rubi batten holder or tiletracker

[Handyeire]

I know some tilers don't use or need these but for those who do, do you find them handy and speeds up your work. I'm old skool and have always used battens but last few jobs have been a nightmare setting the battens because its been in old Irish stone cottages. I'm now going to buy the tile tracker or rubi batten holder. I've priced 4 rubi batten holders for 40quid and 2.5m of tile tracker with 5 stands and a free bag for 75quid. If I go with the rubi, I was thinking of buying some cheap levels on amazon so I can get a true line instead of using the battens thou the price will rise to near price of tiletracker if I choose go with rubi/levels.

So out of the 2, what would you say is best for setting and sturdyness.

While I'm here, a wee question about starting from the floor so to eliminate using these items or battens. Seeing as I've never did this, did you find much difficulty when starting out like this. In any jobs ive worked on, the floors are all over the place so can't use that as a guide. I know I can pack in under each tile but would there not be an awful lot of messing about trying to get the tiles all level and plumb. Maybe I'm wrong but I can't help thinking this would be the case but in saying that, in all my years working, I've never tiled from the floor.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Just use a 6 ft level/straightedge at your first full tile marked off the floor. Keep in in place by lifting up using tile pieces.
Then put the cuts in to the floor after its gone off.
Something I was taught 42 years ago in my first week of apprenticeship. No nails, no batons, just whatever was lying around the site.

 

[Handyeire]

Just use a 6 ft level/straightedge at your first full tile marked off the floor. Keep in in place by lifting up using tile pieces.
Then put the cuts in to the floor after its gone off.
Something I was taught 42 years ago in my first week of apprenticeship. No nails, no batons, just whatever was lying around the site.

Its probably just the way its worded John but I'm struggling to understand what you mean. Do you mean setting all your bottom tiles with 6 ft level on top filling out under them with using cuts of tiles?

 

[merlecollins]

Depending on tile size, you could put a level line around at the top of the bottom cut then cut the bottom course first which gives you your level line to work up from.

Haha, just re-read your post and saw the second part...

 

[swanman]

start from the bottom and work your way up
you don't need battens I've never used them

 

[Handyeire]

Depending on tile size, you could put a level line around at the top of the bottom cut then cut the bottom course first which gives you your level line to work up from.

Haha, just re-read your post and saw the second part...

Yeah i was thinking thats how its done but thats where i would think all the messing about would come into it trying to keep the tiles inline with the level line above it because of all the packing in underneath to keep them in place. Thats why ive always used battens because then you know its a good surface to work from.

 

[merlecollins]

Yeah i was thinking thats how its done but thats where i would think all the messing about would come into it trying to keep the tiles inline with the level line above it because of all the packing in underneath to keep them in place. Thats why ive always used battens because then you know its a good surface to work from.

If you mark your cuts accurately enough theres no problem. I use Raimondi wedges for fine tuning.

 

[Handyeire]

start from the bottom and work your way up
you don't need battens I've never used them

Yes i understand this, its just ive never started like this in all my years and im curious to know best way to do it. I guess i was just set im my ways over the years and even thou most tilers dont use battens, its still a good method of starting off, time wise maybe not so good but ive always seemed to cover my own wages doing it this way.

 

[Handyeire]

If you mark your cuts accurately enough theres no problem. I use Raimondi wedges for fine tuning.

Easier said than done when working in old irish cottages where the floors are all over the place, even when scrapped all out where floor meets wall.

 

[merlecollins]

Easier said than done when working in old irish cottages where the floors are all over the place, even when scrapped all out where floor meets wall.

Why don't you try it on your next job?

Different folk use different methods - it might be worth a shot for you.

 

[Handyeire]

Why don't you try it on your next job?

Different folk use different methods - it might be worth a shot for you.

Ive a big enough job booked in for 4 weeks, might just try it out in the utilty room when im doing it. Might just stick to one wall to see how i get on. I know what your saying about different folk use different methods, people are just used to what they know but it got me thinking after reading online at how others do it thou in saying this, ive never came across any videos on the net with tilers starting of with at bottom.

 

[Spare Tool]

Yes i understand this, its just ive never started like this in all my years and im curious to know best way to do it. I guess i was just set im my ways over the years and even thou most tilers dont use battens, its still a good method of starting off, time wise maybe not so good but ive always seemed to cover my own wages doing it this way.

