Find a Tiler you can trust in Broadstairs.

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. 

Removing floor tile is always a simple task until you get started. Then, you’d realize not only is it a tedious and time consuming task, but also one with multiple hidden challenges that’s only revealed once the project is underway. If you have no experience or perhaps you lack the confidence required to pull this off, we’d highly recommend you call in a professional who can guarantee the best outcome and save you some unnecessary spending. However, if you wish to tackle this yourself, this guide would be your perfect partner to ensure a successful outcome.

To get started, you’ll need the following tools; hammer, chisel, pry bar, scraper, trash can as well as a broom or shop vac.

1. Remove fixtures. Ensure the room is empty and remove all fixture that may get in the way.
2. Pick a starting point. Use a hammer and chisel to chip out a tile and create a starting point for the task. Depending on how the tile is affixed and the underlayment type incorporated, the tile may remove easily or require some effort. Use a hammer, chisel, pry bar or pole scraper to remove the tiles.
3. Remove the tiles. From the starting point created, proceed to pry up the tiles. Deposit then in a trash can or large bucket in order to reduce clutter.
4. Access underlayment. There are cases whereby the tiling is attached directly to a concrete floor or subfloor, however the common practice is having a plywood or mortarboard underlayment. The damaged underlayment should be detached to expose the subfloor.
5. Clear debris. Wipe out all debris from the floor using a broom or shop vac.
6. Remove nails. If you removed the damaged underlayment, you may have to either remove or pound in some nails to get a level surface.

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.

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.

How To Tile A Bathroom Wall

Tiling your bathroom walls will not only increase the visual appeal of your space, but also provide an additional layer which helps protect against potential moisture damage, moist growth and also makes the bathroom a lot easier to clean up. So if you’re are looking to tile your bathroom, it’s recommended to get in touch with a skilled professional to ensure you get the best results. However, this guide will provide you with a good insight on how to get through the process smoothly and avoid costly errors. Let’s take a look!

lPrepare The Wall’s Surface

• Make sure that the surface is clean, smooth and dry.

• If there are any dips or holes, ensure to have them patched or sanded.

• Measure the area to be tiled and shape the backer board to fit, if a new wall surface is necessary.

• Cover the new surface area with adhesive to attach the back board to the surface.

lMix The Mortar

• Firstly determine the tile layout and make a layout tool

• Install the datum

• Follow the instructions of the adhesive package as the type you’re to use depends on the wall type.

• Create a consistent and smooth paste by mixing the adhesive with water.

lInstall The Tiles

• Using a notched trowel, spread the mortar.

• Put a thin layer at the back of each tile and press it against the surface.

• Create ridges using the notched side of the trowel.

• Clear out any excess adhesive on the tile’s surface as you continue.

• Put the spacers at the joints

• Remove the datum planks when ready to install the outer edge tiles.

lApply The Grout

• Put the grout over te tiles with a grout float

• Clean out excess grout with a damp sponge

• Seal the tiles once the grout is dried

Some floor tiles are so lovely you just can’t help but wonder if it’s safe to be used on the walls as well. If you’re also thinking along the same line, you’re not alone! Several other home and property owners are busy finding answers to this particular question. Now let’s look at the possibilities.

Generally, any tile designed as a floor tile by the tile manufacturer can also be laid on the wall (vertical surfaces) as well as countertops. Due to the fact that the floors are usually subjected to greater use than the walls in terms of foot traffic, the durability required is also considerably greater. Therefore, a floor tile with Abrasion Resistance values ranging from I - V is suitable for wall installation. However, you should take note that exterior wall applications must be different from its interior counterparts and must only be incorporated on tiles that are frost resistant.

There are two other factors that must be taken into consideration before you install a floor tile on your walls which includes the weight of your tiles per m2 as well as the strength of the surface in which the tile is to be installed. If you don’t want your tiles falling off, the combined weight of the tiles with the adhesive and grout should not be more than the maximum weight required per m2 (20kg to 35kg depending on the wall substrates).

Now that you have an idea of the possibilities of installing floor tiles on walls, it must, however, be said that reverse is the case when it comes to installing walls tiles on the floor. Wall tiles are, generally, not suitable to be laid on the floor as they are mostly non-vitreous ( cannot withstand excessive impact, abrasion or thaw cycling).

How To Lay Tiles On Concrete

Installation of tiles on concrete sub-floors can be done with relative ease under adequate guidance. Here is what you have to do.

lPrepare The Concrete Subfloor

• Ensure the concrete is dry, clean and must be at least 6 weeks old.

• If there are dips and humps, level the concrete using a levelling compound.

lSet Out

• Working from the centre outwards, take a measurement of the floor (both length and width) and draw a cross at the centre.

• Lay out the tiles from the cross with a space of 3mm between each tiles. This will allow for movement stresses within the floor and later to be filled with grout upon installation of the tiles and adhesive dried.

lCut The Tiles

• Due to the particularly had nature of some floor tiles such as natural stone and porceclain, high quality tools are usually required to produce a clean cut through the tiles. With the help of an electric wet cutter alongside a slide cutter and nippers, your job would be made a lot easier.

• For a better result during intricate cuts, make use of a cardboard template.

lFix The Tiles

• The tiles should be fixed using a cement-based adhesive.

• Ensure to refer to the packaging or product data for the mixing ratios information.

• Stir the mixture till its lump-free

lApply The Mixture

• Spread the mixture onto the concrete sub-floor to create parallel ribs with the help of a floor trowel.

• Push the tiles into the parallel ribs.

• Clear out any excess adhesive from the tiles surface with a damp sponge.

• Do not walk on the tiles for at least 2 hours.

lGrout

• Once the adhesive is dried, wipe out any dust, adhesive or dirt from the tiles’ gaps.

• Mix about 4 to 5 parts of grout powder with 1 part of water and ix together.

• Apply the mixed grout diagonally across the tiles using a soft rubber grout float.

• Wipe out excess grout from the tiles surface and allow the tiles to dry.

• Stubborn residues can be cleaned using any washing up detergent with warm water within 24 hours after grouting.