Tiling: what good looks like, and when to check it
Hollow tiles, uneven joints and water pooling on the floor are the most common renovation snags in Dubai. Most are decided in the first hour of laying.
- 2 mmfloor joints, kept even with spacersGood practice
- 3 mmwall jointsGood practice
- 1:100steady fall to floor drainsGood practice
- 0hollow-sounding tiles when tappedGood practice
Good tiling starts with tested pipes and waterproofing underneath, an agreed layout and tiles from one batch. Each tile sits on full adhesive cover, with even joints (about 2 mm on floors and 3 mm on walls), level edges and a steady fall to any drain. Check the first room before grouting: tap for hollow tiles and look along the joints.
Why check before it is covered. A hollow or cracked tile can be replaced alone, but a wrong fall or a bad layout means taking up the whole floor.
The checklist
0 of 18 checked · 0 issuesEach check shows its basis: Manufacturer Published standard Good practice. Hold points, in coral, are the moments to see the work before it is covered.
Before tiling
When the room is ready for tiles- Pipes and cables in the floor and walls have been tested and approved A leak found after tiling means breaking tiles. Good practice
- Wet areas are waterproofed and the flood test has passed See the waterproofing checklist. Never tile over an untested membrane. Good practice
- Pipes through the floor or walls are sleeved and sealed Gaps around pipes let water under the tiles. Good practice
- The layout is agreed: where tiling starts, where cuts fall, and how the pattern lines up Thin slivers of tile at doorways and along walls look poor and break easily. Good practice
- Tiles are from one batch, with the same shade and size code on the boxes Different batches can differ in colour and size, which shows once laid. Good practice
Laying
The first day of tiling- Each tile has adhesive across its whole back, not dabs at the corners4–5 mm Dabs leave voids under the tile: hollow sound now, cracks later. Good practice
- Spacers keep the joints even2 mm / 3 mm Even joints read as quality. Uneven ones cannot be fixed with grout. Good practice
- Neighbouring tiles are flush, with no raised edges Raised edges catch feet and light, and get worse with large tiles. Levelling clips help. Good practice
- In bathrooms, the floor falls steadily to the drain1:100 About 1 cm per metre. Too little and water pools; too steep and it feels like a slope. Good practice
- Excess adhesive is wiped off the face and out of the joints as they go Dried adhesive is hard to remove without scratching the tile. Good practice
First room check
After the first room is laid, before grouting- Tap each tile with a coin or knuckle: no hollow sound Hollow tiles crack and come loose. It is cheap to lift them now. Good practice
- Look along the joints: straight, parallel and even Small drifts add up across a room. Good practice
- A straight edge across the floor shows no steps or dips Steps between tiles are the most common tiling snag. Good practice
- Pour a little water near the drain: it runs to it The quickest test of the fall. Good practice
Grouting and finishing
At handover- Spacers removed and joints clean before grouting Grout over spacers or dust is thin and cracks. Good practice
- Grout is the agreed colour, full depth and flush with the tile Low grout collects dirt; proud grout looks messy. Good practice
- Flexible sealant, not grout, at wall-floor joints, around fittings and where floors change These joints move. Grout there cracks. Good practice
- No chipped, cracked or scratched tiles, and spare tiles left for repairs Spares from the same batch make future repairs invisible. Good practice
All 18 checks, including the hold point. Tick them on site, add notes and photos, and download a PDF to send your contractor. Free with a SoukLocal account.
Sign in freeQuestions to ask your contractor
- Can we agree the layout and where cuts fall before you start?
- Which adhesive, and will each tile have full cover?
- What joint width, and which grout colour?
- Will you leave spare tiles from the same batch?
Questions
Why do my new tiles sound hollow?
Usually because the adhesive did not cover the whole back of the tile, leaving voids. Hollow tiles can crack or come loose. Tap-test the first room before grouting so problem tiles can be lifted and re-laid cheaply.
What joint width is normal for tiles?
Many Dubai contractors work to about 2 mm on floors and 3 mm on walls, kept even with spacers. Large-format or natural stone tiles can need different widths; agree it before work starts.
How much fall should a bathroom floor have?
A steady fall to the drain, typically about 1:100 (1 cm per metre), so water runs off without the floor feeling sloped. Showers are often steeper. Check it with a little water before grouting.
Sources
Written from the working method statements of a Dubai design-and-build contractor, then checked against manufacturer data sheets and published guidance. Each check says which. Manufacturer figures are examples from one product or system: follow the data sheet for the product used on your job. This page helps you ask the right questions; it is not a certificate that work is sound.
Related
More trades: Waterproofing · Gypsum ceilings · Pipes and cables · Painting · Block walls and plaster · Demolition and protection · Outdoor tiling · Pergolas and shades · Swimming pools · Structural changes · Apartments in towers · All quality checks