Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Dec 20, 2008 7:04 pm Hey
I know the tile thing has been done to death, and most of the reading ive done is putting me off going porcelain tiles. The main reasons I love porcelain tiles is for the tiny gap between the tiles, and the super shiny finish you can get. How small a gap can you get using ceramic's? And can you get ceramic's close to as shiny as polished porcelain? We want a dark, possibly chocolate tile, we dont know who our tile provider is going to be yet so cant go and check out any tiles in person which is a bit sucky. Cheers! Blog - http://snakedr.blogspot.com/ Build Thread - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=12084&p=307406#p307406 Status - PCI 15/10. Things nearly done. spacers 2Dec 21, 2008 7:20 am Don't they use those little plastic spacers? Maybe if a tile expert dosn't tell you on the forum you could go an ask a tile company what size is the smallest spacer, they'll probably give you one and you can see then? Just a thought? Maybe even at the hardware store, you can get them there also.
Love chocolate tiles! edit added: oh, don't the tiles come in sheets with automatic spaces? Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 3Dec 21, 2008 9:00 am 1.5 -2mm I think. we just had our bathroom tiled with the smallest gap possible and it looks like 1.5. I'm like you, I like tiles as close together as possible.
Our last place was an art deco unit and the original kitchen was all tiled and the tiles were butted together with no gap at all. Have seen this a bit in old places - it's really beautiful and the walls look like shimmering glass. I've asked a couple of tilers to do this for me since but they won't/can't for various reasons. Maybe they just don't teach this method anymore at tiling school. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 4Dec 21, 2008 9:38 am the reason they wont do it is because tiles need to be perfectly square.
If even going 1.5mm if your tile arent true the will look like **** when installed. The further way they are the more forgiving they are going to be. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 5Dec 21, 2008 9:58 am borg I haven't heard that reason before. Can't remember what the last tiler told me but the reason the one before that gave me was that they would pop off the wall (although none of the existing ones had in 70 years)/
Do you think the tiles were more square in days when this was a more common way to lay tiles? Think the spacing thing is personal - if the tiles are close and laid flat I don't notice the grout - if they are spaced apart all i see is a big grout job and don't notice the tiles. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 6Dec 21, 2008 10:12 am tiles are definatley not perfect. For this reason you will usually see that professional tiles do not use spacers.
This allows them to compromise any inperfections in tiles. Tiles these days some worse than others are not perfectly square. and the sruface may not turely be flat. Back in the old days you didnt have places like china etc. mass producting low quality tiles etc. if you are goignt o do that consider a good quality intalian tile. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 7Dec 21, 2008 11:09 am I wonder if the glazed porcelain tiles are made well enough to be put in closer together, ill have to do some checking Blog - http://snakedr.blogspot.com/ Build Thread - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=12084&p=307406#p307406 Status - PCI 15/10. Things nearly done. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 8Dec 21, 2008 11:16 am To get a 1.5 mm grout joint, you'll need to use a rectified tile (not to be confused with vitrified), which I think can only be done with porcelain tiles. A rectified tile is one in which the edges are ground to square them off (and make them all exactly the same size).[/code] Demolition August 2009, Construction Started September 2009, Completed December 2010 Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 9Dec 21, 2008 11:25 am that might be the shot Blog - http://snakedr.blogspot.com/ Build Thread - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=12084&p=307406#p307406 Status - PCI 15/10. Things nearly done. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 10Dec 21, 2008 11:32 am Casa2 To get a 1.5 mm grout joint, you'll need to use a rectified tile (not to be confused with vitrified), which I think can only be done with porcelain tiles. A rectified tile is one in which the edges are ground to square them off (and make them all exactly the same size).[/code] Yes that's the go. I want that even, clean, close together look and this is the way to go. Rectified porcelain. But I won't be having polished and mine won't need sealing. So I'll have the best of both worlds. The look I love, but with the ease of ceramic. Jo I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 11Dec 21, 2008 11:41 am joles [Yes that's the go. I want that even, clean, close together look and this is the way to go. Rectified porcelain. But I won't be having polished and mine won't need sealing. So I'll have the best of both worlds. The look I love, but with the ease of ceramic. Jo Are you going to run with glazed porcelain to make sure it doesnt need sealing, or some other kind of pre-sealed porcelain? Blog - http://snakedr.blogspot.com/ Build Thread - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=12084&p=307406#p307406 Status - PCI 15/10. Things nearly done. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 12Dec 21, 2008 11:45 am It's a glazed porcelain as far as I can see. But it is a slightly matt appearance. You don't get that highly polished look, but I don't like that in wet areas anyway.
