www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Hi
I am about to install quadrant tiles around my bathtub and am looking for advice in properly installing the quadrant tiles. I haven't found any useful information on the web about this.

I am installing the quadrant tiles because water is seeping through the area where the tub meets the tile. The quadrant tiles will cover this area.


Quadrant tile picture:
http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/silic ... 20bath.jpg


Thank you in advance
CL

This is relatively easy to do.

Firstly lay the tiles around the bath dry just to get an idea of what they will look like and where they will require cutting.

To cut the tiles use a tile saw like this-

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/tiling/tile_saw.htm

remember that you will need to leave a small gap between the tiles, which will be filed in later. This gap wil probably be 2-3mm

To cut the tiles squarely and to mitre them use a mitre box like the one attached.

The slots in the mitre box might not be wide enough and so you will have to enlarge them with the tile saw, the mitre box may be useless
after this for anything else.

At the ends of the bath, where the tiles finish you buy special rounded ones.

Start in the corner when fitting the tiles and use either a flexible adhesive or silicone. I prefer silicone.

Get a good quality silicone that is mould proof and then apply a line of silicone on the two flat edges on the back of the tile and then
pres them into place remembering to leave a gap.

When the silcone has gone off you can then silicone the gaps.


How to apply silicone is here-

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/silicone_sealant.htm

Hi
Thank you for the response.

One of the other reasons I am removing the silicone caulk from the tub is because it is hard to maintain and requires recaulking once a year if not more often.

I originally planned to first paint two layers of polyurethane in that corner area. This polyurethane would add water resistance to the grout that is already in the corner. Then install the quadrant tiles with grout and paint another 2 or 3 layers of polyurethane on top of that.

What do you think about using grout in this area instead of silicone caulk?

I'm trying to take extra precautions to prevent water from seeping down into my neighbor's apartment below. It has happened once already.

Thanks again.

CL

I used silicone because it is a lot more flexible than grout.

Unfortunately the bath has a tendancy to flex and move and this can mean that grout may crack.

Some of the newer silicone has microban contained within it and it prevents mould growth.

You can use grout, but it has a tendancy to crack.

Hi
you can actualy get a ceramic bath trim set wich used to come with stop ends and internal mitred corners fixed with a anti fungal silicone
http://www.homelux.co.uk/Pro-seal-BathTrim.asp