Tiles of terror

After a delay of 7 months, the kitchen has now been tiled!





Sadly, we aren't happy with the lippage of the tiles, which is up to 3mm in places, and sometimes you get caught on them when you walk over the floor.



This photo shows the problem before grouting (verfugen). We did point this out to the tiler, but to coin a phrase 'he wasn't having any of it', and said he'd grout anyway.

It seems the tiles weren't treated with enough tile oil, as water still penetrates into some of them.

The tiler managed to trap some footprints / grouting residue under the top wax.

The gaps between the tiles are on the large side, 3-4mm. Via (a German company, which did not supply the tiles or tilers, but sells similar tiles*) recommended that they should be laid with a gap of a thumbnail in thickness. I guess they mean a builder's thumb, but still, that would only add about 1-2mm.

And the floor still slumps towards the middle, so when we fix the skirting boards at the top end of the kitchen (below the door to the utility room) we will have to work out how to accommodate the fact that the floor is 7mm lower in the middle.

So at the moment we have to work out with the supplier / installer, what can be done. I've had some sleepless nights already.  :-(







Otherwise, we love the look of the tiles!



*Ed. - Should you wish to know which company provided us with the poor quality outsourced tiling service, so that you know who to avoid, we will happily do so on a one-to-one basis to avoid any legal difficulties.

The tiles were bought from the same firm in the UK. However, you can also buy them direct from the manufacturers in Portugal, Artevida, which doesn't cost that much more (even with shipping included). To make it abundantly clear, the tiles from Artevida are excellent. We even spoke to one of the company's owners in Portugal, Sean, before purchase and after laying, in order to clarify one or two things, and he was very helpful.