Basic tools - laying natural stone (marble/limestone)

[edwardk]

Got the following tiling to do:

23m sq kitchen - limestone
8m sq bathroom floor - marble
20m sq bathroom walls - limestone

Think I've sorted out the wet cutter (Vitrex 750 + Macrist CK850...see other post : http://www.tilersforums.com/tiling-tools/45716-wet-tile-cutter-natural-stone-marble.html#post470838)

As far as other tools go I have the following:
Buckets/tubs
Levels (stabilia 1800mm / 600mm / 300mm bubble sticks)
Small bucket trowel
Large bricklaying trowel

Was going to buy the following:
Sponge (Super Hydro - from TradeTiler)
Notched trowel (Marshalltown one from TradeTiler - ##which size ? 6mm or 10mm or 13mm ? Confused !)
Grouting float (fromTradeTiler - the Marshall town one)
Tile spacers ( 2mm for natural stone ?)
Drills (prob from Drilling porcelain tiles with diamond tile drill bit granite holesaws)

Not sure about getting a laser level like the Stabila Lax 50 (Tradetiler tile lasers)

Will this get me set up and going or have I missed a vital tool !
Thanks
Ed

 

[Gazzer]

Sponge = great sponges but I would get a few.
Trowels, I prefer Rubi but Marshaltown are good....8mm or even 10mm
Float , again not my choice but these are rated by a lot of tilers.
spacers, 2mm for wall and 3 mm for floor or 3mm all over.
Drills, spot on choice.

As for other stuff Gorrila tubs are favoured my lots of people.
levels are a personal choice but Stabila is a 1st class choice, sizes vary
Bucket trowel , is a must
No need for brick laying trowel

 

[edwardk]

Cool thanks.

Have an order ready to go with TradeTiler.

Trowels
Got a Rubi s/s trowel on the list. It's the 8mm one. Will this be good for floors (screed in kitchen/marmox in bathroom) and also walls (marmox in bathroom) or do I need a 10mm for floors and an 8mm for walls ?

Mallet
Got a Rubi white rubber mallet down on the list (250g) - is this used for leveling tiles ?! (Yes, I know, I don't really know what I'm doing...)

I put down a tile sucker on the list - is this worth it / useful or a waste of money (will limestone/marble stick to this sucker) ?

Adhesive/grout whisk - this is on the list. I've mixed alot of wall adhesive by hand before and think a whisk is something I should have bought a while back so it's on the list.

THanks
Ed

 

[doug boardley]

for your floors you'd need a 10mm solid bed trowel as opposed to a square notch trowel

 

[edwardk]

THanks - too late ! Just bought the 8mm and the 12mm Rubi s/s trowels from here : Tradetiler Tiling Rubi Stainless Trowels

Hopefully I can use the 12mm on the floors and the 8mm on the walls....

They were out of stock of 10mm ones.

Have I made a mistake ?

 

[Gazzer]

No, just make sure you lift a tile now and again to make sure you are getting full coverage.

 

[Spud]

you have a good set of tools there good luck with the job

 

[edwardk]

Bought a DeWalt DW 087 from TradeTiler too - probably overkill for the tiling but I have the house to rennovate so will come in handy for alot of carpentry etc

Went with the Vitrex 750 + Macrist 180mm 850K blade - as tempted by the Sankyp one at £28 but have some tiling at the parents place to do in 2011 at some point.

Should get all the VAt back so less of a hit - about £300 of tools ...

Thanks for all the help - will get on with it and post some pics if it works out - well, will post some anyway for the 'mistakes corner' if it doesn't work out 🙂