One of the very first problems you’ll face when deciding to retile your bathroom is ‘how to measure a bathroom for tiles’. Thanks to the unique size of every bathroom, which is made all the more complex by awkwardly shaped toilets and basins, measuring your space can be a fiddly task. Luckily for you, we’re here to help, with this blog delving into how you can easily measure your bathroom for tile installation.
Whether you’re looking for bathroom tiles to give your room a renewed sparkle or want some inspiration for a feature wall of kitchen tiles, visit Raynesway Tile Warehouse in Derby and transform your house today.
Tools and materials
Before you get down on your hands and knees, you’ll want to invest in some proper tools to make sure your bathroom measurements are as accurate as possible. These range from basic pieces of equipment that should be found in any personal garage or DIY box to specialist items that you should certainly consider purchasing before getting started. Such items include:
- Calculator
- Diamond Blade
- Notepad and pencil
- Rubber grout float
- Spirit level
- Tape measure
- Tile cutter
- Tile Nipper
- Tile spacers
- Tile trowel
At Raynesway we offer a range of high-quality, durable tools and accessories for tiling with our team of experts being more than happy to instruct on the proper way to use each item.
Preparation for tiling
Once you have the tools together, now you can get started by preparing your bathroom to be tiled. This stage ensures the most accurate measurements possible and should start by removing all furniture, bins, bath mats, storage towers, picture frames or any other portable fixture that isn’t fixed to the floor. Doing this gives you complete and unobstructed access to all areas of your bathroom. Next, it’s wise to clean the entire area to remove any particles or pieces of dirt that might disrupt any measurements.
You will likely have already considered the desired size of your tiles before you reach this point, but this is the stage where you need to confirm this information. Consider the needs of your space and select tiles accordingly, for example, smaller tiles offer more versatility for colourful creativity whereas larger tiles open the space out and are also easier to clean thanks to their smaller number of grout lines. If you’re wondering what size tiles you should buy for your small bathroom, or want advice on how to design your space, contact us and our expert team would be happy to lend a helping hand.
How to measure your floor for bathroom tiles
Right, let’s get down to business. Unfortunately, measuring a bathroom floor for tile installation is no easy task thanks to how different each room is shaped from one house to the next. While some bathrooms will be tiny yet have no existing fixtures, others might be large and awkwardly shaped with immovable bathrooms, sinks and more to contend with. Let’s start by outlining how to measure empty rectangular-shaped bathrooms for floor tiles, aka a tiler’s dream job.
- Measure the length of the shorter wall and record the number in cms. Make sure the tape measure is placed as flat to the wall as possible for the most accurate measurements.
- Do the same with the length of the longer wall and record the number in cms.
- To work out the total area of the room simply multiply the calculations of both walls. We now need to convert this figure from cm2 to metres squared, so divide the total by 10,000 to find the total area of your space in m2.
- Accidents happen, so to cover for cutting mistakes and breakages, add in a wastage allowance of 10% of the total area calculation.
- Once you have these measurements, it can be useful to create a bird’s eye view sketch of the space, allowing you to better plan the design of your bathroom going forward.
How to measure your walls for bathroom tiles
Measuring the walls of your bathroom for tiles is very similar to measuring your floor, however, the process is often complicated by the presence of windows, extractor fans and more that need to be accounted for. To discover the area of a bathroom wall, abide by the following steps so that your wall tiles will be fitted as efficiently as possible:
- Measure the height of the wall and record the number in cms. As outlined above, make sure the tape measure is placed as flat to the wall as possible for the most accurate measurements.
- Measure the length of the wall and record the number in cms.
- Multiply both calculations together to find the total area of your wall in cm2. Convert to m2 by dividing this number by 10,000.
- Next, measure any obstructions like windows using the same method outlined in steps 1, 2 and 3.
- Subtract the m2 measurements of any obstructions from the total area of the wall.
- Work out 10% of this total calculation and add it on as wastage allowance. You now have the total area of your wall in m2.
How to measure complex bathroom floors
While perfectly rectangular rooms are a tiler’s fantasy, complex and awkward-shaped ones are nightmares. But, fear not, just because such rooms require a little more calculation, don’t be intimidated by the necessary mathematics, with it really being quite simple how to measure complex bathroom floor spaces.
- Draw a sketch of your bathroom floor space from a bird’s eye view – be as accurate as you can.
- Divide the sketch into regular rectangle shapes. Number each of these sectors.
- Treat each of these rectangles as separate floor spaces and measure them accordingly, abiding by the steps about how to measure your floor for bathroom tiles as outlined above.
- Once each of these separate rectangles has been calculated, add each m2 together to get the total area of your awkwardly shaped space.
Still unsure how to measure a bathroom for tiles?
If you’ve read through this guide and are still scratching your head, don’t panic, tiling can be fiddly work, especially if you’re doing it all by yourself as a DIY project. At Raynesway Tile Warehouse we can provide you with professional guidance to help you see your project through to completion, boasting one of the largest showrooms in Derbyshire, stocking the tools you need and a versatile range of tiles that would brighten up any space.
From stylish bathroom surfaces to exemplary kitchen tiles and even artificial grass for your outdoor space, explore our range of products online today and visit us in-store to begin refreshing your home.
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