Find a Tiler you can trust in Lechlade.

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. 

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!

Being one of the most used rooms in a house, the kitchen is a place that must be set up to withstand almost everything thrown at it – from top to bottom. Now when it comes to wall tiles, having them installed on your kitchen walls is probably the best protection you can offer to your kitchen. Want to know why? In this post, we’re going to some of the qualities which makes wall tiles perfect for your kitchen wall. Let’s take a look!

• Durable. One of the reasons why walls tiles are very common part in most kitchens is due to their longevity. Porcelain, ceramic and mosaic tiles are moisture resistant and being fully aware of the gradual destruction that can be caused by water, you’d definitely wouldn’t want to look far beyond wall tiles for your kitchen walls.
• Stain resistant. From food stains to oil spillage and everything in between, the kitchen is a place that’s prone to all sort of stains and gets dirty pretty quickly. As a result, one of the best ways to combat this is by installing wall tiles which are known to be stain resistant. This will protect your kitchen walls and keep them in top condition for a lengthy period.
• Temperature and chemical resistant. Tiles are impervious to harsh temperatures and do not deteriorate when exposed to chemical agents.
• Easy to maintain. There are some wall tiles which are coated with liquid glass which protects them from stains while also making them a lot easier to clean.
• Diverse and affordable. Wall tiles come in a large array of sizes, colours, textures, styles as well as designs to suit any individual’s preference.

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.

Do you wish to have your residential or commercial space tiled? With a plethora of benefits that comes with a tiled floor, it’s little surprise more and more home and property owners are going for this special flooring type. Not only are they able to improve the curb appeal of any property, but they’re also resistant to moisture helping to increase the durability of the house – be it wall or floor tiles.

Tiling a floor is not the simplest of tasks and should be done with utmost care and attention to details. If you lack the confidence to pull this off, we’d recommend you hire a reputable professional who can guarantee the best outcome the first time.  In this guide, you’ll find processes involved in floor tiling to help put you in the right direction.

Floor Tiles Installation Procedures

1. 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.
2. Ensure the floor is dry and clean.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Tiles Cutting
   Cut the tiles (if necessary) with the help of a wet saw or scoring cutter featuring a diamond-tripped blade.
7. 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.
8. Grout Sealing
   Use a foam brush or applicator bottle for the sealants’ application. Clean out excess sealer within 10 minutes.

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.

How To Remove Tile Floor

Removing old tile can be a very tricky process which require lots of skills and experience to get right, the first time. Here, you’ll learn the best approach to removing your old tile by yourself. During the removal process, be sure to incorporate the necessary tools while also protecting yourself by putting on the recommended safety requirements. These includes a floor scraper, paint scraper, dust mask, handheld chisel, safety glasses, drop sheet as well as leather gloves or top quality riggers.

Tile Removal Process

lBreak The First Tile

• Use a hammer to break the first tile (target the centre of the tile with the hammer).

• To protect yourself from the sharp edges of the broken tile, use a drop sheet to cover the surfaces.

lRemove The First Tile

• With a chisel, remove the broken tile that’s still bonded on the floor.

• Position the chisel on the grout line at the tile’s edge to remove the broken but glued tile.

lBreak Up The Remaining Tiles

• Break up several tiles at once and use the floor scrapper to remove it.

• Ensure that the bonding agent used is pliable to make the job a soft work. If the bonding agent is a bit more permanent in nature, then you might want to consider a dynamite to dislodge the flooring.

lRemove The Mortar

• Hit the mortar with a hammer on a 2 to 3 foot square section to remove it from the underlayment.

• Scrape off the mortar’s broken pieces using a floor scraper

• In the event whereby most of the mortar is not removed, your best bet would be to change the underlayment.

• Bonding agent (adhesive) removal is not the easiest of tasks. To make it a bit simpler, you can softening the adhesive with a heat gun before scraping with the help a wide putty knife.

Tile removal is not only a tedious task, but can also be harmful if adequate care is not taken. If you’re inexperienced or not well trained, we’d recommend you hire the services of a professional to avoid making mistakes and incurring extra costs.