Sorry but I'd never dream of starting off with a cut to the floor...only one 100% guaranteed way of marking a room up and making sure every corner meets perfectly in my book and that's ping a datum line round the room, make a staff from a batten, tiles and spacers, then carry the batten round the room marking each wall up off your datum and staff till you've found the perfect starting point...at this point you can put your levels back in the van and every batten comes off your datum line and mark on your staff. Hammer the battens on with 6 inch nails if need be but I've found that a dry wall screw will drive into almost anything

 

[Dash J]

It's also a far better finish if you leave off bottom cut and tile down onto floor
i was taught in my apprenticeship to mark a line and tile down
not for me anymore bottom cut left off,tile floor then put bottom course in,far better finish

 

[Spare Tool]

It's also a far better finish if you leave off bottom cut and tile down onto floor
i was taught in my apprenticeship to mark a line and tile down
not for me anymore bottom cut left off,tile floor then put bottom course in,far better finish

Agreed

 

[merlecollins]

It's also a far better finish if you leave off bottom cut and tile down onto floor
i was taught in my apprenticeship to mark a line and tile down
not for me anymore bottom cut left off,tile floor then put bottom course in,far better finish

Sorry, but I disagree...:smilewinkgrin: (With regards finish)

I use both methods - battens and fixing the bottom cut first - depending on job and tile size and whichever I don't get a better finish from one method over the other.

 

[Rookery]

I've used battens and batten stands but never liked either method so stick to using the customers batten - the floor.

 

[Dash J]

So when you cut floor into wall how do you finish the cut?grey grout?its astetically a million times better to cut into a floor

 

[Handyeire]

Sorry but I'd never dream of starting off with a cut to the floor...only one 100% guaranteed way of marking a room up and making sure every corner meets perfectly in my book and that's ping a datum line round the room, make a staff from a batten, tiles and spacers, then carry the batten round the room marking each wall up off your datum and staff till you've found the perfect starting point...at this point you can put your levels back in the van and every batten comes off your datum line and mark on your staff. Hammer the battens on with 6 inch nails if need be but I've found that a dry wall screw will drive into almost anything

Datum line ? Is this marking your level of your 2nd tiles and batten all around the room, if so, this is how I do it then tile onto the floor tiles like you mention in next post.

 

[Handyeire]

whichever I don't get a better finish from one method over the other.

You hit the nail on the head! Still haven't worked out if I should go with rubi stands or tile tracker.

 

[merlecollins]

So when you cut floor into wall how do you finish the cut?grey grout?its astetically a million times better to cut into a floor

I never said the floor was tiled....:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Dash J]

Mate get yourself a decent laser
And wooden battens
The rubi battens are absolute
****
Tile tracker is just a gimmick
Tile whatever way suits you
If you prefer battens use battens
If you prefer to tile off a line do it that way
Screw battens into gyproc or masonry nails into brick
It really is that simple,if you can leave a finish the way you are doing it why do you want to waste money on bits of metal?

 

[Dash J]

Assuming you were tiling the floor
Do you never tile a floor if you tiling a wall with your no batten method?

 

[merlecollins]

Assuming you were tiling the floor
Do you never tile a floor if you tiling a wall with your no batten method?

The only time I may use the bottom cut first method with a tiled floor is if the walls and floors are the same size large format tile and I am bonding up. Because the floor would go in first.

Other than that I would stick a batten around the room first...unless it was a wet room and was tanked.....oh the permutations could go on forever...:lol:

 

[gamma38]

I always put the bottom row in first, i use a 360 deg laser, like others i have used battens but now i prefer starting from the floor. No difference in finish with either method in my opinion. The cuts to a dodgy floor are a pain done first or second.

 

[Dash J]

I will put it out there again
How do you finish a tiled floor if
Cut into the wall tile?
If it is grey grout it is absolutely horrendous

 

[gamma38]

I will put it out there again
How do you finish a tiled floor if
Cut into the wall tile?
If it is grey grout it is absolutely horrendous

I'm not sure what your asking there, maybe it's just me...

 

[merlecollins]

I will put it out there again
How do you finish a tiled floor if
Cut into the wall tile?
If it is grey grout it is absolutely horrendous

If I am tiling the floor last then I will use a batten.

 

[Dash J]

If I am tiling the floor last then I will use a batten.

That's what I'm talking about
I get that,that's what I would
Do
The advice the guy was given at the start of the post was nah never used battens in 40 years datum line all the way
My point was the finish of a tiled wall with the floor cut in is absolutely horrendous
I can't believe people still do it this way

 

[Spare Tool]

Datum line ? Is this marking your level of your 2nd tiles and batten all around the room, if so, this is how I do it then tile onto the floor tiles like you mention in next post.

A datum line is a level line marked around the room, I use a laser now but used to use a level to draw the line around, as long as your datum meets up your tiles will.
You can also use the datum to check your ceiling levels and floor levels, using this method you can land a full tile over a door casing, shower tray or bath(if there level) under or over a window starting from the other side of the room.
Have used it to meet up a 6x6 tile over 300sqm over 4 rooms with 2 of us doing the job and was bang on.
Everyone has there own way of doing things and as long as you give a first class finish and your customer is happy then stick to it.
Just know what works for me...

 

[area tiling]

I've a set of the rubi stands in the garage , used them once never liked them , to fiddly , waste of money , you could fix a batten faster, waste of money IMO , or just start from the bottom wedge them up the depth of a tile plus addy , then slide your floor tile below !