tile spacer law

[cowgomoo]

Hello everyone, on site today we were discussing tile spacers - as you do - and one chap ( Italian ) stated that by English law the minimum space between tiles is 2mm. Is this the fact or was he just talking his usual rubbish - good tiler though !!
Thanking you in advance.

 

[DHTiling]

That is the Bs standard yes....

 

[doug boardley]

didn't know that!

 

[cowgomoo]

wow that was fast, does that mean that it would be illegal to use a 1mm spacer ?? I thought it was just impractical with the inevitable inaccuracy of tile manufacturers

 

[DHTiling]

No it wouldn't...BS5385 is a standard ( guideline) and not a regulation..

 

[Dan]

I don't think its that sort of Law, but it is British Standard, and if you're using less than 2mm for walls and 3mm for floors (I think it is) then you're not tiling to standard.

 

[cowgomoo]

So if I were using 1mm ie not to British Standard what are the possible reprecusions to me and why is that measurement the standard, is there a basis in science or is it just a number dreamt up by some suit ??

 

[Dan]

There's always reason behind a standard. I think the tile spacing section of the british standard looks at expansion and retraction of substrates and materials involved to work out what tile spacing is needed for a certain sized tile on wall and floors and the spacing is to compensate for movement. And of course tile variations allowed under standards (in the UK and elsewhere) which means all the tiles may not be exactly the same size.

So it'll be related to other standards, and all factors that contribute to failures when they're studied.

Manufacturers and associations and the likes can suggest improvements to standards I think. As they'd see failures and improvements, though I guess that's a slow process to get into practice.

 

[doug boardley]

at least I've got a reason now to back up "I don't like to go below 2mm"!

 

[David - Tradetiler]

The tile spacer police will be after you

Don't panic, we can do you some 'under the counter' 1mm spacers :smilewinkgrin: