hi there.

im going to get a washboy. you know to save on small sponges

what is the best one out there. i see lots of different types and at different price points. the average for a good set up is around 60 pounds. there are ones way above that but i couldnt justify any more than around 60 quid realy.

i see that trade tiler has one for 70 ish (with castors).

is this a good model one to get.
do i need the castors. im thinking that dragging it across the grout will pull it out or shove crap into it etc.

whats your favorite

thanks alan

Karl dahm is by far the better IMO

Castors are a must for me (heavy when full) as are good quality rollers and segmented sponge.

I have an original geman one and 2 Gemini ones from CTD with upgraded rollers (not the plastic ones included)
got them on special for £15 each plus vat

I've never used one but from reading reviews on here over the past months the general consensus is, Karl Dahm is the best and steer well clear of the Rubi 'coz the build quality is garbage and doesn't actually work that well.

soz whitebeam,gotta disagree with that .ive got 1 and dont get me wrong its ok but seen a red one with castors which another contractor was using.seemed much better.if youre doind a huge commercial job then its a nightmare picking it up every 2 minutes.also seen someone with a karl damm on a bread trolley thing which sounds like a plan

always wondered why someone hasnt designed 1 with 2 sections i.e clean water dirty water.surely its common sense but why hasnt it been evolved?or has it and i havent seen it? dragons den here i come

it would be very bulky. youd need to have dirty water to clean off the most of the grout , then use some clean water to rinse the sponge but not dirty all the clean water, then let the new dirty water into the old dirty water and then refill the clean water from an onboard source.

they do have them bug comesial machines that have a conveyor type sponge . insane price but worht it if you were doing massive areas


if you could put some kind of filter dividing the areas it might work, until you put the dirty sponge in the wrong water

The original ones had an optional extra flter type thing that caught the sedement.

Its the red ones ive got advanced.

Havent used a Karl Dahm so cant comment.

Get on trade tiler and buy the Karl dham one! You will never ever regret it! Avoid the Rubi ones.

karl dham ,is the best was boy. for sponges and pads raimondi for me

Karl dahm for me, the rollers are the best quality bearings. And at present use bal washboards from Ctd.

Karl dahm here too, Iv used raimondi before too and the KD stands head and shoulders above all Iv seen.
As Dave says, rollers etc are brilliant.
I have castors on mine too.
I wouldn't even grout a splashback with out it.

karl dahm for me the rollers are the dogs nuts the rubi rollers are plastic and dont last

He's called 'little John' and he does all the grouting.
He uses a Gemini wash boy bucket on casters and a rubi sponge.
We've not advanced to the wash boy system yet!

karl dahm for floors, beava sponges for walls

Thought you'd be grouting with a semi-dry mix with dryers and a brush of with sawdust TJ : )

Originally Posted by Gall.B

Thought you'd be grouting with a semi-dry mix with dryers and a brush of with sawdust TJ : )

.......shavings were better

Originally Posted by Gall.B

Thought you'd be grouting with a semi-dry mix with dryers and a brush of with sawdust TJ : )

Those were the days - to remember but thankfully not continue.
I spent 18 months 'polishing' white cement off wall tiles with my vest before I was shown a water wash off method by site tilers and saved hours!

what was the water wash off method ?

sounds like a karl dahm from what the boys are saying.

Originally Posted by timeless john

Those were the days - to remember but thankfully not continue.
I spent 18 months 'polishing' white cement off wall tiles with my vest before I was shown a water wash off method by site tilers and saved hours!

we used packing straw and the end of a pencil for the perfect joint, sawdust with a bit of diesel in it on the fireflash thank god those days are gone

I've got a rubi one, was very disappointed. Just so naff in quality. And the grid is so high that you have to fill it right to the top and then run the risk of spilling it everywhere. Heard good things about the Karl Dahm and will get one one day but sticking to Ardex sponges until then!

Originally Posted by the diving tile

we used packing straw and the end of a pencil for the perfect joint, sawdust with a bit of diesel in it on the fireflash thank god those days are gone

Heard of a squad on an other site from us but same company using Nitromors to clean epoxy ressidue from 6x6 pinheads,
KABOOOM!

Contract managers idea too, on a 44 million quid project, what a plonker

Originally Posted by doug boardley

.......shavings were better

sorry Doug, been such a long time of course Shavings

Finally got one! Some big floors coming up so can really test it out.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1335372539.357457.jpg


Sent via Tapatalk for iPhone

Originally Posted by Bri

Finally got one! Some big floors coming up so can really test it out.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1335372539.357457.jpg


Sent via Tapatalk for iPhone

I've always had one of these. I'm disppointed (being a big fan) that the rubi one ain't much cop.

Karl dahm for me on small jobs , and BURTA for the floors DIAMOND POOL FINISHERS DECK- LEVEL SWIMMING POOL HOTEL IN BATH - YouTube look here to see it in action

Ive got a Bal one, had it about three or four years and its still going strong, had a rubi one which i used once, to tile a bathroom that had no water supply turned on, had to fill the rubi downstairs and carry it up to the third floor, for some reason they put the grid right up the top, so you had to fill it, made it interesting lugging it up the stairs, hence why I only used it the once.

that is one of the down sides they are very heavy when filled with water, i made wooden frames and put castors on just before they bought -out the one's with wheels, lol just my luck but i do prefer mine

Other good think about mine, its got wheels too. Cant remember who actually made it, im sure bal just branded it.