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When you’re taking on a renovation, whether it be retiling your bathroom or building an entirely new area of your house, the finer details are important. They’re what stops your new room from having holes that water can get into or a new wall having weak points that can lead to cracks over time. However, for our purposes, the fine details are what make a tiling job look professional.

This is why your choice of tile spacer sizes can be hugely important in your finished product. Choose it well, and you can have a bathroom or kitchen area akin to the finest in modern home design. Choose it poorly, however, and you might find yourself in a difficult situation that can be hard to get out of.

At Tileveling, we are dedicated to providing a wide selection of tile spacer sizes and varieties for our customers to choose from. So, to ensure that you have a solid idea of why that’s important, let’s get into our complete guide to sizing your tile spacers!

Why Are Tile Spacers Important?

Before we get into sizes, it’s important first to understand why we use tile spacers in the first place. In short, tile spacers ensure that your tiles are all laid out evenly and correctly before they are set. This provides you with an extra layer of support when planning out a bathroom renovation while also protecting you from human error. So, if you want all your tiles to be perfectly aligned, your tile spacers are going to be an essential part of that process.

What Tile Spacer Sizes Are Available?

Depending on how granular you’d like to get, there is an enormous variety of tile spacer sizes that are technically available. With that said, however, there is a certain range that will make up about 90% of all tile spacer sizes used. This would be in between 1mm and 5mm spacers, with larger ones than that being significantly less common.

What Tile Spacer Size Should I Pick?

As with most parts of your renovation, this will primarily come down to personal preference. Whilst the most common sizes are approximately 2-3mm if you’re placing wall tiles and around 3-5mm if you’re using them for flooring, you and/or your client will have the final say on the spacing to tile ratio that works best for your particular project. Just keep in mind that the larger your spacing, the more prominent your between-tile grout will be. So, we would suggest only going for larger tile spacer sizes if you have a particular aesthetic that you’re looking to achieve with this tile grout visibility.

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Getting tile spacers to suit your project doesn’t have to be a complex process, but it does pay to know what you’re looking for. So, plan ahead, talk to your provider, and find out which tile spacer size is going to be right for you. Then, once you’re ready, explore Tileveling’s range of tile levelling systems and more!

How Do You Place Tile Spacers? A Beginner’s Guide to Using Tile Spacers Effectively

Whenever you’re taking on a home renovation job, the finer details mean everything to your finished product. This is especially true when discussing items like tiles, as having unevenly-placed floor or wall additions can make a space feel quite disjointed. This is why tile spacers exist, providing you with a simple way to create a completely uniform tiled space without the hassle of more manual methods. That said, it is still important to know how to get the most out of your tile spacers before your project begins, and that’s why we’re here.

At Tileveling, we think tile spacers are enormously important. After all, we based our entire business around providing people with a simple, easy way to get perfect-looking tile installations every time. So, how do you place tile spacers? And what do you need to get the most out of their usage? Without further adieu, let’s get into it.

What Are Tile Spacers?

This is a completely natural question for those that have never needed to take on a tile project. They’re very niche items with a specific use that they happen to be fantastic for. Tile spacers are small, often t-shaped objects that are made from plastic, and can come in a variety of sizes to suit different styles and jobs. With the use of tile spacers, you can ensure an even gap between all of your tiles, which will ensure the cleanest results when it comes time to grout.

Whilst their small size and plastic manufacturing would perhaps lead you to believe that they are a single-use item, they can generally be removed after installation and used again in later projects. Just make sure you look out for any damage that may compromise the sizing of these items, as breakage could potentially lead to inconsistent results.

Why Are Tile Spacers Used?

Depending on the type of tile that you’re looking to put down, tile spacers can end up actually providing a number of different valuable results. For example, with mosaic tiles that can be of different shapes and sizes, manually keeping all of your tiles evenly in place can be nearly impossible without tile spacers. Alternatively, if you’re working with more traditional square tiles and want to keep them completely uniform, then tile spacers are practically a necessity to avoid any human error. In other words, if you want to make sure that you have the most control over your tile spacing possible, you’ll want to make sure you’re using tile spacers.

How Do I Get the Most Out of Tile Spacers?

