Applying adhesive in a small space

[DazJWood]

I have measured and planned out my tiling (I think). I have 200 wide by 410 length travertine tiles.

I have worked it out (hopefully) so that I don't end up with silly small strips around windows sills, bath, shower tray and some recesses I have built in.

I am sure this is a stupid question but nevertheless here goes:

I will have a strip running around the bath tray that is just smaller than the trowel width.

When I batten the wall for the first full tile above the shower tray then fit my tiles I am then a little confused as to the best way to fix the tiles below the batten. Once they have set and I remove the batten how then do I apply the adhesive and create the ridges? I could use a wallpaper scraper to get the adhesive on but then how I run the trowel through it if it's just to wide? Do I just use the smaller end of the trowel and do many downward ridges.

I've probably not explained that very well but to summarise, in different words, if you have a space to tile that a trowel cannot fit in how do you do it? (Lots of downward strokes with the small width of the trowel?)

Can anyone advise?

Thanks in advance,

Daz

[Rad2474]

First it's never a stupid question when you don't know how. For the small area you are on about why don't you just apply the adhesive to the back of the tile then fix the tile in place give it a bit of movement to spread the adhesive around of the tile.

[garythetiler]

use the front of the trowel its shorter and still has the notches

[Stewart]

If it's really small, apply to back of tile. If you can get small end of trowel in, use that instead. Just be careful not to mark the bath with trowel. I always tape up bath and shower-tray edges to avoid them getting damaged.

[Martyn Leeds]

Or would it perhaps be easier to ditch the batten idea, mark your level line on the wall, cut your 1st row, stick & build from there...

[Daz]

You could use the front (notched) edge of the trowel and make your adhesive ridges horizontal?

Or just back butter the tiles .

[kilty55]

you can get notched margin trowels which are small,or as others have said back butter the tile or use ther front teeth on a normal trowel

[whitebeam]

You could use the front (notched) edge of the trowel and make your adhesive ridges horizontal?

Or just back butter the tiles .

As above if it's a small space

[hillhead]

As long as you sandwich the addy in there and it does the job go for it whether small edge or trowel onto tile !

[Sean Kelly]

Daz, Back butter the tile is the best method. I did buy a very small notched trowel when I first started out. I thought I would be using it all the time in kitchens around sockets etc. I've never used it!

[doug boardley]

back butter tile is my option

[DazJWood]

Hey thanks to all!

When you back butter the tile, do you just apply the adhesive and then put the ridges in as you would do for the wall?

Thanks,

Daz

[Sean Kelly]

Hey thanks to all!

When you back butter the tile, do you just apply the adhesive and then put the ridges in as you would do for the wall?

Thanks,

Daz

Daz, in this instance you apply the adhesive to the back of your tile with your notched trowel. i.e. comb the back of your tile with adhesive. The end result will be a tile with ridges of adhesive. However, if you were laying natural stone like marble then you would spread adhesive on the wall or floor, but you would also spread adhesive onto your tile. Only this time you would use the flat part of your trowel. You would then scrape the adhesive off your tile (leaving a very thin layer of adhesive). Cheers Sean