London - Tiling is one of the most pleasing DIY jobs if done well. It's a craft that can be easily mastered by even the most amateur handyman (or woman), and nowadays there are plenty of DIY stores as well as dedicated tiling retailers chock-full of the latest styles.
Chosen well, tiles can transform the appearance and add value to your home, whether updating a tired kitchen, or creating a stylish backdrop to your minimalist bathroom. You can choose from large honey-hued limestone tiles to a mosaic effect or even clinical metro tiles laid in a stepped or brick pattern.
The Victorians understood the beauty that tiles could bring to the home and how good design could lift the commonplace. You may be lucky enough to own a tiled fireplace
WHERE DO I START?
There is a saying that “well begun is half done”. At least half your time and effort should be spent preparing the surface to be tiled and in assembling the materials and tools you need.
It should go without saying that the surface you are intending to tile should be flat, clean, dry and dust free. If you're renovating an older property these are things you cannot take for granted. The walls are rarely straight - Victorian bricklayers and plasterers did things by eye so corners and chimney breasts tend to be crooked. If you encounter damp or blown plasterwork you may need to call in professional help. It is easy to lay tiles on a wall that is crooked, but you will need to take careful measurements and cut your tiles individually to fit.
PURCHASING AND PREPARATION
At the same time as you buy your tiles, you also need to buy the tile cement and grout for the same coverage as your tiles. Pre-mixed cement is ideal for beginners as it is one less thing you need to worry about. When buying a bag of grout powder, it pays to spend a little bit more by buying the anti-bacterial variety. There is nothing worse than having black mould growing between your tiles. You will need an old plastic pudding basin or similar to mix the grout which you do by slowly adding water until the grout reaches a thick creamy consistency. And don't forget the plastic tile spacers - tiny white crosses that you place at the corner of each tile as you lay it to ensure a uniform gap between the tiles. Simple but essential.
Step 1 Hack off any old tiles or loose plaster in the area you want to tile. If the brickwork is exposed you can cut a square of plasterboard and fix it direct to the wall with dabs of bonding plaster at regular intervals on the reverse of the plasterboard to stick the board to the wall. Level off the plasterboard with a length of batten or a straight edge.
Step 2 Now you've prepared your wall surface, measure the area you want to tile. You're now ready to buy your tiles.
The boxes of tiles you buy at the DIY store will have the dimension of the tile and the area of coverage. Pay attention to this. Calculate the area by multiplying the vertical and horizontal margin of your tiled area. This will give you the number of square metres you need.
Step 3 Using the measurements you've taken as the base, buy slightly more tiles than you need to cover breakages. If you are having to cut tiles by hand there will be a fair bit of wastage if the tile cracks in the wrong place or you cut it into the wrong shape.
Step 4 Before you start tiling, get some old newspaper or a dustsheet and mask off the surrounding area. You really don't want to get wet tile cement all over your kitchen work surfaces or your floor. Use masking tape to fix the newspaper as it will give you a clean edge.
Step 5 Apply the cement. If you've gone down the pre-mixed route (recommended), you'll find the cement easy to work. Apply it with a comb-toothed spreader. If you buy a plastic spreader you can dispose of it after use. However, if you've got more tiling jobs in mind, you may want to invest in a metal one. Both types create a ridged surface which the tile will adhere to better.
Step 6 Start from the edge and work towards the middle. For oblong or brick-shaped tiles you may want to lay these in a stepped fashion. Start by cutting a number of tiles in half and use them to start alternate courses of tiles.
Step 7 Press the tile into the cement so that a little cement is squeezed out from the edges evenly. Level the tile by laying a small spirit level along the top and checking the bubble is in the middle. Lay the next tile horizontal to the first ensuring a small gap using the plastic tile spacers. When you've laid a number of tiles, wipe away the excess cement from the gaps between the tiles so that this gap can later be filled with tile grout.
Step 8 Lay the tiles in straight horizontal lines building up one course at a time. At the edge of your tiled area the space may not match a complete tile. Take a careful measurement and, placing the tile in the tile cutter, score the tile and snap it along one edge. This should result in a neat square cut that allows your tile to fit into the available space at the end of the row.
There may be some extra cutting to be done to accommodate electric sockets or switches. Make a careful note and cut tile shapes from cardboard to go around the socket. Keep in mind that any sockets or switches will have to be brought level with the tile surface. Always switch off the power at your fuse board before doing this. If in any doubt at all, consult a qualified electrician.
Step 9 Almost done. You should allow 24 hours for the cement to dry before begining the grouting. Remove all of the little plastic spacers by digging them out with a screwdriver. Mix the grout and spread it with a plastic squeegee - an old credit card can do the trick just as easily. Work the grout into the gaps. Then wash off surplus immediately with a damp sponge, and wait to dry.
Step 10 Stand back and admire your handiwork. One more tiny detail before it's ready for unveiling, however - strip off the newspaper and masking tape that is protecting your work surface. Finally, get a cartridge gun and squeeze a bead of sealant to waterproof the join between the tile and work surface.
You will need
Tiles
Tile cement
Grout
Plastic tile spacers
A spreader
A squeegee
A damp sponge
A tile cutter - either a hand cutter shaped like pliers, or board cutter with a handle and press. The latter is for bigger, thicker tiles. The pros tend to use an electric circular diamond saw. These can create an awful lot of dust, but give a perfect finish
A small spirit level
Cartridge gun and sealant
You may also need a cold chisel for hacking off loose plaster. - The Independent