Trowelling method

[colin178]

Hello everyone,

Is there a correct way to trowel the adhesive on to a wall?

By this i mean do most of you pros scoop adhesive straight from tub and spread with grooved side of trowel? or do you spread a layer on to the wall with the flat edge of the trowel then use the grooved side of trowel?

Just wondering

Cheers

Col

[murf]

It is'nt all that important, just go with whatever you are comfortable with. Personally i use the flat edge first and then comb through with the serrated edge. I find that this method leaves less droppings when doing walls.

[tileexperts]

hummm!! good question. well i just take out of the bucket and straight on with the grooved side of the trowel.

never really thought bout if it was wrong or right.

[doug boardley]

I take it out of the bucket, usually with a bucket trowel and spread it onto the flat edge of my addy trowel, plaster it on and then comb it

[dock]

Hold the trowel at a 45 degree angle otherwise ribs of adhesive will be much flatter against the substrate and you could get poor coverage particular;y with a large tile

dock

[pjc]

I take it out of the bucket, usually with a bucket trowel and spread it onto the flat edge of my addy trowel, plaster it on and then comb it

Doug you get to much money mate would have had to have it tiled by then lol

[doug boardley]

much quicker to do it than type it Pete

[pjc]

much quicker to do it than type it Pete

Something i never even thought about instinct only

[doug boardley]

Something i never even thought about instinct only

I had to close my eyes and go through it in my head, Mrs thought I was doing Tai Chi

[Bartlett]

I very rarely use the flat side of the trowel; just the grooved edge.

While we're on this subject, I was working with a guy a few weeks ago who only ever butters the tile, never the wall. I asked him about it and he just smiled and said it was less messy in his grout lines and worked well in the hot weather when the adhesive dried too quickly on the wall. But that day it was freezing outside! And he was pretty quick too. (Definitely quicker than me, but then most people are!)
Anyone else work this way?

[hillhead]

I very rarely use the flat side of the trowel; just the grooved edge.

While we're on this subject, I was working with a guy a few weeks ago who only ever butters the tile, never the wall. I asked him about it and he just smiled and said it was less messy in his grout lines and worked well in the hot weather when the adhesive dried too quickly on the wall. But that day it was freezing outside! And he was pretty quick too. (Definitely quicker than me, but then most people are!)
Anyone else work this way?

i know 2 guys who work this way for sure.they get no probs either.one of them is one hell of a good tiler too.he has worked for me on jobs too.he pushes the tiles well onto the wall.doesnt a lot of foreign tilers do this too?i dont but if an awkward corner on wall or something needs it that way it gets it.

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

comeing from a plastering background i use a bucket trowel on to a hawk then off hawk on to wall,but just lately iv'e been thinking of it and going from bucket trowel to tile trowel to wall

[hillhead]

i seen a guy one day actually throwing the addy at the wall before attacking it with and old rusted trowel splat

[marc1106]

i seen a guy one day actually throwing the addy at the wall before attacking it with and old rusted trowel splat

you been watching me!
seriously though i use a bucket trowel onto flat edge spread then comb, and as someone said awkward corners or cuts get buttered! its like most things really theres no right or wrong way as long as the tiles are gonna stay put!

[marke]

obviously it seems whatever your comfortable with im a trowel - bucket - wall man myself i work much quicker that way, i cant imagine buttering every tile ! that would really slow me down but the proofs in the puddin as they say so if end result is good dont matter if ya do it with ya feet really

[Bartlett]

the proofs in the puddin as they say so if end result is good dont matter if ya do it with ya feet really

Now that would be handy. Could read the paper at the same time.

[marke]

you would be losing money bartlett !!!! you could do 2 walls at the same time and have a brew with your other hand

[LM Ceramics]

i stick the trowel into the bucket and spread away the only time i used to back butter tiles only if in a awkward place to spread the adhesive

[Colour Republic]

Depending on the situation I sometimes use a hawk. I quite like it, anybody else tried?

[LM Ceramics]

Depending on the situation I sometimes use a hawk. I quite like it, anybody else tried?

cant say ive ever done that but if it works

[Colour Republic]

Works nicely with grout too although I prefer to use a bucket trowel for that

[marke]

No never used a hawk but just thinking about it , it makes proper sense ! less bending for me this week thanks CR.

[nudge]

I'm curious to get the actual spec. ( regarding warranties ) from each manufacturer as well as what the Standards say on the subject. Think there might be some surprised tilers out there ! I'm sure this will become a reference thread for the future.

[hillhead]

most manufacturers say paste the substrate but how many times do we strip tiles and see blobs at the back? lol.

[turnip]

always scooped out with the trowel and throw it onto the wall, supergrip dont make a mess, 4 or 5 big blobs.... trowel it out, and up go the tiles,bobs yr uncle fannys yr aunt

[timeless john]

Depending on the situation I sometimes use a hawk. I quite like it, anybody else tried?

I did once but it kept flying away!
Mind you I had rabbit for tea.

[tilemania]

i have always buttered the tiles. i have tried trowelling the wall but i find that i can never get as good a finish as doing it tile by tile. plus doing it my way the tiles are usually perfectly clean when i'm done, ready for grouting.

to those that trowel the wall - how do you get a perfectly plumb finish?

[peckers]

I use an old plastering trowel strait into the bucket then put it on the wall as if im plastering can use both sides of the trowel to spread it and you can really load it up as it hasn't got serated edge then i trowel it threw with my tiling trowel,
This way works for me

[Aqua Tiling]

i put it on vertically, bottom to top, less mess, then comb it thro east to west.

[Phil Hobson]

i put it on vertically, bottom to top, less mess, then comb it thro east to west.

They used to teach horizontal serrations, I still use this method. But as mentioned before 90 degree angle.