Tiling job - misaligned tiles

[User8509]

Hello,

I requested rows of tiles all in a line however, my tiler has advised me the tiles vary in size slightly (I've measured and they do appear to vary by 1-2mm). As such, as he has laid the tiles the rows are not straight. I am not sure what to do, now that what he has done so far has completely set, and if I ask to redo he will likely say we will just get the same result since the problem is the random tile sizes.

These are the tiles: https://www.mandarinstone.com/product/hoxton-bottle-green-gloss-porcelain/?gadsource=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrNek8ffBhQMVp5JQBh1ovAjeEAQYASABEgLffPDD_BwE

Sorry but that is horrendous…! 😳 Needs a new tiler and new tiles I think!

The problem isn't the tiles it's the tiler! They're very clearly not level across the top.

Sorry he started from the bottom not the top, so the top part is worse as it's get worse the higher he goes

Either get different tiles that are all the same size or do what he suggested with regard to laying them. He knew what he was talking about, I'm not sure why you pushed to have them how you wanted them when he told you it wouldn't look good

It's going to look awful when grouted but if the tiles are different sizes the only option is to stagger them like a sideways brick wall pattern.

Or another solution maybe if they vary but there are some of each size, sort them into sizes and then lay them so that the rows use only one size of tile and line up properly.

They were already half up at the point he came to us. He didn't come to us when they were all still in the box

Speak to the manufacturer. It is common to have tiles laid like that outside using clay pavers of slightly different sizes and they do end up laid a bit wonky - it's part of the charm. The manufacturer will advise the best technique for laying and grouting.

Can you stagger them - so brick style, but still vertical?
If the tiles are different sizes, I'm not sure the tiles is at fault. The spacers appear ok??

Although, looking at the link, they appear to have aligned the grout lines?? Very carefully selected tiles? So each row is the same, but maybe different to the row above???

I think in hindsight what we should have done is measure every single tile and group them for the tiler. He has not finished yet so we will do that for the rest. The question is what do we do about what is up so far? Do we hope it will look OK with the grout or ask for a redo?

Redo

Just measured about 20 tiles and they are the exact same size down the mm

This is awful, don't accept this. And it's not your job to measure the tiles and group them together, he should do that if he thinks that's a problem. He needs to redo it!

I could do better (and have tiled a bathroom many moons ago). If he didn't start from a level line it's only going to get worse the further he tiles up the wall. Did he establish whether the floor or skirting board were level?

He's started tiling from the shower tray

Don't let him try to put it right, get a professional tiler. Hope you haven't paid him.