Newbie requiring advice !

[MartinH]

Gents I could really do with some advice -only new to the trade and realising QUICKLY!, thats there a lot to learn. .....

I am tiling above a window recess and the tiles keep slipping down, am using a decent adhesive, but short of holding the tile in place until it stops slipping, are there any tips for dealing with this situation......this is such a basic question, im embarrassed to ask tbh, but I guess that is what these forums are for...to get the advice from those who know ...so would really appreciate any advice...many thanks

[kilty55]

HI MARTIN WHAT TILES ARE THEY AND WHAT IS THE ADHESIVE?

you can cut batons from the window ledge to hold them in place

[Sir Ramic]

What is the surface you are tiling too, what size tile and what adhesive are you using ?

[MartinH]

kilty - they are ceramic tiles 40 x 25 and im using BAL GRIP ready mixed

[MartinH]

Im tiling to a sealed plastered wall - tiles are 40 x25 ceramic and using BAL GRIP

[Del W]

What thickness ?

[MartinH]

del they are 8mm thick

[nybor62]

imo i would use a white powdered addy,

[kilty55]

lol notice i had caps lock stuck on there,i wasnt shouting honest lol

i would ditch the bal grip i assume thjis is a tubbed adhesive and go for a cement based flexi one for those tiles and cut batons as i said to hold up top layer till sets,use a rapid set so it goes off quicker martin it may hekp mate

[MartinH]

Kilty - many thanks for your help ....also CAP LOCKS are the last of my problems! thanks again !

[Rich]

Hi Martin, Your right, that is what this forum is for so dont feel embarrassed at all.

As the guys have said, forget ready mixed stuff, get some rapid set powder adhesive and cut batons to hold the tiles in place until the adhesive sets then remove them.

P.S Just as a note there are a few very good tiling ladies on this site as well as gents

[MartinH]

Hi Martin, Your right, that is what this forum is for so dont feel embarrassed at all.

As the guys have said, forget ready mixed stuff, get some rapid set powder adhesive and cut batons to hold the tiles in place until the adhesive sets then remove them.

P.S Just as a note there are a few very good tiling ladies on this site as well as gents

Rich - thanks for your post .....and to all the ladies I may have offended by not including a reference to you in my initial post, I do sincerely and humbly apologise......

[kilty55]

i sometimes double up as kitty martin but dont worry my other half ddint take offence

[andy8758]

Nothing beats a really good white rapid set adhesive, mixed with water from a boiled kettle - probaly set whilst you hand hold the tile for 5 minutes! I also carry a set of drywall ceiling props and a baton for when it all starts to go wrong!

[Daz]

I don't think you should be using Bal Grip with that size tile as it will struggle to dry fully.
I, too, would recommend a powdered (cement based) adhesive.

Trowel the wall and leave for a few minutes, backskim the tile (with the smooth edge of the trowel), press the tile into place approx 5mm higher than you want it with a twisting motion and it should settle into place with no real slippage. Failing that, you need to fix a baton to the window head or use adjustable stands to hold a baton in place.

Good luck,

Daz

[andy allen]

i sometimes double up as kitty martin but dont worry my other half ddint take offence

purrrrrrrrrrrrrr fect advice as always

[MartinH]

Thanks very much Daz - funnily enough it was the bloke at Topps Tiles that recommended the adhesive im using as I purchased at same tiles as the tiles themselves...maybe will seek advice on here in future and not from the Topps Tiles boys!

[Mike]

Thanks very much Daz - funnily enough it was the bloke at Topps Tiles that recommended the adhesive im using as I purchased at same tiles as the tiles themselves...maybe will seek advice on here in future and not from the Topps Tiles boys!

they'll sell you anything just to make a sale, as for the info you've had above it's all good. i use battens myself, and if the windows not quite square i 'square' it with the battens and tile up to them . you can always cut a bit off them after and use them again for the window header

[lucius]

Nothing beats a really good white rapid set adhesive, mixed with water from a boiled kettle - probaly set whilst you hand hold the tile for 5 minutes! I also carry a set of drywall ceiling props and a baton for when it all starts to go wrong!

Coming from a bricklaying background i remember from my college days many many years ago when dealing with frosty conditions that morter that could be mixed with heated water no hotter than 65 degrees farenheit any hotter would be detramental to the properties of the cement.

[Michael kiss]

Dry wall ceiling props are good for this and use a white fast set fexi powder adhesive.

[Tats]

Take a few off cuts that are long and thin and stick them to the underside of the top of the window reveal. Do this before your ready to tile over the top of the window so that they are stuck in place and addy has gone of. Then when you tile over the top you have ready made platforms to rest your tile on

[Derry]

use powdered adhesive and use batons till it fixes in place.
I would also get hold of one of the books like webber tiling solutions, great deal of info in there for many different situations!