Tiling large area - Spacers or no spacers?

[rob]

Hi guys, just following on from the thread about battons or not to batton - how many use spacers when tiling large floor area (say upwards of 20 m2)? I find it better to ping a chalk line and work to that as the varyation in tile size puts you out if using spacers!

Would be interested to learn what others do in this situation to keep straight?

 

[sWe]

I tend to ping a chalk line and go by it for the most part, but occasionally I use rope as well.

 

[rob]

I but occasionally I use rope as well.

How do you use the rope, and how do you keep the tenssion on it?

 

[lucius]

I use 4 metre long alluminium straight edge measured from the last row of tiles normaly 2 courses weighted down with a couple of boxs of tiles everything else is done with the tape and the eye checked every now and then with laser line, tried rope but found it to expensive.
Lucius.

 

[Alpha Omega]

How do you use the rope, ?

To hang yourself when it all goes pear shaped :yikes:

 

[mickyc]

Dont give him ideas :lol:

 

[rob]

To hang yourself when it all goes pear shaped :yikes:

I could have used that rope today when I was stuck in the middle of a VERY painfull re-grout!!!!

 

[sWe]

How do you use the rope, and how do you keep the tenssion on it?

Think of rope as a 20m long spacer. You need the kind that is not particularly stretchable and uniform in thickness.

Soak it in water and then squeese the water out. That makes it easy to clean.

The principle is similar on floors as on the picture. You don't have to use battens on floors though, for obvious reasons. Takes a bit getting used to, but it's damn fast once you get the hang of it.

 

[JCT]

Done a few really big jobs 400m2. I ping 2 lines down the middle 3 tiles apart and tile right down between lines. Use a straight edge to make sure tiles are square off the lines (ie they are at right angles to the chalk lines). Once I've done that its just a matter of pinging another line to the side of the set tiles and tiling that section. Repeat this as I finish each section. I prefer to use spacers also

 

[DHTiling]

No spacers here on floors......All by rack of eye after setting out and lines...

 

[Alan.P]

Think of rope as a 20m long spacer. You need the kind that is not particularly stretchable and uniform in thickness.

Soak it in water and then squeese the water out. That makes it easy to clean.

The principle is similar on floors as on the picture. You don't have to use battens on floors though, for obvious reasons. Takes a bit getting used to, but it's damn fast once you get the hang of it.

I've used this method, on the horizontals only, eye in the verticals, checking every now and then, my Brother and his ex business partner showed me it. Also, the pair of them use 'the hanging method' they don't use batons, spacers, lines or anything, ping a couple of lines, slap the tile on, wiggle to set and that's it, hanging. Try as I might takes me ages, quicker for me to use spacers.

 

[sWe]

I've used this method, on the horizontals only, eye in the verticals, checking every now and then, my Brother and his ex business partner showed me it. Also, the pair of them use 'the hanging method' they don't use batons, spacers, lines or anything, ping a couple of lines, slap the tile on, wiggle to set and that's it, hanging. Try as I might takes me ages, quicker for me to use spacers.

I normally don't use spacers, unless the job involves heavy tiles on walls, but that's not too often atm. Walls = hanging tiles for me. Really fast ones your hand eye coordination catches up.

 

[Alan.P]

I normally don't use spacers, unless the job involves heavy tiles on walls, but that's not too often atm. Walls = hanging tiles for me. Really fast ones your hand eye coordination catches up.

Mmmm, is hanging a Swedish thing ? my Brothers ex partner spent a lot of time there tiling.

 

[mikethetile]

i ping lines and tile to them, from time to time i check joints are still evenly spaced and true

never used the rope method , is it a quicker way of keeping a consistant grout line and how does it deal with the variation in tile size

 

[Jimmy]

Never thought of using a chalk line before on tiles ? Always used squares or straight edges but makes so much sense . I have spent all this morning putting down all cuts ( 600x 250 gres(poor "proper babba" porcelain) swirl patern silver/bronze flip flop handed pattern but only £60 p sq metre and ironicly 3 weeks waiting list + BLINGTASTIC) to get 4 rows in and find previous tiler was well out 40MM + over 3 metres , tiles have to marry to 3 edges already laid.The tiles are a centre piece in a new resterant and are a nice portfolio peice . So after a lot of dry laying I am bang on . Can't beat a bit of planing? That rope would have come in handy about 12.20 today!

SOZ 4 essay JIM