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Alrite guys.

Anyone tell me how I make this look good? Thinking take sockets off then try to squeeze a cut tile in but bit concerned about the edges being too thin to do this.
I thought about grouting it but it would look $h!te I thought with a massive grout line between socket and tile.

Any advice please?

Cheers.

Looking to plod on tomorrow so get them suggestions in please if you don't mind!

First time tiling so need all the help I can get!!

You need a tile nibbler or a tile saw - you'll likely break a couple getting one right (well, I would) , but it will be better than huge grout lines.

You'll notice there is a difference in width from the metal box to the socket plate. When I did my kitchen I unscrewed all the sockets from the boxes and tiled very nearly up to the edge of the metal box then when you screw your plate back on you'll have a nice finish



Oh and I have this tile cutter that I've used for a bathroom, kitchen and two small floors and it's served me well. If I had to buy one again though I would go for a more powerful one but this one is still a trooper.

http://m.wickes.co.uk/450W-Tile-Cutting-Saw/p/215754

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You'll notice there is a difference in width from the metal box to the socket plate. When I did my kitchen I unscrewed all the sockets from the boxes and tiled very nearly up to the edge of the metal box then when you screw your plate back on you'll have a nice finish

Yes, what he said - and I've successfully cut thin pieces of tile with a diamond edged disc on a small angle grinder (in fact it's what I use for all tile cutting). Go steady and don't bring the disc off at an edge - cut into the edge-glaze from both ends of the cut. For fine pieces, or shaped pieces, I tend to hold the tile in one hand and the grinder in the other, but this is probably a bit dangerous if you haven't got big hands and a firm grip, so hold the tile down firmly on a clean piece of flat wood - clean it between cuts, too, or you'll end up cracking tiles.

Dremmels are great for this sort of thing.

I did the same tile and pattern job and met the same problem around the sockets. I think it is worth £30 buying a power tile saw like this http://www.screwfix.com/p/energer-enb52 ... 240v/61123 You really can cut thin strips and shape tiles quite easily. I cut a u-shape in a tile to slide in under the socket. By cutting a number of parallel lines and then carefully snapping the waste ones off to a scored line made with a tile cutter.

I have done loads of work with my £30 tile cutter and it is still going strong.

DWD

+1 for DWD's advice.. even a cheap wet cutter is great for some of the more fiddly cuts.

Good idea to get a tile file as well to remove any sharp edges...electric wires/cables and sharp edges don't mix..

And you can get longer socket face plate screws from Maplin.

The socket looks to be on crooked:



If you straighten it out it would make cutting the tile much easier, as you won't have to make it so thin in certain areas.

Use a wet saw tile cutter like this:



http://www.amazon.co.uk/VITREX-103402-D ... B000C74Y6M

I got mine from Wilkinson's for around £34. Makes profile cuts so east, even do curves on it.

To get the U-shape you make a succession of cuts along the red lines:



Then snap them off at the blue line (snap them sideways), and file it smooth a little. You will be left with the black outline.