I am wanting to get part of my home tiled. It's about 1000 sf. I have chosen a porcelain ceramic tile, Continental Slate by Dal-Tile. The pattern is a "modified hopscotch" using 4 different sizes of tile - 18x18,
12x18, 12x12, and 6x6. The manufacturer's recommended spacing is 3/16".
As the installer started laying the tiles, he found that the pattern was becoming more and more "off", and he was having to make the grout lines wider around the 18x18 tiles to attempt to compensate. Finally he stopped working, as it became clear that it was getting worse, with some of the lines being twice as thick (6/16") as they were supposed to be.
Upon inspection of the tiles, it was found that all the sizes varied somewhat (which is reasonable - I am not expecting them to be all perfectly the same, but it would be nice), but in particular the 18x18s were the furthest off, ranging from 17 1/2" to 17 11/16", when they should be approx. 17 13/16".
How can these tiles be laid to compensate for these size variations? Should the installer be using several different spacer sizes and varying the grout lines?
Any help appreciated!
Thanks, Dee