Whilst they may seem quite self-explanatory, there are things you can do to make sure you’re getting the best experience out of your tile spacer usage. These include:

Buying High-Quality Spacers

As we mentioned earlier, you can absolutely use the same spacers across multiple projects, but only if you’re getting spacers that were made to last. So, do what you can to ensure you’re getting a higher quality product, even if that means spending a little more.

Try to Estimate What You’ll Need

While we said spending a little more is good, that doesn’t mean you should be overbuying. Based on the number of tiles you’ll be placing, you should have a good idea of how many tile spacers you’ll need. So, try to aim for approximately that number, if not a few more for those “just in case” moments.

Time Your Tile Spacer Usage

There will be a time in which it is ideal for you to remove your spacers, approximately twenty or thirty minutes into your adhesive beginning to set. The reason this is so important to remember is that there will be time earlier in the setting process in which removing the spacer will also allow your tiles to move around. Alternatively, if you’re trying to remove the spacers too late, you’ll likely find that they are stuck, which is then an issue you’re going to need to deal with. This leads to our next major point:

Never Just Decide to Grout Over Your Spacers

This may seem like a desirable choice, especially if you’ve already left the spacers in for too long, but just grouting over the spacers will likely damage your floor and lead to very amateurish results in terms of your tiling’s overall quality. It might be annoying, but sometimes, it’s best to take the long way and do it right the second time rather than simply dealing with the mistakes of the first. You don’t want a bathroom or kitchen feeling off forever just because you waiting a little too long to take out your spacers.

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Having a perfectly tiled bathroom, kitchen, or outdoor area is always going to be the work you have to put into getting it there, and with tile spacers, that work becomes so much easier and more manageable. So, focus on quality, time your spacers, and don’t cut corners, and you’ll be thanking yourself once it’s all over.

To learn more about tile spacing and levelling, stay up-to-date with the Tileveling blog, where we post helpful tips, tricks, and information on our industry regularly.

How To Tile An Uneven Wall With Tile Screws?

People often feel that tiling their walls is intimidating, but it becomes more straightforward with the proper tile application process. Preparing a wall for tiling is a hassle-free job without much issue. However, it is always preferable that the walls on which the tiles must be even. In most cases, the walls turn out to be uneven.

Therefore, there are specific preparations that you need to make before placing your tiles. You ought to follow some measures as well for proper tile placement. So, keep scrolling if you are interested in knowing more about tiling an uneven wall and tile leveling system.

Preparation of the Wall’s Surface

The easiest way to understand whether your wall’s surface is uneven or not is by sliding something flat across the wall. It will detect any irregularities, and you will be able to fix them before beginning the tile application.

If the wall’s surface is uneven, you will need to fix it and make it even. One of the most promising methods to guarantee that is plastering the walls. It will give you a flat wall surface if you use it correctly.

Tileboard backers are one of the best tile leveling systems to deal with uneven walls. They are slightly expensive but are a great option since they are also resistant to moisture. The board backers are sturdy and offer an excellent solution for uneven walls.

Apart from leveling the walls, there are other things that you need to take care of too. To prepare the wall, you must remove the old tile screws and pins. Installing new tiles over the old ones is possible, but removing the old ones is still a better option.

Clean your walls for any grease or dirt and sand them properly. Repair every crack or damage by putting a plaster on it. Get rid of any old wallpaper as well.

Tile Preparation

Measure the area of your wall. Depending on the measurements, you will be able to get an approximate number of tiles. When purchasing the tiles based on the calculation of your wall area, make sure to get some additional tiles too.

Preparing Different Kinds of Walls for Tiling

Fresh Drywall

If you have fresh drywall, then, as mentioned before, you will have to wait for a month. When the time arrives for tiling, you will have to apply a skim coat and sand the wall properly before using the adhesive. Scour the wall area with a moist cloth, and then apply the glue.

Old Drywall

Before tiling on old drywall, consult an expert to check whether your wall is sturdy enough for the tile leveling system. Then get rid of the unevenness of the wall. Fill the holes and cracks with plaster. Then apply the primer, sand it, and put the adhesive.

