Tiling for the first time this weekend, a few quick questions:
Thanks,
Bill
This is an aesthetic decision.
Let it dry for as long as possible before tiling. Some people paint it with diluted PVA.
Provided it leads to good join line heights, I'd use it as the guide myself, but use spacers between the worktop and the tiles.
Christian.
It has been drying since last May!
Bill
2mm
no if its quite dry
Look at displays in ye olde tile shoppe. I should *think* that
2mm ones would be better. If you don't mind either, decide based on what "works tiles" in the length/height you've got.Tiling for the first time... OK, PVA the wall first with 1:5 PVA:water and let it dry. Better do this ASAP. It will reduce the absorbency of the wall, allowing you more open time to do the job.
Work off the surface else you will probably get in trouble!
More hints, off the top of my head...
Check the grout buckets for dry stuff around the top edges, discard any hardened or hardening adhesive.
Use a decent sized notched spreader, not a tiny plastic one. You probably want a 5mm (1/4") notched half-moon or float-type steel spreader (these are cheap compared to other costs!).
A consistent depth/uniformity of combing is important. If you're doing a bit at a time, spread adhesive further than you think you need, tile, remove excess before it hardens.
Work out your tiles first, 2 end tiles of 2/3 width look better than 2 tiles of 1/3 width at the end of a wall. Plan around obstructions.
Tine behind face plates, not up to them! You may need longer screws to hold the plates on after.
An "Abrafile" tile saw is handy for cutting irregular shapes. Put the round blade in a coping saw frame or use a purpose-made one.
Use spacers by sticking one "limb" of the spacer between the edges of the tiles rather than trying to put the spacers into the corner joints. You will use more spacers, but the accuracy of the result is better and you won't lose spacers behind tiles, which may lead to the tiles not sitting properly.
Don't grout along the boundaries of the tiled areas, or tile tight into corners.
When you grout, leave a continuous gap along the worksurface, don't allow grout in this joint (rake it out while wet). When the whole lot is dry, stick masking tape onto the work surface and the tile surface. Where the tape edges nearly meet at right angles, fill with low modulus neutral cure silicone, and tool off with a round tool that just rests on the tape edges. Peel off the tape immediately after tooling, away from the joint, so it doesn't foul the fresh silicone surface.
Erm....
J.B.
One thing J.B. didn't make really clear (though he did a good job otherwise). Use the worktop as the reference for the tiles BUT lay a piece of 3mm hardboard or MDF onto the worktop which to mount the tiles.
This serves two purposes. The first is to give a gap of 3mm between the worktop and the bottom row of tiles - which is filled with silicon sealant later.
The second reason is to catch all those pesky bits of tile adhesive which fall off the spreader as you are applying it to the wall.
Once you've got the tiles on the wall and the adhesive is set (to the point where the tiles aren't going to move) you can gently pull the hardboard away. Leaves a nice clean worktop.
You might like to run a piece of masking tape along the edge of the hardboard/MDF to ensure that the tile adhesive doesn't stick the board to the wall :)
PoP
You could consider spacing the tiles so that you dont get any part tiles around wall cabinets/cooker hoods etc. Dimensions are ofter multiples of 100mm and your tiles maybe a little less than this.
Michael Chare
Yes. (Or no if the case merits it.)
Check it's plumb for a start. If it's not or if it's uneven....eeeewwww!
Of course not stupid. Are you really up to this breathtaking orgasma of three dimentional two dimentionism?
Lol.
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