Battens.

[tjsmiler]

Paul.....use a batten if it makes your life easier mate, once you get going you will learn how to go without them. Iuse a batten if fixing heavy porcalain etc.

Some of the quality adhesive out there is non slip so you can just fix a load to the wall where your starting point is then level em up with your bubble, after that it's just plane sailing mate.

TJ
----
I do use a batten on my mrs though

 

[brian c]

NICE 1 l&r,PAUL you will need to get used to L&r m8.

I did have achuckle at Pauls technical data tho.lol:whatchutalkingabout :whatchutalkingabout

 

[tjsmiler]

Gotta admit it was quite funny reading he he

 

[m4ubs]

I like the idea of a level with holes....

 

[GazTech]

In 20 years tiling can hardly remember a wall flat and straight enough to stop a standard size wall tile from slipping with normal suction.MANUFACTURERS USE THE TERM NON-SLIP FAR TO OFTEN!! It makes the tiler think that the tile will hit the wall and stick like velcro, don't be so nieve,walls bend and have hollows all over them so to get a good straight finish,adhesive is thicker than just a scraped notch onto glass,slipping will occur and when it does you cant claw the level back.Using battens gives you a great first course which is the foundation and backbone of your wall tiling job,if you can't be arsed then be it on your own head if the course over the bath looks like a smile 🙂or a frown:sad_smile:

 

[tjsmiler]

Very true Gaz, it really pisses me off how they say it's non-slip when it clearly isn't!! unless your walls are ultra straight you aint got no chance.....

 

[laurami tiling]

never had a straight wall yet but when i do i will have an ******:angel_smile:
battens are fine just be aware of what might be behind wall when youre screwing em or nailing to wall, dont want to bust anything naughty like pipes or wires
tony

 

[GazTech]

never had a straight wall yet but when i do i will have an ******:angel_smile:
battens are fine just be aware of what might be behind wall when youre screwing em or nailing to wall, dont want to bust anything naughty like pipes or wires
tony

Top tip there mate,have a metal detector or use hot glue gun to put up! a claw hammer under batten pops em straight off

 

[m4ubs]

Just today i saw a hot glue gun and was thinking it'd be useful to stick a batten ; )....its safer than nailing into a pipe or wire...might try it out...

 

[Fekin]

Never used a hot glue gun before for anything.

Whats the off time with the glue before it sets enough to hold level, if you know what I mean, like, pop the glue on the batton, squash onto the wall, get level in a few seconds, hold a few seconds and then it's stuck and won't slide with it's own weight. ?

 

[GazTech]

Yep Fekin,spots of glue,hold for 10 seconds max onto your level line marked on the wall simply pop off when tiles have set

 

[postie]

What brand and model would you recommend Gaz.

 

[GazTech]

Any heavy duty will be good,small DIY pissy ones no good at all,always a handy piece of kit to have at your disposal

 

[EA Tiling]

Batten???? Do Tilers still use them?

Dont buy rough (carcassing) or cheap rubbish "IF" you are tempted to use battens.

Btter off using a good quality adhesive, setting out, drawing you line mid-height, and a vertical line, trowelling the wall then tiling down to the floor... its done before they can move and when you have gone round the bottom half....."topping up" the best bit as all the crap work has been done... good practice and speeds you up...but dont go trowelling 5 metres in one go! lol

 

[laurami tiling]

well you could if you had 1 of them addy guns of the dragons den show lmao🙂

tony

 

[charlie1]

i use 'U' and 'L' profile strips of aluminium for a straight edge, seems to work ok but i like the idea of using supperstrong adhesive that doesn't slip with your first row and that becomes the straight edge, thats what Darren from NETT advised.

 

[lm tiles]

local joiner ha plenty scrap bits of wood

 

[pursedog]

get wat ya saying bout using battens on walls but what do you guys use to get your line on a kithen floor, when all the units are already fitted and its hard to tell where to begin?

 

[GazTech]

Usually find the centre between the units and get equal cuts to plinth ,Either laser line pencilled in or chalk line mark

 

[pursedog]

nice one gaz. but if the plinths are all not parallel to eachother what do you go from?

 

[DHTiling]

sqaure to the longest run of units as this will show if your not in line...

 

[GazTech]

nice one gaz. but if the plinths are all not parallel to eachother what do you go from?

Split the difference and point out to the customer that it's not square.Then tell the customer to match the grout colour to the tile so they blend in,and your eye is not then drawn to the joints.If it's not that far out pack the plinths out a bit to compensate:wink_smile:

 

[lm tiles]

Start at the Door threshold and dry lay your tiles to the units
mark floor with chalk line . laser or perm marker pen