Attempting DIY Bathroom Tiling: Any Tips?

Ltsukito on 21/02/2022 - 20:44

We'll be starting a renovation in our bathroom soon, and like everyone on this site, I'm looking for ways to cut costs.

One of those ways is by doing the tiling myself. I have never tiled before, but I am pretty practical and a fairly competent handyman.

Some details:

  • We'll be laying 1200x600 tiles on the wall and 600x600 tiles on the floor
  • There is no shower to tile (we're doing a shower over bathtub)
  • The bathtub is a freestanding model, so doesn't require a hob/plinth to be tiled
  • It's not a big bathroom, just under 6 square metres of floor space

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of job? I've watched some YouTube videos, and spoken to a few people at tile stores so far.

Any tips/suggestions or stories would great!

Home & Garden

Comments

  • godofpizza on 21/02/2022 - 20:49
    +17

    don't.

    I would recommend looking for a tiler to complete the work. Bad tiling is going to look bad and will have to be removed/demo to be corrected.

    • Pascal on 21/02/2022 - 22:26
      +2

      This. Also tilers are from my experience amongst the "cheaper" trades, with around 60-70$ an hour. Maybe I got lucky, but assuming you have 1.5 days of work there for ba tiler it might only be a a grand in labour or so.

      • godofpizza on 22/02/2022 - 11:28

        even saying that tilers shoudn't be building any showers unless your seen they're work beforehand. There's plenty of youtube videos where DIYer have got it wrong and have had rip out all the tiling to correct the issues.

        Any tiler doing bathroom work is going to provide somesort of warranty to back their work up. Yes, even the pro make mistakes.

  • Stewardo on 21/02/2022 - 20:49
    +2

    How are you going to get the fall needed to get the 600 tiles into the floor waste in such a small space?

    • tsukito on 21/02/2022 - 21:26
      +3

      I have to admit, a floor drain hadn't crossed my mind. Perhaps it's worth getting the floor done professionally?

    • banana365 on 22/02/2022 - 11:48

      Not hard surely? 600 or 150, each side of the drain is just a flat, inclined plane. I tiled our bathroom and would have loved to use 600 tiles for the floor but went with 300. I've tiled a few bathrooms and kitchens and can back up what others have said though - get someone else to do it! I ended up with good results, but it took me about 4 times as long as a professional would take.

  • Peter Enis on 21/02/2022 - 20:55
    +1

    I've done a couple of DIY tiling jobs but I'd never attempt to lay tiles that large

    • dust on 21/02/2022 - 21:16
      +4

      This. Big tiles are way harder to lay than small tiles.

      • banana365 on 22/02/2022 - 11:52

        Do it slowly and it's not too bad. Use the clips that help ensure the tiles stay level with each other and it becomes an almost bearable job. I just tiled a kitchen wall with 300x600 tiles, one row in the morning, next in the evening. Make bloody sure each row is perfect before you leave it to set then move on to the next. A professional could have probably knocked it off in a day but it took me 4. I'd happily never do it again though!

  • dasher86 on 21/02/2022 - 20:56
    +6

    Don't skimp on the waterproofing.

  • poboy on 21/02/2022 - 20:56
    +2

    If you are changing the thickness of your tile, ensure your tap fittings still fit.

    • tsukito on 21/02/2022 - 21:28

      That is a great point that I hadn't considered, I'll double check the threaded pipe lengths with the plumber; Thanks!

  • AndyC1 on 21/02/2022 - 20:57
    +3

    Good to see you are giving it a go. You will save allot of money doing it yourself and learn allot for the next tiling job.

    So who is doing the following:
    1) waterproofing?
    2) Slope the sub tile flooring to the drain a the required slope?
    3) Cutting the tiles for the drain & pipes etc that need cutting?

    Once you figure out the things above then:
    1) Make sure you go slow with regards to getting it right and do NOT worry about how long it takes otherwise you will regret it in a few years when things start to go wrong.
    2) Watch cutting tiles as they are a PITA and you will break them until you get used to it. Get a proper diamond tile cutter if you have allot of tiles and hire it if you can. using a manual cutter is for the pro as is using a grinder etc…
    3) Watch out for tiles that are not level. Get a bit of wood that is probably 1M long to check that the times are not sticking up in one corner.
    4) Get grout that has anti mold inhibitor in it.
    5) Think about sealing the grout before you use it so it does not allow water in and it also slowed discoloring due to contamination.
    6) Where the tiles stop on the wall use some template to get a consistent finish (a bit of wood cut at 45' or a credit card that has a bigger circle cut on the corner) as fingers on a DIY tiler do not work. Been there done that.
    7) Wait for the tile glue to set before you apply any pressure on the tiles. Fir a DIY firs timer allow twice the time for the glue to dry just to be safe and the same for the grout.

    And finally if it looks wrong stop before the problem gets to big.

  • MS Paint on 21/02/2022 - 21:02
    -3

    600x600 floor tiles will require some gnarly cuts around drainage areas. Have fun.

