Ah the old days, happy days.
Most floor tiling back then was Quarry floors, Dennis Ruabon, Platts, Wooliscroft type stuff. Sawdust was used mixed with water to dampen it and then after we grouted with sand and cement, the sawdust spread over the floor to clean off. When the tiles were clean dry sawdust was spread over and that polished off. you had to do it right otherwise the sawdust would stick in the joints.
Tiles came with nibs on the edges called self spacers, then the changed to universal tiles with a bevelled edge to act as a self spacer, 2 edges would be glazed. This would do away with having to have Re`s ( round edge). There used to be Rex ( round edge external) for corners and lots of others.
When fixing skirting tiles you would have "sit ins" or Sit ons" and internal/external angles.
Tiles were cut with small hand scribers ( still available) and everyone would have a cutting board in the van. This was a board with an upstanding edge, like another strip of would screwed at the edge. This would enable you to cut all tiles to the correct size .
Quarry tiles were cut with small hammer and small cutting chisel, freehand!!! then the tile was tapped from the back to break down the line.....yeah missed plenty of times and hit my fingers
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Floor tiling was done by laying a sand and cement screed and a slurry of cement poured onto the floor and then tiles tapped into the bed. We could screed far better in those days than the screeds i see now
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Squeegees (grout tools) were hand made with old rubber tiles that you could find back then, or rubber strips sandwiched between 2 pieces of architrave. Sponges were salvaged from old 3 piece suites.
oh yeah and every apprentice knew every chip shop in every town
