Wall or floor tiles first?

Most tilers will do wall first then floor. Mainly because this will allow them to finish in one day.

Thats the way I did it. (Even though it took me more like 4 days).

Actual process is wall first, except last row near floor. Then floor. Then last row of wall.

The code states that wall tiles must overlap floor tiles, also tiled hobs should a top tile that overlaps both vertical tiles on each side.

When tiling a shower, do the floor first, then screw level batten to the wall just high enough to fit a tile under it at the lowest point, then tile the walls, by the time you have done this you should be able to remove the batten and cut the remaining bottom row of tiles for a perfect fit.

Good luck.

PS. Don't forget to seal the screw holes when you take the batten off, a dob of almost any sealant will be fine.

Most tilers will fill the small gap between floor tile and wall with tile glue as this area will be covered by the bottom wall tile and the gap under it will be grouted.

Originally Posted by Billy22Bob

I've just done some stack stone in the foyer, but before I tiled the floor.
I inserted a 20mm packer/spacer board underneath prior to starting the first row and then stacked over it.
The next day I've nocked the spacer out leaving a 16mm gap for me to adhesive (5mm) and set my floor tile (10mm) at a later time. Finally filling the remaining gap with grout.
Of course this assumes your floor is suitable to do such a thing well. Flat, level etc.

Why wouldnt this be a common practice instead of stuffing around with the absent bottom row and damaging the villaboard/membranes with knock in knock out temp supports?

BillyBob,
I think your method works fine as long as the floor is flat and level all round. The theory about starting the wall on the second row is that you work from a straight and level line that you've marked, then you can come back and finish the bottom row which may need cutting if the floor isn't straight and level.
Murray

Originally Posted by m6sports

walls first then floors

Imagine if you had to cut every bottom tile so that it was level all the way around the bathroom

just waterproof all the wall and floors and you wont have any problems

Also i dont like the idea of using grout in the junction of the wall and floors as with any joint there will be movement and it will crack

if your worried about " hydrodynamics " grout isnt water proof
if you go packing the gap between the wall cuts and the floors it defeats the purpose
water will still get behind it

Sometime these people writing " The codes " have never had to do the work

Indeed, there are tiles that let water through as well.

As for the practice of tilers filling the gap between the floor tiles with glue (Not grout), it should not matter if water passes through it, the waterproofing will be between the glue and and wall/floor.

Though I do like the practice myself.

Originally Posted by m6sports

doing the walls first will cut down on alot of extra cutting

Not sure why doing the walls first would reduce the amount of cutting?

If you do the walls first, you start on the second row and then come back and cut and fit the bottom row to fit to the floor. You should end up with the same number of cuts no matter which you do first.

Originally Posted by m6sports

then whats the reason to tile floors first
doing the walls first will cut down on alot of extra cutting
and IMO look better

The BSA and Aust Standards state that vertical tiles must overlap horizontal tiles.

This helps to reduce the amount of moisture that gets through the grout at the wall to floor interface and on tiled hobs.

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Good Luck.

You do not have to start on the floor tiles, in fact it would be a mistake to do the floor first because it could get damaged or covered in droppings.

And, because the outer edge of the shower base may not be even all round the bottom row of tiles need cutting to fit properly.

Most tilers will fit a level batten on the wall just one tile higher than the lowest point, then tile up the walls leaving the bottom row out.

Then lay the floor tiles and return the next day or much later the same day and remove the battens and cut the bottom row of tiles in.

This means more time tiling and less time waiting for clues to cure.

Hope this helps.

Good luck.