Also see:
Clause 9.2.4,
Tile Association Guides ‘Internal Ceramic Tiling to Sheet and Board Substrates’
‘Tiling in Wet Rooms and Showers’
‘The fixing of ceramic wall tiles to gypsum plaster surfaces on masonry backgrounds’
9.2.5 Ceramic wall tiling
Ceramic wall tiling shall provide a surface adequate for its location and intended use (including appearance and durability).
Ceramic tiling and backing surfaces to walls should be in accordance with BS 5385.
Where a fixed shower or showerhead fixing is provided over a bath, at a height that will permit persons to stand under it:
- a screen or other suitable means of containing the water should be provided
- surfaces which will become regularly wetted should be tiled or have an appropriate alternative water-resistant finish.
Backing surfaces for tiling should:
- be in accordance with Table 10 & 11, BS 8000-8 and BS 5385
- be strong enough to support the weight of the adhesive and tiling (where separate coats are used, they should be well bonded)
- where dry lining is fixed with dabs of adhesive this should be completed at least 10 days before wall tiling takes place
- provide an adequate mechanical key
- be sufficiently even to achieve an even and plane tiled surface
- provide adequate and consistent suction
- be rigid and stable to avoid differential movement; where this may occur, precautions should be taken, eg metal lathing or wire netting fixed across junctions
- be dry, clean and free from laitance, grease, loose material or any substance likely to affect the bond or finish
- be reasonably even (ie, not have gaps greater than 3mm for thin bed adhesives or 6mm for thick bed adhesives, when using a 2m straight edge).
Guidance on suitable backing surfaces for tiling and the use of proprietary intermediate waterproofing layers (tanking systems) can be found in BS 5385 Parts 1 and 4, and Table 11 below.
Table 11: Suitable backing surfaces for tiling
Where the backing surface contains soluble salts, and where cement mortar is used as an adhesive, precautions should be taken, such as the use of mortar with with cements which resist sulfates.
Gypsum-based materials should not be used where repeated or persistent heating occurs, eg on flues or near heat sources.
Backgrounds may be improved by:
- raking out masonry joints
- hacking and scratching
- applying a bonding agent (particularly on very smooth and dense surfaces).
Tiles should be appropriate for their location and intended use. When specifying tiles, consideration should be given to:
- surface finish
- size and thickness
- colour
- edge shape
- fittings (coves, skirtings, etc)
- accessories (soap tray, paper holder, hooks, etc).
Tiles should be:
- fixed in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions
- suitable for the location, intended use and background; their weight on lightweight plaster should not exceed 20kg/m2
- fixed according to the background, using cement mortar or proprietary adhesive
- solidly bedded where their surface area is greater than 0.1m2 or where their weight exceeds 70% of the background’s capacity to carry the weight.
Table 12: Standards for tiling
| BS EN 14411 | ‘Ceramic tiles. Definition, classification, characteristics, assessment and verification of constancy of performance and marking’ |
| BS EN 12004 | ‘Adhesives for ceramic tiles. Test methods’ |
| BS EN 13888 | ‘Grouts for tiles. Requirements, evaluation of conformity, classification and labelling’ |
| BS 5385-1 | 'Wall and floor tiling. Design and installation of ceramic, natural stone and mosaic wall tiling in normal internal conditions. Code of practice' |
| BS 5385-4 | ‘Design and installation of ceramic and mosaic tiling in specific conditions – Code of practice’ |
When tiling:
- courses should be straight and even to form a plane and regular surface, especially around fittings and fixtures
- there should be no cut or unfinished tiles at exposed edges or external corners
- joints should be even and cut neatly
- spacing should be sufficient to allow for expansion
- up to sanitary fittings and fixings, the sealing method should be in accordance with the design and account for movement
- proprietary water-resistant grouting should be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Appropriately designed movement joints should be:
- built into tiling at centres at a maximum of 4.5m, vertically and horizontally
- provided at vertical corners in large tiled areas
- located at junctions where there are variations in surfaces or backgrounds
- provided where the tiles abut other materials
- 1-2mm where tiles are without spacer lugs.
Grouting should be:
- as specified in the design, including mix and colour
- cement-based epoxy resin or a proprietary product.
Last updated: 2nd January 2024