Techniques for checking levels for a floor

[monty]

What is the best technique for checking levels for a floor?

Is it to place a block of wood on the floor to represent the thickness of your tile and bed.Place a straight edge on the block (or on the surface of an adjacent floor if that is what you are working from).
Pack up the other end of the straight edge with pieces of wood until, by using your spirit level, you know that it is dead level.
By measuring down from the underside of your straight edge to the top of the concrete you will be able to see what thickness you have for your floor.
Repeat this process all around the room.

Or is there a better or easier way?

Monty

 

[GazTech]

What is the best technique for checking levels for a floor?

Is it to place a block of wood on the floor to represent the thickness of your tile and bed.Place a straight edge on the block (or on the surface of an adjacent floor if that is what you are working from).
Pack up the other end of the straight edge with pieces of wood until, by using your spirit level, you know that it is dead level.
By measuring down from the underside of your straight edge to the top of the concrete you will be able to see what thickness you have for your floor.
Repeat this process all around the room.

Or is there a better or easier way?

Monty

Its a good method Monty, cut a tile into inch peices and go from high spot , spot them in place at random intervals , this will show you the levels and give a good datum point when tiling, check your level across different tile pieces to make sure you are level with each tile you fix down.....Gaz

 

[monty]

Thanks gaz... Or would it just be as easy getting a 1.8m feather edge and swing it 360 from where about to tile?

Monty

 

[GazTech]

Your inch size pieces are dotted by swinging 360 deg from the highest point, use a 6ft level or long straight edge with level sat on top.....Gaz

 

[monty]

And if you do see low points....Do you fill them in with rapid set and wait to dry?
And how do you find the high point to start with, Should you judge by eye or do you use same method?

Monty

 

[tiler burden]

you could always ping a datum line around the room and measure down to the floor at intervals to find the highest and lowest points of the floor, then dot your 1st tile at the highest point..

 

[GazTech]

The high point is always easy to find, try to see it by eye, then walk around the floor and feel it, or failing that crawl around on all fours, sliding long pole around until you find high spot, sometimes if its a little lump, smash it off and then you are not buiding entire floor up to it......lol

 

[GazTech]

you could always ping a datum line around the room and measure down to the floor at intervals to find the highest and lowest points of the floor, then dot your 1st tile at the highest point..

Good point Ed, this will give you high points at the perimeter, you can then determine from there moving in towards the centre.......Gaz. Failing that...flood the room and use measuring stick, take the shallow end as high spot...pmsl

 

[monty]

Thanks for replies guys!!

So what happens if its not level say 10 MM out in places? Do you then use SLC?

Monty

 

[tiler burden]

you can use a slc upto 10mm but just make sure you use the right type, quite expensive tho..or you could lay then in sand and cement like the old jedi tilers lol

 

[GazTech]

Yes Monty without a doubt, if the depth excedes the recommended build up of adhesive ( according to the manufacturer ) then use slc, the same method can be applied.....I have had to used cheap floor tiles sometimes to make the bubble, slc can be a long process.....gaz

 

[tiler burden]

gaz

what is the maximum tolerance you can have in a floor over a 2 meter length?? ie if back buttering the tile, what the most a floor can be out

cheers
ed

 

[tiler burden]

i think i am reading from the same book as monty, ceramic and natural stone tiling??

 

[monty]

That was my next question ed ....lol lol

 

[monty]

Yes thats the one ed...