Hello everyone,
Soon we will start doing some work ourselves:
Laying tiles in the basement utility room...
Of course, we won’t rely on the expensive specialist dealer nearby (we already have enough costly materials that will eventually be billed through the general contractor).
We want to buy affordable tiles for our utility and laundry room that are still technically reliable and easy enough to install as a DIY project.
Is there anything I especially need to pay attention to when doing the work myself (easier installation or similar)?
Are tiles costing around €10/m² (about $11/m²) from a hardware store any good? After all, slip resistance, wear resistance, porcelain quality, etc., all seem comparable to our €50 bathroom tiles... So where could the difference lie?
I appreciate any advice since we will need to purchase the tiles soon and naturally want to shop in the lower price range.
Soon we will start doing some work ourselves:
Laying tiles in the basement utility room...
Of course, we won’t rely on the expensive specialist dealer nearby (we already have enough costly materials that will eventually be billed through the general contractor).
We want to buy affordable tiles for our utility and laundry room that are still technically reliable and easy enough to install as a DIY project.
Is there anything I especially need to pay attention to when doing the work myself (easier installation or similar)?
Are tiles costing around €10/m² (about $11/m²) from a hardware store any good? After all, slip resistance, wear resistance, porcelain quality, etc., all seem comparable to our €50 bathroom tiles... So where could the difference lie?
I appreciate any advice since we will need to purchase the tiles soon and naturally want to shop in the lower price range.
M
motorradsilke10 Nov 2021 17:00exto1791 schrieb:
@Tolentino
How much waste are you planning for? I’m going to buy tiles for a total of 4 rooms this weekend and want to plan the quantities carefully.I planned for 10% waste plus an extra 1 square meter (about 11 square feet) that I’ll keep aside in case one breaks. Considering the prices, it’s manageable.M
motorradsilke10 Nov 2021 17:02exto1791 schrieb:
Is there a specific leveling system you want to use?I used the one from Hornbach, where you screw on a cap. It worked well, but the parts that stay inside were not all easy to remove. I had to cut some of them off with a utility knife.In different rooms, we have used various tiles from both the hardware store and specialized tile suppliers.
I cannot see any quality differences (only price differences), as all showed chipping after more than 10 years, even though no heavy objects were dropped on them.
Because of this chipping, it is advisable to choose through-body porcelain tiles, regardless of the source.
Leveling systems only work if the substrate has already been precisely leveled. I have never done this; I only used tile spacers.
With a straight edge (mine is about 60 cm (24 inches) long), it is quite easy and quick to check whether the tiles are level at the surface, even if the substrate is slightly uneven.
I cannot see any quality differences (only price differences), as all showed chipping after more than 10 years, even though no heavy objects were dropped on them.
Because of this chipping, it is advisable to choose through-body porcelain tiles, regardless of the source.
Leveling systems only work if the substrate has already been precisely leveled. I have never done this; I only used tile spacers.
With a straight edge (mine is about 60 cm (24 inches) long), it is quite easy and quick to check whether the tiles are level at the surface, even if the substrate is slightly uneven.
B
Benutzer20010 Nov 2021 17:44konibar schrieb:
Using a straightedge (mine is about 60cm (24 inches)) makes it quite easy and quick to see if the tiles are level at the surface, even if the subfloor is slightly uneven. As an amateur, you will have real difficulties working well over larger areas and with somewhat bigger tiles without a leveling system. Even a perfectly flat floor won’t help.
With a leveling system, tiles as large as 90x90cm (35x35 inches) are no problem anymore (unless you don’t have a suction cup and can’t properly place the tiles on the floor).
If the subfloor isn’t perfect, you can forget about doing it without a leveling system as an amateur anyway.
B
Benutzer20010 Nov 2021 18:38Fuchur schrieb:
I still have 3 large basement rooms ahead. Is there a leveling system you would particularly recommend?Here are the cheapest clones of those. They are widely available from various suppliers. Cross spacers in all sorts of sizes. For sensitive tiles, also use washers (under the rotating heads) to prevent small stones from scratching.For larger (rough) tiles, I can recommend the suction lifter from Veribor/Bohle: Tile suction lifter 602.44BL.
It allows you to lift and position even very rough porcelain stoneware easily. For tiles sized 90cm x 90cm (35 inches x 35 inches) and larger, use two of them.
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