Laying 1st row of 60x60x20 porcelain slabs . Gap or No Gap! - Tile Advice

[The Famous Forry]

When laying 1st row of porcelain tiles following line of house wall, Is it best I leave a gap for grout or but up direct against house wall? Thanks regards The Famous Forry.

 

[Ben-gee]

How far below the damp course are you?

 

[The Famous Forry]

Hello Ben-gee, I am exactly 2 bricks below the damp course

 

[Ben-gee]

Leave a gap, otherwise you have no room for adjustment.
I personally leave 3 or 4” and fill with gravel/stone chips to lessen splashing up the wall

 

[The Famous Forry]

Thank you Ben-gee, I will leave your reccomended gap. I am planning on laying on a bed of compacted MOT 100mm, with 40-50mm 4/1 sand cement mix and of course slurry the back of each tile. Would you do it this way?

 

[The Famous Forry]

Hello again Ben-gee, I was just looking at Compactors and see the performances are massively different, I mean Centrifugal Force ranges from 6K Newtons to 35+ KN . This will have massive impact on how well compacted your MOT is won't it? Whats your thoughts on this? Thanks again David.

 

[Ben-gee]

Driving vehicles on it or just walking?

 

[The Famous Forry]

Just Walking Back Garden Patio

 

[Ben-gee]

Don’t really need a whacker, I just use a punner - if you haven’t got one you can use a sledgehammer with of without a small square of ply.

 

[The Famous Forry]

Great, thanks again for your help