Tile spacers
Quick questions about tiling.
What size spacers are the norm for tiling in a bathroom on the wall specifically. Also do you have to pull the spacers out after the tiles have set or do they stay in the wall ? Thanks |
Tile spacers
On 05/06/10 11:20, Stephen wrote:
Quick questions about tiling. What size spacers are the norm for tiling in a bathroom on the wall specifically. For small (10-15cm) tiles, 2mm or so looks good. If the tile has a bevelled edge, use a thinner spacer than you think you want as the grout line will appear a mm or so wider. Also do you have to pull the spacers out after the tiles have set or do they stay in the wall ? You can do either. Either use the spacers flat at the corners and make sure they are pushed well in. Or (what I do more) is to stick just one leg in between each tile. I pull then out afterwards. Sometimes, you don't want spacers - if you are trying to correct a slight error, you may need the tiles fractionally closer. Using a high grap adhesive (eg BAL Greenstar I find is good, others swear by Bluestar) then the spacers are almost redundant except as a guide. the tiles will stay where you put them. I also love having a self levelling laser line on a pole - set for the row and work to that. -- Tim Watts Hung parliament? Rather have a hanged parliament. |
Tile spacers
On Sat, 05 Jun 2010 11:49:48 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:
You can do either. Either use the spacers flat at the corners and make sure they are pushed well in. Trouble is the adhesive behind the tile and the shape of the rear tile edge can make getting even grout lines tricky with this method. Or (what I do more) is to stick just one leg in between each tile. I pull then out afterwards. This is what I do. Consistent width and can be used as a lever (by twisting) to make micro adjustments to the spacing if required. I also love having a self levelling laser line on a pole - set for the row and work to that. I start with a very carefully placed batten and work from that. Using spacers in single leg mode to position the tiles, but paying attention to alignment of corners etc. -- Cheers Dave. |
Tile spacers
On Jun 5, 11:20*am, "Stephen" wrote:
Quick questions about tiling. What size spacers are the norm for tiling in a bathroom on the wall specifically. Also do you have to pull the spacers out after the tiles have set or do they stay in the wall ? Thanks Spacers might work if your tiles are all perfect sized, but many arent. In which case folded card allows a little wiggle. NT |
Tile spacers
John Rumm wrote:
On 05/06/2010 11:49, Tim Watts wrote: sure they are pushed well in. Or (what I do more) is to stick just one leg in between each tile. I pull then out afterwards. Yup its what I do as well. Sometimes, you don't want spacers - if you are trying to correct a slight error, you may need the tiles fractionally closer. Using a high I find with some spacers, the leg is marginally thinner than it is wide. So rotating it 90 degrees in the gap make it a little smaller. Two used together are a tad more than one width etc. Hence careful selection of combinations can tweak the gap in or out as required. 1mm thick plastic plant labels make good tweakers |
Tile spacers
On 5 June, 13:36, NT wrote:
On Jun 5, 11:20�am, "Stephen" wrote: Quick questions about tiling. What size spacers are the norm for tiling in a bathroom on the wall specifically. Also do you have to pull the spacers out after the tiles have set or do they stay in the wall ? Thanks Spacers might work if your tiles are all perfect sized, but many arent. In which case folded card allows a little wiggle. NT Another thing to watch is that you can get boxes of slightly different sized tiles from some manufacturers. There's a number on the box indicates which is which. |
Tile spacers
On Jun 5, 2:03*pm, stuart noble wrote:
John Rumm wrote: On 05/06/2010 11:49, Tim Watts wrote: sure they are pushed well in. Or (what I do more) is to stick just one leg in between each tile. I pull then out afterwards. Yup its what I do as well. Sometimes, you don't want spacers - if you are trying to correct a slight error, you may need the tiles fractionally closer. Using a high I find with some spacers, the leg is marginally thinner than it is wide.. So rotating it 90 *degrees in the gap make it a little smaller. Two used together are a tad more than one width etc. Hence careful selection of combinations can tweak the gap in or out as required. 1mm thick plastic plant labels make good tweakers And bits of cereal box. |
Tile spacers
On 07/06/10 10:01, Man at B&Q wrote:
On Jun 5, 2:03 pm, stuart wrote: John Rumm wrote: On 05/06/2010 11:49, Tim Watts wrote: sure they are pushed well in. Or (what I do more) is to stick just one leg in between each tile. I pull then out afterwards. Yup its what I do as well. Sometimes, you don't want spacers - if you are trying to correct a slight error, you may need the tiles fractionally closer. Using a high I find with some spacers, the leg is marginally thinner than it is wide. So rotating it 90 degrees in the gap make it a little smaller. Two used together are a tad more than one width etc. Hence careful selection of combinations can tweak the gap in or out as required. 1mm thick plastic plant labels make good tweakers And bits of cereal box. Fag packet shurely? -- Tim Watts Hung parliament? Rather have a hanged parliament. |
