Whether you want to tile a floor or wall, consistent spacing is essential if you want a professional finish. They are an essential tool required for tiling and are available in sizes that range from as small as 1 mm to 5 mm and larger.
If you are new to tiling and about to take on a new project, the below information will help you choose a tile spacer size.
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What Size Tile Spacers To Use?
The size of tile spacer to use is highly dependent upon your personal preference because many people may prefer a large or small distance between the tiles.
The benefit of using a larger tile spacer is that it makes the grout lines standout, which can be a feature of the floor or wall design. Larger spacers can also make the tiles easier to repair if required too. However, the larger distance between the tiles when using a larger tile spacer size may trap dirt more easily.
It’s worth noting that there are British Standards to consider when choosing between the different tile spacer sizes. In short, it’s recommended that the wall tile spacers are 2 to 3 mm in size and floor tile spacers are 3 to 5 mm in size.
These tile spacer sizes are primarily stating the minimum sizes required that will allow the tiles to move. For aesthetics, you may wish to go for a larger tile spacer size for more prominent grout lines.
How Many Spacers Do I Need?
Tile spacers can be bought online or at any DIY shop and regardless to the size of tile spacer you choose, they are cheap to buy in large bags. Rather than buying too little, it’s always better to overestimate because there is nothing worse than running low when you are in the middle of tiling.
In terms of how many spacers are required for tiling, you can simply take the number of tiles and multiply by four.
How To Use Tile Spacers
After you have applied adhesive to the floor and laid the tiles, you can proceed to use tile spacers. Simply place the tile spacers at each corner of the tiles and then push the tiles together for a consistent gap between the tiles.
Below is an example of how to use tile spacers from a recent project where we were tiling a wet room.
When To Remove Tile Spacers
The length of time you should wait until you remove the tile spacers is highly dependent upon the type of adhesive used. For example, fast setting adhesives may fully cure in 30 minutes, which means you should remove any tile spacers before 30 minutes. Most adhesive brand’s state on the instructions when is the correct time to remove any spacers.
Failing to remove the spacers in enough time could mean that they are impossible to take out. On the flipside, removing them too early may result in the tiles moving and ruining the overall appearance of the laid tiles.
In order to remove tile spacers with minimal effort, simply use a chisel or the end of a scraper. Once removed, you can even give them a quick wash and use them again for your next tiling project.
Conclusion
No professional tiling job can be complete without tile spacers and they are such a simple tool to use for professional results. Whether you choose small or large tile spacing, as long as they are used correctly between the tiles and removed before the adhesive sets, you will have no issues with using them. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch.
