Tiling tips 2015

[Dan]

Thought I'd create a thread we can all add some tiling tips to. The old ones on the forum are still handy, but we seem to have more tools and materials available these days so thought a new tips thread would be handy.

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

well my tip would be every tiler should add to there tool kit a peice of glass to there tool kit 600x300 x6 how many times do you turn up on site and the client has bought the adhesive you need to know how this works .i will show you why tomorrow with a few pics

 

[Dan]

well my tip would be every tiler should add to there tool kit a peice of glass to there tool kit 600x300 x6 how many times do you turn up on site and the client has bought the adhesive you need to know how this works .i will show you why tomorrow with a few pics

Spread the adhesive they've bought and show them the coverage?

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

Spread the adhesive they've bought and show them the coverage?

no this info will mean fa to them its about giving the tiler the tools to question. and when a rep says this will do this .wipping out your piece of glass and saying prove it you will know more than them and can prove it there and then.time to regain the balance .in our favour

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

the mesh on mosaic you dont scrape off the front when fixed

 

[Dan]

When tiling a floor that has skirting, remove the skirting and refit it afterwards (a chance to give the skirting a spruce up afterwards too perhaps). This makes your edges look perfect without needing to be as accurate with the cuts.

 

[Old Mod]

When do I use a Decoupling Membrane??

 

[Dan]

A couple of the older threads:-

• sWe's Tiling Tips - How to Tile
• How To Tile, Advice & All the questions I asked when i joined
  
• Pva Versus Primers | Always Use A Primer When Tiling, And Not Pva

I'll add a few more when I get chance.

 

[Old Mod]

To safely and accurately drill a hole through a tile I just drill a hole in a piece of 6mm MDF or Hardibacker first with whatever size bit I'm about to use.
Then place that on top of the tile (with the pre drilled hole over my intended hole in the tile), then fill the cavity with water, place one foot either side of the hole and usin the board as a template drill through!
Using this method the drill bit will not wander, which means u can also drill right up to the edge of a tile and it not break out!
I also find standing over the tile enables you to have total control of the drill and keep it perpendicular to the tile.
I always use my large variable speed SDS drill for drilling tiles, it has masses of grunt, the bits don't snag and it's a comfortable height to work with, rather than a combi let's say.
Simple but effective.

 

[Diggy]

Always know where you're finishing , BEFORE you start.

 

[Lithofin BOB]

With so many very textured tiles avalible-Always test your grout release on a spare unlaid tile, ceramic,porc or natural, if you can't get the grout off this tile -your not going to get it of your floor area. Will give you opportunity to evaluate how to approach- to impregnate- pre grout topical ,slurry ,bag,gun or mask.
Just because you seal a tile , does not mean that it still can't contaminate the surface pores and cause you problems .

 

[Andy Allen]

Before you even get your tools out the van check the sanitary ware for dings, scrapes or scratches. ....don't want to get blamed for something you haven't done. .

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

well my tip would be every tiler should add to there tool kit a peice of glass to there tool kit 600x300 x6 how many times do you turn up on site and the client has bought the adhesive you need to know how this works .i will show you why tomorrow with a few pics

here are a few pictures of using the glass with the same trowel but every trowel will show
different results just like adhesives
pic 1 smiley face
pic 2 adhesive a normal knock up for floor covarage about 85%
pic 3 adhesive a little cup more water covarage about 96%
pic 4 thin back butter tile same adhesive as 3 100% covarage
its a simple 5 minute test on any adhesive might save you a lot of trouble

 

[philrab66]

Thought I'd create a thread we can all add some tiling tips to. The old ones on the forum are still handy, but we seem to have more tools and materials available these days so thought a new tips thread would be handy.

I thought I would mention this as others may not know of which I didnt. If you are doing mosaics and you have a thin piece to put in at the end instead of cutting sliver cut through the mesh on a few tiles and move around to make up for sliver.
Phil.

 

[bl tiling]

here are a few pictures of using the glass with the same trowel but every trowel will show
different results just like adhesives
pic 1 smiley face
pic 2 adhesive a normal knock up for floor covarage about 85%
pic 3 adhesive a little cup more water covarage about 96%
pic 4 thin back butter tile same adhesive as 3 100% covarage
its a simple 5 minute test on any adhesive might save you a lot of trouble

View attachment 74584 View attachment 74585 View attachment 74586 View attachment 74587

great Idea mate anything over300x300 I skim the back of them and your demo backs that up!!!

 

[Old Mod]

A way of assisting yourself to achieve full coverage of a tile in conjunction with Ray tt's adhesive tips above ⬆️⬆️ is to trowel your area from right to left or left to right (if you're South Paw!)
Making sure all ribs run in one direction. This way after u've back buttered and laid your tile, if you move it forward & backwards or up & down it will break the ribs and spread the adhesive at the same time.
If your ribs run up & down (perpendicular to the tiling) and you move your tile in the same direction as the ribs you are unlikely to achieve full coverage.
So I spose simply put.
Which ever way you prefer to trowel your adhesive, all the ribs must run in the same direction.
Then after u've back buttered and placed your tile, u must move it in the opposite direction to the ribs so they're broken, thus aiding full coverage!
See, got there!

 

[Dan]

Isn't that basically what I said?! lol

I think BS stats twisting motion but doesn't mention size of tile lol

 

[Old Mod]

Isn't that basically what I said?! lol

I think BS stats twisting motion but doesn't mention size of tile lol

I dunno?
Have u read what u said? Hahaha

 

[Dan]

Pmsl alright alright I was on lots of codeine lol

 

[WetSaw]

Does twisting the tile help to spread the dots and dabs around as well?

 

[Old Mod]

Does twisting the tile help to spread the dots and dabs around as well?

Haha

 

[Dan]

I've read it back, and, deleted it lol

You explained it much better than me.

 

[Old Mod]

It was just my inturpritation, I like the ribs to break, u like the air to escape!
That's all.

 

[Dan]

Air to escape and then twist and move away from the adjacent tiles to show the grout joint. So its first laid butted up to both tiles currently fixed.

I'll try find the BS segment on it.

 

[Old Mod]

Yeah agreed, try twisting 1800x900 Porcel-Thin haha

 

[Dan]

I was thinking because the tiles are so huge the air being behind there must be a massive factor in it ended up staying there.

The rib design might come into it too maybe.

What's the difference between a normal thick bed solid bed and one of those magical Rubi trowels?

 

[Old Mod]

What's the difference between a normal thick bed solid bed and one of those magical Rubi trowels?

Magical Rubi Trowels?
Sorry not sure what u mean.

 

[Dan]

Is it Rubi tiger trowel? Has extra ribs in it or something?

(Are we going off topic again lol I might move these posts to a new thread about coverage of adhesive for large tiles)

 

[Old Mod]

Haha don't think so!
Funnily enough the first time I saw a 'Tiger Trowel' was at Ray tt's training day, didn't know they existed! Oooops!
Looked interesting tho, I believe Mark uses them a fair bit.
It has a unique seration, a proper solid bed trowel that I'm used to has a fairly small seration but has two large nibs, one either end, to keep the trowel off the floor effectively. So as u trowel it leaves a solid bed of adhesive behind with a seration on top.

Tiger Trowel


Solid bed trowel


Obviously lots of other trowels are classed as solid bed, but if I was being literal (not like me I know)
that's what would come to mind first!

 

[Dan]

Genesis that's the one!