles which is a vertical surface.

If you’re looking to install ceramic floor tiles by yourself, you’ve come to the right place. This is a task any confident and patient DIYer should be able to do with ease. However if you’re not confident enough to pull this off, it’s advisable to get a professional for help. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of fitting ceramic floor tiles.

✓ Prepare the subfloor. This involves making sure the layout is even from side to side on both directions, picking up loose tiles and setting them aside.

✓ Spread a thin set of mortar over a 3x3 foot section at the intersection of the layout lines using a notched trowel.

✓ Start to lay the tiles from the centre point of the two layout lines. Simply set the individual tile into the mortar and tap gently with a rubber mallet. Ensure to use spacers at the corner of each tile to maintain an even grout line between the tiles.

✓ Continue spreading the mortar and complete laying of the tiles

✓ Once all the tiles have been perfectly fitted in the mortar, proceed to mix the grout according to the manufacturer’s instructions and apply it with the use of a rubber grout float.

✓ Wipe clear any excess grout with a grout sponge. Once done, let the grout dry up a bit, then remove the haze that comes up.

How To Lay Wall Tiles

Laying of wall tiles is a task that should be done with great caution, especially if you’re working on a tight budget. It is guided by its own unique set of rules which you do not dare to break if you wish to get it right the first time, and also to avoid incurring some additional costs. If you do not have a proper training or experience, laying of wall tiles is better left to a skilled professional for the best possible outcome. However, this guide will walk you through the various steps in the process to help improve your knowledge. Let’s get started!

lPrepare The Wall Surface

• Make sure the surface is clean, dry and smooth

• In wet areas, wall tiles should be fitted over a backer board

• If it’s a painted wall, ensure to sand the surface before installation.

lCreate The Layout

• Locate the centre of the wall

• Create an intersecting vertical and horizontal layout lines using a level

• Ensure to include spaces for grout joints when creating the layout.

lApply The Adhesive

• For wet areas, makes use of thin-set adhesive that’s cement-based.

• For dry areas, you can use pre-mixed mastic adhesive

• Follow the manufacturer’s instruction to prepare the adhesive

• Using a notched trowel, apply the adhesive (hold the trowel at about 45 degrees angle)

• Ensure not to cover the layout lines with the adhesive

lInstall The Tiles

• Follow the layout lines to install the wall tiles

• Place the full tiles firmly on the adhesive and twist slight and gently to make them fit.

• Use tile spacers to ensure constant gaps for grout joints.

lCut The Tiles

• After installation of the full tiles, there’ll most likely be a need to cut some tiles to fit.

• Cut the tiles with a wet saw or manual tile cutter

lGrout The Tile

• Ensure the adhesive is well dried and remove the tile spacers.

• Prepare the grout as instructed by the manufacturer.

• Use a rubber gloat to apply the grout.

• Remove the excess grout from the tile surfaces

• Wipe the tiles and joints gently using a grout sponge and clean water.

Some floor tiles are so lovely you just can’t help but wonder if it’s safe to be used on the walls as well. If you’re also thinking along the same line, you’re not alone! Several other home and property owners are busy finding answers to this particular question. Now let’s look at the possibilities.

Generally, any tile designed as a floor tile by the tile manufacturer can also be laid on the wall (vertical surfaces) as well as countertops. Due to the fact that the floors are usually subjected to greater use than the walls in terms of foot traffic, the durability required is also considerably greater. Therefore, a floor tile with Abrasion Resistance values ranging from I - V is suitable for wall installation. However, you should take note that exterior wall applications must be different from its interior counterparts and must only be incorporated on tiles that are frost resistant.

There are two other factors that must be taken into consideration before you install a floor tile on your walls which includes the weight of your tiles per m2 as well as the strength of the surface in which the tile is to be installed. If you don’t want your tiles falling off, the combined weight of the tiles with the adhesive and grout should not be more than the maximum weight required per m2 (20kg to 35kg depending on the wall substrates).

Now that you have an idea of the possibilities of installing floor tiles on walls, it must, however, be said that reverse is the case when it comes to installing walls tiles on the floor. Wall tiles are, generally, not suitable to be laid on the floor as they are mostly non-vitreous ( cannot withstand excessive impact, abrasion or thaw cycling).

Kitchen floor tiles are a very popular choice for several reasons. They’re durable, visually appealing, resistant to moisture and stain and also relatively easy to maintain and install especially when compare to wall tiles. This is a task that can be done by any competent DIYer but requires a lot of patience as well as confidence. If you lack these attributes, then we’d recommend that you hire a professional floor tiler who can guarantee the best results the first time. In this article we’ll take you through the kitchen floor tiling process. Let’s get started!

• Prepare The Subfloor

✓ Ensure the subfloor is very secure to support both the tile and the people working across it.

✓ If necessary, you can strengthen the kitchen floor with the help of a vinyl, heavy felt or any other good backer board.

✓ After successfully securing the floor, proceed to clear out all dust and dirt.

• Mix The Mortar

✓ Mix a thinset mortar be referring to the instructions on the package. ( Mix only the quantity you can apply within 30 minutes).

✓ Once the mixture looks similar to the thickness of mayonnaise, allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before application.

• Apply The Mortar

✓ Apply a thin layer of mortar

✓ Do not cover extensive areas as the mortar can become very dry.

✓ Spread the mortar with a trowel in curved patterns to make it flat on the floor.

• Set The Tile

✓ Set down the tile slowly, apply a little pressure until its holds firmly to the surface. ( Apply a consistent amount of pressure throughout to ensure equal heights for all the tiles)

✓ Continue with the process until all full tiles are well positioned

• Cut The Tiles

✓ Once all the full tile pieces are in place, start cutting to cover the edges requiring smaller tile pieces.

✓ Take accurate measurements of the outer edges needing smaller tile pieces.

✓ Cut the tile pieces to fit the measurement taken with the help of a wet saw or hand tile cutter.

• Grouting

✓ Remove all spacers and mortar residues and lay the grout

✓ Apply the grout along the tiles’ seams with a grout float

✓ Clean out excess grout with a damp sponge after leaving it to dry for about 30 minutes

✓ Once the grout is fully dried, apply the sealer (the drying process normally takes within 3 to 4 days).

When your tiles get old and starts to lose its curb appeal and deteriorate, it’s certainly time to have it removed. When it comes to old wall tiles removal, you have two options which is either you do it yourself or call in a professional – with the latter being more advisable. However, if you wish to save some money on installation and carry out the task yourself, then you’ve come to the right place!

Firstly, you have to know that 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!

1. Safety First, Then Remove The First Tile
   Wear a protective eye goggle and gloves.
2. Break up the grout around a tile located atthe wall’s centre using a putty knife and hammer.
3. Place the putty knife under the the tile and gently it with the hammer.
4. Remove The Remaining Tiles
   By tapping and prying using the tools - hammer and putty knife, wipe off all the tiles in the vertical row.
5. 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.
6. Use a keyhole blade to poke it through the wallboard.
7. With the help of a reciprocating saw, cut out the wallboard’s section.
8. Cut 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.
9. Remove All Wallboard Sections
   Using a similar approach, gently remove the other sections of the wallboard.
10. Once completed, you can easily sweep the tiles’ broken pieces.
11. 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.

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.