Tavy 4-Corner View Tile Spacer Box
Knowing how to use tile spacers can give the even greenest of green do-it-yourselfers a chance to look like a real tiling pro. While tile spacers are mere little pieces of plastic, they give your tiling job proper spacing and symmetry, saving you from installing a chaotic piece of abstract art on your backsplash or bathroom floor.
These little life-saving devices basically look like little plus-symbols and range in size from 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch. Using them is a pretty basic process that ensures precise spacing between your tiles. They also expedite your project and help you achieve both level flooring and tile longevity, ensuring that your tiles aren’t too close together—an added layer of protection, as tiles in certain environments are prone to expansion. As you determine which size tile spacer to use, keep in mind that the spacer determines your grout width. Smaller tiles will call for smaller tile spaces.
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Using tile spacers can feel like a perfectly intuitive process—you simply place them at the corners of each piece of tile—but there are some things you should know before diving in. After all, while a tile job may not be forever, you certainly want it to last for years, and just a little misstep can ruin your job from the outset. So, let’s take a moment and run through the process.
It is absolutely critical that you pluck up your tile spacers at the right time, which is generally about thirty minutes after you place your tiles into the adhesive. This gives your tile a chance to become set in the adhesive, which won’t have solidified yet to the point that it traps your spacers. You definitely don’t want to wait more than an hour to remove them.
Plucking those spacers—we recommend needle-nose pliers—lets them live on for use in your next tile job, but, more importantly, if you leave them in place and apply grout over traditional tile spacers—some are designed to be kept in place—your grout will undoubtedly crack, marring the whole project.
Barwalt Hollow Leave-In T Spacers
So what happens when a tile spacer gets stuck? Even the consummate tiling pro will admit to having let one set too long—okay, maybe he won’t admit it, but he’s done it. If—when—that happens, you just want to give it some light taps on the side with a screwdriver or hammer and awl until it wiggles a touch. At that point, you can just pluck it right up.
You’ll quickly gain confidence with the basics of using tile spacers. On occasion, though, your tile job may call for more intricate work and, for that, you may need tile spacers that allow for a bit more versatility. Of course, we have you covered on that front. You should also be equipped with the proper tile cutter.
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Taking a little time to study up before taking on that do-it-yourself tile job can save you all sorts of headaches. Knowing how to use tile spacers is one of the most fundamental parts of tiling. They give you symmetry—truly the mark of professional work—and gaining the skill is a breeze. Browse our tile spacers and shop all of our tiling tools online at Contractor’s Direct.
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If you have questions about tile and what supplies you need for the job, we’re here for you! Reach out to us at 1-800-709-0002.