I suppose, like me, that you’ve come across walls in kitchens or bathrooms (not necessarily in your own castle) that are partially tiled. Maybe they’re not exactly ugly, but they certainly aren’t easy on the eye. When my house was renovated lately, I had this problem, and decided to put wooden moulding along the top of the tiles. Although I went for this option, I could just as easily have gone for decorative border tiles—it’s just a matter of one’s own preference.
I used a dado rail—a picture rail is okay as well. Try to make sure that the shaped, lower edge of the rail is the same thickness as the tiles that are going to be below it. Treat the moulding to a coat of varnish or paint (before fixing it to the wall). After that has dried, fix it to the wall by spreading adhesive on the back, and holding it temporarily with nails—do not hammer them fully in. Follow the instructions for the adhesive, and when it has dried, you can remove the nails carefully, and fill the small holes left with plastic wood.
If you prefer to use decorative tiles, the method is also very simple. Spread adhesive along the wall, then press the tiles securely in place. Ideally, you would have tiles of the same length as the ones already on the wall, but if they happen to be slightly shorter, stagger them—the joints will be a wee bit bigger than the ones below. Stand back from the wall to admire your handiwork, and adjust them until you’re satisfied that they’re evenly spaced.
A broken or chipped tile? Assuming that you have an identical tile, it’s fairly easy to replace. Cut the old grout away with a sharp knife, being very careful of course (for the good of your fingers, not the old tile). Put a cloth over the tile to be removed, then hit gently with a hammer in various places until it breaks away in small pieces. Remove any fragments of tile with a cold chisel or small bolster. Assuming that you have patience in abundance, make sure that you chip off all the old adhesive, so that the surface is as smooth as possible for the new tile to be paced there. Spread adhesive on the back of the new tile. If it’s got a smooth back, with no ridges, create your own ridges by drawing something like an ordinary kitchen fork across it. This makes it easier to be pushed on to the wall. Push it gently into place, allowing the spare adhesive to seep out of the joints. Use a damp sponge to clean it, then grout after about 24 hours. I forgot to mention that if you find yourself without a matching tile, you could take part of the old one to a specialist shop—this will be able to show them the colour, and you can tell them the size of the tiles. Maybe they will not have spares in stock, but they’ll probably be able to identify the makers of the originals. You can then get in touch with the manufacturers.
If the grout is showing signs of chipping, and you feel like renewing it, you can buy a grout-raking tool very cheaply. Make sure that you remove all the old stuff, as it will show up otherwise. Time for patience again, as you have to watch that you don’t damage the tile edges. Although ready mixed grout is available, I prefer powdered grout, which is then mixed with water. It sets chemically, as opposed to the ready mix, which dries by evaporation. Non-sanded grout is usually what is used for wall tiles, as opposed to sanded grout, which is the norm for floor tiles. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for mixing—you should add enough water to the grout to make a smooth paste. Mix in small batches, as the grout sets in 20 to 40 minutes. A rubber float is ideal for spreading the grout across the tiles, and working it into the joints. Do small areas at a time so that any excess can be washed off easily, before it sets too much. You can wipe the tile surface clean with clean water and a sponge, which should be rinsed frequently. It’s advisable to wear gloves, such as washing up ones, to apply and wash off the grout, otherwise the cement in the grout can easily burn your skin. You will see a kind of film of grout on the tiles after they have been washed, and this can be easily removed with a clean, dry cloth.
By the way, I enjoyed doing the jobs in the bathroom much more after installing one of those combination radio/ toilet roll contraptions!
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