It’s well worth it invest in a good tiler, a great tiling job will make the tiles that you have chosen look amazing and avoid mistakes that could be costly in the long run. Here are some of our top tips for what to look for in a tiler and what you need to know to help the job go smoothly.

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Navona Honey Large Format 1200x2700

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1.Make sure they are skilled in laying tiles like the ones that you have selected, for instance mosaics or large format tiles. Be aware that mosaics, feature tiles, natural stone and large format tiles are more time consuming to lay, your tiler may charge extra for them.

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2.Ask to see previous work and references, most tilers are proud of their work and take photos of finished jobs. You could also ask your builder or designer for recommendations.

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3.A flat substrate is crucial for laying tiles, a good tiler will bring it up if there are any issues with the substrate or structure that may make it difficult to lay the tiles properly. 

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4.Critical lighting such as LED strip lighting at the back of a splashback will highlight any slight imperfections in the substrate, tiles or tiling job, it is very important to let your tiler know if you plan to have any special lighting. Click here for more on critical lighting here.

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Left: Nord Ris 600x600 with mitred edges | Right, Affogato Light Grey 600x600 with brass tile trim. 

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5.Discuss the tiles to be used and how corners and cut edges will be managed, do you want mitred edges or tile trim on the edges? If you choose trim, what colour would you like?

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6.Check your tiles before the tiler starts, mistakes are rare but you don’t want to come home to a green wall when you ordered blue!

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7.Your tiler should also check for any imperfections or batch variation before starting work. It is far easier to replace the boxes than to have to rip out the tiles, wallboard and any waterproofing and start again. In addition to this they should sort through the tiles before they start to ensure that any pattern and variation is well spread out to create an even and natural look.

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Piastrella Oliva in a vertical stack lay pattern, note the tiler has also taken care to spread the different shades of the tile out in a natural way. 

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8.Discuss your preferred laying pattern or style with your tiler before they start, it can be helpful to get some tiles out of the boxes and lay them out to visually confirm the pattern that you want. Click here for popular laying patterns.

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9.Grout

a.Grout Joins – modern rectified tiles need a grout join of 2-3mm, decorative tiles with a handmade look may need a larger grout join – talk to your tiler about what they plan on doing.

b.Grout Colour – Ask your Design Consultant about the best grout colour to use and make sure you specify the colour to your tiler.

c.Grout Type, Cement or Epoxy – Consider specifying Epoxy grout for wet areas such as showers as it does not absorb water it is less likely to grow mould. However, Epoxy grout is slightly more expensive to use and install. 

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