Best floor trowel to buy?

[Katie279]

Am tiling kitchen floor very shortly. Has anyone got recommendations for best floor trowel types and makes?

Am laying 600mm x 600mm porcelain tiles so from what I've seen a 10-15mm notched trowel is best, and rounded is better than square, but some people talk about rounded, notched ones being even better. Am confused!

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

I use a 13mm square but if the floor os uneven tou will need to pack. Are you a tiler?

 

[charlie1]

Notch size is dependant on how flat the floor is as much as how large the tile is. Place a 1.8m level across the floor and assess how large (if any) the dips / humps are. Marshal town 13mm and back buttering would be my choice if floor was reasonable (no more than 5mm deviance across 1.8 level)

 

[Katie279]

Nope, I'm a proud tiling virgin!

Plan to re floorboard using 18mm wbp plywood, lay 10mm marmox board, lay UFH, apply slc and then tile on this, so hopefully should be a pretty smooth surface

 

[Ian]

Not wishing to deter you Katie but, what you are attempting is quite a complex job for someone with no tiling experience, it could end up costing you a lot of money if it goes wrong. Have you considered getting a pro to complete the work?

 

[charlie1]

Nope, I'm a proud tiling virgin!

Plan to re floorboard using 18mm wbp plywood, lay 10mm marmox board, lay UFH, apply slc and then tile on this, so hopefully should be a pretty smooth surface

Katie, get a pro. ....please

 

[Katie279]

Heh, we'll I'm actually wanting to learn so I understand - I've been renovating a whole house, so this shouldn't hopefully be beyond me, but any help appreciated!

 

[Protilers]

Haaaaaa........

I love this post Katie.........you make it sound like a cakewalk........

but, lets start at the beginning....you say 18mm ply?.....is this direct to the joists? or over the floorboards?

 

[Protilers]

oh and I use a 10x10 square notch.......dont like 20x10 round notch anymore......not enough coverage!.......hheheheheheee

 

[Del W]

Katie,if youve never tiled before, you could find yourself in trouble with this. But good luck anyway.

 

[Katie279]

Yup, plan to remove floorboards and replace with the ply

 

[Katie279]

Hi, yes ply direct to the joists (will remove the old floorboards) and add noggins as required.

 

[Rookery]

If the floor was proper flat I'd use a 20 x 10 round notch but the likelihood is that it wont be that flat so I'd use a deeper notch. In either case back skimming the tile as well as trowelling the floor.

 

[Katie279]

Excellent tips, so a 13mm trowel sounds about right then? I do plan to butter the tiles also to make sure!

 

[Peter]

Nope, I'm a proud tiling virgin!

Plan to re floorboard using 18mm wbp plywood, lay 10mm marmox board, lay UFH, apply slc and then tile on this, so hopefully should be a pretty smooth surface

Unfortunately if you've never used SLC before, self leveller over ufh cables will have a similar contour to the hills of Donegal.