Textured Wall

Firstly, for painted or textured walls, apply a coat of DIY primer by mixing water with your adhesive or a coat of PVA. Then move on to remove the old paint that is not fixed tightly to the wall. Sand the wall to remove the bumps or any unevenness. Fill in the holes and cracks of the wall. Use tri-sodium phosphate, clean the surface for oil, dirt, and grease, and begin the tiling process.

Wallpaper

Professionals don’t recommend tiling on wallpaper since it destroys the smooth and shiny finish. Therefore, remove the wallpaper using the strip and sand procedure and start tiling. You can even use steaming for the removal. Then, as usual, use a damp cloth to remove dust and dirt before finally applying adhesive.

Tile Leveling System

A tile leveling system refers to workers’ three-component arrangement to remove tile lippage and eliminate future issues. They save effort and money since using them correctly ensures a proper finish.

Choosing the best tile leveling system is very important for proper wall tiling. The system interlocks the tiles to avoid misalignment and ensures a smooth finish. There are two ways to achieve good tile alignment: the clip, wedge, and auto-rotate cap system.

The clip and wedge system uses a clip that has a slot for a wedge between the tiles. Then the wedge is installed, and pressure is applied to the tiles using hands or a special plier. While using the clip and wedge method, you must be careful installing the wedge.

The auto-rotate cap is either tightened using a special wrench or simply by hand. The tightening pressure remains in control because it uses a hand or wrench screw, preventing overtightening. This system uses T pins that you need to remove before drying the adhesive. They take longer to set as well. Therefore, measure your options and choose the best tile leveling system to ensure a smooth and beautiful finish.

Inserting Screws into the Tiles

After you have inserted tiles on your walls, you might want to decorate them further by installing racks or shelves. However, inserting tile screws is not quite simple. You will have to tape the spot where you want to insert the screw. Then drill through the tape by applying slight pressure.

Remove the tape, wipe the area clean, and insert the screw. Tap with a hammer and use a screwdriver to twist the tile screw a few times, and you are good to go.

Available Products

S20 2.0MM BASES

It is an auto-rotate screw used for the tile leveling system. These are pretty easy to use and appropriate for tiles with a thickness of 1 to 17 mm and a grout space of 2 mm. These screws are ideal for wall leveling since they have a flat surface. Available in various choices of sizes and are pretty affordable.

S00N PP CAP

S00N is the cap used for placing the screws. They are reusable if the installation and removal are proper without any damage. They are affordable, and using them is extremely simple. These caps are sturdy and long-lasting as well.

Advantages Of Using A Reusable Tile Leveling System

Using a floor reusable tile leveling system is a failsafe technique that can ensure you install your finished product properly when building a tile floor. A tile leveling method ensures that you install tile without lippage. That means that there are no variances in height between the borders of neighboring tiles. Lippage is not only unsightly and indicative of a shoddy floor installation, but it may also be a trip hazard.

Adding a reusable tile leveling system to your procedure may take a little longer initially, but knowing that the excellent result is well worth the extra effort. Furthermore, once you’ve mastered the technique, you’ll be able to lay flawless tile floors.

• It creates a surface that is free of lippage.
• It allows for more precise grout line spacing.
• Reduction in the joint spacing.
• Holds the tile in place as it dries.
• It keeps you from having to lift tiles to add mud or shim for realignment.
• This spin doctor tile leveling system is also known for eliminating movement, slumping, shrinkage, or warping.
• Increases the speed of installation and the amount of settling material covered.
• You save money since you may reuse the caps for each tile installation.

Factors worth considering while choosing the best tile leveling systems.

What is the Purpose of Using the Tiles and Where You Can Use Them?

The type of tiles you purchase will depend on how and where you will use them. So first, consider where you will use the tiles you are buying. If you get it wrong, you can wind up having many things that aren’t right. As a result, think about where you’ll put all of the tiles you’re buying. For example, porcelain tiles generally suit exterior use if they are frost-resistant. They also have a high enough slip rating (also referred to as an R-Rating). As a result, you can use the floor tiles for small projects such as garden walkways, porches, or front doorsteps.

