Troubling Tiles

It's on going....tiles just seem to pop up at random....even with the best adhesives we can lay hands on and with tiles and floor both thoroughly primed!  Nightmare!

It all started off ok yesterday 

Looking good

Then, see clearly here one tile just lifts immediately...the one next door stuck fast...????

This tile had to be lifted....at this point I left, couldn't take any more stress...especially with kids in tow!

I love these tiles so much....thought I'd paid my dues with the window saga...don't think I can take much more stress...

PLEASE JUST STICK!

my beautiful kitchen is due to be fitted in a week....oh the pressure is mounting

Brick bone Mosaic Shower part 2

Used some of the good old pebble tiles on the base of the shower.  The pebbles mould particularly well to the slight gradient in the shower floor, which is needed for drainage.

The pebbles also provide a great non-slip surface

still can't quite comprehend it's only a few weeks to go til the house will be ready

scary!

even more scary perhaps is the fact that my 3 kids finish school for the summer tomorrow at noon, so much to do with kids in tow!!

It's been a while

....since my last blog post and if I'm being honest I finding it difficult to know know where to start...good or bad first????

900 x 600 Brazilian Black Slate

The bad I think....we are currently having "issues" with the large format slate flooring not sticking (yes, sad but true....never been heard of before in the tiling world until "The Conlon House" but that damn slate just won't stick!) 

the variation in colour isn't as pronounced as in this pic,the tiles were wet, 

the lighter shade of grey is the true colour

Several brands of fixative have now been tested all with the same result - tiles don't stick!  


We are thinking that it's due to the heat coming in through the huge south facing windows and sky lights.....sounds implausible to be fair, this is Ireland after all, but it can't be ruled out!!  

Today's experiments are, 1) priming the back or each individual tile with a bonding agent and 2) laying a couple of tiles in the darkest, coolest area of the kitchen as a further "test" to see if sun/heat is really the cause of the problem.  Will check on the progress tomorrow evening....keep your fingers crossed they've stuck!!


It's not all bad I suppose, I really like the tiles and am happy with my decision to use them extensively on the ground floor....now if they would just stick...is that too much to ask?!!

Brick bone Mosaic Shower part 1

Relief

I like these tiles!

No tiling to the base of the shower yet...pebbles will be making an appearance as they mould really well to the curve in the floor. It will certainly be a unique walk-in shower, but I like!

Amelia says her tiles look a bit like bamboo! I'm taking it this is a good thing...

The tiles have curved really nicely where needed, this wouldn't have been possible if I'd chosen to lay them horizontally!

No grouting or sealing yet and Still a way to go with the finishing the bathrooms.  This does not stop me now however, from growing increasingly impatient to see the actual bathroom fitting going in!

Tomorrow there'll be tiles....

Bathroom tiles have arrived on site, and tomorrow "tiling out" commences.  I have a morning meeting down at the house with Johnny, who'll be in charge of ALL the tiling (so he'll be kept busy for a good while!) Not looking forward at all to the early start (and with kids in tow).

Can't wait for July

We'll be moved in

Only 12 or so weeks to go 

SO MUCH TO DO BEFORE THEN

** keep reminding myself that this is good busy and good stress **