    • akyeeeahdude on 21/02/2022 - 23:02
      +1

      Nope - if you know what you're doing, it's not difficult to for a good tiler to do, even in a smaller bathroom. Can post pictures of my 2.47m x 2m and 60cm x 60cm floor tiles if you're interested.

      • kawinuyo on 22/02/2022 - 09:37
        +2

        I'd like to see them for curiosity sake!

  • voo123 on 21/02/2022 - 21:09

    Laying big tiles is much harder than small. It's hard to get the right falls with a larger tile. Choose something like 300x 600 tiles.

  • TheVelvetSquirrel on 21/02/2022 - 21:20

    Unless you can get a very good level, bigger tiles are harder (as mentioned by voo123).
    Small tiles are very easy (eg. Mosaic ones - but not practical if too small).
    You need waterproofing and good tiles.
    Good tiles generally are porcelain for flooring and are hard to cut, so that's where most of your problems are going to be. You need to have the right tools to cut porcelain (diamond cutters are a must).

    Ceramic (generally for walls) are much easier to cut.

  • Transient on 21/02/2022 - 21:28
    +1

    As mentioned above, watch plenty of youtube videos until you know what you'll be doing. I used a 1200x200 timber look tile for the top of a shower hob after cutting to size. Used a wet tile table saw from Bunnings for that. The tile was too big to score and snap and didn't want to risk using an angle grinder. You might need to buy or hire one like that. Angle grinder is good for curves but practice on scrap before you get the hang of it - good youtube video on cutting curves. Make sure you use the right adhesive. Large format tiles are heavier so usually need special adhesive otherwise tends to fall off or sag.

    • tsukito on 21/02/2022 - 21:37
      +1

      I know you can get large tile cutters for 1200mm tiles (YouTube clip here), but I like your idea about using a wet saw instead. Perhaps it'll help negate any beginner mistakes on my part. And perhaps I'll also get one or two scrap tiles to practice on first!

      • Transient on 22/02/2022 - 17:21

        Also depends on the types of cuts. Sometimes if you need to trim a small amount off a tile, it's really hard to use a tile cutter, but if most of your cuts are half or quarter cuts and easy to do with a cutter, then don't need a tile saw. Also maybe cheaper to hire than buy.

  • Euphemistic on 21/02/2022 - 21:49

    Have a crack. Tiling is all in the preparation and details. Make sure the walls/floor are straight/flat/square. Consider getting a laser to guide your setup. Double check your layout so you don’t end up with too many extra cuts. Ie starting on a full tile might end up with a tiny bit leftover on the other end of the wall etc

    IMO tiling is a bit like painting. It’s not hard to do an average job, but it takes time, effort and some degree of skill to do a good job.

    I haven’t done a lot of tiling, but I’d give it a go for sure.

    • banana365 on 22/02/2022 - 11:58
      +1

      Make sure the walls/floor are straight/flat/square.

      Oh man, you've just reminded me of the first bathroom I tiled. A 1930s flat in the UK. Walls looked fine until you put a straight edge up against them. There were 3cm gaps over a length of about 2 metres. Vertically was almost as bad. Thankfully I was helped by someone who knew what they were doing, but that was the first tiling job where I said "never again!" at the end. I've said the same after every other tiling job. One day I might remember.

  • dtc on 21/02/2022 - 22:09
    +1

    Wall tiling is pretty easy, obviously so long as the waterproofing is in place. Spacers and so forth and whack in the adhesive, as mentioned use something to ensure the tiles are the right height (a ruler or something that runs across 3 or 4 tiles at a time). However, plan it out so you (for example) know that the half tiles will all be at the bottom, or at the top, or wherever you want them to be. If the tiles are all one consistent colour, its pretty easy

    I have a bathroom with a shower over the bath and I dont have a floor drain and I've never even thought about it until people mentioned it. It isnt freestanding but I dont know if that makes a huge difference - guess it depends on how much water gets out (none really for mine, but because its not freestanding water can only escape on one side and thats where the shower curtain is)

    Worst that can happen is you waste money on all the tiles and so forth, rip it out and do it again

  • Anvariel on 21/02/2022 - 22:21

    get some lash clips or something similar. I've used the ones from bunnings and they really helped with avoiding lipping of adjacent tiles.

  • akyeeeahdude on 21/02/2022 - 23:04
    +1

    If you're going to do it yourself, use ceramic tiles as porcelain are much more difficult to cut with a manual cutter. They also are prone to chipping if you use a grinder so it's best to wet cut them, with a diamond disc.

  • rollin on 21/02/2022 - 23:17
    +1

    serious q - Does no one worry about asbestos with this kind of thing?

    • tsukito on 21/02/2022 - 23:48
      -1

      There is asbestos in our bathroom; I have knocked off some tiles and confirmed. However, I'm prepared to suit up and wear a respirator and take it down myself. I will hire a licensed asbestos remover (which I have hired before) to take it away.

