Hi everyone i would like your input to a debate thats going on over here about the correct way to use tile spacers.
As we all know the most important part of a job is setting out and of course how to space the tiles evenly. Now when I first started my old man only ever used a string line, straightedge and a ruler.
As the years went by and thinset was being used we used tape, chalkline and square. Others used a straightedge and spacers.
In time however there has developed a split in the way these spacers are used. Some strike a chalkline and lay the tiles out dry with spacers in the corner of 4 tiles and continued on in that fashion for the rest of the floor then work their way back after all the cutting has been completed.
Some start at a squared up chalkline junction and start fixing using spacers only, set into the corners of 4 tiles etc.........OR....
They will place the spacers between each tile sticking up like a cross and when the adhesive has set go back and remove the spacers.
these 2 methods can be used both on floors and walls
My question is which way do you use the spacers?
I was always taught to stick them in and remove later. But recently i've been associating with a group of tilers that tend to use the "leave them in the joint" method.
The problem i have with leaving them in is that, most grouts are flexible which can also mean they are compressible, so when there is some expansion within the floor, both a well placed expansion joint and the grout joints can take the very slight movement across the entire floor.
But if the hard plastic spacers are left in then there is no room for movement between each tile. Would this be a potential problem?
And what about walls? I was told once by a construction site manager that if the spacers are left in wall tiles then the same problem exists, no room for movement especially if the walls are full stud height and much more if on a large commercial site as the one we were on.
Oh and would a well placed expansion joint mean that the "leave them in" method would be ok?
Imo I think with the advent of large and very large format tiles, this matter should be resolved for anyone who is in two minds over this. Do you think so?
Or am i just rocking the boat for nothing?:yikes:
As we all know the most important part of a job is setting out and of course how to space the tiles evenly. Now when I first started my old man only ever used a string line, straightedge and a ruler.
As the years went by and thinset was being used we used tape, chalkline and square. Others used a straightedge and spacers.
In time however there has developed a split in the way these spacers are used. Some strike a chalkline and lay the tiles out dry with spacers in the corner of 4 tiles and continued on in that fashion for the rest of the floor then work their way back after all the cutting has been completed.
Some start at a squared up chalkline junction and start fixing using spacers only, set into the corners of 4 tiles etc.........OR....
They will place the spacers between each tile sticking up like a cross and when the adhesive has set go back and remove the spacers.
these 2 methods can be used both on floors and walls
My question is which way do you use the spacers?
I was always taught to stick them in and remove later. But recently i've been associating with a group of tilers that tend to use the "leave them in the joint" method.
The problem i have with leaving them in is that, most grouts are flexible which can also mean they are compressible, so when there is some expansion within the floor, both a well placed expansion joint and the grout joints can take the very slight movement across the entire floor.
But if the hard plastic spacers are left in then there is no room for movement between each tile. Would this be a potential problem?
And what about walls? I was told once by a construction site manager that if the spacers are left in wall tiles then the same problem exists, no room for movement especially if the walls are full stud height and much more if on a large commercial site as the one we were on.
Oh and would a well placed expansion joint mean that the "leave them in" method would be ok?
Imo I think with the advent of large and very large format tiles, this matter should be resolved for anyone who is in two minds over this. Do you think so?
Or am i just rocking the boat for nothing?:yikes:
