Asking a question here for a friend of mine who is tiling his shower using a running bond format.
Since using this layout (like a brick wall appearance) requires full tiles to be be cut at the ends, how do you handle the cuts on the outside walls of the shower?
i.e. you have to line up all the bullnose tiles in a straight line at the outside edge. Do you make cuts in tiles within the field of the wall? If so, how do you smooth the edges down so they dont appear or feel rough/sharp?
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Replies
Cut them with a diamond blade in a wet saw to minimize chipping, and stone the edges to remove any rough spots. It's done all the time.
You can make the cuts in the bullnose tile, or in the field tile. It depends on your preference for the finished look.
If you leave all of the bullnose uncut, then there will be somewhat of a "framed" appearance. If you cut the bullnose, this will be lessened.
As mentioned already, do the cutting with a tubsaw with a diamond blade. Then use a stone to smooth that edge a bit. If, instead, you use the score-and-snap method, you'll have a lot more trouble getting the smooth edge you're looking for.
You can make the cuts in the bullnose tile, or in the field tile. It depends on your preference for the finished look.
I never thought of cutting the bullnose tiles to accommodate uncut running bond tiles. Can you tell more? A drawing will probably be better. Thanks.
It's a simple process. You cut every other bullnose tile in half.
Maybe you are thinking, "How do you cut a 2x6 bullnose in half?"
You don't use 2x6 in this application. You use the bullnose that is the same size as the field tile. It works the same way whether you are using the surface bullnose or the radius bullnose.
Definitions: Surface bullnose is a flat field tile that just has a rounded over edge, meant to be applied to a shower or tub wall that is in plane with the adjacent wall. Radius bullnose has a definite lip (about 1/2" projection) that is meant to be applied to a builtup shower or tub wall that is not in plane with the adjacent wall.
I was thinkinbg of the 2x6 all along, thanks for pointing that out. Now I am getting the picture.
In cutting the bullnose tile you still have a cut edge to deal with which was the concern of the original poster. I agree with the second poster saying that cutting field tiles are routinely done and that was no big deal. Do they make 1/2 bullnose?
If you still have to cut either the field tile or the bullnose then it comes down to what YesMa'am was saying, it depends on the look you want to achieve.
I never thought of cutting the bullnose tiles to accommodate uncut running bond tiles. Can you tell more? A drawing will probably be better. Thanks.
Ralph Wickland gave a great answer to your question -- but you also made a great point about a picture.
If you are having trouble visualising the framed look versus the non-framed loook, you should make a scaled drawing. This could be done with the fanciest of software, or with a pencil and a ruler.
Vast projects should not be founded on half vast ideas.
you can use a tile stone to soften the cut/snapped edges.