Tile layout - corner shower

[RogerS]

I can't make up my mind. I think A is best but is there a 'Best Practice' ?

TIA

 

[sunnybob]

Its not usual to stagger bathroom tiles, but it depends on the tile and the look youre going for.
Using full tiles stacked one above the other the "best" practice is to work out the corner you see first when entering the room, Use full tiles at that corner going in both directions and work around to the corner that is seen least to use cut tiles.
If theres a bath, use full tiles at the bath top edge, and work up and down so that cut tiles are at the floor and ceiling
The reason is that if all the cuts are away from the eyeline, this makes the room seem bigger.

 

[owen]

You wouldn't necessarily start with full tiles above a bath, it all depends on what cut you end up with when you get the floor and ceiling. You don't want to end up with lots of small cuts. First you need to decide if you're going to lay them brick bond or on top of each other. On top of each other is easiest because the walls don't need to be so flat, but brick bond looks better.

 

[MikeG.]

...... Use full tiles at that corner going in both directions......

Full tiles in the corner? Really? I don't think pro tilers would do that. They know how unlikely it is that the walls are perfect. No, A is the proper approach if you are stacking them. It doesn't much matter if you are using a brick bond whether you do C or D.

 

[sunnybob]

I've tiled a few over the years, always worked for me.

 

[novocaine]

I dont know the tile size you are using.
Drop a plumb and scibe a true vertical line about 3/4 of a tile from the corner. Check the corner is is plumb from that line. If its a brick wall it will be out. If its framed its more likely to plumb in at least 1 direction. Nornally you'd set from your plumb mine and cut into the corner. You would also normally set form the bath and cut the top and bottom row at ceiling and floor.

As its just a shower id set a middle tile that sits dead centre and work either way off that to get equal cuts either end. This may not be doable depending on your tile size.

Running bond can look awkward in a small space and most would go for a stack bond. This very much depends on tile size and grout colour/width. We have just done a running bond with green lower and white upper and a double line at the join which looks great.

 

[Marineboy]

Definitely A

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'd use full tiles working outwards from the corner and cut ones where they meet the screen. Why put the untidy bits smack in the centre of the field of vision?

 

[Marineboy]

To an extent it is subjective but everything I've ever read about wall tiling says putting the cut ones in the corner is the way to go.

 

[MikeG.]

.......Why put the untidy bits smack in the centre of the field of vision?

Because they won't be untidy, and because if the wall is a mm out of plumb you get a messed up grout line. And you'll never not see that.

 

[RogerS]

I dont know the tile size you are using.
Drop a plumb and scibe a true vertical line about 3/4 of a tile from the corner. Check the corner is is plumb from that line. If its a brick wall it will be out. If its framed its more likely to plumb in at least 1 direction. Nornally you'd set from your plumb mine and cut into the corner. You would also normally set form the bath and cut the top and bottom row at ceiling and floor.

As its just a shower id set a middle tile that sits dead centre and work either way off that to get equal cuts either end. This may not be doable depending on your tile size.

Running bond can look awkward in a small space and most would go for a stack bond. This very much depends on tile size and grout colour/width. We have just done a running bond with green lower and white upper and a double line at the join which looks great.

Many thanks for that suggestion. Tiles are 600mm x 300mm.

I've also the added complication of having to cut a nice round hole this size.

Really looking forward to doing that. Porcelain tiles and no longer available. I think I have 1 spare.

 

[novocaine]

Carbide hole saw. Sneaky tip is use a board with a hole in for the drill and clamp the tile so you can cut part holes on seperate tiles.

Bit bigger than i was thinking. Running bond wont look to bad.
Straight vertical lines in the adhesive please.

 

[porker]

Got to agree with MikeG. I would never start with a full tile in the corner and always considered this bad practice. Reason being that the corner is very unlikley to be perfectly vertical. Same reason I would not use a full tile from the top of the bath. With tiles you have to be perfect to the mm and it shows in the grout lines if not.
Take careful measurements of the wall and try to get both ends symetrical without leaving thin pieces at the ends, again bearing in mind you can get taper as you work up.
Some sort of bond pattern looks good depending on the tile type - metro tiles for example. Same 'rules' apply but slightly more difficult as you have two sets of measurements to consider.

 

[novocaine]

Just noticed your tile size. Dont running bond them, they wint look right. Stack bond please.

 

[RogerS]

Just noticed your tile size. Dont running bond them, they wint look right. Stack bond please.

You got it !

 

[Jake]

It depends how the tile size works with the space but I find the easiest to the eye is, usually, to work from the centre not an edge, so the cut tiles at both corners are equal length.

 

[DBT85]

I assume you're going to tank it too? Easy enough stuff to use and just adds an extra layer or protection.

 

[RogerS]

I assume you're going to tank it too? Easy enough stuff to use and just adds an extra layer or protection.

The backer boards are for tiles. Too late to do owt on the floor !

 

[DBT85]

I assume you're going to tank it too? Easy enough stuff to use and just adds an extra layer or protection.

The backer boards are for tiles. Too late to do owt on the floor !

I mean on the board. Covers all the joints with some tape stuff and coat all the board with goop to just give water one less way in.

 

[RogerS]

I assume you're going to tank it too? Easy enough stuff to use and just adds an extra layer or protection.

The backer boards are for tiles. Too late to do owt on the floor !

I mean on the board. Covers all the joints with some tape stuff and coat all the board with goop to just give water one less way in.

Joints have just been taped and there already is gunge on the backer boards. Got short changed though with the waterproofing stuff. Supposed to have been 0.5L and Orbry. More like 200ml and not Orbry.