What tips have saved you time or money?

[Dan]

Reading through some of the threads lately, and I clocked that now we are really well established, the comfortablity of sharing knowledge is also established.

So back in the day a tiler perhaps wouldn't have shared something that he thought his local competitor (fellow tiler) wouldn't have benefited from to the point of him perhaps one day undercut him on a job with etc

Yet these days we seem a lot more comfortable bettering a local guys skills and whatnot by sharing tips etc

If you could think of a couple of things that you read in the forum that saved you money and / or time, what would it be?

 

[peteablard]

I don't mind sharing tips and advice with tilers or DIYers it's people looking for tips when they are going to charge someone for a job they haven't got a clue about! Getting late now so will come back when I think of something and have consumed less alcohol!!

 

[White Room]

I know where your coming from

 

[peteablard]

Didn't think anyone else would be on here at this time Mark!

 

[WetSaw]

Looking at the size of the ankle in not sure I want to see much more. The flooring also tells me it was a rather upmarket establishment...

 

[WetSaw]

Back on topic...

I tried something yesterday that I'd seen someone do, use a metal rule to remove shower profiles that have been siliconed to the wall.
Firstly ensure all the screws have been removed then slide a Stanley knife ( other craft knives are available) in around the top of the profile. Once you have a bit of space work the steel rule in behind the profile. Then push a screwdriver or old chisel in the top between profile and wall. Using a sawing motion work the steel rule down. When it becomes hard move the chisel/screwdriver down to create leverage on the profile.

It's probably how you do it anyway but it was new to me and worked a treat, no damaged tiles or profile.

 

[The D]

Over the years of coming on this forum I have read loads of tips that have saved time and money, some old tricks and some new ones, some I had tried before and some I had never herd of. Things like the dog tooth and using ditra to pack out mosaics but the best one for me was when TJ explained to someone how to actually put the 345 method in to practice.

 

[Bill]

Clean your buckets out before you leave. Buckets are gold dust in the tiling industry.

 

[hmtiling]

Clean your buckets out after before you leave. Buckets are gold dust in the tiling industry.

Agreed Tom! If only I could get that through to my labourer!

 

[Kyle Knowles]

Clean your buckets out before you leave. Buckets are gold dust in the tiling industry.

I have a friend who's a painter so buckets are plentiful round here

 

[Andy Allen]

I have a mate who dose site work...for some reason they still use tubbed stuff for everything......he got loads of buckets .

 

[Italy]

dan good, good topic. Now I think

 

[Old Mod]

Here's an oldie but goodie.
When I was contract tiling and doing large areas of wall tiles,
We would purchase 2mm yarn used on yatchs.
Reason being was that it would not absorb moisture and swell like ordinary string.
Then we would use it as one continuous spacer!
So laying the first course to batons (always done that way then)
Then pin one end of the yarn with the first tile of the next course at one end, then pin the yarn the other end with another tile, and maybe one or two in the middle, depending on length of the wall.
Sometimes they'd be 30,40,50m long (that's a lot of spacers) once pinned in to place, away you go.
Repeat the same every course leaving a little loop each end.
Use periodic vertical lines chalked on the wall to keep the tiles plumb.
Sorted, 60,80, 100m2 walls all done with one spacer.
Next day, piece of baton, and wind all the yarn back in.
No spacers in tiling, (shouldn't be left in anyway) as you retrieved the yarn it also cleaned the joints of excess adhesive, simple but effective.
Just don't let it slip behind the corner of a tile at the ends, otherwise the entire corner courses can be pulled off! Haha
Saved masses of time over using spacers.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Over the years of coming on this forum I have read loads of tips that have saved time and money, some old tricks and some new ones, some I had tried before and some I had never herd of. Things like the dog tooth and using ditra to pack out mosaics but the best one for me was when TJ explained to someone how to actually put the 345 method in to practice.

Thank you!
I appreciate that.
Glad to see your still in the land of the living.
I have a Dewalt floor laser now.

 

[LM]

The best tip for me was a Ragni 10mm trowel for collapsing notches under large format tiles, a lot quicker than a good old half moon and for ever readjusting

 

[hmtiling]

Here's an oldie but goodie.
When I was contract tiling and doing large areas of wall tiles,
We would purchase 2mm yarn used on yatchs.
Reason being was that it would not absorb moisture and swell like ordinary string.
Then we would use it as one continuous spacer!
So laying the first course to batons (always done that way then)
Then pin one end of the yarn with the first tile of the next course at one end, then pin the yarn the other end with another tile, and maybe one or two in the middle, depending on length of the wall.
Sometimes they'd be 30,40,50m long (that's a lot of spacers) once pinned in to place, away you go.
Repeat the same every course leaving a little loop each end.
Use periodic vertical lines chalked on the wall to keep the tiles plumb.
Sorted, 60,80, 100m2 walls all done with one spacer.
Next day, piece of baton, and wind all the yarn back in.
No spacers in tiling, (shouldn't be left in anyway) as you retrieved the yarn it also cleaned the joints of excess adhesive, simple but effective.
Just don't let it slip behind the corner of a tile at the ends, otherwise the entire corner courses can be pulled off! Haha
Saved masses of time over using spacers.

a guy i work with on occasion uses this method. i'd never seen it before a couple of years ago

 

[Kyle Knowles]

One of the best tips I ever got was about tools and it go's "buy cheap buy twice "

 

[kevsalt]

cross line laser...dont know how i managed without one before..briil tool...chalk line another great bit off kit ...****...coffee,,,site radio...great job tiling

 

[Joseph Kover]

Clean your buckets out before you leave. Buckets are gold dust in the tiling industry.

Plastering bucket easy to clean, even if you forgot to do it in advance

 

[Italy]

I do not know what to say......
from October, I learned many things, the first thing I learned was to raise prices. hahaha
misstiler, introduced me to vinegar for Epoxy. other small things, I have stolen, here and there. I do not remember .....
marc administrator (the Samaritan) ....... I thank you .... if there was no marc, I do not think that I'm still here.
So, for a few months, you have to endure. haha

 

[Old Mod]

Thank you Antonio, now everyone will blame me!

Antonio, you at the one that has endured,
You are the one that has perservered,
And because of your determination,
you have more than earned your position on the forum.
Thank you for being stubborn!
Because now, we possess some of your knowledge.

 

[Italy]

Thank you Antonio, now everyone will blame me!

Antonio, you at the one that has endured,
You are the one that has perservered,
And because of your determination,
you have more than earned your position on the forum.
Thank you for being stubborn!
Because now, we possess some of your knowledge.

yes marc , you're right.
antonio now send invoice.
for all the time spent to read posts...ahahah
your downfall, was my phone number

 

[Kyle Knowles]

Plastering bucket easy to clean, even if you forgot to do it in advance

If when u say plastering bucket u mean a flex tub I can't get on with them I don't think u can beat a 25L paint buck for slow set and 10L for rapid set

 

[Flintstone]

Best way with buckets is to remove any major amount in the bottom, then let it set and knock it out next day.
I've learnt quite a few bits on here!

 

[John Benton]

Go to your local caf or chinese, and ask for the tubs that the mayo etc comes in, great for grout mixing.