Tiling a bathroom floor (which has wooden floorboards)

Posy

Does anyone know somewhere in (preferably North) Dublin where I can get bathroom tiles and have them installed? Does anywhere like this sell and do the tiling for you? I assume I'd need somewhere reputable to do this, since a wooden floor could cause complications?
I'm clueless with DIY etc.. I just know I'd like the floor, bath panel and bit behind the bathtub tiled. It's a pretty small bathroom- so it wouldn't take long to do, would it?

If anyone can recommend anywhere, it would be greatly appreciated.

paddy147

Posy wrote: »

Does anyone know somewhere in (preferably North) Dublin where I can get bathroom tiles and have them installed? Does anywhere like this sell and do the tiling for you? I assume I'd need somewhere reputable to do this, since a wooden floor could cause complications?
I'm clueless with DIY etc.. I just know I'd like the floor, bath panel and bit behind the bathtub tiled. It's a pretty small bathroom- so it wouldn't take long to do, would it?

If anyone can recommend anywhere, it would be greatly appreciated.

Usually a 1/2 inch - 3/4 inch piece of plywood or marine ply is placed down ontop of the existing floor boards and then the tiler will do the tilling ontop of this piece/sheet of plywood.

deano_mac

there is a shop in swords airside that recently done work for me called stone and tiles direct.they did the supply and fit service.the lads turned up at half 7 in the morning and finished the entire bathroom that day.the stuff was delivered the day before ready for the lads .had no problems at all.the manager of the shop was very helpful.he came out and measured up and gave me a great deal.I would definitely recommend them and use them for future builds.

paddy147

buy the stuff yourself and get a polish or lithunian contractor to do the job.Job done and cheap too.

P.S-I did this and saved alot of money this way.Perfect job done and never a problem,infact the lad was very polite and tidy worker too.

CarrickMcJoe

Yes I saw a cheap tiling job done last week. The tiles were so badly laid, uneven and not in line. You would trip on these.

A real tiler said it was the 2nd worst he had seen, the worst being a whole kitchen/dining laid upside down. (yes, the base of the tile with made in Spain on each one faced up).
When challenged the guy said that this was to make them NON SLIP!

Anyway, the cheap job is being ripped up again and the lady has to supply new tiles and pay again for the job.

Though its nice to see Slave labour is alive and well, and a nice polite one too.

tred

CarrickMcJoe wrote: »

Yes I saw a cheap tiling job done last week. The tiles were so badly laid, uneven and not in line. You would trip on these.

A real tiler said it was the 2nd worst he had seen, the worst being a whole kitchen/dining laid upside down. (yes, the base of the tile with made in Spain on each one faced up).
When challenged the guy said that this was to make them NON SLIP!

Anyway, the cheap job is being ripped up again and the lady has to supply new tiles and pay again for the job.

Though its nice to see Slave labour is alive and well, and a nice polite one too.

I agree. You have to look at how much you are paying for your tiles, over how much ur saving on labour. I went local. He was about 900 dearer than a polish lad, and so glad now. The service is different. Discussions on issues, discussions on best way to lay tiles, communication is as important!. these lads dont look past next year, when they might be heading home. A good local tiler, has to build up business absed on reputation. Look for recommendations.

paddy147

CarrickMcJoe wrote: »

Yes I saw a cheap tiling job done last week. The tiles were so badly laid, uneven and not in line. You would trip on these.

A real tiler said it was the 2nd worst he had seen, the worst being a whole kitchen/dining laid upside down. (yes, the base of the tile with made in Spain on each one faced up).
When challenged the guy said that this was to make them NON SLIP!

Anyway, the cheap job is being ripped up again and the lady has to supply new tiles and pay again for the job.

Though its nice to see Slave labour is alive and well, and a nice polite one too.

Ah well,theres allways 1,just like theres allways an irish cowboy or 3 stil out there trying to fleece people (celtic tiger pricing) out of hard earned money.

Anyway,I couldnt be happier with the brilliant job and subsiquent jobs the Polish chap I used,has done for me and also some of my neighbours too.

More money in my back pocket is good for me,especially in this current cliamte.:)

tred

paddy147 wrote: »

Ah well,theres allways 1,just like theres allways an irish cowboy or 3 stil out there trying to fleece people (celtic tiger pricing) out of hard earned money.

Anyway,I couldnt be happier with the brilliant job and subsiquent jobs the Polish chap I used,has done for me and also some of my neighbours too.

More money in my back pocket is good for me,especially in this current cliamte.:)

And Paddy there are many lads, irish polish lithuanian, that are good. recommendations are important, see the work, talk to the tiler, does he understand what you want, has he ideas. But dont always assume the lad thats cheaper is better. 9 times out of ten, it goes the other way.

SparKing

paddy147 wrote: »

Ah well,theres allways 1,just like theres allways an irish cowboy or 3 stil out there trying to fleece people (celtic tiger pricing) out of hard earned money.

Anyway,I couldnt be happier with the brilliant job and subsiquent jobs the Polish chap I used,has done for me and also some of my neighbours too.

More money in my back pocket is good for me,especially in this current cliamte.:)

It speaks volumes that Irish cowboy isn't capitalised and Polish chap is.
Have you compared like with like.
Both VAT registered?
Tax compliant?
Insured?
Paying minimum wage?
Qualified?

paddy147

SparKing wrote: »

It speaks volumes that Irish cowboy isn't capitalised and Polish chap is.
Have you compared like with like.
Both VAT registered?
Tax compliant?
Insured?
Paying minimum wage?
Qualified?

YES,with regards the above.I had quotes from 8 different builders/trades people.


I did have a few cowboys (3 Irish and 1 european) give me stupidly high quotes for the work involved.Those 3 Irish builders and 1 european builder mentioned above, couldnt give me company names/vat numbers or insurance details or even references of recent work,when I requested and asked them about these matters.Alarm bell goes off in my head,so I swiftly declined their services.

The Polish chap that I chose is a propper and fully legit professional in every way.So much so,that he has done alot more substancial work (garage build,carpentry work,large paving brick driveway,boundary walls and external plastering work) for me since the initial job he did for me.

Im very happy,hes happy,and my bank balance is alot better off too.
I took my time,did my homework,and it paid off for me,in the long run.

Happy days.:)

SparKing

It remains to be seen in the long run.

stephendevlin

If you want a job done cheap do it yourself.
Make sure the floor is marine ply and is screwed down at 300mm centres.
There should be no springs in the floor at all..
Buy adhesive and grout for plywood and a suitable tile that is not too big.
Line the floor out and try and get as many full tiles in the middle of the floor and have even cuts on the outside.

You can use an angle grider to cut akward tiles and rent a tile cutter for straight cuts.

Buy some cheap nasty tiles to practice on.

Mix the adhesive per instuctions on the bag and read carefully about setting times.
Use an adhesive trowel to spread the adhesive on the plywood and make an even bed.
To keep the tiles at the same level build up the adhesive in the areas which are low and use a level to make sure everything is ok. If you put down a tile and its not correct use the end of a claw hammer to pull the tile up again (abviously within the working time of the adhesive) Use spacers to keep the gaps even.

Leave per bag reccomendation drying time and proceed to mix the grout. use a grout float to spread the grout over the gaps between the tiles. wash tiles a couple of times to make sure the grout is all gone (use a sponge) as the residue when it dries can be difficult to get off.

Then your done..

Hope I haven forgotten anything "for the critics"

paddy147

SparKing wrote: »

It remains to be seen in the long run.

Yep,a year later no problems at all with any of the work that was done for me,faultless in fact.Couldnt be happier infact.:D