Suppose the area where you install the tiles is susceptible to traffic jams, adverse weather, or organic matter – such as driveways or patio areas. Then, one should select more robust, such as 18-20mm thick outdoor porcelain slab tiles. These are porcelain reproductions of pavement slabs in various styles that mimic anything. Exterior porcelain slab tiles are more durable than the genuine stone and wood they imitate. However, they do not demand post-installation sealing. Also, they have built-in UV protection to prevent fading in direct sunshine. Moreover, they don’t collect water or staining from organic matter like leaves/moss.

What Installation Method Do You Use?

Ensure the area you’re tiling over is flat, not porous, and free of lumps. That is the golden guideline for interior or exterior floor tiling jobs. It is especially critical when installing outdoor tiles since uneven foundations might result in a rough finish, lifting tiles, and not adhering correctly. Most people would choose to lay tiles on a firm cement screed, even using a leveling agent to ensure the surface is perfectly flat. While this is the most dependable and long-lasting outdoor floor preparation suited for all types of porcelain tiles – you can learn how to build a concrete patio here. Many customers would not like to wait six weeks for the mortar to cure before laying their tiles on top of it.

However, many new products have adhesives and grouting producers that place outdoor slab tiles directly into a shattered hardcore without a cement screed. This leveling system approach helps save time, and you can use them along with slab tiles of porcelain or natural stone that are at least 10-20mm thick. Therefore, it won’t work with Quarry Tiles or frost-proof porcelain floor tiles like those from the collection. Similarly, you can use the adjustable support pedestals to lay exterior slab tiles without a screed or glue. These helpful components create a suspended system,’ which means there is no mechanical fastening, and everything is held in place by the pressure of the tiles or slabs. But, again, adjustable Support Pedestals should only be used with 10-20mm thick slab tiles or natural stone pavers.

Are The Tiles You’ve Chosen Right For Your Design Scheme?

* Indoor:

Outside living is a significant trend, and several DIYers want to extend their interior design to their outdoor spaces to retain visual coherence. Because tile producers are aware of this, many large format indoor tiles also provide a 20mm thick porcelain outdoor slab tile option – the depth of which is unrestricted, independent of your design style. Cement and natural stone effects, especially, are highly popular and ubiquitous in this trend – the Tileveling ranges also have standard width indoor variations.

* Outdoor:

You’ll be happy to know that antique feature floors aren’t restricted to interior decoration as many patterned porcelain floor tiles have frost-proof qualities, which you can use outside. In addition, outdoor slab tiles are getting increasingly in on the patterned action, with a range of patterns presently available to complement any design scheme. It’s also important to remember that lengthier, plank-like tiles can create the sense of more space in smaller settings, so look for wooden effect exterior tiles or ones with rectangular form factors. Similarly, more oversized tiles with rectified edges reduce the visibility of grout joints; the more significant the tiles, the less you’ll need and the fewer grout joints you’ll have.

Available Products

H09 0.9MM

The set of H09 has more than 50 sets of leveling systems with one wrench. In addition, it has more than 2mm tile spacer bags with a tile thickness ranging between 2mm to 16mm. The product is environmentally friendly, which means it is pollution-free to use. Moreover, manufacturers perform the tensile test to ensure that the right quality of product reaches the people.

H15 1.5MM

This product is one of the best products available that you can reuse more than 20 times. It has 50 sets of leveling systems and has a 2mm tile spacer in the package. The thickness of the product ranges from 2mm to 16mm. The product’s design makes sure that it caters to all the expectations of the construction requirements. The size error of the product is not more than 0.05mm, which makes it perfect to use.

How To Level The Floor For Tiling?

If you’re not attentive, a little uneven floor or a material fault can jeopardize the process to level the floor for tiling and the entire tile installation operation. Not employing the best tile leveling system to prevent tile lippage is one of the contractors’ most common mistakes. The height disparity between adjacent tile edges is unattractive, but it can also be a tripping hazard.

The most important rule to remember while installing tile is that the result must be flat. Other factors, such as plumb, are significant, although these can be difficult to obtain in some cases due to pre-existing issues. Flatness, on the other hand, cannot be compromised. So, how do you make the subfloor as even and smooth as possible? It all starts with preparing the floor for tile installation.

Before we get started, make a list of the tools you’ll need.

