National Home Improvement Week

It’s that time of the year where winter is starting to recede and we’re looking forward to lots of chocolate and spring (probably rainy) bank holidays. It’s fitting then that it’s national home improvement week, a week dedicated to inspire, educate and excite UK homeowners to maker their homes better. The perfect time then to start planning your next home project and we’ve put together a quick few jobs to tick off the list over the upcoming bank holiday weekends.

We love how your tile choice can transform a space whether it’s a wood effect floor tile in a striking laying pattern or a mosaic splashback in your kitchen. If you’re looking to DIY we’d recommend starting by tiling a wall, if you’ve never done it before here’s five simple steps.

Step 1: Preparation is key to achieving a flawless and professional finish when it comes to tiling a wall surface so start by ensuring you have all the right tools. Aside from the obvious tiles, tile spacers, tile adhesive and grout you’ll also need a spirit level, tape measure, grouting float, and square notched trowel. It’s also useful to have on hand a bucket, sponge, rubber gloves and a hammer and nails. Don’t forget some safety eye goggles!

Step 2: You’ll then need to prepare your surface and mark out where to place the tiles. Ensure all surfaces are clean, dry and free from dust/debris. Remember to check for any cracks or bumps in the surface, as this can become a problem when fixing the tiles later on. If you’re starting at ground level, you cannot guarantee the floor is level so attach a level batten and work from this to achieve a balanced design across the wall.

Step 3: Apply an even layer of adhesive to a notched trowel, and starting from the corner, spread the product over the area of two or three tiles at a time. Place the tiles firmly on the adhesive, using tile spacers to ensure your spacing is consistently even. These little plastic crosses are available in different widths depending on the finish you desire. Wipe off any splashes of adhesive with a damp sponge as you go – if you let it dry it’ll be very difficult to take off.

Step 4: Allow your tiles to dry for 24 hours, and then fill the spaces between each tile using grout and a grout float. Work across your surface methodically and push the grout deep into the joints. This will prevent moisture from getting behind your tiles, which is particularly important if the tiles are being laid in areas where water is present, such as the bathroom or kitchen. A top tip is to hold your float at a 45-degree angle to the wall, working the grout deep into the joints using the edge of the tool. If you hold the float flat it can smear the grout over the tiles and not get into all the little gaps leaving an uneven appearance.

Step 5: Once finished, wipe down your tiles with a clean, damp sponge using our First Wash solution, working at a 45-degree angle down your surface.