# Tile around a floor drain



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

Hey guys this is my first official post so bear with me.

So I want to pick your brains a little. So i'm on a job that is being tiled by somebody else and there is a few issues with the work they have done. They are setting 23" by 16" tile on the floors of the restrooms in a nice office building. They tiled the floor around the floor drains and left 2 tiles in a row out with the drain in the middle. Now the floor is flat until about 18" around the drain and it's not an even slope around it either. After that they layed 2 mats of 2" tile in the area around the drain. The grout joints don't line up cause the joints on the tile mats aren't the same as the tile being laid. In my opinion it just looks bad, it looks like a mistake and they are trying to cover up a screw up.

I would have floated the floor around the drain so it was level or a little slope to the drain. Then I would have cut the tile in an x pattern so the big tile can slope into the drain and look like it belongs there. There really is no need for such a slope into the drain with rest of the floor being flat so water will flow into it either way. I'm just asking to see if there is anything else that could be done without leaving the 2" tile mat or tearing it all up and sloping the entire floor to the drain.

The only reason I ask is the customer is already wanting something done to fix the issue. The trust me and my opinion and am asking me for advice on what can be done to fix the issue. The tile guys have been doing a good job until this and I think it's just a matter of not looking at the small details. Any suggestions will help. Thank You for any help.

JasonW


----------



## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

is this in a bathroom? Your idea sounds good The tile guys probably did what was easiest. They should have discussed this with the owner when they saw how the tile would lay out. Why are you involved exactly?


----------



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

Yes it's a restroom, we are remodeling them I'm hanging the new drywall after they demo the old tile. I'm also installing the new restroom partitions in all the bathrooms so I'm there about everyday.


----------



## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

This one was pretty steep, didn't take very long..


----------



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

That's is exactly what I'm talking about, not saying it would turn out that same pattern but you all will get the idea. Just something that looks like there was some thought tht went into it.


----------



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

Sorry I just realized that I had put down that they laid the 23"by 16", those are on the wall. The floor is 12"by 12" so that should make it a little easier.


----------



## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

I like Steve's way. Unfortunately the vast majority of floor drains in commercial bathrooms look like a bling man with no thumbs laid the tile. It's usually just right cut with a grinder and never matches the hole.


----------



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

I couldn't agree more!! I'm not saying it could have looked as sharp as the one above cause it may not have ended up right in the center, but it could have looked way better than it does. Atleast make it look like you care about the final product.


----------



## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

Yeah.. That was a small laundry so I laid it out off the drain


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

TNTSERVICES said:


> It's usually just right cut with a gender and never matches the hole.


Man, I ain't gonna touch that one.......

Pie cuts are sort of commercial production as you've all seen the quality of their product and workmanship, so why would they float a floor to get any slope right? It's flatwork, so set to the plumbers square then pie it in--done, now where's my check? Mops and/or squeegees can handle any flow issues..

edit...whoops, no costing allowed.


----------



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

I would post up some pictures but I can't figure out how to do it. I don't know what they figured out I'm trying to stay out of it but would like it to look like it belongs in the building it's in. They are spending alot of money doing the tile. And remodeling most of building, I'm not sure how you can leave a job like that and feel good.


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

JasonW said:


> They are spending alot of money doing the tile. And remodeling most of building


Then if they're not happy with it, they need to tell the GC or if they are playing GC, they need to tell the tile sub. Fixing/repairing/altering other people's work that you don't know anything about isn't a good idea. There's a reason it's the way it is--design/cheap.


----------



## astor (Dec 19, 2008)

If the customer wants to hose clean the whole bathroom floor, then whole floor needs to be done as a giant shower pan. Not that difficult if panned ahead, at this point it, I am not sure what can be done without huge expense other than trying to make it look just in that area.
Look at my deck project, those lines are there because of sloping two ways.


----------



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

CO762 said:


> Then if they're not happy with it, they need to tell the GC or if they are playing GC, they need to tell the tile sub. Fixing/repairing/altering other people's work that you don't know anything about isn't a good idea. There's a reason it's the way it is--design/cheap.


The people are acting as there own GC, and they are talking to the tile guy I just don't know what they are going to have him do. I'm staying out of it cause it ain't my job, I've known one of the guys for a long time so they were looking to me for my opinion. It's a new tile guy they have never used before and I'm sure they won't use him again. It's not a huge issue cause some people like the way it looks but it's all up to them if they will accept it or not.


----------



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

astor said:


> If the customer wants to hose clean the whole bathroom floor, then whole floor needs to be done as a giant shower pan. Not that difficult if panned ahead, at this point it, I am not sure what can be done without huge expense other than trying to make it look just in that area.
> Look at my deck project, those lines are there because of sloping two ways.


They will never hose clean the floor, the only time they would need a drain is in the event of a flooded toilet or broken water line for the sink. That's why I would have just leveled it up cause a 1" deep slope 18" around the drain does nothing for draining the room.


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

JasonW said:


> I'm staying out of it cause it ain't my job, I've known one of the guys for a long time so they were looking to me for my opinion.


Smart man. Nice cut throat too. Read what Astor said. 

Most commercial units are flat (ish), so they pie around the drain, so that's common. If it's a matter of design around the drain, then have him change it. But did they give him any plans to set off of? That's how commercial layout is done, so if they're playing GC and they didn't, once it's set and they don't like it, fluke them, have the tile sub redo it to their liking--on their dime--and have them put their design on paper or pictures off the internet or something. They played the boss and either didn't give solid instructions to follow and/or were not supervising the progress.

Astor, nice lines.


----------



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

CO762 said:


> Smart man. Nice cut throat too. Read what Astor said.
> 
> Most commercial units are flat (ish), so they pie around the drain, so that's common. If it's a matter of design around the drain, then have him change it. But did they give him any plans to set off of? That's how commercial layout is done, so if they're playing GC and they didn't, once it's set and they don't like it, fluke them, have the tile sub redo it to their liking--on their dime--and have them put their design on paper or pictures off the internet or something. They played the boss and either didn't give solid instructions to follow and/or were not supervising the progress.
> 
> Astor, nice lines.


Thanks, It's actually a Brown trout.

The design on floor was figured out but I don't think they ever thought to ask him how he would do around the drain. And like I said its not a major issue it's just not very easy on the eyes!! I've done tile for many years in comercial mostly in restaurants and the kitchens. I guess what I'm saying is I'm very critical when it comes to tile and compare to what I would have done. Nobody's perfect but you should atleast try to be, and take pride in what you do, instead of just taking the easy way out. I'm sure most people that don't lay tile would probably never really pay much attention to it.


----------



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

Lets see if I did this right so you can see what im looking at.


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

JasonW said:


> Thanks, It's actually a Brown trout.


You need either a bigger picture or a bigger fish. 

The setter who did that isn't every good, or isn't very experienced, or didn't care, but it is what it is and if they're OK with it, then that's OK.
Speaking of work, gotta go do some........................


----------



## JasonW (Mar 21, 2013)

CO762 said:


> or a bigger fish.  Them are fighting words!!!
> 
> 
> I'll try to get a better or bigger fish pic later!
> ...


----------

