tile spacers and floor tiles

[afright]

i have never laid a floor by eye other than smaller than two mts and only use spacers on small joints like a rectified tile or stone i would hate to think doing a 70 mtr long floor by eye :yikes: always laid in a grid and yes always used matches even on floors

Biggest floor I've worked on was nearly 500m2 never used one spacer just straight edges,when I done my apprenticeship there was no spacer's think it's good not to keep using them gives you a better eye for your work,only use them if I have to ,mind you I did watch some tilers in the 70s laying a sand and cement floor using 6 x 6 Wolliscroft tiles they had a plastic grid which they laid on the screed and just inserted the tiles in the grid never seen it since

 

[sjw450]

I just finished a job where I had to tile round a kitchen island and when the tiles came to meet at other side of island they lined up perfect and the joints were perfect, I know i couldn't have done that without spacers, the problem ive got is that spacers slow me down because they always break off when im pulling them out and get stuck in the joints, Whats the strongest spacers?

 

[Andy Allen]

heres some pictures i found, give you an idea how i do my floors..

 

[Perry]

the same as me but i use chalk lines instead of straight edges

 

[Perry]

I just finished a job where I had to tile round a kitchen island and when the tiles came to meet at other side of island they lined up perfect and the joints were perfect, I know i couldn't have done that without spacers, the problem ive got is that spacers slow me down because they always break off when im pulling them out and get stuck in the joints, Whats the strongest spacers? View attachment 46377 View attachment 46378 View attachment 46379

i have never taken that chance i have always used maths instead and a grid as in chalk lines

 

[peteablard]

I just finished a job where I had to tile round a kitchen island and when the tiles came to meet at other side of island they lined up perfect and the joints were perfect, I know i couldn't have done that without spacers, the problem ive got is that spacers slow me down because they always break off when im pulling them out and get stuck in the joints, Whats the strongest spacers? View attachment 46377 View attachment 46378 View attachment 46379

do you not find they are breaking because the end has set in the adhesive? Try using shorter legged spacers or making sure the joint is clean first

 

[sjw450]

yeah basically there just setting in the tile adhesive, I do clean joints as I go along but they are still breaking must be too long as you say, I'll buy some shorter spacers like the rubi ones.

 

[Houston]

we would grid the big commercial floors out with a chalk line other times work to tape. On the Aldi floors in sand & cement we would have metal templates to use