I can't get my head around this very simple task.

Today I was tiling what I thought was a level wall.

Only it turned out that it wasn't.

So, I have tried to level it out using Rapid Set SPF, a product that most of you use for this so I understand.

What am I doing wrong? As soon as I think I've got it level the tiles then tell me otherwise when they go up.

This is really doing my head in.

I managed to get around this by adjusting the tiles to minimise lippage, though I'm not 100% happy with the results.

There has to be a trick to get around this.

The Wedi board wall wil be easy as it is built on studwork, which is dead level. It's the plastered walls that are giving me grief.

I have tied building up with SPF and using a straight edge to form the level. The real problem is that achieving 100% level over the whole wall seems to be impossible, especially over a 2.4m wall.

Tiling on a level wall is easy.

Before I seriously throw my toys out of the pram with this one - any ideal please?

I never antisipate the wall being flat, put a 6ft level across the wall where there are any dips just fill out slightly, then just build up on tile if they are larger ones.

If there small light ones then a reskim but use a darby to just rule off the first coat and fill any dips...then second coat..
Could also use a skimming float made out of wood which should keep it flat unlike a trowel which can bend while troweling on plaster.

I was trying to use a straight edge on these.

The process was to apply and level out then start fixing the tiles.

I am having a real problem applying the adhesive so that the tiles sit level and have 100% coverage.

What doesn't help is that these tile (200 x 250) have been seen to be slightly curved. That means that when they are pressed against the adhesive the top and bottom are OK but the middle isn't. CTD have a lot to answer for here!

I'm about to rip the whole lot out and start again! I've only done one wall today and it's really hacking me off.

I am using the Weber rapid set SPF. Seeing as Weber and CTD are part of the same group, I smell a rat here! The adhesive is going off far too quickly. I must admit I had much better luck with the Mapaker stuff that I sourced for my last tiling job a few months ago.

I am REALLY ****ed off with CTD, their TILES and WEBER!

I like to use slow set for the smaller tiles but use rapid for a lot bigger tiles.. I'd be packing the middle of tile out..

I think wall tiles need about 60% coverage, wet areas should be at least 90%

Not quite sure what to do here.

These are CTD standard bumpy whites. The wall surface has dips of probably about 4mm at the very most.

When I put a level on them they won't be flat as they are curved, not by design but by crap quality. If I wanted tiles like these I'd go to B and Q. The tiles sit fairly well against the level on the whole. The few that didn't have been taken out with a view to be replaced.

I was advised by Weber and CTD to go for their rapid set for these. The rep was there at the time. Tomorrow I'm going to be having a conversation with the CTD branch manager. I am wasting about 15% of each mix.

If I can get the wall sorted first, then the adhesive may stand a chance of being used before it goes off.

I have a 2.7m long wall that needs tiling floor to ceiling over 1,2m of its length, then up to 1m high for the rest.

What I am thinking of doing is to level it out as much as possible using a straight edge using the rapid set, then leave it whilst I tile a wall opposite. Hopefully once I get back to that wall the adhesive should be dry enough for me to tile onto.

How thick are the tiles and what notched trowel are you using Hugo

As per whitebeam, go with a bigger notch trowel, maybe up to 10mm, I use that as a standard on certain 'builders' walls these days, gives you more room to manoeuvre

Not sure on the notch size but its not the biggest I have. It is probably about 6mm, bigger than my mosaic trowel but smaller than the trowel I was using for the floors.

The tiles are around 4 to 5mm thick. They are made by Vitra IIRC.

The problem is I don't want them swimming in the stuff.

Maybe I should try bigger sizes until I find one that works.

How on earth can you trowel a wall level when it isn't? I can't seem to do that no matter how hard I try.

when I was a lad...... we used to put "grounds" on our walls to make sure we got them flat, 'beam, jay and devonmark will know what I mean

Originally Posted by doug boardley

when I was a lad...... we used to put "grounds" on our walls to make sure we got them flat, 'beam, jay and devonmark will know what I mean

Would you care to elaborate please Doug?

I use a Ragni trowel bought from B&Q, 9mm notches

The Superlite mastic Trowel is designed for evenly spreading adhesive.

Has U shaped serrated edges on one side and the top edge, and two straight edges for finishing in corners and cutting off.
The Trowel has a polished and ground flexible steel blade and a banana shaped plastic handle.
Blade Size. 11in x 4.3/4in

Help......

Originally Posted by cornish_crofter

Would you care to elaborate please Doug?

it's more to do with plastering basecoats Hugo, using striaght edges fixed at top and bottom of the walls, but had to be straight and plumb, so that you could just run your straight edge along to get a perfectly flat rendered wall

The trouble with using a smaller notched trowel on an uneven wall is, well, what your experiencing, the tile will follow the wall, with a bigger notch trowel it takes up many deviations, also, what area of wall are you spreading at a time ? if you do a large area and trowel it either vertically or horizontally to achieve a consistent bed, you shouldn't go far wrong.

Originally Posted by Alan.P

The trouble with using a smaller notched trowel on an uneven wall is, well, what your experiencing, the tile will follow the wall, with a bigger notch trowel it takes up many deviations, also, what area of wall are you spreading at a time ? if you do a large area and trowel it either vertically or horizontally to achieve a consistent bed, you shouldn't go far wrong.

Ah I see Alan, thank you.

I must admit with the Weber rapid set I was applying adhesive to a small area at a time.

The good news is that I do have a couple of larger notche trowels and some Weber slow set now.

I have tidied up for now and will be back after Chrstmas. I was going to work til the 24th, which would probably have given me enough time for the tiling but not for the finishing, plumbing, refitting of the suite etc. So new year, fresh mind etc and less pressure.

I've not got anything pencelled in for new year yet, so that is the first job.

Originally Posted by doug boardley

when I was a lad...... we used to put "grounds" on our walls to make sure we got them flat, 'beam, jay and devonmark will know what I mean

yep...and when screeding a floor, foolproof

Originally Posted by doug boardley

it's more to do with plastering basecoats Hugo, using striaght edges fixed at top and bottom of the walls, but had to be straight and plumb, so that you could just run your straight edge along to get a perfectly flat rendered wall

Ah I see Doug!

Done that many a time with walls. I also used it to do the main screed on this job. 2 straight edges at a predetermined fall and literally fill and drag the screed into place. That bit worked perfectly, just a shame I rushed the edges a bit.

A retired builder I know used to make a couple of ridges out of screed/render, flatten them with his straight edge then use them to level up against. It wasn't something I could get used to.