Tools for new tilers - Tile Advice

[charlie1]

I exclude apprentices in this thread, it's more aimed at people doing short courses for a career change. I've seen a few posts lately from new guys looking for advice on what tools to buy so I will try and give you the best advice.

Ok you have done your course and you are ready to take on the world so you think you need to get all the pro gear and a van so you will look the part... Don't bother, save your cash and upgrade tools with profit from jobs (if you have any). Your worried you won't look the part and people will judge you and not believe your a tiler after your course... Well in truth, your not a tiler yet, you need years of experience and tbh ms smith doesn't know the difference between a rubi or a sigma or a B&Q cutter so don't worry.

Now considering the first dozen jobs you do after leaving the course (if you survived your first one) will be kitchen splash backs/ small floors/ maybe a full bathroom then the tools to accomplish these can be purchased relatively cheap, set yourself a budget of £2-300 then upgrade as needed.

Dry cutter £70
wet cutter £ 30
spirit level £15
3 trowels, £25
dust sheet (free improvise)
gorilla tub £5
drill £30

...this covers the big things, you will need other bits and bobs like tape measures, chisels , other hand tools, research the forum for what's required.

also, forget about a van (just for now) , do your first dozen jobs then get a van, by then you will have enough money for more tools so you will need it.

A common mistake made by some of the new guys starting out, you think your restricted by lack of tools, not true, by far the biggest lacking factor is experience and learning from mistakes on the job so don't worry about your tools.

Good luck

 

[Ian]

Nice bit of no nonsense advice

 

[DGJ]

And use your hand as a grout float?............

:lol:

 

[charlie1]

Float £6, sponge, £1, bucket... Use your empty tub of adhesive from your first job

 

[DGJ]

What if your adhesive comes in a bag? :smilewinkgrin:

Id say a good set of levels are a must, don't want to to be handicapped before you even start

 

[charlie1]

Yep, know what your saying but a good level is only as good as the person reading it but I agree some of the really cheaper ones can be a bit off, think you can get a 1200 stabila for just over 20 quid though. I'd take a stab at the most proficient obstacle that stops a new tilers career ambition in his tracks would be the inability to read the substrate leading to very apparent lippage, especially with the larger format tiles.

 

[Clydesider]

Good post Charlie 1 - I consider myself as one of your 'target audience' for that advice.... Being a typical tight Jock though, it never crossed my mind for a second to actually buy a proper bucket ! :smilewinkgrin:

 

[DGJ]

Just don't go using the customers sink or basin to mix the grout!:yikes:

I know of a few who have done that:mad2:

 

[White Room]

Just don't go using the customers sink or basin to mix the grout!:yikes:

I know of a few who have done that:mad2:

And don't tip the remains down the sink/bath either when cleaning up, major blockage is possible....

 

[DGJ]

And don't tip the remains down the sink/bath either when cleaning up, major blockage is possible....

Oh yes!:yikes:

I remember one of our apprentices years ago was left to clean up after grouting, he washed out and emptied the remains down the pan, literally! :mad2:

No matter how much he flushed, it wouldn't go soooooooo he had to remove it by hand :lol:

He didn't make that mistake again!

 

[charlie1]

Adhesive mixer from lidle £40

 

[Concrete guy]

And if you're not quite sure about something - ask. Most people on here will have come across or up against what you need.

There's no such thing as a stupid question. There are plenty of stupid answers about though!

 

[charlie1]

As a newbie, in your first few jobs, your only ever one job away from complete disaster, what I mean by this is you will take on a job that's out your depth and it will end your career. You will learn so much on your first job though, when I think back to the first ever paid job I did, it was a 11 m2 large bathroom floor that was failed by another pro, this job took me 3 days as I remember, I had to self level the floor then tile. My stress levels where so high, now, the same job I would do in 1 day no problem and others on here I'm sure would do even quicker but point to my story is, on your first few jobs do your homework, take your time, understand why certain things do what they do like the adhesive, if you get any lippage they to understand why it's happened rather than repeatedly pressing the corner of the tile in only for the opposing corner to push out.

 

[cam_low]

For the price and ease of use and how much time they save i think a laser level is a must to start out. Will all newbies know about flipping the level to counteract the tolerance ?

 

[hotrod]

Not disagreeing with the original post but just to offer an alternative train of thought good quality tools hold their value incredibly well so buying the best brands second hand you should be able to recoup most of your money if things go wrong, for example I bought a rubi tx700 in good condition for £200 and feel pretty confident that unless I break it (that's always a possibility !) I should be able to put it back on eBay for the same or close to, if I buy a cheap cutter for say £50 will I be able to get any of that back if things don't work out well for me? For me I'd rather spend say £1000 on tools that I can sell on for £800 than £300 on some that are worthless. My son is an apprentice plumber and rather than pay me housekeep I make him buy 1 tool every week but buy the best he can afford so rothenberger etc that way he either has tools for life or if he decides plumbings not for him he has a couple of grands worth of tools to sell on. Like I say not disagreeing with the post as I think it's good common sense advice for lots of people starting out.