Confused by trowel notch sizes.

[grumpygrouter]

I think I remember vaguely seeing a post that said as a rough guide that the notch size should be about the same as the thickness of the tile, but I may be wrong.

Grumpy

 

[Pawelzik]

many thanks pawelzik,

your help is very much appreciated ;0)

ed
----
do we have any similar guides lines in the uk? or is there any bs standards literature out there that gives recommended guide lines for trowel depth / regarding tiles size?? i totally appreciate that its not the tile sixe alone that determines the trowel size but its a good guide line to go off

Hello Ed. Sorry, I have checked via Google if there is any rule for the UK regarding taking which notch trowel for what. I only find recommendations and mostly refering to several different adhesives and other construction mortars.

May be it is hidden / written somewhere in the BS 5385 but I can´t find as this BS is dvided into several parts which I can´t search all resp. take a look at. I think the easiest will be to ask one of the course teachers from the training center where you have been.

 

[m4ubs]

What if you use the deeper 15mm U shaped notched trowel on floors....isn't that guaranteed to give 75-100% coverage ? Just one stroke of the trowel and start laying....

 

[grumpygrouter]

What if you use the deeper 15mm U shaped notched trowel on floors....isn't that guaranteed to give 75-100% coverage ? Just one stroke of the trowel and start laying....

Thats the general idea of U notch trowels. Would still check that you get the coverage though by lifting the occasional tile.

Grumpy

 

[Fekin]

No wonder many slackers just dot n dab :lol:

 

[devonmark]

No wonder many slackers just dot n dab :lol:

LOL....

 

[m4ubs]

Does anybody actually use a 15mm deep floor trowel ? How does it compare ?Usually they sell 12mm for floors in stores like BnQ and Focus.

 

[DS Tiling]

We use 15mm U notch for mid/larger floor tiles but as dave says with a PTB addy to accomodate the thicker bed. I find they give good coverage and often eliminate the requirement for back buttering and also gives more to play with if you have to level them. Downside is they eat addy and I'm sure we have lost jobs by specifying with them. Customers just want tiles looking good and cheaply laid and aren't concerned that their new floor is full of hollows where there is no addy contact but such is life.

 

[mz30]

In my experience,if your tiling a floor the state of the floor will dictate the thickness of the serrator you use ,why use all that adhesive when it's not required?

If my memory is correct british standard's require 75% coverage(that may have changed).
As for back buttering goes if a floor or wall require's it i will not touch it,tiles are meant to be set in an even bed not built up to suit.
Back buttering creates hollow's and also create's mess.

Just to add i have never used a 15mm notch and would never use one,i have a lot of experience using porcelonsa tile's 1000mm x350mm on wall's and the spec state's to use between a 6mm and 8mm notched trowel(if memory serve's me right)

 

[howard]

I always use a 12mm trowel on floors i find there is no need to back butter even if the floor is slightly out