Software
Houzz Logo Print
serena_lam

Help with tile transition on inside corner!!

8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago

Help! anyone got experience with tiling? We don't have a transition/schulter for the inside corners for the wall. What should we do? we did buy the really awesome bostik diamond grout, maybe that should help? (Too late to order schulters due to holidays and contractor is supposed to finish today)

So what you think?

1) leave it as it is, not that bad looking

2) use a bull nose to ease transition? (see pic below)

3) any other suggestion





Comments (33)

  • 8 years ago
    I like the second option ,but the tiles should be a mirror image in the corner so it appears to bend around the corner.
  • PRO
    8 years ago

    I think you're going to have to re-do the tile placement so that the tile is aligned properly in the corner. Did a tile contractor do this for you, or is this DIY? If the former, make them re-do it at no charge. This is not professional-looking. See photo below: the pattern should match up like wallpaper.


  • 8 years ago

    The problem is that it's a pattern and they try to do it so that the tiles align and look centered above the stove that's why they arrived to this. if he has to redo it'll have to redo the entire backsplash... :(

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Yes. They will. They need to do it over, IMO. And don't let them charge you for it.

  • 8 years ago

    I am worried if they pull out the tiles it will no longer be in sheets and may take even longer for them to redo... i'll chat with the GC and see what he says.

    Also we have this other corner that needs help... any suggestions?

  • 8 years ago

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Without having a big picture view of this kitchen, it would be tough for me to give you advice on where things should go. But at first glance, that other pattern is pretty busy and really competes with your elongated ogee tile.

  • 8 years ago

    the busy pattern is for the coffee area. I'll see if I can get a better view


  • 8 years ago


  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Poor design and worse execution. You need to hire some real Pros instead of hillbilly hacks. Rip it out. Now. Start over.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Yeah, Serena, unfortunately the installation is poor and the contrasting tile doesn't work. I'd skip the contrasting tile and re-do the ogee all the way around.

    Serena Lam thanked Sabrina Alfin Interiors
  • 8 years ago

    Thank you Sabrina for all the feedback. What you think if we do the "bullnose tile" next to it if the contractor won't redo it? I think we also run a risk of the current tiles getting ruined as well (as they came in a sheet).

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Rip it out. It’s terrible. That guy has no clue. It’s bad.

  • 8 years ago

    If this design was centered over the stove, it is going to end where it will end. I don't know how you get around that. The next piece should pick up where it ended. Do you have to tile around the corner?

  • 8 years ago

    @houssaon - What do you mean by tiling around the corner? The tiles go around the 3 walls on the kitchen so it will need to be transitioned somehow.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Serena, seriously, if he won't do it, fire him and get someone who will. And demand he pay you back for the material because it's his fault the tile lay is incorrect. Just because tiles come in sheets doesn't mean they have to be laid exactly as they come. Any decent tile contractor will adjust to match just like any decent wallpaper installer will match the repeat as they do the installation. Sometimes that means cutting a sheet and/or the tile itself to go arount the corners. As a rule of thumb, you should always buy at least 10% more tile material than you think you'll need so the installers have the flexibility to make it work, not just slap it up.

  • 8 years ago
    Had same issue with my arabesque tile. Needed to center it above range on one wall and center it over sink on adjoining sink wall. I put either a wine rank or large decorative plate in corner and you'll never notice. Don't know if anyone has better idea.
    Serena Lam thanked Jeanne Cardwell
  • 8 years ago

    Do you have a pic you can share? We were thinking about the same with a corner spice rack lol

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    youve got nice tile and likely spent some money on the tile, youve also got A DEAL on the installers. Totally backwards, but people try to do that all the time. That backslash would be about $40-50 per sq ft for me to layout install grout and seal correctly after you bought the tile, and youd pay me at end for all materials and any wall corrections needed (as a pricing guage)

  • 8 years ago

    And this will sting, but you do not have a contractor, you have a novice handy person at best evidenced by pictures shown...cringe when i hear the word contractor.

  • 8 years ago
    Wine rack!
  • 8 years ago
    Plate!
  • PRO
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    How about using the arabesque as a feature backsplash framed and centered behind the range and using a simple slab of marble or quartz elsewhere? Then you have no issues with inside corners. Then use the arabesque on the coffee bar area.

  • 8 years ago
    @jenn - thank you for the pics!! They have us some ideas for sure!

    We chatted with the contractor and decided we should redo the portion. We still have one corner that won't quite match but that corner is below the window sill and will be pretty easy to hide with a plant or etc. :)
  • 8 years ago
    I have the same (or very similar) tile in my bathroom and this is how we wrapped the corners. Not 100% perfect, but good enough that I was happy with the installation.
  • 8 years ago
    @val!! You the best. We tried this way as well had a hard time with the tiny pieces. So we tried to do the continuous version. But love what you did!!

    Btw may I ask what grout you used?
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    If you look at photos on Houzz with "arabesque" tiles where there are corners it seems that many have the same problem. Some are better thanothers at matching the tile. And a lot of photos have stuff in the corner, so you can't see the tile!

    What I meant about around the corner is, do you have to tile the adjacent wall?

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    that's horrible. you don't pay someone to tile and then cover it w/something because it looks bad! Rip it out and pay an actual tile setter to do it.

    you know what those corners should look like? it should look like someone folded a piece of paper in the corner and lined up the edges w/each other. Wrapping corners should be a continuation of the tiles where the cuts line up perfectly so as not to mess up the shape of the tile. Val's is pretty good, but the tiles could have been cut a bit better so the grout lines matched up.

    It's difficult to get all of the lines to match and perfectly cut the tiles so they don't look misshapen,,hence, an expert tile setter should be used.

    I tried to find some other examples but I could only get these

    even this one isn't perfect,,,the lines in the corner are a bit wonky, but it was a good try.

    this corner is pretty close to ideal. looks like a folded piece in the corner. lines match up pretty damn good.

  • 8 years ago
    Thanks everyone. We did try to do a mock and I think it's getting there...
  • 8 years ago

    better!

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Yup--now how are you going to deal with the tile above the range? Does it really matter?

  • 8 years ago

    We used a sanded grout because of the size of the grout lines. I don't know which brand the contractor used.