Trowel and Error - How to Set Tile the Right Way

tile and stone are very durable materials that can and should last a lifetime when tiles break more often than not it's due to issues with the substrate or the installation method the way you trowel mortar for setting tile makes a big difference let's look at the way to trial and what's an error porcelain tiles in particular can withstand extra heavy service conditions it takes a lot of impact or point load to caused bond loss when installed correctly over a sound substrate the mortar under this tile was installed using the correct trowel method no error here on the other hand since tile is a hard and brittle finisher veneer unsupported space under the tiles actually creates weak spots that same porcelain tile may be easily damaged by the same impact heavy loads and other causes spot bonding with mortar is not recommended to set tile it may be easier to set tiles flat to each other during the installation but it's only a matter of time before the slightest force causes a failure little mortar actually comes in contact with the tile it was easy to spot the tile that was installed correctly the first tile is installed using the NTC a recommended ANSI standard the others were not unfortunately many tiles are being installed incorrectly especially very large tiles and this can result in costly breakage so why does this happen it's because most flooring adhesives were applied in this manner and the swirling motion was passed on this is a more natural movement just a simple Bend of the elbow it also didn't make much difference for flooring or very small tiles the results of trawling this way are very misleading you get the job done more quickly but you can't get proper mortar coverage air gets trapped with nowhere to go and leaves the tile unsupported swirling the mortar causes voids where the tile is not potted to the substrate these voids can result in crack tile and bond failure under normal use but especially under point low our impact in addition to impact and heavy loading tileset without proper mortar coverage are more likely to fail under many conditions to name a few substrate deflection shrinkage or creep thermal expansion in high temperatures and freeze thaw applications a lack of perimeter or other movement joints affects well bonded tile so imagine one half or even less of a tile is it here according to the American National Standards Institute and the TCM a handbook i'll requires a minimum of 80 percent more coverage in interior applications 95% for exteriors and wet environments natural stone tile requires at least 95 percent coverage in all areas notice what happens when clear glass is installed / swirled ridges see how hard it is to achieve the coverage required it's impossible when you spot on even beating it with a mallet won't help with today's installations of larger and larger tile there are other factors to consider during the manufacturing process of most large tiles the center tends to dome are a warp upward this warpage requires more mortar to be used air is even less likely to be removed when the mortar is swirled additional mortar applied correctly has to make up the difference flatter substrates are also required to successfully set large format tiles as they cover a much larger area according to TC na and ansi guidelines variations in floor flatness should not exceed one quarter of an inch and ten feet when working with large format tile a tile with any side 15 inches or longer there's even less tolerance variation is limited to 1/8 of an inch in 10 feet and no more than 1/16 of an inch in 24 inches surface inspection and preparation are required for correct mortar coverage the key to successful coverage is playing it straight combing the mortar and straight lines this method is proven to be effective even with large tiles why trowel ridges running in straight lines are much easier to collapse they assist with air removal to maximize mortar coverage and ensure a strong bond to the tile and substrate you can't see through tiles but if you could you'd see this technique gives the best support and protection to the tile there are other steps to achieving good mortar coverage the first is to key in a coat of mortar into the substrate with the flat side of the trowel then add more mortar to the substrate and cone the mortar in straight lines all going in one direction combing the trial ridges and straight lines provides better distribution of the border with rectangular tile trowel ridges should go across the short direction of the tile this allows better air release when you bed the tile be careful not to leave any voids along chalk lines or between tiles trial size matters one size doesn't fit all use a trial that will help you achieve continuous minimum three thirty-seconds of an inch coverage larger tiles most often require deeper trials for large format tile blasts tile natural stone or any tile set on exterior surfaces back buttering the tile is recommended use the flat side of the trial to get an even coat of border and fill all the spaces in the surface to finish set the tile firmly and move it backward and forward across the trial ridges about a quarter to a half an inch move the tile in only one direction perpendicular to the ridges without moving in the opposite direction or twisting the time when you first start setting and then periodically throughout the installation remove a tile and check for coverage ridges should be collapsed and you don't want the tile or substrate to be missing mortar as we've seen in these examples it's clear that there's a right way and a wrong way to trial mortar don't be a victim of trial and error play it straight and always use the NTC a recommended tile setting method you

Channel: CustomBuildingProd

Views: 5,650,963

Rating: 4.878438 out of 5

Keywords: custom building products, tile, tile install, tile installation, stone install, stone installation, trowel, NTCA, how to set tile, how to use trowel, how to spread mortar, bond strength, crack prevention, prevent lippage, prevent broken tile, cracked tile, large format tile, thin set mortar, medium bed mortar, tile flatness, grout joints, tile breakage, tile contractor, tile installer, how to install tile, movement joints

Id: Way5bMh-eYg

Length: 6min 36sec (396 seconds)

Published: Tue Feb 02 2016

Reddit Comments

[u/StpdSxyFlndrs]

Holy crap that was informative, and easy to digest. I have a feeling my guy didn’t use the NTCA recommended tile setting technique. Hopefully he at least did a little backbuttering on the wood grain tiles!

[u/mesdon]

I now know how to set a tile perfectly.

[u/Sheriff_Hopper]

Friday Night: How to Set Tile the Right Way

Me: Yeah I cant figure out while I'm still single either

[u/rcdemski]

I wish i knew this before I tiled my bathroom

[u/MilesGates]

why did I watch the whole thing?

[u/thehypocrisyofreddit]

I just watched a video on how to set tile.

I don't even own a house.

I am an idiot.

[u/Harvin]

Great, now every time I see a broken tile where parts are missing and I can see underneath, I'm going to think about this video and be that guy who smugly says "see, that wouldn't have happened if they didn't curve their trowel like that".

[u/TheFilthiestCorndog]

“ why is your estimate so much higher than the other guys?”

[u/_JohnMuir_]

Very interesting. Tile work in general fucking sucks, so if I ever have to do it again, this is good to know