Tiling and Paving Installation up to 60 cm

Standard tiling means fixing tiles in adhesive onto a prepared, flat surface, keeping the joints even and grouting them afterwards. The tiler cuts tiles around corners, switches, pipes and the floor drain, and makes sure the surface is flat and the joints line up neatly.

A standard price usually does not include major levelling of uneven walls, removing old tiles, waterproofing, complex patterns, diagonal layouts, mosaics or large-format slabs. These are normally quoted as separate items. Before you agree on the job, ask the tiler exactly what the rate per square metre covers.

1. Checking the substrate. The tiler checks flatness with a straightedge and makes sure the surface is firm and dry. Dust, grease and old adhesive residue are removed.
2. Priming. A primer evens out how much the surface absorbs and helps the adhesive grip. Without it, an absorbent surface can draw water out of the adhesive too quickly.
3. Waterproofing in wet areas. In the shower, around the bath and on the bathroom floor, a liquid waterproofing membrane is applied. Sealing tapes go into the corners and sealing collars around pipe penetrations.
4. Setting out. Before fixing, the tiler plans where the first row starts, so there are no thin slivers at the edges and the joints on the wall and floor match up.
5. Fixing. Adhesive is spread with a notched trowel over small areas at a time. With larger tiles, adhesive is also buttered onto the back of each tile so no hollow spots remain underneath.
6. Grouting. Once the adhesive has set, usually after about a day according to the manufacturer, the joints are filled with grout and the surface is washed down.
7. Silicone. Internal corners, the joint between wall and floor, and the edges around the bath and shower tray are not grouted. They are sealed with flexible sanitary silicone.

Tile adhesives are classified under EN 12004. C1 is a standard cement-based adhesive, C2 has improved adhesion. S1 means the adhesive is flexible, so it can cope with small movements in the substrate. For underfloor heating, plasterboard, old tiles used as a base or 60 × 60 cm tiles, a flexible C2 S1 adhesive is the usual choice.

The trowel notch size depends on the tile size. Small wall tiles need only a small notch, while tiles around 60 cm usually call for a notch of roughly 8 to 10 mm. The aim is for the adhesive to cover almost the whole back of the tile, especially on floors and in showers.

Joint width depends on the tile. Rectified tiles, which have precisely ground edges, allow narrow joints of around 2 mm. Non-rectified tiles need wider ones. Bathroom grout should resist water and mould, and in a shower some people choose epoxy grout.

Not every tile needs a protective treatment after fixing. Glazed tiles and standard porcelain usually do not. Sealing makes sense for absorbent materials such as natural stone, or for the grout joints themselves.

A large, flat area without obstacles, square tiles and a straight grid layout go quickly. The following make the job slower and more expensive:

• Uneven or patchy walls that need levelling first
• Lots of cuts around the bath, bathroom furniture, pipes and switches
• A small room with many corners, where there is a lot of cutting and little actual tiling
• Offset (brick bond), herringbone or diagonal layouts
• Trims, corner profiles and 45 degree mitred edges instead of trims
• Hard material that is difficult to cut and drill

With rectangular 30 × 60 cm tiles, people often want a half offset. Many tiles have a slight bow along their length, though, and a half offset then creates small steps between tiles. That is why manufacturers usually recommend an offset of no more than a third of the tile length.

• Fixing tiles on dabs of adhesive, which leaves hollows underneath, and the tile may crack over time
• No waterproofing in the shower, so water gets through the joints into the wall
• Grout in corners instead of silicone, which leads to cracks in the corner
• No movement joints in larger areas and under door thresholds
• Grouting before the adhesive has set
• Poor falls in a walk-in shower without a tray, so water sits instead of draining away

If you live in a flat, it is a good idea to let the building management or owners' association know about noisy work in advance. Replacing tiles is usually not a building alteration. If the renovation involves moving pipework, working on shared risers or touching load-bearing walls, check the procedure with the building management and your local building authority.

If you have patience and basic tools, you can tile a small floor without a shower yourself. You will need a notched trowel, a spirit level, a straightedge, spacers or a levelling clip system, a tile cutter and a rubber grout float.

1. Check the floor for flatness with a 2 m straightedge and level any dips or bumps.
2. Vacuum the floor and apply primer according to the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Lay the tiles out dry and choose a starting point that avoids thin slivers at the edges.
4. Stretch a string line or draw a line for the first row.
5. Mix the adhesive according to the instructions and let it stand briefly.
6. Spread adhesive with the notched trowel over an area for one or two tiles.
7. For larger tiles, butter a thin layer of adhesive onto the back of the tile as well.
8. Place the tile, slide it slightly and press it down, then insert spacers or clips.
9. Keep checking the level as you go and clean adhesive out of the joints.
10. Once the adhesive has set, remove the clips and grout the floor.
11. Wipe off excess grout with a damp sponge and, once dry, buff with a dry cloth.
12. Seal the joint between floor and wall with silicone.

Shower waterproofing and tiling to falls towards a drain are better left to an experienced tiler.

• The surface is flat, with no noticeable gaps under a 2 m straightedge
• Neighbouring tiles have no steps you can feel with your finger
• Joints are of even width, straight and fully filled
• Tapping the tiles does not produce a hollow sound that would point to voids underneath
• Edges and cuts around pipes and switches are clean and free of chips
• Corners and joints with the bath or shower tray are sealed with silicone
• In the shower, water runs to the drain and does not pool anywhere
• The surface is clean, with no grout haze left