Mixing sizes of tiles

[electroman68]

Hi There,

I am currently having a kitchen extension built and my existing kitchen floor has 31.6cm square slate effect (Almansa) tiles fitted. I would like to find a source for more of these to tiles the rest of the extended floor area once the extension is finished and floor screeded.

The problem is that I can only find a 33.8cm version of the tile and was told that apparently the manufacturer changed the size from 31.6 to 33.8 a couple of years ago - helpful!

I would rather not have to break up the existing floor tiles, so have the option of either laying new ones on top after putting levelling compound down or trying to find some old stock of the 31.6cm ones. I'd rather avoid putting new ones on top as the floor will then be at a slightly different height to adjacent areas.

I have also though of using different sizes of tiles to 'break up the lines' of the existing ones in order to facilitate fitting the larger ones without it looking odd.

Any ideas on how best to proceed and if there may be a chance of finding old/surplus stock from somewhere?

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Rob.

 

[ree]

I have no idea where you might source the above tiles from.

If you post pics of the existing arrangements, perhaps some method of using decorative lines and and contrast tiles between the old kit. and the new kit. could be worked up?

 

[electroman68]

Untitled

• electroman68
• 8 Oct 2014
• 1

This is the existing floor tile layout.

Any suggestions on how to mix larger tiles with these, and make it look like a deliberate design choice, would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Rob.

 

[ree]

Your pic takes me no further. Where's the join between the old and the new?

If a straight line transition is an option then you could use a row of deco/mosaic tile to establish the join, and use the same type but new size tile in a diamond pattern?

Of course, many types of transition pieces are available.

google will show pics of both arrangements.

 

[tpt]

without wanting to sound like the voice of doom, even if you could match the size i'm afraid the colour shading would be very unlikely to match. The colour varies between batches on any tile, and so does the thickness and size in quite a lot of cases - this can be by only a couple of mm but its enough to cause an issue.

Depending on the area you already have laid it may be cost effective to start again rather than spending your time tracing old stock on these

 

[electroman68]

Thanks for your replies. I did manage to obtain a sample of a 33.8cm tile and it matches the shade of the existing ones almost exactly. It is certainly not easy to see a difference anyway. However, I appreciate your comment regarding slightly different shades.

ree, I was possibly thinking of using a diamond pattern where the new tiles go. Unfortunately it is not currently possible to see the join where the new ones will go as the kitchen base units are still in situ. However, I can say that the existing tiles only just go under the plinths and do not go all the way to the walls where the kitchen units are.

I appreciate this is a tricky design decision and I am toying with the idea of just starting again with the newer size, although it's a shame to waste the tiles that are currently laid.

Thanks,
Rob.

 

[geraldthehamster]

The problem is that I can only find a 33.8cm version of the tile and was told that apparently the manufacturer changed the size from 31.6 to 33.8 a couple of years ago - helpful!

At least they've got bigger, rather than smaller. Can't you get a diamond wheel tile cutter and cut them down? It would take a while but it depends how much you want them to match.

Cheers
Richard

 

[electroman68]

Hi Richard,

Many thanks for your reply. I had considered cutting them down but the problem is that the existing ones have slightly bevelled edges and I would therefore need to cut and file each tile in order to try and create the bevel, and this would be very time consuming. It could be an option as a last resort though.

Thanks,
Robert.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Hi Richard,

Many thanks for your reply. I had considered cutting them down but the problem is that the existing ones have slightly bevelled edges and I would therefore need to cut and file each tile in order to try and create the bevel, and this would be very time consuming. It could be an option as a last resort though.

Thanks,
Robert.

If they're ceramic slate effect, creating a bevel wouldn't work anyway. For some reason I was thinking they were slate.

If you want the floor to look seamless, I would probably bite the bullet and re-do it all. Otherwise, maybe create a border between the zones with smaller tiles if they exist, then do the new portion diagonally, as was suggested.

Cheers
Richard

 

[electroman68]

Ok, thanks Richard. I may well go down this route. It's typical that the manufacturer have changed the size. I can't understand why they've made such a small change from 31.6 to 33.8 cm, apart from the fact that they can charge more money by forcing customers to re-lay their entire floor of course!

 

[geraldthehamster]

Ok, thanks Richard. I may well go down this route. It's typical that the manufacturer have changed the size. I can't understand why they've made such a small change from 31.6 to 33.8 cm, apart from the fact that they can charge more money by forcing customers to re-lay their entire floor of course!

You could always use another manufacturer's product, to spite them. Real slate is nice You can also cut it to whatever size you want

Cheers
Richard