im a plumber/gas enginner, i also do a little bit of tiling and im not bad just slow, my problem is some friends bathroom i will be doing in the next few weeks needs tiling, the area is a 800x1400 shower tray, i,ve done full bathrooms before but this one as 300x600 tiles and they want brick effect, my concert is how it will look on the 800 tray side, and it being one colour all round, will this be a bit much, would they be better picking a different size tile? also there is a window to the other end of the tray on the 1400 side, any advise will help,
advice please
- Thread starter blacknesh
- Start date
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Why does everyone want brick weave all of a sudden 
but at least they arn't bevelled edge; people are reading far too many “home improvement” magazines! Brick weave tiling can look very effective but it’s relative to the size of the room & tile size. 600 x 300 are fairly large format & to get the best effect, you need a large room. Smaller rooms may look OKish with 150 x 300 tiles but, personally, I think it’s going to look pretty stupid with 600 x 300 tiles. Not only will you have problems getting the spacing right (especially around the window), the 800 wide wall will give stupidly thin slivers either side which will completely destroy the brick weave effect!
I’d either persuade them to go for (much) smaller tiles if they really want brick weave or lay them conventionally. You could still stagger them long side vertically if that’s what they want which would probably look OK.
I know you say you’ve done large format before but sticking paving slabs on a wall needs a suitable & very flat tile base (not plaster with that size) & a quality, trade powder adhesive of the correct type for the tiles & tile base.
but at least they arn't bevelled edge; people are reading far too many “home improvement” magazines! Brick weave tiling can look very effective but it’s relative to the size of the room & tile size. 600 x 300 are fairly large format & to get the best effect, you need a large room. Smaller rooms may look OKish with 150 x 300 tiles but, personally, I think it’s going to look pretty stupid with 600 x 300 tiles. Not only will you have problems getting the spacing right (especially around the window), the 800 wide wall will give stupidly thin slivers either side which will completely destroy the brick weave effect! I’d either persuade them to go for (much) smaller tiles if they really want brick weave or lay them conventionally. You could still stagger them long side vertically if that’s what they want which would probably look OK.
I know you say you’ve done large format before but sticking paving slabs on a wall needs a suitable & very flat tile base (not plaster with that size) & a quality, trade powder adhesive of the correct type for the tiles & tile base.
i agree, but when you say they cant be stuck to plaster walls, what would be the solution with the walls, as i normally go on plaster altho never done tiles this size,
Plaster of any sort in good condition has a weight restriction of 20 kg/sqm & this includes > 4kg/sqm for adhesive & grout. There is probably a safety margin of around 10% but I’ve no idea really. If the tiles weigh in at more than 18 kg/sqm on their own they are almost certainly going to be over the limit & the risk is they will fail at some point, taling the plaster with them.
The solution is to tile straight onto a render base (up to 40 kg/sqm) if that’s an alternative on a major refurb or new build. The alternative in most other refurbishment cases is to mechanically fix a decent tile backer board. It’s common practice & will also give a suitably waterproof tile base in wet areas, essential once you understand that (apart from expensive epoxy products), waterproof adhesive & grout is only waterproof in the sense it wont disintegrate when wet, it’s not impervious to water; more important than ever with the increasing popularity of power showers.
If you are tempted to try it anyway, plaster must be acrylic primed before using cement based powder adhesive (essential with tiles that size) to avoid any reaction between the cement in the adhesive & gypsum in the plaster which could make them fall off even quicker!
The solution is to tile straight onto a render base (up to 40 kg/sqm) if that’s an alternative on a major refurb or new build. The alternative in most other refurbishment cases is to mechanically fix a decent tile backer board. It’s common practice & will also give a suitably waterproof tile base in wet areas, essential once you understand that (apart from expensive epoxy products), waterproof adhesive & grout is only waterproof in the sense it wont disintegrate when wet, it’s not impervious to water; more important than ever with the increasing popularity of power showers.
If you are tempted to try it anyway, plaster must be acrylic primed before using cement based powder adhesive (essential with tiles that size) to avoid any reaction between the cement in the adhesive & gypsum in the plaster which could make them fall off even quicker!
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Ok thanks for your help, will not be tiling with such large tiles, have texted the customer explaining they could do with picking a different tile, also the fact that there will only be 2 and a bit tiles per row will possibly give a smaller area feel, but at least I can see the weigth limit on the box and go from there,
Tiling a bathroom floor area being 1800x1400 the customer wants brick effect on the floor and had picked 300x900, but after changing the walls to smaller tiles I fort the floor would look better with smaller tiles making the floor look bigger? And suggestions please
I’m assuming that’s the floor area left after the shower is fitted! The same rules apply to brick bond on the floor; the tile size needs to in proportion to the size of the room if it’s to look right so I’d go along with you that they are on the large side for what is realistically a small room. They should also be in perspective to the size of the wall tiles. My personal opinion is that brick bond on both the floor & walls can have a detrimental affect on the visual aesthetics of the room which is often made worse by the orientation & colour of the tiles; I’ve been in some that have even made me feel dizzy!
Your customer certainly believes in thinking big but I reckon they’ve been looking at too many showrooms & make over books & are letting enthusiasm get in the way of realism. Show rooms are always unrealistically large & the arrangement “open aspect” which never depicts the realism of tiling in the average/small domestic bathroom!
If it's a suspended timber floor, make sure you get the floor base right, prep it right & use the correct materials!
Your customer certainly believes in thinking big but I reckon they’ve been looking at too many showrooms & make over books & are letting enthusiasm get in the way of realism. Show rooms are always unrealistically large & the arrangement “open aspect” which never depicts the realism of tiling in the average/small domestic bathroom!
If it's a suspended timber floor, make sure you get the floor base right, prep it right & use the correct materials!
I always ply the floor before hand, and use flexible adhesive what size would you suggest 150x300, there changing the wall ones for 100x300 is this better or worst,
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