tile question
Why is it that floor tiles have to be spaced and grouted but tiles on a fireplcae can be butted together?
Why is it that floor tiles have to be spaced and grouted but tiles on a fireplcae can be butted together?
I will not claim to be a
I will not claim to be a tile expert here, but I will offer some suggestions. First, I have seen tile butted together even on the floor. It works. Some tile it works better for, others it doesn't look that good. I believe the two biggest reasons are the looks and, more importantly, it allows for inconsistencies in the tile/tile layer. Any minor flaws are absorbed by the gap for the grout. Grout also holds things together better.
As far as the fireplace goes, I don't know. I've laid a lot of tile but the most exotic thing I've done is lay diagnol. I've never tiled a fireplace. Maybe I'll ask one of my tile buddies.
OK, here's the scoop.
OK, here's the scoop. Concensus is that if you saw tile butted together with no grout, it was a home owner job, even on a fireplace! They actually used a few less complimentary terms, but stated that the installer was 'lazy' amongst other things.
Anyhow, now, good reasons why we shouldn't follow the practice on a floor?
Sanitation issues.
Mold.
Mildew.
Insect infestations.
Tile edge damage.
Those were some of the more popular ones.
I went to a fireplace
I went to a fireplace showroom looking for tools this morning and noticed the difference of tiles and how they were used on their show models. More of the upscale marbles and such were butted but most ceramic types werent. I can understand using grout for all those reasons. It makes sense.
Yeah, marble is a bit
Yeah, marble is a bit different I think. It is mostly square edged, where as ceramic tile usually is a bit rounded.
Good question though, I learned something.