Help!: Lathing up

[DeanKnight26]

Hi people
quick question as I've been hearing mixed feedback about lathing up,is it really important to do this,as a few of my friends say they dont bother and some other of my friends says they always do?Feedback please on your suggestions?
Regards Dean (Dean Knights Tiling)

[brian c]

Dean if you are new to the game then i would say use them so you can cut the tile in below next day and so to not put yourself under pressure.9ADHESIVE DRYING TO QUICK)Alternatively from the first full tile at the bottom you could use the bottom of the tile and mark this around the walls of the room and cut your base tiles to this line from the floor then you dont need battens...i do the latter but thats my preference...i know others do it there way with the battens.

[grumpygrouter]

Hi people
quick question as I've been hearing mixed feedback about lathing up,is it really important to do this,as a few of my friends say they dont bother and some other of my friends says they always do?Feedback please on your suggestions?
Regards Dean (Dean Knights Tiling)

you talking about using battens for your first row of tiling?

[brian c]

Thats the way i took it Russ.

[DeanKnight26]

yes sir for the bottom row of tiles,will it be easyer to do the cuts?

[brian c]

its personal choice...but this is the most important row of tiles you will fix around the room and will determine if everything is in symetry.Use battens to start with until you get more experience.

[brian c]

try Dave at Trade Tiler for batten stands...only £13 or so

[grumpygrouter]

I use battens less and less now, as I have started to put in my bottom cuts first - they have to go in sometime - the most important thing is to have your datum lines correct before you stick a tile. Once they are right, tile away which ever way you wish to start.

[brian c]

thats the way i do it myself grumpy.

[garretridge]

im the same using battons less and less because of the shape of some bathrooms and on suites its not possible to batton arond the room as easy anymore and your right they have to go in some time might as well be first!

[Leatherface]

Sometimes batten, sometimes put bottom row in first.
Would advise someone less experienced to use battens if possible, then cut in the bottom row when adhesive has set

[LM Ceramics]

same here dont use battons alot now i did do but now mostly place the cuts in first (SAVES TIME)

[Colour Republic]

So it's you lot that take all the straight batons! By the time I get there, only bannanas are left. I very rarely baton as I find it quicker to lay the first (full tile) row around the room, wait 20 minutes until the addy starts setting, then carry on

[cornish_crofter]

When doing floor to ceiling tiles I use battens. I find that the floor is very often not level, especially when I did that wetroom recently. The battens gave me a horizontal grout line then I removed this and then flipped the tiles to mark for the cuts against the ones on the row above. This meant that each tile is then cut to the profile of the floor.

When coming off a bath that I know is level I may not use battens, but just come off the bath, or just a bit above it to stop the movement of the bath wrecking the tiles.

[doug boardley]

Used battens since before most of you lads were born!! Only just recently (at Dave's suggestion) gone battenless, and should have done it years ago really!

[Leatherface]

When doing floor to ceiling tiles I use battens. I find that the floor is very often not level, especially when I did that wetroom recently. The battens gave me a horizontal grout line then I removed this and then flipped the tiles to mark for the cuts against the ones on the row above. This meant that each tile is then cut to the profile of the floor.

When coming off a bath that I know is level I may not use battens, but just come off the bath, or just a bit above it to stop the movement of the bath wrecking the tiles.

Hi, does not matter how level floor is, mark horizontal line around room at height of top of first course of tiles. Reverse tiles , mark and cut. Use rubi red wedges to adjust slightly to get level

[brian c]

When doing floor to ceiling tiles I use battens. I find that the floor is very often not level, especially when I did that wetroom recently. The battens gave me a horizontal grout line then I removed this and then flipped the tiles to mark for the cuts against the ones on the row above. This meant that each tile is then cut to the profile of the floor.

When coming off a bath that I know is level I may not use battens, but just come off the bath, or just a bit above it to stop the movement of the bath wrecking the tiles.

thats when the tile wedges are handy.

Nick beat me 2 it.

[groucho]

ive never used battens before. just tile straight down from laser line and use cardboard from the box. just fold to thickness. its great because it crushes when pushing down to get level at top

[doug boardley]

problem with cardboard imo is that it compresses as you take your courses up, some bits compress more than others and you can get a wavey joint line sometimes

[brian c]

ive never used battens before. just tile straight down from laser line and use cardboard from the box. just fold to thickness. its great because it crushes when pushing down to get level at top

you must have nice even cross sections between tiles then..

[groucho]

Normally use bagged ady and bottom half first so when you get back round tiles are pretty good on the wall but i know what you mean. always done it that way just a habit

[brian c]

Normally use bagged ady and bottom half first so when you get back round tiles are pretty good on the wall but i know what you mean. always done it that way just a habit

each to their own Groucho...better finish if you use spacers..DEFINATELY.