I want to arrange the top of a row of tiles to line-up with the window
cill. The only way I can think of doing this is to:
- use a spirit level and straight edge to mark a line around the room at
cill level
- fix a batten exactly one tile below the line and then tile
- fix another batten one tile + 1 grout width below the first row and
tile, then repeat until reaching the floor.

This will work but it might be hard to keep the resulting tiled surface
completely flat. Is there another way?

Dave

Dave wrote:
I want to arrange the top of a row of tiles to line-up with the window
cill. The only way I can think of doing this is to:
- use a spirit level and straight edge to mark a line around the room
at cill level
- fix a batten exactly one tile below the line and then tile
- fix another batten one tile + 1 grout width below the first row and
tile, then repeat until reaching the floor.

This will work but it might be hard to keep the resulting tiled
surface completely flat. Is there another way?

Dave

From the said line and one tile width get a piece of straight wood drill
two holes at each end then fix this to the wall vertically and screw the
wood to the wall till it becomes level at the thickness of tile and
adhesive,tile down the wall with first row of tiles and let the adhesive
set before starting the continuation of tiling because then you can use the
row as a guidance to gettng them completly inline and flat with each other.

If you understand that your a good man. ;-)
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

Dave wrote:
I want to arrange the top of a row of tiles to line-up with the window
cill.

If you start at the bottom, or somewhere near it, how do the tiles
work, i.e. what fraction of a tile would be the top row (at the cill)?
What's the reason you want to do this? There are options...


The only way I can think of doing this is to:
- use a spirit level and straight edge to mark a line around the room at
cill level
- fix a batten exactly one tile below the line and then tile
- fix another batten one tile + 1 grout width below the first row and
tile, then repeat until reaching the floor.

Have a dry run, building up the tiles from the lowest level that
you can fix your batten at, using spacers. Fix your batten, and
build up on it.

The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:


From the said line and one tile width get a piece of straight wood
drill two holes at each end then fix this to the wall vertically and
screw the wood to the wall till it becomes level at the thickness of
tile and adhesive,tile down the wall with first row of tiles and let
the adhesive set before starting the continuation of tiling because
then you can use the row as a guidance to gettng them completly
inline and flat with each other.

If you understand that your a good man. ;-)
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

This might show what I'm getting at with a bit of exaggeration in the pic.
http://www.20xx20.myby.co.uk/Image1.jpg
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:


From the said line and one tile width get a piece of straight wood
drill two holes at each end then fix this to the wall vertically and
screw the wood to the wall till it becomes level at the thickness of
tile and adhesive,tile down the wall with first row of tiles and let
the adhesive set before starting the continuation of tiling because
then you can use the row as a guidance to gettng them completly
inline and flat with each other.

If you understand that your a good man. ;-)
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite


This might show what I'm getting at with a bit of exaggeration in the pic.
http://www.20xx20.myby.co.uk/Image1.jpg

Mmmm, I'm struggling with that.
So the batten has 2 screws at each end, one to hold it to the wall and
one to act as an adjustable spacer so the wood can be set at the right
distance?
The batten is fixed at a distance from the first vertical tiles and then
a straight edge used from the tiles to the batten?

Dave (slightly confused)

Dave wrote:
I want to arrange the top of a row of tiles to line-up with the window
cill. The only way I can think of doing this is to:
- use a spirit level and straight edge to mark a line around the room at
cill level
- fix a batten exactly one tile below the line and then tile
- fix another batten one tile + 1 grout width below the first row and
tile, then repeat until reaching the floor.

I think you might be making hard work of it.
Are you sure that lining up with the sill won't leave you with small
cuts elsewhere in the room? If the sill is flush and you're tiling on to
it, it's usual to use plastic edging, so cut edges don't show anyway.
If you do want a full tile there, just stick a row up and put a couple
of panel pins under each. As the pins are thinner than the spacers, you
can carry on doing that down to the floor.
If the bottom tile turns out to be close to a full one, it will almost
certainly give you trouble further along the wall. Aim for something
between 3" and 4" (if you're using 6") so that, if they get smaller or
larger as you go along the wall, you'll still have a strong tile next to
the floor.

This will work but it might be hard to keep the resulting tiled surface
completely flat. Is there another way?

Just pack the tiles with adhesive as you go, and test with a
straightedge now and again. You'll never get them dead flat without
replastering the wall first, but you can hide minor undulations.

