If you are planning to do your own project by yourself, this article will help you plan your tiling project in the best and most cost effective way to get your bathroom tile design underway.

Please note,to get good results,it pays to plan out your ideas on paper. Then once yours ideas are clear and well thought out,a smooth problem free job should be the result.

A good DIY plan saves money,time and effort.

Take care choosing the materials and tools needed.

How do you want it to look.

Getting ideas about how you want it to look,can be a stumbling block. For ideas,take notice of washrooms and similar areas that you like when you travel about. Checkout Google images,magazines and shop displays.
A good idea is to choose contrasting colors for the floor and wall. Then have a skirting line the same color as the floor .
Another idea is changing color at chest level, which will enhance the look of the job when finished.
Try to choose accessories that compliment the color of the walls. If it looks right it usually is right.

Tile Choice.

Here you need to think about,color,size and is it good choice for the job.
They come in two sorts.
Porous,they absorb water and non-porous,they are water resistant. For areas were it will get wet or moist,chose the non-porous ceramic kind. For this kind of job,water resistant are best,
Does a manufacture make it in the size, color and design you require? Please remember tiles are made in batches and you will always need a few more than require for the job.
To help you,there are a large variety of standard designs on sale at reasonable cost.
So now you have an idea how you want it look. Next materials.

Size.

If the area you wish to cover is small,a large tile could well look out place. A Smaller design will usually be a better choice. With a plain color,the size it is not so important.

How much will you need?

To calculate the quantity of materials that you need, you must take precise measurements of the total area that you wish to cover. Once you have chosen the size of the tile you are going to use,simply calculate the number needed. If in doubt,just ask at the shop when you get your stock.
You must also remember to take into account the gaps between each one when calculating the number needed, so make sure you include spacers, appropriate to the size chosen.

When calculating, consider more than half as a full one and less than a half as a half. If you have chosen a multicolored finish, calculate each color separately and note down the separate requirements.

Ordering

Order on the basis of the measurements taken. Note that they are packed in boxes and the supplier is unlikely to sell them individually.
Always order extra,even the best professional break a few! Another good reason to order extra is replacement in the future. This is a good practice. Why? Well finding a matching replacement in a few years time will not be easy. Chipped or cracked tiles need replacing so often. Getting the right color or pattern can be very hard to do.

Tools.

Use the best tools. Hiring the right tool for the job, is usually the most cost effective and safe answer.
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Remember,Plan,Plan and you will take out a lot of the problems out of your own bathroom tile design before they appear,resulting in a great job well done and you can be proud of.

By Malcolm Ross. I have this article squidoo, with some additional features http://www.squidoo.com/Planning_Bathroom_Tile_Design/