Just started my first tiling job, going well apart from spending most of
Sunday removing dried adhesive and stuck fast tile spacers from in between
the tiles.

I tried keeping the gaps between the tiles clean as I was going along but
could find no ideal way of doing it. Also the tile spacers kept on
disappearing behind the tiles. I ended up with a lot of mess all over the
place!

So how do I keep the adhesive out of the gaps between tiles and how to stop
spacers getting stuck and requiring long nosed pliers to remove them?

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

James

In article ,
James Holdsworth wrote:

Just started my first tiling job, going well apart from spending most of
Sunday removing dried adhesive and stuck fast tile spacers from in between
the tiles.

I tried keeping the gaps between the tiles clean as I was going along but
could find no ideal way of doing it. Also the tile spacers kept on
disappearing behind the tiles. I ended up with a lot of mess all over the
place!

So how do I keep the adhesive out of the gaps between tiles and how to stop
spacers getting stuck and requiring long nosed pliers to remove them?

Possibly you're using too much adhesive?

I don't skimp with adhesive, but don't put enough on that the tile is far
enough off the wall to allow the spacers to drop behind the tiles. I use
four dabs of adhesive on the back of a "standard" size tile rather than
putting it on the wall. This usually means I don't get any adhesive in
the gaps between the tiles, either.

Neither do I bother to remove the spacers before grouting. They're
generally far enough back that they won't be near the surface of the
grout, and if they've moved forward a little I use the edge of a palette
knife to push them back against the wall before grouting over the top.

James

Soup just had to say
Just started my first tiling job, going well apart from spending most
of Sunday removing dried adhesive and stuck fast tile spacers from in
between the tiles.

I tried keeping the gaps between the tiles clean as I was going along
but could find no ideal way of doing it. Also the tile spacers kept on
disappearing behind the tiles. I ended up with a lot of mess all over
the place!

So how do I keep the adhesive out of the gaps between tiles and how
to stop spacers getting stuck and requiring long nosed pliers to
remove them?

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

James

Didn't realise 'spacers' were supposed to be removed,
same with the adhesive between the tiles.
Just grout over the lot.

Obviously don't let the adhesive 'ooze' out between
the tiles ( a mixture of not putting on too much adhesive
and not 'settling' the tiles TOO much into the adhesive)
but wouldn't worry about a small amount of
adhesive between the tiles. In fact can't imagine a
totally adhesive free gap.
The applicator supplied/sold at the same place
you buy the tile adhesive should have a toothed side
so that the correct depth/amount of adhesive is applied.


--
Yours S. addy not usable (not that you would try it) ( )
Utinam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant! / \
www.killies.co.uk/forums/index.php

Soup just had to say

Just started my first tiling job, going well
snip
Any tips greatly appreciated.
snip

This link will give you tips on laying tiles.

http://www.dlsharrock.freeserve.co.uk/tiling.html

--
Yours S. addy not usable (not that you would try it) ( )
Utinam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant! / \
www.killies.co.uk/forums/index.php

James Holdsworth wrote:

Just started my first tiling job, going well apart from spending most of
Sunday removing dried adhesive and stuck fast tile spacers from in between
the tiles.

I tried keeping the gaps between the tiles clean as I was going along but
could find no ideal way of doing it. Also the tile spacers kept on
disappearing behind the tiles. I ended up with a lot of mess all over the
place!

So how do I keep the adhesive out of the gaps between tiles


Use a spacer to scarpe it out while wet.

and how to stop
spacers getting stuck and requiring long nosed pliers to remove them?


leave them there.

They are supoosed to be built in.

Always tile with a bucket and sponge: wipe very tile as soon as it is
laid - gently. Just one wipe, the rinse and squeeze, then wipe again.



Any tips greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

James

"James Holdsworth" wrote in message
...
Just started my first tiling job, going well apart from spending most of
Sunday removing dried adhesive and stuck fast tile spacers from in between
the tiles.

I tried keeping the gaps between the tiles clean as I was going along but
could find no ideal way of doing it. Also the tile spacers kept on
disappearing behind the tiles. I ended up with a lot of mess all over the
place!



too much glue. you will find that the tile 'bites' and sticks to the wall
when you use less adhesive. Too much and the tile will slip down the wall.
of course, if you are making up big lumps etc in the wall then you might not
have a choice but to lay it on thick.

Scott

I don't skimp with adhesive, but don't put enough on that the tile is far
enough off the wall to allow the spacers to drop behind the tiles. I use
four dabs of adhesive on the back of a "standard" size tile rather than
putting it on the wall. This usually means I don't get any adhesive in
the gaps between the tiles, either.

But the blob method is a serious no, no!

See the uk.d-i-y faq on tiling by John Schimtt

http://www.axp.mdx.ac.uk/~john49/tilefaq.htm


James

"James Holdsworth" wrote in message
...
Just started my first tiling job, going well apart from spending most of
Sunday removing dried adhesive and stuck fast tile spacers from in between
the tiles.

I tried keeping the gaps between the tiles clean as I was going along but
could find no ideal way of doing it. Also the tile spacers kept on
disappearing behind the tiles. I ended up with a lot of mess all over the
place!

