tiling a bathroom

[milliemoocow]

tiling a completely stripped bathroom do we fit the skirting and tile down to it or tile first and fit the skirting over?

[heathfield]

Personally, I'd fit the skirting first, then tile up, not down. The skirting should hopefully provide a straight and level edge to work from. You'll save on the tiled area that would otherwise be hidden behind the skirting. Also, if you tile upwards, you avoid the possibility of having to cut tiles to fit at the bottom edge.

[milliemoocow]

i dont have a problem with cutting. its not possible to tile up from the skirting as the floor isn't level and also, i'd like to finish with a full tile level with the windows so i'll tile up from a batten. what would be standard practice on a new build?

[buildersmate]

Agree with your use of a batten. The way a tiler does it is to plan the WHOLE spread of tiles over the surface before laying even one. This ensures you get the whole tiles at the edges you want (those that show most) and more importantly avoids finding you have to cut an irritatingly thin piece of tile to complete the filling of a small gap later in the job.
With most tiled surfaces, personally I feel it looks better with no skirting at all - just tiles from the floor. It depends what's on your floor, I suppose.
Either way, don't try and stick skirting onto tiles.

[tezestwing]

so much better to see full profile, so I would skirt over the top of the tiles if you are using deep skirting you may find that any temporary battens used may go into that area then you would be tiling up all through, rather than having to re level the battens, as far as fixing the skirting that depends on base structures IE studding or block/brick, insert slips of loose tile behind skirting after batten removal to maintain skirting top contact to tile then SCREW only to fix.HTH Tez

[MrLee-Gend]

Use a batten nailed to wall as a straight edge.also strike a line in middle of each walll and tile towards each wall from middle.This gives even cuts at each side.Lazy tilers will tile from corner to corner to save cutting but the4n its not a good tiling job.check most toilets youre in theyve been tiled in haste from corner to corner to save time and earn maximum cash.


Hope this helped.

[Fay Mousse]

I don't have skirting boards in my bathroom - the tiles go down to the tiled floor.

[MrLee-Gend]

and?

[tezestwing]

just thought about what BM said about no skirting if you intend to tile the floor then why not use off cut floor tiles as skirting as they do on the continent 50/75 mm that looks quite nice with matching joints you dont need to be spot on with scribing in to wall tiles either. HTH Tez

[Clanad]

I guess it's one of those cultural differences between here in the U.S. and the U.K>, but, if it's available, why don't you consider a tile transition from floor to wall? This is a tile made to the same dimensions as the wall tile, yet with a radius at the bottom that smoothly transitions the wall tile to the floor. It's easily sealed and grouted and then makes the entire floor waterproof in case of spills or the tub running over. In fact, a tile or matching marble door threshold can be installed to keep all spilled water in the bathroom.
The transition tile installation can seen if you'll scroll all the way to the bottom of this

Best of luck!

[buildersmate]

I don't think those are particularly common in the UK, Clanad. But it does look quite a nice way to finish off.
Most of our tiles originate from Spain or Italy and are shipped here in container trucks. Maybe the continentals like to keep it easy to manufacture.

[milliemoocow]

i'm not tiling the floor actually, but on the subject and with a view to encouraging people to but british - the welsh quarry tile company dennis ruabon do skirting tiles to match all their ranges plus a huge range of extras for any tiling situation plus they're fabulous, great value and last forever!

[G_NEWC]

Mr Lee-Gend is exactle right about the method used to tile. That is how we did it, it takes a bit longer - but looks much better.

[milliemoocow]

as true as this may be he didn't actually answer my question!