Tile Spacers - Anti Lippage

[Big Neil]

Hello Chaps,

 

Been seeing a lot of videos on YouTube recently, mostly American and Canadian in origin, using these anti lippage tile spacers. Not seen any UK chaps using them, so have a couple of questions. Firstly has anyone here used them, professional or otherwise, and if so how do you rate them? I'm not suggesting the use of them would make up the difference between a competent amateur and a well trained Pro, but to what degree do you think this might be the case?

 

Also and I don't know if this is a result of the apparently high use of that type of system, but those guys all seem to 'back-butter' the tiles where i haven 't seen many UK based chaps doing this. Again how do you rate this technique? Is this a belt and braces approach and also is it an approach any of you pro chaps would recommend to compensate for some degree of the skill factor between a Pro and an Amateur?

[Mr Punter]

They seem popular on the Tilers Forum for plank type tiles.

[Big Neil]

when you say plank type, do you mean like those wood effect ones that look a little like laminate/real wood flooring planks?

[Onoff]

If you want to see an incompetent, amateur tiling job...

 

...come round my house, I'm in the midst of doing one at the moment!

 

"Lippage", knew I had lots of it, didn't know what it was called.

[Big Neil]

5 minutes ago, Onoff said:

If you want to see an incompetent, amateur tiling job...

 

...come round my house, I'm in the midst of doing one at the moment!

 

"Lippage", knew I had lots of it, didn't know what it was called.

It's a pity you're in Kent, were it Manchester i'd have jumped at the chance. Never miss an opportunity to blindly criticise something i couldn't have done better myself anyway!!

[Onoff]

59 minutes ago, Big Neil said:

It's a pity you're in Kent, were it Manchester i'd have jumped at the chance. Never miss an opportunity to blindly criticise something i couldn't have done better myself anyway!!

 

I'm falling down at every turn on this wall tiling. Just inexperienced I suppose.

 

Ideally I'd take them off and start afresh with what I now know. That won't be happening.

[nod]

5 hours ago, Big Neil said:

Hello Chaps,

 

Been seeing a lot of videos on YouTube recently, mostly American and Canadian in origin, using these anti lippage tile spacers. Not seen any UK chaps using them, so have a couple of questions. Firstly has anyone here used them, professional or otherwise, and if so how do you rate them? I'm not suggesting the use of them would make up the difference between a competent amateur and a well trained Pro, but to what degree do you think this might be the case?

 

Also and I don't know if this is a result of the apparently high use of that type of system, but those guys all seem to 'back-butter' the tiles where i haven 't seen many UK based chaps doing this. Again how do you rate this technique? Is this a belt and braces approach and also is it an approach any of you pro chaps would recommend to compensate for some degree of the skill factor between a Pro and an Amateur?

You should always back butter floor tiles especially plank

[CC45]

3 hours ago, Big Neil said:

It's a pity you're in Kent, were it Manchester i'd have jumped at the chance. Never miss an opportunity to blindly criticise something i couldn't have done better myself anyway!!

 do you work in management then?

[CC45]

2 hours ago, Onoff said:

Ideally I'd take them off and start afresh with what I now know. That won't be happening

 

experience is something you needed 10 minutes ago but only have now.

[Gone West]

3 hours ago, Onoff said:

 

Ideally I'd take them off and start afresh with what I now know. That won't be happening.

Are you sure, are you positive, you know it makes sense

[Ferdinand]

7 hours ago, Onoff said:

 

I'm falling down at every turn on this wall tiling. Just inexperienced I suppose.

 

Ideally I'd take them off and start afresh with what I now know. That won't be happening.

 

Every time you go into the shower, you will notice them and silently kick yourself.

 

Can you live with that for the next x years after all that work?

[Onoff]

3 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

 

Every time you go into the shower, you will notice them and silently kick yourself.

 

Can you live with that for the next x years after all that work?

 

Short of winning the Lotto and being able to give up work to do the house without compromise then yes I'm going to live with it. I've more projects here than years left on this Earth tbh.

[PeterW]

Crack on and do the job as you’ve started - take comfort in the fact I’ve seen professionals do worse ...

[Big Neil]

6 hours ago, CC45 said:

do you work in management then?

 

Almost .......a call centre.

 

 

 

back to the original topic. These funky tile spacers/ Anyone used them?

[CC45]

Ive not used them.  Patience is what I use for tiling + plenty of time.

[Onoff]

Speaking with my chippy mate last night. His preferred method is to spread the wall and butter the tile then lay with no or little regard for gaps. He then puts a level on them and tamps the tiled area "flat". Only then does he ease apart and fit spacers. Seems like a plan I might try.

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, Onoff said:

Speaking with my chippy mate last night. His preferred method is to spread the wall and butter the tile then lay with no or little regard for gaps. He then puts a level on them and tamps the tiled area "flat". Only then does he ease apart and fit spacers. Seems like a plan I might try.

Nope. That'll make it nigh on impossible to get two courses plumb as well as flat. Fine with little 100x100mm tiles etc but not the size your laying.