Tiling a kitchen floor dilemma

[Paul200]

Morning all.

I'm about to embark on tiling our new kitchen extension floor with rectangular tiles 60cm x 40cm. The space is 6.9m x 4.6m. My dilemma is which direction do I run the tiles? Is there an industry standard?

We will lay them 1/3 to 2/3 staggered brickbond pattern. My inclination is to run them lengthways across the shortest dimension to prevent the room looking long and narrow but my wife thinks the other way :wink: The size of the room may mean that it doesn't really matter either way.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Paul

 

[scholar]

In the case of floorboards (to be seen), I think it usually works best to run the boards along the longest dimension (although position of entrance door and main light source (window) also need to be considered.

I would think a brick bond tile pattern might follow the same principles - having said that, when we laid a large area of (big) slate slabs, staggered joints, in varying course widths, the courses ran across the shorter dimension. It was a very expensive investment, so I drew out a detailed scaled plan so that I did not end up with any narrow strips anywhere.

I would definitely do a scale plan anyway for any tiling job - you could then superimpose the grid either way to see what works best. You could also consider laying them at 45 degrees, my preference for square floor tiles, but not sure about this for rectangular tiles - it will depend on the room.

Cheers

 

[Bm101]

Spend an afternoon laying out your tiles. Check the cuts. Rearrange both ways and you'll get to where you want very quickly in terms of how you want to have them. Think about where you can best hide cuts. Bear in mind diagonals will increase waste a lot. Although it can look nice. Sometimes the simplest solutions are best.
I might be teaching the sucking of eggs but invest in decent tools especially floats. The initial outlay is minimal compared to the finish you can achieve for the extra. Check you have enough tiles for batch similarity. I'll shut up now.

 

[marcros]

i would go with the direction of the light hitting the room.

 

[Water-Mark]

I would go with what my wife said.

It can't ever be wrong without being her fault.

 

[Paul200]

Thanks guys. So there's no right or wrong way then!

The tiles should arrive today and I'll be busy laying them out this afternoon. We're having a wood stove fitted so I need to get on and at least get that corner tiled. I know you shouldn't start in a corner but needs must - I should be OK providing I set it all out correctly in the first place. I sold tools in a previous life Bm101, and spent all that time banging on about buying the best quality you could afford etc etc - only for the customer to usually buy the cheapest! Such is life. I won't be skimping! Thanks for the tip though - it's still true and I'm happy to put my money where my mouth is

Cheers

Paul

 

[Paul200]

Decided on lengthways along the longest dimension. After laying them out both ways it actually looked much better that way - and the boss said it had to be that way anyway!

 

[StevieB]

I would go with what my wife said.

It can't ever be wrong without being her fault.

You haven't been married long have you.... :twisted:

 

[Bm101]

You could always put off the tiling till the winter and go and think about how the boss is always right in your sitouterie. Thinking's always aided by a glass or two of your choice I find.
When I did the kitchen in my first flat it was the last room of many. Being my first place I spent too much on it. The decking will be there after the house has crumbled to dust. But I spent years working on other peoples houses. I wanted mine to match. Never mind we planned to move and a softwood backdoor would have done as well as hardwood one *sigh. Still. I wanted the effect of stone tiles in the bathroom but I couldn't afford them. Too proud to put in trims round the window, I mitred every cut on a Tommy from Groundforce sponsored 'tile cutter' from a wikes type shed. Not a straight line on it. I mastered that tile cutter and its flagrant disregard for 90 degree angles. TBF I nailed it! I bought a circular air vent that opened up like that Bond Villain Volcano. Sweet! 8) Then I had to cut the hole in 2 tiles for fitting it.... (six times :roll: )
I smashed out the rotten windows and replaced them with glass block windows. I was pretty proud of those windows till we sold the flat and they asked for Fensa certs. Fensa? No idea. Those windows were there when we moved in mate.
By this point I'd borrowed some decent tiling tools after the living nightmare of trying to grout the bathroom with a wikes plastic spoon a proper float was a revelation. I revelled in it. Went out and bought my own the same day. But then I came to tiling the new kitchen diner floor. (We took a wall out and became trendsetters overnight. Lawrence Lewellyn Bowen used to come and sit in our front garden at night time and sob into his chamois suit lapels, the a*se. I used to get the kids to throw stones at him).
I sighed. I'd had enough. Not defeated but sporting a 1000 yard stare and battle weary I got me mate ( a proper tiler) to come and do it.
He spent a whole day setting out.
I came home and grumbled to the Mrs. She steadied my ship. He knows what hes about. 'yeh but...' Shut up. 'ok love'...
Next day I came home and he'd done the lot.
Rapture! Hallelujah! He laid the tiles the same way as you Paul.
Post some pics up when you're done fella.

