Planning your Tiling Project

"How hard can it be to stick a few tiles on a wall?" Many first-time D-I-Y tilers are tempted to start at a corner and work their way along. An experienced tiler with pride in his work will plan the job better for a professional finish.

As you can see from the mis-aligned tiles, this job wasn't properly planned!

A few points to consider:

• Don't assume that any wall, floor or ceiling is perfectly straight, vertical, horizontal or flat. 
• Don't assume that a measurement across one area (e.g. left to right at skirting level) will be the same at another level (e.g. worktop height).
• Work out how many spaced tiles (i.e. allowing for grout) will fit across a space, both left to right and top to bottom. To avoid awkward cuts, determine whether it will be better for the centre of the visible area to be the centre of a tile of where the tiles meet.
• Using a spirit level (and, where necessary, a plumb line) mark straight lines on the wall/floor as guides to keep your tile lines consistent as you work.
• Use sufficient adhesive. If there are significant gaps, this can result in tiles cracking under pressure. It is especially important on floors.

Note that, sometimes, you will have to plan for pleasant sightlines when you prepare your project. for example, if wall tiles are at eye-level or above a work top, pay more attention to this area than where they meet the floor or ceiling.

An example of a well planned tiling project.
Note the half-tiles are cut to meet the floor.

One final thing - just because someone says he or she is an experienced, professional tiler does not mean that they are! Ask to see examples of their work and check their proposal for your tiling project before you say yes. If possible, when they start tiling, offer to bring them cups of tea so that you can check their work :)

Best of luck! Feel free to post comments and provide photographs of your projects, good or bad!

Re-grouting Tiles

Quick Fixes

Tiling around wash hand basins may have discoloured grouting in places, from various hand soaps. Floor tiles bedded on non-concrete or screeded floors may have moved very slightly during fluctuations in humidity or heavy treading over the years, and some of the grout may have chipped, dried or otherwise broken loose.

Whether it's for guests who are coming to stay at Christmas or a 'spring' clean at any time, the grout between tiles may be looking a little tired. What are the ways to give it a makeover?

Wall Tile Grouting

The simplest options are to clean the grouting with some whitening toothpaste, cream cleanser or sugar soap, depending on the type of stain (e.g. colour dye, oil, etc.) but always with an old toothbrush. When done, wipe with a clean, damp cloth.

If there are gaps where small pieces of grout are missing and you want a quick fix, these can easily be filled in with 'fix & grout' or general purpose 'polyfilla' from a local DIY or hardware store for £3ish to £7ish. A longer lasting job would involve removing existing grout and replacing all with new - much harder than you'd think.

Before the new grout hardens, smooth it very gently with your finger (in a damp cloth, if preferred). Wipe the whole surface a little later, once the grout has set. 

If the grouting is especially prone water damage, such as around a wash hand basin, an alternative is to use a waterproof mastic to protect the area. This is not an easy task if you haven't tried it before so it would be a good idea to practice first. Trim off unwanted bits of dried mastic with a sharp blade, otherwise it may cause a ripple effect, when pulled, and remove a significant amount.

Floor Tile Grouting

Often, for practical reasons, the grout between floor tiles is cement and, often, it is a grey colour rather than white.

Sometimes, bathroom floor tiles have white grouting and can take a temporary fix with filler, as above. However, in many cases, repairing floor tile problems requires a professional. A variety of tools may be used, from electric-powered to metal scrapers or just white vinegar. Never use metal abrasives on the tile surfaces, as many tiles are sensitive and will permanently mark (especially porcelain).

If you are constantly having problems with losing grout between floor tiles, it may be that insufficient adhesive was used to bed them down. This can be checked by gently tapping areas of the floor to see if a significant number of patches sound hollow.

Please feel free to leave a genuine comment!

Selling your house? First impressions count!

We don't often 'see' our home as others might see it - when we return from work or with the weekly shopping, we just go through the door and get on with our lives.

If you are thinking of putting your property 'on the market' it is important to convey a good 'first impression'. People will see a photograph on a website, in an estate agents' window or on paper details. Usually, the photograph will be of the front of the house and, even if it isn't, some people will use Google Street View or check out the location in person.

If you have a front garden, keep the lawn and foliage neat so that it looks nice and seems easy to mange. Paths and driveways must be seen to be low maintenance so they should be repaired, if necessary.

