New bathroom, tiles and just general how NOT to do it stuff
Discussion
Just getting ready to put a new bathroom in and thinking about wall/floor coverings. We are converting the small bedroom into the bathroom, not a huge space by any means (approx 2.2m x 2m) but adequate for having a dump whilst reading evo in comfort. Plan is to fully tile the floor and then use the same tile to do partial areas of the walls around bath/sink.
Total tile are is only 12m sq max.
Having a look on Ebay and this chap is selling what seems ok
Light Ivory Hones and FIlled Travertine Tiles
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...
What does "honed and filled" mean though?
Any tips generally on where to get the stuff, what type is best etc? Any pics for inspiration also welcome. Already bought the bathroom suit but still need a shower mixer/stat (any tips on these?).
The suite was a cheap one from B&Q so I want to finish it to a high standard to offset this somewhat.
The room in question
Total tile are is only 12m sq max.
Having a look on Ebay and this chap is selling what seems ok
Light Ivory Hones and FIlled Travertine Tiles
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...
What does "honed and filled" mean though?
Any tips generally on where to get the stuff, what type is best etc? Any pics for inspiration also welcome. Already bought the bathroom suit but still need a shower mixer/stat (any tips on these?).
The suite was a cheap one from B&Q so I want to finish it to a high standard to offset this somewhat.
The room in question
Edited by dave_s13 on Sunday 12th September 18:46
'Honed and filled' - means the natural holes and imperfections in the material has been flattened out (filled) and polished, so it's ready to lay. Buy it like this, don't by 'natural', it's a PITA!
If you're looking for this sort of stuff, there used to be a company on ebay selling all natural stone tiles, called (imaginatively) the 100% stone store. Google should be your friend, they'll have lots of choice.
Pretty sure they'll be able to advise on adhesive, etc.
Taps - again, ebay is a good bet if it's a cheapy you're after. Also some bargains for new/unused too. We picked up a really nice, brand new, art deco style basin for about £150 which was exactly what we needed and couldn't find elsewhere, normal price was about £500. Don't buy the cheapest though, you'll probably end up disappointed!
Any buy a decent quality tile cutter rather than the £20 B&Q/Screwfix one, which is s
t.
If you're looking for this sort of stuff, there used to be a company on ebay selling all natural stone tiles, called (imaginatively) the 100% stone store. Google should be your friend, they'll have lots of choice.
Pretty sure they'll be able to advise on adhesive, etc.
Taps - again, ebay is a good bet if it's a cheapy you're after. Also some bargains for new/unused too. We picked up a really nice, brand new, art deco style basin for about £150 which was exactly what we needed and couldn't find elsewhere, normal price was about £500. Don't buy the cheapest though, you'll probably end up disappointed!
Any buy a decent quality tile cutter rather than the £20 B&Q/Screwfix one, which is s
t.If you're buying something 'natural' like travertine, you really have to see it before buying IMHO - I've seen some absolutely shocking stone in Topps and also Costco of all places - filled 1" holes right through the stone for instance, the filler nothing like the same colour as the stone. Find a good local independent tile shop, or if you're struggling ask local tilers where they get their stone. I'll buy pretty much anything on ebay, but something like a stone, natural product which can vary so much in quality, I'd really have to inspect first. You won't have any comeback if it isn't *your* definition of first grade stone.
Shower mixer - look at ebay hansgrohe/grohe as ze germans are good at this sort of thing.
Oh, and before someone else does, bathrooms and electricity, Part P, blah blah blah, think of the children then think of a number and double it etc etc.
Shower mixer - look at ebay hansgrohe/grohe as ze germans are good at this sort of thing.
Oh, and before someone else does, bathrooms and electricity, Part P, blah blah blah, think of the children then think of a number and double it etc etc.
Make sure you seal the travertine before you lay it (gives you chance to weed out any with too much filler, or otherwise less nice ones in them to use in less conspicuous places). Then when you've laid them seal them again before grouting. I only sealed some one coat before grouting and my OH did some grouting and didn't clean off the excess very carefully so I spent ages with some wet and dry removing the film left by the hardened grout. 
I've done my bathroom and recently a new kitchen/dinning room through to entrance hall and I bought from a local firm. Both rooms are a different shade (being bought 2 years apart) but I love the natural variations between tiles. There were a few 'ugly' tiles that had more filler than I would have liked, but I sort these to use in less conspicuous places, saving the best for the main entrance by the front door and in the kitchen main area.
Little pic of the view through from the living room to the kitchen:
I've done my bathroom and recently a new kitchen/dinning room through to entrance hall and I bought from a local firm. Both rooms are a different shade (being bought 2 years apart) but I love the natural variations between tiles. There were a few 'ugly' tiles that had more filler than I would have liked, but I sort these to use in less conspicuous places, saving the best for the main entrance by the front door and in the kitchen main area.
Little pic of the view through from the living room to the kitchen:
Most importantly if you are using travertine-
overlay your floor with marine ply, screwed down with brass screws at 300mm centres.
