Kitchen floor tiling tips appreciated

Discussion in 'Other Trades Talk' started by Marc Berry, Oct 2, 2022.

  1. Marc Berry

    Marc Berry Member

    Hi all

    In a few weeks I'll be attempting the tiling of the kitchen floor and there's a few questions in my mind as I've never done it before. A fair few months ago i got tips on here for doing the back splashes and it helped.

    1) this is a working kitchen as we've already done the rest of the work. In which case i wanted to minimize the time that we can't use the sink, cooker etc. My thoughts are to do one side to say least allow us access to the conservatory on the side not done at first as there is a sink out there. Then a few days later we can do the other side.
    Any advice or potential issues appreciated.

    2) the floor is quite level. if i use a leveling system simply to level each tile to the next, I'm curious whether it presses down the higher of 2 tiles or lifts up the lower. In which case surely it's not good if it lifts it and breaks the bond between the tile and adhesive. Any suggestions here for a good kit to use and again any tips would be appreciated.

    3) any other advice and tips would be great.
     
  2. Truckcab79

    Truckcab79 Screwfix Select

    I use the Vitrex lash system. Works well though it’s difficult to find the lash clips sold separately, and it’s expensive. Mate of mine swears by Dakota. Available at Topps Tiles.

    They level so I suppose both push and pull as required. In use I see them pull the higher one down more though definitely. If you have a decent bed of adhesive then it shouldnt matter that you’re pulling it away. Just think of it as having not pushed down too much before you level them. In the same way I find them better if you place the tile fairly gently and let the clips do the levelling rather than say push it down too far and then be trying to drag it back up.
     
    Marc Berry likes this.
  3. Truckcab79

    Truckcab79 Screwfix Select

    My only other tip would be that if you’re doing it in two parts make sure that you leave the last line perfectly level. You won’t be pulling or pushing them anywhere if the adhesive went off two weeks previously with them out of line.
     
    Marc Berry likes this.
  4. Marc Berry

    Marc Berry Member

    Thanks both. How long is the shortest amount of time the first side will need to go off before being able to use it? For example putting the heavy fridge onto that side while doing the second side.
     
  5. Truckcab79

    Truckcab79 Screwfix Select

    Depends what adhesive. Mix your own goes off quicker than tub generally. And there is rapid-set and standard. Rapid set is about 3hrs if i recall but depends on temp etc. I tile quite a bit but I’m in no way a pro tiler so I tend to find rapid too quick and standard too slow. So I tend to use the rapid and mix small batches to avoid too much wastage. If you use rapid and avoid putting on until the day after I’d imagine you’d be fine.

    More of a concern will be making sure you protect the edges properly while you move a fridge onto the newly tiled bit.
     
    Marc Berry likes this.
  6. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    Use fast set adhesive and depending on the size of tiles only mix up enough for a couple of tiles worth at a time until you get the hang of laying comfortably, get yourself a 10 or 12mm notched trowel to lay and a bucket trowel to scoop adhesive out, or use your notched trowel upside down.

    Mark the centre points of your kitchen on the floor then snap a chalk line between the two points to give you two halves, if you want a full tile running through the centre of the floor then mark half a tiles width off the line both ends and snap a new chalkline then keep the edges of your first row of tiles to this.
    However you lay them, don’t back yourself into a corner :confused:
     
    Marc Berry likes this.
  7. Marc Berry

    Marc Berry Member

    Because we might go straight through from the hallway into the kitchen with the same tiles, just not yet, I'm thinking of having the centre line of the hallway go through from the centre of the front door into the kitchen. Seems to make sense in my mind
     
  8. Marc Berry

    Marc Berry Member

    For when I've done the one half, how long should i wait before putting the heavy American style fridge that's on the unfinished part, over on to the completed bit?. Most likely I'll use the quick setting adhesive.
    Any tips on moving the fridge? Like should i get some suction handles or listing straps or something as i don't want to damage the tiles already in place.
    Cheers all
     
  9. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    Nobody can tell you the answer that you keep asking regarding ‘how long until i can move fridge onto tiled section’ as we don’t know what tile ady your using !

