Question 1

What is the largest tile you can lay on a wall?

Accepted Answer

We regularly install 1200x600mm and 1600x800mm porcelain on walls, and slabs up to 3200x1600mm on feature walls with a two-person suction frame. Anything above 600mm needs a flat, plumb substrate (we check with a 2m straight edge and skim or board out where needed), back-buttering, and a levelling clip system so no corner lips. Weight matters too: plaster alone will not hold large-format porcelain, so we fix to tile backer board or render.

Question 2

Do you tank and waterproof wet rooms and showers?

Accepted Answer

Always, and it is not optional. Every shower enclosure and wet room gets a full tanking system — primer, liquid membrane or bonded sheet, plus corner and pipe collars — installed to the manufacturer's specification before a single tile goes on. In a wet room we form the falls into the tray or screed so water runs to the drain rather than sitting in the corners. Tiles and grout are not waterproof; the membrane behind them is.

Question 3

Which tile size makes a small bathroom look bigger?

Accepted Answer

Fewer grout lines read as more space, so a large-format 600x600mm or 800x800mm floor tile run continuously into the shower usually beats small tiles. Rectified porcelain with a 2mm joint and a grout matched to the tile colour disappears; a contrasting grout draws a grid and shrinks the room. Vertical stack-bond or a tall metro layout lifts the eye and adds perceived ceiling height.

Question 4

Can you do herringbone, chevron and metro brick-bond layouts?

Accepted Answer

Yes — herringbone, double herringbone, chevron, stack bond, brick bond, basketweave and 45° diagonal. These layouts need a laser-set centre line and a lot more cutting, so allow 15% extra tiles and expect a higher labour rate than a straight grid. Chevron in particular needs mitre-cut ends, so the tile must be strong enough to hold a 45° edge — porcelain yes, soft ceramic often no.

Question 5

How do you deal with uneven walls and floors before tiling?

Accepted Answer

We survey first: a 2m straight edge and laser level tell us the real story. Walls get dot-and-dab backer board, a render coat or a skim depending on the deviation. Floors get a self-levelling compound over primer, or a plywood overboard on timber joists, with a decoupling membrane where movement or a screed crack is a risk. Nine out of ten tiling failures are substrate failures, so this stage is where the job is actually won.

Question 6

Do you remove old tiles and dispose of the waste?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We dust-sheet and protect the route in, use dust extraction on the breaker where possible, and take all rubble away licensed. Removal is priced separately because it varies hugely — tiles bedded in sand and cement on a 1930s floor are a very different job to modern tiles on plasterboard.

Question 7

How soon can I use the shower or walk on the floor?

Accepted Answer

Walk on a newly tiled floor after 24 hours with boards down, normal use after 48 hours. Showers can be used 24 hours after the silicone goes in — that is usually a day after grouting, so 48 hours from the last tile. Rapid-set adhesive can compress that when a schedule is tight; we will tell you if it is the right choice for your tile.

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