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A Beginner’s Guide To Tiling!

So, what is tiling?

Get ready to slide in your socks Risky Business style

Ready to get a little fancy? Tiles are FINALLY getting recognised for the interior genius that they are, and we couldn’t be happier! Once you get to the tiling stage of your remarkable journey, you will be totally floored (see what we did there?) by the number of selections and the mood, vibe, and style they can bring to your home. Is it cliché to mention The Block at this point? Who cares, you’ll be feeling that contestant energy at the first mention of Herringbone patterning. 

The tile style for your remarkable home

It’s all about customisation when looking at tile styles. You could opt for the striking and timeless Herringbone pattern where slim rectangular tiles are placed at a 45-degree angle. Or you could go for the vertical brick bond which uses larger tiles and minimal grout to make your space look and feel HUGE. Or there’s the horizontal stack where the tiles are laid out in straight lines to form a neat linear grid. Tiling is such a statement decision so make sure you tap into Lulu’s advice when you have your one-on-one interior design consultation. 

Once the decision is made …

After a dreamy tour through Crosby Tiles (this is part of the prestart  stage), your tiles will be laid to precision! But, why did we choose Crosby? There are so many reasons it would be hard (and a much longer article) to list them all, but the exec summary is all about their ridiculously remarkable range, their locally owned and operated status, and their reliability. You need all three to pass our checklist. They’re also just legends that you can count on just like we do. 

How far can you take this whole tiling thing?

Technically you can tile wherever you want in your house (though we wouldn’t recommend it—variety is important!). We’d say it’s mostly just the wet areas. Here’s a list:

  • Bath areas 
  • Bathrooms
  • Laundries
  • Shower stalls

For the super tiling fans (yes, they do exist)

For the rest of you, just skip this bit! Anyone left, we admire your dedication to the process.  To complete the tiling, it’s a three-step process involving a little bit of waiting, a little bit of caution, and a whole lot of being totally impressed with the end result. Kind of like watching the perfect meal come together. Even better when you’re not the one cooking (or doing the dishes!). 

1. We add a waterproofing membrane

Absolutely essential if you want to avoid leaks and other nasties like mould and rot where there’s a water outlet. This membrane is adhered to and then left for a couple of days to cure. Probably a familiar spiel if you’ve already done the slab pour [link to blog] stage. 

2. Install the tiles flush with the corners, edges, and fittings

Once the waterproofing membrane has dried, we apply a thin layer of mortar over the entire surface. This happens just before we place those divine tiles. Oh yeah, and we use spacers to ensure even and aesthetic grout lines. Lulu would not have it any other way! Then we leave them for a couple of days to set and look glam. Just please, whatever you do, don’t walk on the tiles. They can’t take a lot of weight at this point. 

3. Grout tiles and perform finishing work

We get those nifty spacers out of there and apply the grout (in the perfect hue that matches your flawless interior aesthetic) between the tiles. This stage adds extra waterproofing to the tiles and makes sure these rooms can live up to their important role in your future, remarkable life. They surround your new bath so it’s absolutely essential we get this one right!

Ta-Da!  

Once your tiles are in, all the wet areas now match the rest of your stunning home. Your unique style is spreading throughout your new home and it suits you!

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