Tile spacers
Man at B&Q wrote:
On Jun 5, 2:03 pm, stuart noble wrote: John Rumm wrote: On 05/06/2010 11:49, Tim Watts wrote: sure they are pushed well in. Or (what I do more) is to stick just one leg in between each tile. I pull then out afterwards. Yup its what I do as well. Sometimes, you don't want spacers - if you are trying to correct a slight error, you may need the tiles fractionally closer. Using a high I find with some spacers, the leg is marginally thinner than it is wide. So rotating it 90 degrees in the gap make it a little smaller. Two used together are a tad more than one width etc. Hence careful selection of combinations can tweak the gap in or out as required. 1mm thick plastic plant labels make good tweakers And bits of cereal box. matchsticks. I too use the plastic spacers, placed at different angles and at different locations to level up irregular stone tiles etc. Simply remove oncce tile cement is almost set. |
Tile spacers
Tim Watts wrote:
On 07/06/10 10:01, Man at B&Q wrote: On Jun 5, 2:03 pm, stuart wrote: John Rumm wrote: On 05/06/2010 11:49, Tim Watts wrote: sure they are pushed well in. Or (what I do more) is to stick just one leg in between each tile. I pull then out afterwards. Yup its what I do as well. Sometimes, you don't want spacers - if you are trying to correct a slight error, you may need the tiles fractionally closer. Using a high I find with some spacers, the leg is marginally thinner than it is wide. So rotating it 90 degrees in the gap make it a little smaller. Two used together are a tad more than one width etc. Hence careful selection of combinations can tweak the gap in or out as required. 1mm thick plastic plant labels make good tweakers And bits of cereal box. Fag packet shurely? Cardboard isn't really rigid enough for my liking. Plastic every time |
Tile spacers
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember stuart noble saying something like: 1mm thick plastic plant labels make good tweakers If you find yourself running out, folded cardboard from the tile boxes is good enough. |
Tile spacers
Tim Watts wrote:
On 07/06/10 10:01, Man at B&Q wrote: On Jun 5, 2:03 pm, stuart wrote: John Rumm wrote: On 05/06/2010 11:49, Tim Watts wrote: sure they are pushed well in. Or (what I do more) is to stick just one leg in between each tile. I pull then out afterwards. Yup its what I do as well. Sometimes, you don't want spacers - if you are trying to correct a slight error, you may need the tiles fractionally closer. Using a high I find with some spacers, the leg is marginally thinner than it is wide. So rotating it 90 degrees in the gap make it a little smaller. Two used together are a tad more than one width etc. Hence careful selection of combinations can tweak the gap in or out as required. 1mm thick plastic plant labels make good tweakers And bits of cereal box. Fag packet shurely? Don't call me Shirley. The British Standard Fag Packet is a very useful tool. Being 95mm x 55mm x 20mm it make an ideal spacer for all sorts of things. Curtain pole brackets for example. 55mm above the reveal & 95m either side is the perfek spacing. Very close to the golden ratio is your BSFP. -- Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk |
Tile spacers
On 05/06/2010 14:03, stuart noble wrote:
John Rumm wrote: On 05/06/2010 11:49, Tim Watts wrote: sure they are pushed well in. Or (what I do more) is to stick just one leg in between each tile. I pull then out afterwards. Yup its what I do as well. Sometimes, you don't want spacers - if you are trying to correct a slight error, you may need the tiles fractionally closer. Using a high I find with some spacers, the leg is marginally thinner than it is wide. So rotating it 90 degrees in the gap make it a little smaller. Two used together are a tad more than one width etc. Hence careful selection of combinations can tweak the gap in or out as required. 1mm thick plastic plant labels make good tweakers As do the plastic straps that you sometimes find around the boxes. I also keep a pair of small Mole grips to hand. They will easily squash the spacer legs to any amount you want, thus making thinner ones for smaller gaps, or ones that you can stack with full sized ones to make bigger gaps. I also use a laser level. Very good for tile levelling. I used 600 x 300 tiles in my bathroom, which are very unforgiving for making level - a fraction of a degree out at one corner, becomes a couple of mm at the far end of the tile, and a couple of tiles further on ... ! The laser level made going round a window opening where I had to come up either side before going across the top, made the job a doddle. Arfa |
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