So how do I keep the adhesive out of the gaps between tiles and how to
stop
spacers getting stuck and requiring long nosed pliers to remove them?

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

James


I use combined grout/adhesive then it doesn't matter where it ends up!

http://www.diystickit.co.uk/unibond/readymixed.html

Oh, and keep the spacers in - just grout over them...

Mathew

"Mathew J. Newton" wrote in message ...
"James Holdsworth" wrote in message
...
Just started my first tiling job, going well apart from spending most of
Sunday removing dried adhesive and stuck fast tile spacers from in between
the tiles.

I tried keeping the gaps between the tiles clean as I was going along but
could find no ideal way of doing it. Also the tile spacers kept on
disappearing behind the tiles. I ended up with a lot of mess all over the
place!

So how do I keep the adhesive out of the gaps between tiles and how to
stop
spacers getting stuck and requiring long nosed pliers to remove them?

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

James


Regarding the spacers...I presume you mean the little cross shaped
plastic things..I used to sit these flat against the wall at the
corner of the tiles but now stick them one end in between the tiles
i.e at right angles to the wall,so they all stick out and you just
knock them out once the adhesive is dry. And yes, I think you are
using too much adhesive if its squeezing out between the gaps..

In message , Ged
writes


Regarding the spacers...I presume you mean the little cross shaped
plastic things..I used to sit these flat against the wall at the
corner of the tiles but now stick them one end in between the tiles
i.e at right angles to the wall,so they all stick out and you just
knock them out once the adhesive is dry. And yes, I think you are
using too much adhesive if its squeezing out between the gaps..

There seems to be some good tiling experience on here - so maybe
somebody can answer this question for me.

I've only ever tiled a small en suite floor (over chipboard, and it was
fine for the couple of years we used it), but I may have to re-tile our
bathroom. My question is - when you remove the old tiles do you just
tile again straight over any old adhesive that may be left or is it
common to have to knock some of this off? Obviously you'd have to slap a
fair bit of adhesive on to keep the tile flat against the wall where the
remaining adhesive is, is this a problem?

--
Mike Buckley
RD350LC2
http://www.toastyhamster.freeserve.co.uk
BONY#38

On Tue, 9 Mar 2004 13:15:18 +0000, in uk.d-i-y "mike. buckley"
strung together this:

In message , Ged
writes


Regarding the spacers...I presume you mean the little cross shaped
plastic things..I used to sit these flat against the wall at the
corner of the tiles but now stick them one end in between the tiles
i.e at right angles to the wall,so they all stick out and you just
knock them out once the adhesive is dry. And yes, I think you are
using too much adhesive if its squeezing out between the gaps..

There seems to be some good tiling experience on here - so maybe
somebody can answer this question for me.

I've only ever tiled a small en suite floor (over chipboard, and it was
fine for the couple of years we used it), but I may have to re-tile our
bathroom. My question is - when you remove the old tiles do you just
tile again straight over any old adhesive that may be left or is it
common to have to knock some of this off? Obviously you'd have to slap a
fair bit of adhesive on to keep the tile flat against the wall where the
remaining adhesive is, is this a problem?

Ideally you want a perfectly flat, level and slightly rough, (for a
good key), wall.
It all depends what state the wall is in when the tiles are removed,
some tile adhesive will be barely sticking to the wall so it'll be
pretty much there for tiling back onto.
OTOH I've just re-tiled a kitchen and the tiles that came out took
half the wall off with them, it took a day to replaster the walls
before I could tile anything.
If your wall's a bit rough when you remove the tiles either knock the
adhesive off till the wall is fairly level, or re-skim the wall to get
a nice flat surface. Minor unlevelness isn't too bad, big chunks
sticking out and holes are.
--

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

"mike. buckley" wrote:
when you remove the old tiles do you just
tile again straight over any old adhesive that may be left or is it
common to have to knock some of this off?

Get the surface as flat as you can. Scrape/steam off the old, make
good any damage (this sort of plastering you *can* do, it doesn't
have to be dead flat and smooth, just pretty good), and re-tile.
If you've got bumps and hollows it is very hard to get a good finish.


J.B.

On Mon, 8 Mar 2004 17:26:56 -0000, "James Holdsworth"
wrote:

So how do I keep the adhesive out of the gaps between tiles and how to stop
spacers getting stuck and requiring long nosed pliers to remove them?

Keep a bucket of water with a sponge handy. Do a row of tiles, let the
adhesive start to go off, then use a wet sponge to wipe away the
excess adhesive. The sponge will compress far enough into the gap
between the tiles to clear that out so that grout (later on) will fit
into the gap.

Return the sponge to the bucket and squeeze it. This will cause the
adhesive to fall away from the sponge, to create a nice gooey mess on
the bottom of the bucket.

Refill the bucket occasionally to keep the water clean, otherwise the
water holds adhesive on the sponge and you end up decorating your new
tiles with adhesive

Also, be wary of leaving adhesive "streaks" across the tiles as you
wipe. Adhesive is very easy to remove when wet, but a pain in the butt
when dry (as you've found out!).

PoP

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