rubi batten holder or tiletracker - Tile Advice

[Handyeire]

I know some tilers don't use or need these but for those who do, do you find them handy and speeds up your work. I'm old skool and have always used battens but last few jobs have been a nightmare setting the battens because its been in old Irish stone cottages. I'm now going to buy the tile tracker or rubi batten holder. I've priced 4 rubi batten holders for 40quid and 2.5m of tile tracker with 5 stands and a free bag for 75quid. If I go with the rubi, I was thinking of buying some cheap levels on amazon so I can get a true line instead of using the battens thou the price will rise to near price of tiletracker if I choose go with rubi/levels.

So out of the 2, what would you say is best for setting and sturdyness.

While I'm here, a wee question about starting from the floor so to eliminate using these items or battens. Seeing as I've never did this, did you find much difficulty when starting out like this. In any jobs ive worked on, the floors are all over the place so can't use that as a guide. I know I can pack in under each tile but would there not be an awful lot of messing about trying to get the tiles all level and plumb. Maybe I'm wrong but I can't help thinking this would be the case but in saying that, in all my years working, I've never tiled from the floor.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Just use a 6 ft level/straightedge at your first full tile marked off the floor. Keep in in place by lifting up using tile pieces.
Then put the cuts in to the floor after its gone off.
Something I was taught 42 years ago in my first week of apprenticeship. No nails, no batons, just whatever was lying around the site.

 

[Handyeire]

Just use a 6 ft level/straightedge at your first full tile marked off the floor. Keep in in place by lifting up using tile pieces.
Then put the cuts in to the floor after its gone off.
Something I was taught 42 years ago in my first week of apprenticeship. No nails, no batons, just whatever was lying around the site.

Its probably just the way its worded John but I'm struggling to understand what you mean. Do you mean setting all your bottom tiles with 6 ft level on top filling out under them with using cuts of tiles?

 

[merlecollins]

Depending on tile size, you could put a level line around at the top of the bottom cut then cut the bottom course first which gives you your level line to work up from.

Haha, just re-read your post and saw the second part...

 

[swanman]

start from the bottom and work your way up
you don't need battens I've never used them

 

[Handyeire]

Depending on tile size, you could put a level line around at the top of the bottom cut then cut the bottom course first which gives you your level line to work up from.

Haha, just re-read your post and saw the second part...

Yeah i was thinking thats how its done but thats where i would think all the messing about would come into it trying to keep the tiles inline with the level line above it because of all the packing in underneath to keep them in place. Thats why ive always used battens because then you know its a good surface to work from.

 

[merlecollins]

Yeah i was thinking thats how its done but thats where i would think all the messing about would come into it trying to keep the tiles inline with the level line above it because of all the packing in underneath to keep them in place. Thats why ive always used battens because then you know its a good surface to work from.

If you mark your cuts accurately enough theres no problem. I use Raimondi wedges for fine tuning.

 

[Handyeire]

start from the bottom and work your way up
you don't need battens I've never used them

Yes i understand this, its just ive never started like this in all my years and im curious to know best way to do it. I guess i was just set im my ways over the years and even thou most tilers dont use battens, its still a good method of starting off, time wise maybe not so good but ive always seemed to cover my own wages doing it this way.

 

[Handyeire]

If you mark your cuts accurately enough theres no problem. I use Raimondi wedges for fine tuning.

Easier said than done when working in old irish cottages where the floors are all over the place, even when scrapped all out where floor meets wall.

 

[merlecollins]

Easier said than done when working in old irish cottages where the floors are all over the place, even when scrapped all out where floor meets wall.

Why don't you try it on your next job?

Different folk use different methods - it might be worth a shot for you.

 

[Handyeire]

Why don't you try it on your next job?

Different folk use different methods - it might be worth a shot for you.

Ive a big enough job booked in for 4 weeks, might just try it out in the utilty room when im doing it. Might just stick to one wall to see how i get on. I know what your saying about different folk use different methods, people are just used to what they know but it got me thinking after reading online at how others do it thou in saying this, ive never came across any videos on the net with tilers starting of with at bottom.

 

[Spare Tool]

Yes i understand this, its just ive never started like this in all my years and im curious to know best way to do it. I guess i was just set im my ways over the years and even thou most tilers dont use battens, its still a good method of starting off, time wise maybe not so good but ive always seemed to cover my own wages doing it this way.

Sorry but I'd never dream of starting off with a cut to the floor...only one 100% guaranteed way of marking a room up and making sure every corner meets perfectly in my book and that's ping a datum line round the room, make a staff from a batten, tiles and spacers, then carry the batten round the room marking each wall up off your datum and staff till you've found the perfect starting point...at this point you can put your levels back in the van and every batten comes off your datum line and mark on your staff. Hammer the battens on with 6 inch nails if need be but I've found that a dry wall screw will drive into almost anything

 

[Dash J]

It's also a far better finish if you leave off bottom cut and tile down onto floor
i was taught in my apprenticeship to mark a line and tile down
not for me anymore bottom cut left off,tile floor then put bottom course in,far better finish

 

[Spare Tool]

It's also a far better finish if you leave off bottom cut and tile down onto floor
i was taught in my apprenticeship to mark a line and tile down
not for me anymore bottom cut left off,tile floor then put bottom course in,far better finish

Agreed

 

[merlecollins]

It's also a far better finish if you leave off bottom cut and tile down onto floor
i was taught in my apprenticeship to mark a line and tile down
not for me anymore bottom cut left off,tile floor then put bottom course in,far better finish

Sorry, but I disagree...:smilewinkgrin: (With regards finish)

I use both methods - battens and fixing the bottom cut first - depending on job and tile size and whichever I don't get a better finish from one method over the other.