      However, do I recommend others do the same thing? No.

      • morse on 22/02/2022 - 02:41
        +5

        Based on some of your other comments you don’t sound like you have a lot of experience (not a criticism, but still worth considering). This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen (though you likely wont find out if the asbestos has caused you any damage for 10-40years). It’s not just suiting up, it’s how you control the dust between you doing the work and the asbestos people coming, you’ve got to bag it etc as you move it through your house. Not only that but if you want your reno to look good, learning to tile on the job is unlikely to give you that outcome. you’ve got to contend with fittings and drains, apply waterproofing prior etc. If you can’t afford a professional to do the asbestos removal and the tiling I would hold off until you can afford it.

      • jellykingdom on 22/02/2022 - 08:44
        +1

        Honestly it doesn't seem like it's impossibly difficult to take the asbestos down, but damned if you'll ever see me doing that! I'm a competent handyman and I have done some basic tiling so i'd totally give the tiling a go, but i would never touch the asbestos

        • banana365 on 22/02/2022 - 12:03

          Keep it wet (soapy water in a spray bottle) and it's OK. We got in a licensed asbestos remover to take down our asbestos eaves lining. They just ripped them down and left asbestos fibres around the nail heads. I ended up spraying them and just wiping them off (everything safely disposed of after). No idea how much those idiots just left blowing around the neighbourhood though.

          For all the (justified) fear around asbestos, it's not hard to remove safely.

  • AustriaBargain on 22/02/2022 - 00:10

    Just use linoleum.

  • slow on 22/02/2022 - 08:39

    I DIYed tiling and was very happy with the results. Tips
    - buy an electric tile cutter with diamond blade for perfect cuts, even porcelain (a cheap one will do fine). Use an angle grinder for cutting the fiddly bits
    - The consistency of the tile cement is very important
    - Make sure you have your layout and starting points decided before you start. Draw lines on the wall / floor. Your room may not be square Use a level

    • jellykingdom on 22/02/2022 - 08:45

      Good point to remember, is that you can sell the tile saw afterwards and you'll end up recouping at least 50% of your spend. I had the same happen with post hole digger, i think it ended up only actually costing me like $50 + petrol for 1mo once it was sold off

      • Euphemistic on 22/02/2022 - 12:01
        +1

        In that case, you can probably buy second hand and end up selling for little loss.

        Wish I’d bought a plaster sander when I did my renovations.

        • banana365 on 22/02/2022 - 12:05

          They're great. Bought one from Bunnings when they were cheap and have used it many times since then. Faster, better finish, cleaner (when you attach a vacuum cleaner). Wish I'd got it 15 years ago.

  • TheBilly on 22/02/2022 - 11:04
    +5

    I'm very handy and I have tiled a bathroom once before. That experience taught me not to tile my bathroom myself again.

    • godofpizza on 22/02/2022 - 11:24

      do you still have the tiling in your bathroom?

      • TheBilly on 22/02/2022 - 14:25
        +1

        Yes I do, so its not fallen off the wall. If anything structurally it is really good because I glued / trowelled it on with a lot of care. The issue is in the visual appearance. I didn't do a great job on the detailing such as consistent joint, lipping, setting out around windows etc. Unfortunately if you don't do good detailing it doesn't matter how well you glue it on, it will look rubbish and my wife is good at reminding me of that fact.

        • godofpizza on 22/02/2022 - 14:38

          according to standards, as long as the lippage is < 2mm it's within tolerance.

          The Australian Standard AS 3958.1 (Guide to the installation of Ceramic Tiles) states a maximum 2mm lippage between standard tiles.

          so you could always argue that it's acceptable

  • JimB on 22/02/2022 - 11:54

    "1200x600 tiles on the wall and 600x600 tiles on the floor"

    Those size tiles aren't easy for your first tiling job.

    Any tips? use smaller tiles for your first time.

  • Big Lenny on 22/02/2022 - 12:02

    I've watched some YouTube videos, and spoken to a few people at tile stores so far.

    youre qualified now

    • tsukito on 22/02/2022 - 12:45
      -1

      Ask Frank Walker from National Tiles about me, he loves me.

  • Anonymous101 on 23/02/2022 - 09:37

    Anyone knows how much it would cost to do full wall tiling in a bathroom? There will be already 2.1m wall tiling in the shower and 1.2m in remaining of the bathroom. I am building a house and the builder is asking $2,260 just for upgrading to full tiles. I reckon it’s a bit much considering there is already 2.1m tiles in the shower and 1.2m tiles on remaining bathroom. It’s about 5.10 sqm bathroom.

    I was thinking of getting the remaining part done after handover assuming it will be much cheaper.

    • godofpizza on 23/02/2022 - 09:47

      sounds about average. keep in mind that they also do square set cornice if your doing full floor to ceiling tiling.

      • Anonymous101 on 23/02/2022 - 11:15

        Yeah they mentioned it in the quote.

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