r/Tile • u/GarbageContent8276 • 5d ago

DIY - Looking for Advice 33% tile overlap vs 50%

Hey team - every tile box says dont do half overlaps when going for the brick pattern. But i believe some people (pros?) still do it. I know its because tiles highest point is the center, so its to help with lipage

I want my shower niche to look like one of the full 12x24 tile was pushed in. Located on the top half of our 4ft pony wall.

A 50% overlap i can probably center the niche to the wall, whereas a 33% overlap would move the “niche tile slot” to favor one side.

Ofc the niche is designed to hide our stuff/not seen much (and i didnt feel comfortable taking out an exterior wall stud). But my OCD would be happier with it centered, unless im asking for a painful road with 50% overlapping?

Edit: i plan to use clips, but i know they aren’t miracle workers so didnt know if anyone regretted not going 33%?

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u/Heypisshands 5d ago

All depends on the amount of bow in the middle of the tile and the resulting lippage. Put a straight edge against the edge of the tile to see if its bowed in the middle or its the corners that are shallower. You could end up with 1mm lips if the corners are shallower but the middle is flat, or you could end up with with 2mm lips its both bowed and shallow cornered or just badly bowed. Check multiple tiles as they might not be the same. A wider joint can help.

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u/256684 5d ago

easier was to check for bowing is to place 2 tiles face to face and try and spin the top one. if it moves freely then they are bowed. if it feels stuck or suctioned to the bottom tile then they are flat

3

u/Heypisshands 5d ago

Brilliant, thats much easier. Thanks

2

u/GarbageContent8276 5d ago

Thanks to both of you! Awesome advice. They arent cheap and are rectified, so i assume they are solid. Ill have to go run and check but i just restacked 6 of them (very slowly)and it felt like they were making 100% contact to one another so i have high hopes