If you’ve been meaning to redesign your bathroom for the last few years but have never really had enough time on your hands, the last few months of 2013 could provide the perfect opportunity for you to make a start.
Though you might think this can be a rather big job, in truth, you’ll usually only need to fit some new tiles to create a completely different look. So avoid buying new bathroom furniture and start choosing your colour scheme.
Tools You’ll Need For The Job
Before you buy any tiles it’s a good idea to make sure you’ve got access to all the different tools you’ll need to complete the job. Ideally you want a tile cutter, a tile saw, tile spacers, some kind of grout spreader, a standard spirit level, adhesive spreader, and a simple tile cutting jig. You should have no trouble obtaining these items from you local hardware store, but if you do – just look online.
Preparations You’ll Need To Make
Now you’re ready to start preparing your bathroom for the tiles. First ensure that all the walls a clean and dry, as any grit or moisture could cause the adhesive to fail. Then you want to start planning exactly where you want your tiles to do. It’s a good idea to get a pencil and draw some light lines to help you plot their positions.
Buying Your Tiles
Well, you’d have trouble tiling your bathroom without them, so make sure you spend some time looking in different shops and online to ensure you secure the best deal possible. You might also consider picking up some ancon wall ties as these will help to ensure your tiles don’t move around too much.
Starting The Job
Now you know exactly where you tiles will fit on the wall, and you’ve found a suitable starting point, it’s time to get down to business. Simply apply adhesive to your first tile using your grout spreader and fix it in place. Then slide a tile spacer either side of it and repeat.
When you reach an area that a full size tile is too big for, measure the gap and use your tile cutter to reduce the size accordingly. You might also want to use your tile saw if you need to cut sections out. Just make sure you don’t go right up to the ceiling or down to the floor – ideally you want to leave a gap of around 10 cm.
Finishing The Job
Presuming you’ve now titled the main areas of your walls, you’ll need to start cutting the border tiles. These will fit in the gaps by your ceiling and floor and for the best aesthetics, should be positioned in the opposite direction to all other tiles. This will create an obvious border that looks cool without having to spend more cash on tiles with a different design.
If you’ve got this far you’re almost completed. All you need to do now is clean your workspace and enjoy your craftsmanship.
Well done!
