Find a Tiler you can trust in Lutterworth.

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. 

Are you interested in having a tiled floor in your residential or commercial space? There are so many benefits that comes with installing tiles and that’s why so many home or property owners are considering it. Not only do they increase the visual appeal of the property, but they’re also resistant to moisture helping to increase the durability of the house, whether it’s wall or floor tiles. So if you wish to lay tiles for your house, this guide will help put you in the right direction, ensuring you get it right, the first time.

Floor Tiles Installation Procedures

• Floor Preparation

✓ The first step is to prepare the floor by moving all objects like mortar, adhesives and more.

✓ Use concrete patching compound to fill ill low spots and cracks, until the floor is levelled.

✓ Ensure the floor is dry and clean.

• Pattern Layout

✓ Take the measurement of each wall’s length while also taking into account the room’s diagonals.

✓ To help place the tiles in an orderly manner, make use of a chalk to mark down lines on the levelled surface in question and ensure it’s parallel to the walls.

• Adhesive Preparation

✓ Mix the appropriate amount of water with the adhesive (bonding agent).

✓ The mixture should be toothpaste-like thick to ensure the durability of the tiles.

• Tiles Placement

✓ Depending on the tile’s size, evenly spread the mortar on the floor using a notched trowel.

✓ Lay the first tile on the bonding agent (adhesive or mortar) and apply a gentle and little pressure on the tile.

✓ Repeat the technique for other tiles using plastic spacers to ensure the edges and corners are properly aligned.

• Tiles Cutting

✓ Cut the tiles (if necessary) with the help of a wet saw or scoring cutter featuring a diamond-tripped blade.

• Grout Application

✓ Filling of the tiles’ gap is done using the grout. It can be applied to the joints with a rubber float.

✓ After application, allow the grout to set up for some minutes.

✓ Use sponge and a bucket of water to clear out any adhesive leftover.

• Grout Sealing

✓ Use a foam brush or applicator bottle for the sealants’ application.

✓ Clean out excess sealer within 10 minutes.

Floor tiling can be a very tricky activity that can end up being disastrous, especially when done by a novice. Unless you have prior experience or well-trained, it would be advisable to employ the services of a seasoned professional - it’ll save you lots of time, money and guarantee a top quality job is done.

Adhesives are an integral component used in the floor tiling installation process. The issue, however is, there are a number of different adhesives available which each having their specific uses. If you’re wondering the best adhesives to use on floors, then you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we’re going to give you some tips to help you determine the most suitable adhesive for your floor tiles. Let’s take a look!

The best adhesive for your floor tiles will depend on the space the floor resides in. However, in general, thinset mortar is the most common for floor tiles and not pre-mixed adhesive. For instance, if you’re placing your tiles in an area that contains moisture like in the bathroom, the most suitable adhesive to use would be thinset mortar.

When it comes to installing your tiles on top of wood flooring, your best bet would also be using thinset mortar. With that in mind, it’s crucial that prior to any tile work being carried out on wood flooring, you put a tile backing board on the top of the wood or plywood. This is important to make sure there’s an even surface for the adhesive application which guarantees the durability of your floor tiles. Furthermore, if you’re looking to use tile adhesive on a cement surface, the best tile adhesive to use will also be thinset mortar. If you want to do this, you should first make sure that all dusts or debris on the surface are removed to ensure that the adhesive sticks as it should. Once done, you should proceed to even out the cement to ensure that it’s not sloping. This should be done to guarantee the best results.

Can You Tile Over Floor Tiles?

Are you about to tackle a refurbishment or renovation project? If yes, then you might be worried about the removal of your old tiles before installing the new ones. Being fully aware that this process can be time and money consuming, it can only make sense to consider whether you can tile on existing tiles. The answer is yes, however, there are a few details you must take into account when embarking on this cost-effective journey. Here’s our advice:

lSelect The New Tiles

• Take into consideration the surface behind the tiles and the weight it’ll be able to withstand.

• For plasterboard, the surface can withstand about 30kg to 32kg per m2 (28.5kg of tile/square metre and 2.5kg to 3.5kg of adhesive and grout).

• For skimmed plasterboard, the surface can hold about 18kg to 20kg per m2 ( 16kg of tile/square metre and 2.5kg to 4kg of adhesive and grout )

• Consider the existing tiles, if heavy enough, then your choice for the new tiles should very light.

lPrepare Old Tiles

• Confirm that the old tiles are well glued to the substrate.

• Check that the tiles are level. If not, use a grinder to flatten out any humps.

• Remove the sealer for the old tiles, if any.

• Clear out all dust and dirt.

lLay New Tiles

• Spread a layer of flexible adhesive.

• Lay the new tiles

lFinish The Project

• Fill the joints with an appropriate tile grout.

• Seal the edges with a sealant.

It’s as simple as that! However, it must be said that if you’re lacking the appropriate training or experience to pull this off, then you probably would not want the first trial on your prized asset. For a top quality job and to avoid unnecessary costs, you can reach out to a tiling professional for help.

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.

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 not want to try out on your bathroom with 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.

Bathroom Floor Tiling Procedures

• Make Sure You Have A Levelled Subfloor

✓ Your subfloor’s stability is crucial for the success of your tile laying.

✓ Once done, then you can start planning how to level the floor.

✓ Identify the highest point of your floor and place a really long level to determine the dip and hump spots.

✓ Fill in the identified low spots with mortar.

• Cut The Tiles

✓ Using a wet saw with a diamond blade and pump, cut through the tiles to get the appropriate shape.

• Choose The Appropriate Adhesive

✓ 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

• Prepare The Area

✓ Using the prepared mixture of your mortar, prime the surface by spreading it on the floor with the trowel’s flat side.

✓ Once done, you can add more mortar with the ridges of the trowel.

• 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.

✓ 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.

• Use The Right Grout

✓ With sanded and unsanded grouts having a variety of colours, choosing the ideal grout can a tricky affair.

✓ The size of the spaces play a huge role in determining the best choice.

✓ 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 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.