Paved driveways can look tired. Remember, when you first had your driveway paved, how good it looked? Paved driveways can be restored to look as good as new. They can also be sealed to look good for longer.

Don't panic if you have a tired old tarmac driveway - you don't have to replace it as these too, can be repaired, cleaned and sealed so that your old tarmac drive looks like new at a fraction of the cost.

When you've read this article, leave your house and stand across the street to stare back at it. Are the guttering and downpipes in good order? Do your wood-framed windows and entrance door need a coat of paint or varnish? Are the curtains or blinds attractive?

Come back in and look at your entrance hall - is it bright and uncluttered?

When you are moving home, you don't want to spend a lot of money of doing it up - the likelihood is that the buyers will change things anyway - but you should consider that a well presented home will sell much faster than one that is cluttered.

Most people expect to redecorate when they buy a new home but many will not have the extra budget to renew carpets therefore it is essential that the carpets you include in the sale are an asset rather than a liability. Ensure that each room looks as good as possible by having your carpets professionally cleaned. You can often have three carpets cleaned for the price of two.

Some people do not have good imaginations, therefore décor should be neutral, where possible, unless you have recently made bold statements when upgrading your home for a contemporary look and feel. If you are selling in winter or if there is is not much natural light in certain rooms, lighting can be important, too.

Present your home as a show-home, keeping ornaments etc to a minimum, otherwise your home might seem small. Keep work surfaces clear in kitchens and de-clutter bathrooms of personal items.

Finally, keep it warm but fresh. Subtle smells, such as fresh air, baking and a cleaned floor make a better impact than last night's curry, burnt toast or scented masking sprays.

Best of luck!

Bathrooms & Wetrooms: Non Slip Floors

Safety in the home is paramount in kitchens and bathrooms. Bathrooms and wet-rooms can be a particular hazard when feet and floors are wet, therefore it is vitally important to use anti-slip flooring.

Practical Bathing has a wealth of experience installing bathrooms, shower rooms and wet rooms in private dwellings, care homes and hospitals. Flooring is an integral part of the overall solution, and careful consideration is given to the needs of elderly, infirm or disabled bathers.

Anti-slip vinyl is available in a wide range of attractive colours and styles, with specific anti-slip qualities to suit different environments. For example, in an assisted wet room environment where the carer’s shoes might also get wet, a high grade anti slip surface will be required.

Installing anti-slip vinyl requires skill and attention to detail. The room must be properly prepared and the floor level and smooth. The vinyl will be glued down and sealed, creating a water resistant solution which will last for many years.

A few more Carpet Care Tips

Sweeping, vacuuming, washing and ironing your carpets!

Now and then, your rugs and carpets can get a little smelly. It may not be noticeable during the summer but once the chilly winter kicks in and windows are tightly shut to keep in the warmth, you might notice that the air isn't so fresh!

If you have a clean broom with fine plastic fibres, use it to sweep your carpets. Just like brushing your hair, it will de-tangle the carpet fibres (not Berber loop, obviously!).

Buy a quality vacuum cleaner, ensure that you have it set at the correct height off the floor and vacuum your carpet regularly to remove dust and grit before they begin to damage the fibres.

Time to stop screaming and tackle those chocolate and mud stains! Mix some soap powder with warm water and dab it on the stain, using a clean cloth soak up the solution and, hopefully, some of the dirt. This may have to repeated a number of times. Don't vacuum the area again until thoroughly dry. We've found 1001 Carpet Stain Remover to be quite effective, too, especially with coffee and even red wine!

Of course, water doesn't mix with oil or wax or fat so this is where the iron comes in useful. Place a paper kitchen towel over the stain and iron over the stain - using a low heat setting, as a scorch mark would make matters worse! You should see the stain gradually transfer to the paper towel absorbed by the paper towel. Again, this may have to repeated a number of times.

Check out our curtain cleaning post, too!

Rain, Snow & Ice takes its toll on Tarmac Drives

Looking after your tarmac driveway - especially after winter.

Tarmac is a cost-effective solution for driveways but after a few years it can look 'tyred' :o) and can suffer from harsh winter weather. When your drive is past its best, driveway and patio cleaning services will pressure clean it, fill any gaps, then treat it with Resiblock Resimat to leave your driveway looking as good as new again for a few more years. Be sure to find an established local company, preferably one that has been recommended to you. NEVER use a company that knocks on your door or 'happens to be in the area...'