You’ll Need the Following Tools and Supplies to Level the Floor for Tiling:

• A 4ft level or a straight edge is also okay if you don’t have one.
• With a flat side, use a chalk line trowel (you can use the backside of your tile trowel).
• Adapted carpenters’ pencil with a thin-set (the rectangle pencil you can get at the lumber yard).
• Bucket.
• Sponge.
• Water.

Tips to Level the Floor for Tiling:

* Stretch Out a Chalk Line to Find Dips and Humps:

The methods for leveling system for floors are the same whether the room is 20 by 20 or 4 x 5. Help with this by having someone hold one end of the chalk line. Stretch the chalk line across the room, ensuring both ends are on the floor. Continue to move the chalk line throughout the room, checking for any dips or humps in the ground. The chalk line will never lie to you and disclose all your issue spots. Once you’ve identified the issue regions, you can concentrate solely on them. So, if you spot a dip when looking down the chalk line (and you may need to bring your head down to the floor to get a good view down the chalk line), go to that location and reduce the chalk line. Now you must mark the start of the dip or the start of the hump. Move the chalk line around the floor to designate the beginning and finish of these regions.

* To Locate Dips and Humps, Use At-least a 4ft Level or a Straight Edge:

That will be the same floor leveling method that we discussed earlier. The only difference is that covering a more extensive region will take longer. I usually detect the problem spots with the chalk line and then use the straight edge to pinpoint exactly where they begin and end. It’s easier to slide the straight edge or level and mark these parts out if you’ve found a troublesome location. That is the way I favor.

* Check Out How Deep The Dip is:

You’ll need to figure out how deep the dip is once you’ve marked it out. Do this by laying a chalk line or a straight edge across the space. Then use a tape measure to measure it. You might also use notches adjacent to the straight edge or chalk line to hold your tile trowel. That is easy to determine if the dip is more profound than your trowel’s notch. If the drop is more profound than your notch, you’ll either need a more prominent gap on your trowel or have to conduct the floor leveling in two parts.

* Fill The Dip:

Let’s begin the floor leveling process and fill this dip now that we know what trowel to use. To make a thin set, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. You should typically only do half of the bag at a time, mainly because it’s easier to mix up in smaller amounts and not mix too much. You can mix the smaller or bigger batches. Use the tile trowel (notched side) to distribute the thin-set across the dip in the floor once you mix it. Then stick to the lines drawn on the ground in Tips 1 and 2. After that, drag the trowel across the floor, aiming to make leveled tracks.

* Grinding a Hump:

Renting a grinder with a vacuum attachment is something I would recommend. As a result, that will reduce the dust. Never use a vacuum cleaner without a filter, and by vacuum. Do not use the vacuum cleaner in your home. Grind from the center to the edges while leveling a hump on the floor. Make an effort to make even passes. Then come to a halt and regularly inspect the hump with your straight edge. That will prevent you from shaving too much. It is usually a simple procedure, and I’m confident you’ll be able to complete it.

* Final Filling:

Before proceeding to this stage, make sure the thin-set is dried. (You can do this during the nighttime). Using a rapid set thin-set will help you get this done faster. It takes a few hours to dry, although it is a little pricier. That is available at Lowes, Home Depot, and Menards. Once the dip has dried, use your straight edge to double-check that the thin-set has filled it.

Available Products

Tileveling offers a screw tile leveling system, wedge tile leveling system, reusable tile leveling, and various tiling tools.

H09 0.9MM

It is available in various sizes and has many advantages. It is effortless to use. The product includes a 0.9mm leveling system, one wrench, 2mm tile spacers, and bags. It doesn’t pollute the environment, so you can carry it anywhere. Moreover, you can re-use it more than 20 times. It requires just a one-time start, ensuring that it reduces your workload significantly.

H15 1.5MM

It is a reusable tile leveling system and will cater to tiles with 1-16MM thickness. It has 50 sets of 1.5mm leveling system, one wrench, 2mm tile spacers, and bags. This material doesn’t affect nature as it is environmental-friendly. Manufacturers properly test the product before they launch it into the market. You can re-use the product more than 20 times. It doesn’t need any manual intervention after you start it.