Hey everyone! I'm a total newbie when it comes to tiling, and I just finished a project with 150 sq ft of porcelain tiles (32" x 32", 8mm thick) on top of a ditra mat. Overall, I think I followed the right steps: I dry-fitted the tiles, directional troweled, and back buttered each tile, so everything seemed to bond well without any hollow sounds. I did have a few air pockets in the ditra that I tried to fix, and I sealed the seams with Kerdi band.
However, I did notice that some of my grout lines aren't completely straight and I might not have set my wedges tightly enough, which caused a little lipage—around a credit card's height. Most people who saw it said it looks good, but I'm worried that my grout lines vary between 1/16in to 1/8in. I'm losing sleep over it and wondered if this is a decent job for a first-timer? I really don't want to tear it all up since it took a lot of effort and I hate waste. Oh, and the subfloor was in good shape before laying the ditra!
3 Answers
Trust me, most people won’t notice the small grout line issues. It's one of those things that only a perfectionist will see. You basically have two choices: accept it and enjoy your work or start over, which seems excessive for minor aesthetics!
Honestly, I think once you get your furniture in and it collects some dirt, you won’t even notice those minor imperfections. Everyone is their own worst critic! Give it some time and I’m sure it'll look great!
You did follow the right procedure, but did you snap a reference line while laying the tiles? It really helps to keep everything aligned. The little gaps in your thinset can often lead to uneven grout lines. Using spacers at each corner can help too! Maybe you can use a bit more grout to fill in some of the gaps now.
I didn't think to snap a line or use a laser level until everything was done. Appreciate the tip about the grout!
I hope so ?!