Dave wrote:
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:

The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:


From the said line and one tile width get a piece of straight wood
drill two holes at each end then fix this to the wall vertically and
screw the wood to the wall till it becomes level at the thickness of
tile and adhesive,tile down the wall with first row of tiles and let
the adhesive set before starting the continuation of tiling because
then you can use the row as a guidance to gettng them completly
inline and flat with each other.

If you understand that your a good man. ;-)
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite



This might show what I'm getting at with a bit of exaggeration in the
pic.
http://www.20xx20.myby.co.uk/Image1.jpg


Mmmm, I'm struggling with that.
So the batten has 2 screws at each end, one to hold it to the wall and
one to act as an adjustable spacer so the wood can be set at the right
distance?
The batten is fixed at a distance from the first vertical tiles and then
a straight edge used from the tiles to the batten?

Dave (slightly confused)

However you tackle uneven walls, you have to fill the voids with
something, and plaster is a lot cheaper than tile adhesive.
Put a length of 2" x 1" against the wall and see how it looks. Doesn't
have to be plumb or level as long as it's flat. Fill big gaps with a
plaster/pva mix and use the timber to level it roughly. No plastering
skills required :-)

Stuart Noble wrote:
Dave wrote:

I want to arrange the top of a row of tiles to line-up with the window
cill. The only way I can think of doing this is to:
- use a spirit level and straight edge to mark a line around the room
at cill level
- fix a batten exactly one tile below the line and then tile
- fix another batten one tile + 1 grout width below the first row and
tile, then repeat until reaching the floor.


I think you might be making hard work of it.
Are you sure that lining up with the sill won't leave you with small
cuts elsewhere in the room? If the sill is flush and you're tiling on to
it, it's usual to use plastic edging, so cut edges don't show anyway.
If you do want a full tile there, just stick a row up and put a couple
of panel pins under each. As the pins are thinner than the spacers, you
can carry on doing that down to the floor.
If the bottom tile turns out to be close to a full one, it will almost
certainly give you trouble further along the wall. Aim for something
between 3" and 4" (if you're using 6") so that, if they get smaller or
larger as you go along the wall, you'll still have a strong tile next to
the floor.


This will work but it might be hard to keep the resulting tiled
surface completely flat. Is there another way?


Just pack the tiles with adhesive as you go, and test with a
straightedge now and again. You'll never get them dead flat without
replastering the wall first, but you can hide minor undulations.

Thanks. The tiles are quite big (approx 12" high and 18" wide). The
walls are pretty good, it's just how to get things lined-up with the
sill that I can't get my brain around and how to be certain of a flat
finished surface.

Dave

Dave wrote:
Stuart Noble wrote:

Dave wrote:

I want to arrange the top of a row of tiles to line-up with the
window cill. The only way I can think of doing this is to:
- use a spirit level and straight edge to mark a line around the room
at cill level
- fix a batten exactly one tile below the line and then tile
- fix another batten one tile + 1 grout width below the first row and
tile, then repeat until reaching the floor.



I think you might be making hard work of it.
Are you sure that lining up with the sill won't leave you with small
cuts elsewhere in the room? If the sill is flush and you're tiling on
to it, it's usual to use plastic edging, so cut edges don't show anyway.
If you do want a full tile there, just stick a row up and put a couple
of panel pins under each. As the pins are thinner than the spacers,
you can carry on doing that down to the floor.
If the bottom tile turns out to be close to a full one, it will almost
certainly give you trouble further along the wall. Aim for something
between 3" and 4" (if you're using 6") so that, if they get smaller or
larger as you go along the wall, you'll still have a strong tile next
to the floor.


This will work but it might be hard to keep the resulting tiled
surface completely flat. Is there another way?



Just pack the tiles with adhesive as you go, and test with a
straightedge now and again. You'll never get them dead flat without
replastering the wall first, but you can hide minor undulations.


Thanks. The tiles are quite big (approx 12" high and 18" wide). The
walls are pretty good, it's just how to get things lined-up with the
sill that I can't get my brain around and how to be certain of a flat
finished surface.

Dave

If in doubt, draw it out on graph paper!
You stand a better chance of a flat surface with that size tile. Be
prepared to hack off plaster in places to get them to sit properly.