Use a good quality WHITE flexible adhesive- and if I was doing it I would be buying a 2 part adhesive rather than ready mixed.
As has been said- imgregnate the stone prior to laying- HG impregnator would be my choice.
Allow to dry, then lay.
Another coat of impregnator, allow to dry, then grout, clean and then polish HG golvpolish would be my choice - mainly as if you wash the stone with water and a little golvpolish every month there will be no need to strip it and re seal a few years down the line)
if your budget allows it, have a look at 'warmup' underfloor hearing- it's bloody great!!!
If you want any specifics re the tiling- how to set it out etc, feel free to PM me and I will do what I can (same goes for anyone here)
overlay your floor with marine ply, screwed down with brass screws at 300mm centres.
Use a good quality WHITE flexible adhesive- and if I was doing it I would be buying a 2 part adhesive rather than ready mixed.
As has been said- imgregnate the stone prior to laying- HG impregnator would be my choice.
Allow to dry, then lay.
Another coat of impregnator, allow to dry, then grout, clean and then polish HG golvpolish would be my choice - mainly as if you wash the stone with water and a little golvpolish every month there will be no need to strip it and re seal a few years down the line)
if your budget allows it, have a look at 'warmup' underfloor hearing- it's bloody great!!!
If you want any specifics re the tiling- how to set it out etc, feel free to PM me and I will do what I can (same goes for anyone here)
Cheers Emsman.
Re boarding the floor. I was told by my plumber that I should be fine to just use a 9mm plywood but do you reckon a "proper" marine ply is a better bet. The floor boards are pretty solid as it is.
Not sure I can be @rsed with UF heating to be honest. I've managed to live 33 years and not really feel the need for it. That good is it?
Plan is to get the water supplies in place board out, tile floor and walls then fit bathroom suit.
If you have the time, and inclination please feel free to detail how you would go about things.
Re boarding the floor. I was told by my plumber that I should be fine to just use a 9mm plywood but do you reckon a "proper" marine ply is a better bet. The floor boards are pretty solid as it is.
Not sure I can be @rsed with UF heating to be honest. I've managed to live 33 years and not really feel the need for it. That good is it?
Plan is to get the water supplies in place board out, tile floor and walls then fit bathroom suit.
If you have the time, and inclination please feel free to detail how you would go about things.
I would be inclined to use marine ply- a few quid more maybe, but extra peace of mind.
Re the underfloor heating, it takes the chill off the whole room, dries out any water that gets on the floor, and is bloody cheap to run- what with stone being such a good insulator.
Put your water feeds in. Tile the floor. I would then fit the bath, tile the Walls, then fit loo, cistern and sink.
For gods sake use a White floor adhesive, as stated - make sure it's flexible, and when laying, use a wet sponge to remove from the surface as soon as you can.
You would normally use a small spacer for this type of tile- I would use 2mm.
Use a White flexible grout for the floor, or to ensure it matches the Walls, use standard White wall grout, and use a flexible additive on the floor.
A decent independant tile outlet will advise.
Re the underfloor heating, it takes the chill off the whole room, dries out any water that gets on the floor, and is bloody cheap to run- what with stone being such a good insulator.
Put your water feeds in. Tile the floor. I would then fit the bath, tile the Walls, then fit loo, cistern and sink.
For gods sake use a White floor adhesive, as stated - make sure it's flexible, and when laying, use a wet sponge to remove from the surface as soon as you can.
You would normally use a small spacer for this type of tile- I would use 2mm.
Use a White flexible grout for the floor, or to ensure it matches the Walls, use standard White wall grout, and use a flexible additive on the floor.
A decent independant tile outlet will advise.
Just posted in another thread, but go here for your tiles-
http://www.wallsandfloors.co.uk/natural-travertine...
great company- used to do a lot with them in my former life as a ceramic tiler!!
Will stock all the products you NEED to do the job properly.
http://www.wallsandfloors.co.uk/natural-travertine...
great company- used to do a lot with them in my former life as a ceramic tiler!!
Will stock all the products you NEED to do the job properly.
All good tips....cheers.
It's on a bit of a go slow now though. They stared putting the piles in for the extension today.
Quoted for a 6m depth at 150 dia.
Only got 2 in (9 total) and they both went down 14m before they set. Fvckin gutted. The charge is £28 per metre + VAT over and above the 6m quoted.
That's a LOT of extra bstd money!
It's madness. The piles down the side of the house are going to 14m deep, connected with a 450sq ring beam and it's supporting a single storey structure FFS. It's only partial 2 storey on the back as well.
I'm off to fetch a beer.
It's on a bit of a go slow now though. They stared putting the piles in for the extension today.
Quoted for a 6m depth at 150 dia.
Only got 2 in (9 total) and they both went down 14m before they set. Fvckin gutted. The charge is £28 per metre + VAT over and above the 6m quoted.
That's a LOT of extra bstd money!
It's madness. The piles down the side of the house are going to 14m deep, connected with a 450sq ring beam and it's supporting a single storey structure FFS. It's only partial 2 storey on the back as well.
I'm off to fetch a beer.
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