    The information will be provided with the product you go with - ok, it won’t tell you drying times regarding an American type fridge but, will say when floor can be walked on

    When moving the fridge, as mentioned, it’s the edges of the newly laid tiles that need protecting so lay down some sheet timber in front of this area where the fridge will be going. Build up to height of tiles, or a mm or 2 higher and ‘join’ edges of tile/timber with gaffer tape to prevent any movement whilst shifting fridge

    MDF and ply available in a wide range of thicknesses

    Also consider drying time to allow for grouting, and this shouldn’t start until the adhesive has fully gone off

    As to moving the beast, depends on how easy the thing is to manoeuvre and again, this we don’t know and will you be doing this single handed or you have help

    I’ve got this style fridge made by Stoves and it’s on superb castors which make the fridge easy to move just by myself so, just depends
     
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  10. Marc Berry

    Marc Berry Member

    Yeah likely to be fast drying but i don't know the brand yet as you say and at least 2 of us moving the fridge.
     
  11. Built2last

    Built2last Active Member

    Back butter your tiles with a skim of adhesive before you lay them and trowel you notches in the same direction, it'll be less likely that you'll get air pockets under the tile that way.

    There's good videos on YouTube watch plenty before you start. I find it's good to have a bucket of water and a scraper to clean off your trowel every now and again.

    If you feel that the leveling system is lifting tiles you can add of remove a bit of adhesive to compensate. This shouldn't be an issue if the floor is good. Get a long straight edge and check before you start because it's easy at that stage to sort out any high or low spots.

    Just be careful with the quick set adhesive, don't mix up too much as mentioned above because if you're not used to tiling it will start going off in the bucket and panic will set in and you might make mistakes.

    Best of luck with it!
     
    Marc Berry likes this.
  12. Marc Berry

    Marc Berry Member

    Cheers everyone
     
  13. Marc Berry

    Marc Berry Member

    Just wondered another thing with the tiling system.

    With the very first tile, is it with putting the clips in ready but letting that first tile go off a little so when i put the next one in and stick in the wedge, it's more likely to pull down on the new one rather than pull up that one?
     
  14. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    you’re over thinking.

    best thing you can do is get the floor as flat as possible first.

    Btw, what size and type of times are you fitting?
     
    Marc Berry likes this.
  15. Marc Berry

    Marc Berry Member

    It's approx 4600mm x 3000mm. I guess I'll be doing it morning to mid afternoon but depends how quick i get after getting used to it.
     
  16. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    was a typo, I was asking about size of tiles, unless a zero should be knocked of those measurements :D
     
    Marc Berry likes this.
  17. Marc Berry

    Marc Berry Member

    Ha. No that's the floor space. I thought maybe the time was due to if its later people could walk on it the next morning.

    Tile, not sure yet. They will be towards the bigger size and rectangular not square. Not sure on thickness but it will be heavy traffic and have that heavy fridge on. Design wise not sure but probably dark grey and like a marble type design probably. What the missus wants anyway, none of it will be my choice
     
    CGN likes this.
  18. Built2last

    Built2last Active Member

    Don't depend on your levelling system to collapse the ridges do it yourself. Remember your only applying enough pressure with the levelling system to deal with lippage. The main thing is Don't overtighten them. At the start use a level and straight edge, then tighten down just so it's barely applying pressure then work away.

    Make sure you're getting good coverage of adhesive under the tile. Just because it's level doesn't mean your not leaving airpockets, as levelling systems can be deceptive in that regard.
     
    Marc Berry likes this.
  19. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    should be fine the next day. I’ll be the stuck record, but do yourself a favour and spend time getting the floor flat as possible before you start…you’ll thank me later.
     
    Marc Berry likes this.
  20. Mr Rusty

    Mr Rusty Screwfix Select

    FWIW here's my method. I get a load of little wood (or lego) bricks and stand them all over the floor so I can sit my little laser on the floor to see what I've got in terms of flatness. With tiles you can if absolutely necessary (and the tiles are not high gloss) pinch a smidgen ( a few mm) in one direction (i.e. a bend down or up along the joint) but humps and dips are to be avoided. If there is a high spot, I start there and use thicker adhesive in the low spots.

    I temporarily tack two battens to the floor at perfect 90 deg (checked with 3-4-5). and set a row of tiles along both legs perfectly level, square and perfectly gapped, and let them nip up (using rapidset). Get those first rows perfect, and the rest drop in - checking with a level and long straight edge. I've never used a levelling system in my life. Once the main areas have gone off, I can work on top of them to cut to the edges.

    Worked for me for 40 years. No intention of changing my method even if there are others. (OK in the early days I didn't have a laser)
     
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