 

[Paul200]

:lol: Love that!

And you remembered my Sitooterie! I was just off up there with a wee dram to contemplate the clouds and stuff when I saw your post. Enjoyable reading - shame you're all the way down there because I'm sure we'd enjoy sharing a bottle occasionally. That could be my story too, almost exactly - windows and everything!

I started laying them today and noticed our builders glancing through the window looking concerned. Eventually Davey came in and asked if I was having problems. 'You're on that level all the time - put it away and just lay them - you'll never get it perfect and in a room this size no-one will ever notice'. Oh boy is he ever right!

'Ye ken what you're doing alright but ye can't be a perfectionist - you'll drive yourself insane!' (Sorry - I can't type a Scots accent!).

Davey is now my main man. He could have had a snigger at my expense and left me to my insanity but no, he gave me the benefit of his experience and I am so grateful.

Anyways - here's my quality controller sniffing about -

Off up the hill now. Sun's getting low, sky's lighting up - and so am I!

Slainte mhath!

Paul

 

[Bm101]

=D> =D> Remember it? I quite often imagine myself sitting outside it! I look up from my glass. 'Paul', I mumble, shielding my eyes from the blazing Scottish sun, 'did we ever sort the wheelbarrow track out?' I gaze out onto the woodland and heather. Spying a deer, I raise my rifle.... I remember your fondness for all things Disney and lower it steadily. Too much killing has been done round here. God knows. These recent years after the apocalypse have been hard. But we have the last 3 bottles of malt, a packet of pringles, 17 boxes of cartridges and a shed load of Bal grouting compound. Life will triumph i think as I gaze out on the bracken. Life will triumph.

 

[Paul200]

:lol: :roll:

 

[Bm101]

lol. I think I may have had a bad cider. It sounded funnier in my head... and less nutcase too to be honest. Been watching the Walking Dead series. I might stop.

 

[Paul200]

No - don't stop! It's still funny out of your head. Prompted me to look back at my WIP and I still can't believe how quickly it went up. So nice to have a record that's so easily accessible (I know, I'm ancient and everything's moved on even more now ........).

Was up there earlier and delighted that our cats have now discovered my evening residence. It got a bit cold so we all retired inside and started to nod off on the cheap as chips cane furniture. Well worth the effort!

 

[rafezetter]

Lol the pair of you - maybe we should all share details so that if there ever is an apocalypse we call all meet up there, drink and talk about the vagaries of laying floor tiles

I saw a candian TV show where the guy said that when laying floor tiles, if you can't slide a coin across it, it's not good enough. Maybe he's happy to pay a person 4 days labour for a 1 day job, but most arn't.

 

[Paul200]

Lol the pair of you - maybe we should all share details so that if there ever is an apocalypse we call all meet up there, drink and talk about the vagaries of laying floor tiles

I saw a candian TV show where the guy said that when laying floor tiles, if you can't slide a coin across it, it's not good enough. Maybe he's happy to pay a person 4 days labour for a 1 day job, but most arn't.

Lol back! I'm kind of looking forward to the apocalypse now - but you need to remember it's about 6 hours from Bristol to here - everything might be done and dusted by then (no pun intended!).

Must see if I can slide a coin when it's done. Looks plenty flat to me - maybe I'll see if the cat slides across it ;-)

 

[Paul200]

Just for you Chris!

Still a lot of work to do. Skirtings, endless painting etc etc. Oh - and find a kitchen to go in it. Will definitely need some Sitooterie time after this lot

 

[Bm101]

Fantastic job fella! =D>

Don't forget the sawn off shotgun come baseball bat with nails in it come chainsaw cabinet. And plenty of spare planks to board up the windows...
Looks fantastic Paul. Hope the knees are ok.

 

[Paul200]

Cheers bud. The window guy assured me these were zombie proof - no reason why I should not believe a double glazing salesman ;-) The knees have shown unexpected endurance given my great age - my back's killing me though :-( Spent far too long today putting an edge trim around the fireback tiles. Individually laying 4m of separated mosaics is not recommended but it does look nice