Would you like me to post a pic of the tile? I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 13Dec 21, 2008 11:53 am sure!
are you only using them in wets? what are you using for the rest of the house? we popped into a shop briefly yesterday and they had a tiny range of glazed porcelain tiles, they might have been rectified, most of what she was saying went over my head, need more info before i try and negotiate what i want with the builder i want the gloss look, but i dont think you can get too glossy if its glazed, not sure Blog - http://snakedr.blogspot.com/ Build Thread - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=12084&p=307406#p307406 Status - PCI 15/10. Things nearly done. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 15Dec 21, 2008 12:21 pm Here we go. I took three photos, one without the sun reflected and one with... they are a bit shiny I guess but certainly not high gloss. But I guess this shows how shiny they may be under lights.
And also one to show the straight edges. Notice the scratches to the floorboards from the dogs in the last pic? That's why we are having tiles everywhere except for carpet in the bedrooms, theatre and playroom. This is the sample size 300 x 300 but we will either use 300 x 600 or 450 x 450. Hope this helps give an indication. You can imagine from the sharpness of the edges how close they can be layed together. Much closer than ceramic. Jo http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u353/joles_photo/2008-12-21_12-51-50_21122008496-1.jpg http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u353/joles_photo/2008-12-21_12-51-38_21122008495.jpg http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u353/joles_photo/2008-12-21_13-09-14_21122008498.jpg I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 16Dec 21, 2008 12:35 pm awesome, thanks, i think thats the way to go
can i ask what they were per metre and if your tiler wants more to lay them? Blog - http://snakedr.blogspot.com/ Build Thread - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=12084&p=307406#p307406 Status - PCI 15/10. Things nearly done. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 17Dec 21, 2008 12:44 pm We haven't done our tile appointment yet...
We have an allowance for cat 1 tiles and these will be an upgrade. I have an appointment with my builder tomorrow so I'll get some figures then and I'll PM you with them! I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 18Dec 21, 2008 12:55 pm thanks, im dying to find out who my tiler and tile supplier is so i can work out if this is going to be too expensive for our budget. my builders overseas for christmas so im stuck.
the other issue is my wife doesnt care about the tiles, and doesnt think its worth spending extra money on smaller gaps or nicer tiles, so im in for a battle but think that its worth the effort Blog - http://snakedr.blogspot.com/ Build Thread - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=12084&p=307406#p307406 Status - PCI 15/10. Things nearly done. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 19Dec 24, 2008 4:43 pm i went to another tile place yesterday and they had a lot more range, brought home a lovely sample of the tile id love
they had some really nice tiles that are rectified, and sealed/polished, great! except im not going to be able to afford the cost of laying them close together next question is can you get these polished finish porcelain tiles without a rectified edge so they can be layed with the 3mm finish, hence reducing the cost? or will it look odd laying rectified tiles with a 3mm gap? Blog - http://snakedr.blogspot.com/ Build Thread - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=12084&p=307406#p307406 Status - PCI 15/10. Things nearly done. Re: Smallest gap size usable with ceramic tiles? 20Dec 24, 2008 5:54 pm Hi, I'm not sure I understand. If you buy rectified tiles that can be laid with 1mm gaps, is there a substantial extra cost in the laying? I would've thought it's just as easy to do 1mm gaps as 3mm gaps......but this is an uninformed opinion
Cheers zeke Got my stairs designed like this with 250mm Gap marked below. Gap is bec of 2 steps added between two landing area… 0 4931 This is one of the reasons I decided to go overseas for my double glazed windows. As the builder indicated, he's worked on many upmarket builds, these were the most well… 13 19432 2 7675 |