OT * Stupid Question on floor tile **

Dutchman · Oct 30, 2016

I'm working on a shower room , and ready to put the tile down .. The floor tile is a 1 foot square with small tile { 1 inch and 2 inch square } .. the wall tile is 4 1/4 square ..

I thought I would get my trowels out , and the three trowels each one has different notches from real small to 1/4 x 3/8 x 1/4 sq.

QUESTION : which one should I use ??

THANKS for any advice you want to share ........................ mark

Determined · Oct 30, 2016

By no means am I an expert but when I had the same dilemma I tried process of elimination until I figured out which one would put the most adhesive on without having so much that it would ooze out excessively into the space between the tiles.

You want to have enough that the tile gets bedded nicely.
Too much and they will be sliding around, way too much and you have a mess to clean up and adhesive that will take forever to set up.

dr sportster · Oct 30, 2016

Not a tile guy but I did my own bathroom . As I remember that spec for the trowel was on the mastic product.

bo · Oct 30, 2016

Match the thickness of your tile.

Michael Soldan · Oct 30, 2016

Well, often the glue container you are using will give you a recommended trowel. All the notches do is limit the amount of glue or bonding material you are putting on. You didn't say if the tile was ceramic or other, I assume ceramic and so because it has a heavier weight and you want lots of bond I would use the 1/4 sq. Vinyl tile usually uses a bond mixture that uses less and thus maybe a 1/16 x 1/16 trowel opening.I'm pretty sure your container of bonding material or your powder mix bag will tell you the recommended trowel size

Dutchman · Oct 30, 2016

THANKS
I never even thought of looking on the bucket , if it says which one to use ...

THANKS again ......... mark

Moonlite37 · Oct 30, 2016

A floor covering mechanic told me that troweling properly is the most critical part of insuring the tiles will stay in place. He claimed that poor troweling results in uneven drying and uneven drying results in poor adhesion.

BigDanT · Oct 30, 2016

3/16" V notch trowel for the wall tile using the Mastic adhesive...use latex modified thin set mortar for the floor tile. You can get by with the 1/4" square notched on it.

OT * Stupid Question on floor tile **

Dutchman

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Determined

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dr sportster

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bo

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Michael Soldan

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Dutchman

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Moonlite37

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BigDanT

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