What are the arrows on the back of porcelain tiles for

[Spud]

Well I bought some lash clips but they do not solve the problem.
the more I think about this product the less I am impressed.
we have been shoving horseshoe spacers under tiles which have a bow to adjacent tile and it helps a bit. But I have serious concerns about putting pressure under tiles that could break the bond.
maybe I am being too picky but my business was mainly stone and I am proud that our team of fixers can all lay stone tiles of most sizes and be able to seta 2.5 mt box section aluminium on top without any gap under the full length of edge.
i have had to accept that we can't do this with porcelain but a 0.5 mm lip looks dreadful to me Ina certain light or angle.
Am I kissing a trick here.
this is the reason I have been put off porcel thin tiles.
I have never shied away from large format but if I had to accept that 0.5mm or 1mm lip,over a 1000m is ok and norm , I will never get in to this sector and I would be dissapointed because I don't think it is because of lack of skill. I just couldn't face people judging our work as being substandard because of bowing tiles

the thin ones are easier to fix jonny as the lippage can be controller with lash clips as the tiles flex unlike the 10 and 12mm stuff

 

[John Benton]

Jonny, it can only be the fault of the tiles and you cannot be responsible for the lipping, although it does reflect on the fitter in the eyes of the customer.

I fixed 1m x 0.5m tiles in my own bathroom on wall and floor and they were mm perfect, no bowing, perfect finish. I did use a 3mm joint on both walls and floors.

 

[jonnyc]

So do you use the lash clips on the porcel thin?
i think I need to come and see one of your porcel thin jobs gary to restore my confidence .
i know you would not fix them unless you could get the right finish you want .
i am just really REMOVED off when we take a lot of time to set tiles and I the finish is a disappointment to me .

 

[Spud]

So do you use the lash clips on the porcel thin?
i think I need to come and see one of your porcel thin jobs gary to restore my confidence .
i know you would not fix them unless you could get the right finish you want .
i am just really REMOVED off when we take a lot of time to set tiles and I the finish is a disappointment to me .

some I do, some I dont I have a 270 m2 floor coming up in 90 x90 5.5mm thin tiles from the best factory producing these thin tiles ,you are more than welcome to come over when we doing it its central london location

 

[Peter]

Have had to put a tile off cut over joints with a breezeblock /bag of adhesive set on top quite regularly with large format. Certainly helps bring them down a bit anyway.

 

[jonnyc]

Italian Ceramic Tiles - Italian Tiles - Ceramic Tiles of Italy - ItalyTile.com

See number 4.

Thanks for that.much appreciated
makes me feel much better.

 

[Houston]

when arrows are on the backs of tiles, i always run them the same way. If tiles are fixed brick bond method will always bond by a third, it just seems to help with some of the descrepancies and sometimes will give a bigger joint but that will depend on tile and client.

 

[tilerbarry]

You should be using a 5mm joint on these size tiles really, and 2 part flexible adhesive like Keraquick & Latexplus because of the size of the tiles. Also movement joints every 7 metres. As I understand it the arrow is a manufacturing detail not a fixer detail.

 

[jonnyc]

well thanks for all the info but it seems that there is certainly divided opinion on the arrows on back of tiles and personally i am staggered that this question has not come up many times before.
i brought this up myself some time ago as john reminded me and i am still not clear.
ajax had a link that says that the arrow should not influence tile fixing and that is comforting when i have not followed it this time, but whilst taking in what that link says i can still see the point of view of gary and a few other friends i know ,in that if the tiles are supposed to go in to the kiln with arrow in one direction there is a good chance that if bowing occurs then it may follow the same pattern.
by elimination thought process , if you follow the tiling with the arrow you have a more reasonable chance that the bowed corners / middle humps marry up.
that said i am assured from followers of this cult that are always exceptions that do not always relate to cost of tile purchased .
So way i see it i will go back to following arrows as i have always done as i have never had a problem like this when doing so, and just take the percentage chance of a gambler

 

[Fliselege]

Asked the manager in my supplier today this question after seeing it posted. His reply was this, so don't shoot the messenger. When tiles are made, say for example 30 x 30, they are made 30 x 90 then cut twice to give 3 30 x 30. The middle cuts go to the cheap retailers as they have 2 good edges, and the 2 outside cuts go to proffesional retailers as they have 3 good edges. The arrows should be followed as the cuts may not be perfect if you mis match the direction. Might be the answer, might be a load of poppy ****, either way, I follow the arrows anyway and always have. Having said that, have worked with many tiles with 4 good edges, so back to the drawing board....