A Beginners Guide to Tiling

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  • Author Xavier Diaz
  • Published September 17, 2009
  • Word count 574

For any novice decorator tiling is a simply terrifying job, from personal experience I can whole heartedly concur with this. The last time I did some tiling work I was forced to ask for aid from a pro, I picked up some helpful suggestions from this accomplished decorator and thought it only gracious to try to share some of these handy suggestions I was shown to help anyone like me who battles with even the simplest of DIY tasks.

Preparation is the Key

What I saw that made the world of difference. Before you commence any tiling, placing tiles on a rugged or uneven wall will make you life so much more awkward, ensure that you clean any wall you are tiling on. Do not forget to clean the walls to get rid of dust and grit on the wall. If you are working on a flat clean wall it will make completing the job much easier, plus the end result you will get will be a lot better.

Invest in the Right Tools

One of my biggest tips from personal experience is prepare in advance and have the appropriate tools for the job. The last time I finished my tiling project I made sure I had a decent tile cutter, sandpaper, grouting pad, sponge and pencil. The two most essential items on that list are the damp sponge (see finishing the job later in the article) and most importantly an electric tile cutter. do not be put off by the price tag, £20 invested in one of these items will save you hours when it comes to cutting ceramic tiles for complex spots.

Try not to Rush the Job

If there a key component with tiling as with all decorating jobs, slow and steady wins the race. Decorating with wall tiles fits this principle exactly, I spread my time out on my previous bathroom design over a week to ensure I was constantly driven and never had to rush to finish the job, working this way improved the finish and look of the room, it helped me to keep my work consistent.

Do not Use Too Much Adhesive

Do not fall into the trap of trying to use too much tile adhesive, the more adhesive you use the more issues you will have attempting to keep the tiles level on your wall. Be very economical with the amount of adhesive you use, you will be amazed how effective a thin layer of adhesive will be.

Finishing the Task

Grouting is the part of tiling we all hate. You feel like the job will take forever and a day. Regrettably I have no tips to drastically speed up this thankless job, I do have a little advice to save you a little time and help stop the need to go over the grouting numerous times. The secret is in the damp sponge, to clear surplus grout from the tiles with the sponge. This will serve to give you a finish that you can be pretty pleased with, but I cant state that this tip still wont leave you with pure hate for this part of a tiling.

I hope that this guide will assist. As a decorating novice and hater of all things to do with tiling, these tips helped me. Hopefully there are more people out there that love DIY more than me. Remember that if all else fails, get the professional people in.

Johnson Tiles are a good place to go to find out tips on tiling and they have a wide choice of ideas and ceramic tiles.

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