Find a Tiler you can trust in Hertford.

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.

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.

Thanks to its durability, resistance to moisture and stain as well as aesthetic appeal, ceramic tile is a popular material for floor installations. The same qualities that makes it stand out for both kitchen and bathroom floors also makes it a natural choice for walls.

Fitting of ceramic wall tile is a task that requires pre-planning and lots of patience. Generally, it’s usually not that difficult to do but it can be very easy to make mistakes here and there. And because you’ll have to attach a relatively heavy material to vertical surfaces, the project can be somewhat trickier than ceramic floor tile so more care and skill is required here. This can be done by any competent DIYer who is confident and also patient. If you lack any of these attributes, we’d recommend you call in a professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this article, we’ll take you through the ceramic wall tiles fitting process. Let’s take a look!

✓ Prepare the room. This includes switching off power to electrical outlets, removing decorative wall plates and other accessories on the wall, protecting the surface and taking out the baseboard.

✓ Draw reference lines. Using a chalk line draw a reference line on the wall to be tiled.

✓ Spread the adhesive. Use a notched trowel to spread the tile adhesive

✓ Install the first tile. Use the reference line as a guide to fit the first tile near the centre of the wall, twisting it slightly so its firmly in place. Then check to ensure the tile is level and adjust if you deem fit.

✓ Install all tiles. Following similar technique to install the remaining tiles and use tile spacers to ensure even gaps

✓ Clear out excess adhesive and remove spacers.

✓ Apply grout. Dampen the grout with clean water before the grout application

✓ Caulk the joints. After like 10 days, use silicone sealer to caulk the expansion joints.

How To Tile An Uneven Wall

Do you know it’s almost impossible to find a wall in any home that’s fully flat and vertical? Just like floors, walls also have areas of imperfection or where they’re a bit uneven. When it comes to tiling, these are the problematic areas in which you must work around and identify how to solve to achieve a perfect finish. If not, you may as well just have the tiles sticking out and making room for moisture to creep in affecting the longevity of your project.

There a variety of options to tackle an uneven wall surface and one of the best is plastering. To make sure the surface of your wall is even, a great step would be to plaster it. Plastering of a wall can be a very simple task, however, if you lack proper training or experience, you might want to consider getting a skilled professional to handle the project for you. Making sure the surface of your wall is even is a crucial step in the tile installation process and can be quite tricky on your first trial.

Uneven wall is usually as a result of two major factors - sagging of the wall over time and the wall’s surface is not completely flat. To solve this, you’d have to detach the boards. Then, attach a new board and re-skim the walls to create a new flat and even surface you can work on. For small imperfections and dips, simply use an adhesive cement to fill in the gaps in the plaster. This approach is perfect for holes and ding with a depth that’s not more than half a centimetre. When the cement is totally dry, you can sand it to achieve a flat finish. Happy Tiling!

How To Tile A Kitchen Floor

Tiling your kitchen floor can seem a daunting task at first glance, but is a skill that can be mastered after a couple of practices. With this simple guide, you will find it easier to satisfy your kitchen floor tiling needs.

lPrepare 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.

lMix 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.

lApply 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.

lSet 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

lCut 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.

lGrouting

• 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).

For the best results, it’s advisable to contact a tiling professional for help when it comes to kitchen floor tiling especially if you have no training or prior experience. This way, you can get the best quality and also avoid the regrettable mistakes and extra costs that’s very common with newbies.

A tiled floor perfectly blends style with function, be it a sophisticated matte finish or a gleaming glossy sheen. Moisture and stain resistant, floor tiles represent a practical choice for a busy home and its elegance makes it even more suitable irrespective of the interior design project. What’s more? Floor tiles are generally cost effective and requires low maintenance, however, this doesn’t mean you should not show your tiled floor some love and care from time to time. If you’re wondering how to go about the maintenance of your tiled floor, then you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’re going to share with you some maintenance tips to take care of your floor tiles. Let’s take a look!

• Get rid of excessive dirt on a regular basis. From mere food stains to more serious scratches, a busy domestic life can significantly shorten the lifespan of your tiled floor if care is not taken. While being easy to clean makes the maintenance quite simple, regular upkeep of the floor is quite important as loose dirt and debris can wear away your flooring’s finish over time.
• Do not ignore the grout. While the surface is stain and moisture resistant, same thing cannot be said of the grout. To keep the gout lines clean, simply make use of a soft bristle brush or a white pencil eraser.
• Try out deep cleaning your flooring. Although regular maintenance of your flooring is essential to have your floor looking clean and neat, deep cleaning is just as important to preserve the overall finish of the  floor.

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.