Get those jobs done with a little help from DIY guru Julia Gray. This week: how to prepare for tiling floors.
Top tips for... preparing to tile floors
:: If you want a kitchen or bathroom floor that's attractive, hard-wearing and will last for years, nothing beats ceramic tiles. Stone floors can be laid using the same principles and are within the scope of many DIYers, but these tiles tend to be much thicker and so can be difficult to work with. The hardest part is cutting them, and the easiest way to do this is with a water-cooled diamond-wheel tile cutter. These aren't expensive to buy and will any make sort of tile cutting much easier.
:: The size of the tiles will partly determine how easy the job is - the bigger the tiles, the fewer you will have to lay. But the most important thing is to get tiles that work in proportion to the room, so choose carefully.
:: Once you've chosen your tiles and checked they're suitable for floors - some can be used on both walls and floors to give a seamless look - work out how many you need. To do this, measure your room and multiply the width by the length to get the area, then add on at least 10% for spares, mistakes and wastage, or more if your room is awkwardly shaped. If you're using a discontinued line of tiles, it's obviously vital to ensure that the retailer has enough of them for your room and then some.
:: The best sub-floors on which to lay tiles are concrete, a fresh or cured mortar bed, or cement/backer board. If you have floorboards, you'll need to screw (not nail) them in place to stop them moving. Before doing this, use a cable and pipe detector so you don't screw through anything you shouldn't. You should also repair any damaged boards at this stage.
:: After screwing down the boards, fix plywood (around 20mm thick) or cement board on top. Cement board is preferable because it's highly resistant to moisture, and is less likely to flex and cause cracks in your tiling. Whatever the sub-floor is, it must be flat, level and clean, as even small particles can cause cracks that can ruin your tiling.
DIY news bulletin
:: If you want to be bang on trend this autumn, you need Union Jack accessories and decoration in your home.
An easy and inexpensive way to achieve this look is one of the new distressed Union Jack canvases from Arthouse. The large ones are 57cm high and 77cm wide, available in traditional colours, pink or black and silver - I particularly like the black one for a different take on the trend.
For kids' rooms, the small canvases (20cm x 20cm) are ideal and come in sets of three in either traditional colours or pink.
They have a hook on them for easy installation, or you can string them up as you would any other canvas.
Prices start at £9.99 for the pink set of three small canvases. See the range and buy online at www.brit-art.com.
:: The shops are fast filling up with Christmas gifts and decorations, and if you're shopping for presents already, here's a good one for DIYers - the 300 Hobby Table Kit from Dremel.
The kit includes a Dremel 300 Series Multitool, Flexishaft, Flexishaft tool holder, work table/storage case, non-slip work mat, multi chuck, 33 accessories and a seven-piece drill-bit set.
The work table has an integrated guide rail for the Flexishaft tool holder and a sliding aluminium top so you can access the storage underneath, while the work mat holds your project steady on the table.
The kit would normally cost around £125, but you can buy it now from www.dremel-direct.com for £89.95.
If you know anyone who likes carving, engraving, routing, sharpening, grinding, cleaning, polishing, cutting and sanding, this could be the Christmas present for them.
Ask the expert
Q: Is it better to tile before fitting a new kitchen or after?
A: If you're starting from scratch and gutting the room, it's probably easier to lay the floor before the new kitchen is installed. This means you don't have to tile around the units and appliances, but you - or your builder - will have to be careful not to damage the new floor when fitting the kitchen.
The money-saving option, but not necessarily the easiest, is to tile around the kitchen once it's in. However, if you plan to have your units on decorative legs, rather than using kickboards, you'll need to tile at least some way underneath because this will be visible.
Another problem with tiling just the area outside the units is that the appliances, like the units, will sit on the sub-floor, which will be lower than the tiled floor. If the appliances are under the worktop, you'll have difficulty getting them out for repairs, so remember to put something underneath them before slotting them in place so they're on the same level as the tiles.
Seasonal task
If you have a flat roof and you can access it safely, check regularly that it's draining properly and the guttering is not blocked up with leaves and other debris. Flat roofs are particularly prone to leaks, so keep an eye on it, especially at this time of year.
