Asked by: Tisha Ponec
home and garden interior decorating

What size trowel should I use for 12x12 tile?

26
Small tiles generally need the smaller trowel sizes, and tiles of 16 inches or larger will take the largest-size trowel. Floor tiles measuring 12 by 12 inches are considered standard, requiring a notched trowel size of either 1/4 inch by 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch.


Beside this, what size trowel should I use for 12x24 tile?

All tile manufacturers offer a recommended trowel size. Mosaic installations up to 2 inches can use a 1/8-inch notch, as can wall tiles of up to 4 inches, as a general rule. 16-inch tiles need a 1/2-inch-deep notch, and anything over 24 inches should use a …

One may also ask, what size trowel for 6x24 look tile? Some pros say they need a 1/2" square notch to achieve that on larger format tiles, but in theory if your tiles are flat and your substrate is flat it should require no more than a 1/4" square notch to achieve that goal.

Also asked, how do you know what size trowel to use?

Finding the right trowel for the job is quite simple when you know that, generally speaking, the trowel size should match up to the tile size – the smaller the tile, the smaller the trowel; the larger the tile, the larger the trowel.

What size notched trowel for floor tiles?

So a 12mm x 12mm trowel will leave a 6mm high bed of adhesive beneath the tile. A 6mm x 6mm trowel will leave a 3mm bed of adhesive beneath the tile. Using a U-notched trowel and embedding the tile into the adhesive leaves you with a bed of adhesive beneath the tile a little over 1/3 the size of the trowel teeth.

Related Question Answers

Azalee Opgenroth

Professional

How big should grout lines be for 12x24 tile?

Finished grout lines will vary from 1/16" to 3/16". Note that using the smallest grout possible will increase installation time. 3/16": We recommend a 3/16" grout size for our Ceramic Tile line. This thickness leaves room for the natural variation in size, and the perfectly imperfect edges of handmade tile.

Weiping Sophia

Professional

What happens if Thinset is too thick?

The most likely dangers of using it too thick are cracks (see photo), delamination, and lippage. Please note that the thinset being shown as a patch in the previous pictures is one designed to be used on plywood (an ANSI A118. 11 mortar). If you try to do that with an el-cheapo thinset, good luck.

Giulietta Aldas

Explainer

How thick can Thinset be applied?

The terms thinset cement, thinset mortar, dryset mortar, and drybond mortar are synonymous. This type of cement is designed to adhere well in a thin layer - typically not greater than 3/16th thick. For example, a 3/8" notch trowel will produce a 3/16th inch thick coating after the tiles are pressed in to the cement.

Donnette Vishaal

Explainer

Can I tile over self leveling compound?

Start with a flat floor
Self-leveling compound gives you a flat, smooth base for tile. It's also a fast way to embed in-floor heating mats or cables. deep, screed thinset over them to create a flat surface. For really bad floors, self-leveling compound (also called “self-leveling underlayment”) is a lifesaver.

Denver Epifania

Pundit

Should you back butter tile?

Although it's recommended for natural stone tile, it's not always necessary or required to get adequate mortar coverage on ceramic and porcelain tile. So, how important is it? Back butter is defined as, “the spreading of a bond coat to the backs of ceramic tile just before the tile is placed.”

Cresencio Voellmar

Pundit

How big should grout lines be for subway tile?

1/16″

Salustiana Yuliyanova

Pundit

What size tile spacers do I need?

The general rule is to use tile spacers of 2 - 3mm for a ceramic wall tile installation and tile spacers of 5mm for a ceramic floor tile installation, but there are numerous factors that can influence the size of the tile spacers you use. Porcelain, granite and marble tiles are generally installed with a 3mm spacer.

Bahiya Luzan

Pundit

How wide is a grout line?

As a general rule, floor tiles should have grout lines of 1/8 inch or larger, depending on the type and size of tile; most floor tiles are 8 inches by 8 inches, but larger versions are available. Special types, such as slate or quarry tiles, often do not have edges uniform enough to look good with tight spacing.

Donelio Fuchss

Teacher

How much grout do I need?

Average Coverage
A 25-pound bag of dry grouting compound, when mixed with water, usually is sufficient to grout around 200 square feet of typical 4 1/4-inch square ceramic tile that is 1/4 inch thick, with 1/8-inch grout lines. A 200-square-foot area is equivalent to a wall about 8 feet high by 25 feet wide.

Valdeci Hereza

Teacher

What do you use a margin trowel for?

It's used for gauging, or mixing in specific proportions, typically when you desire to mix small amounts of a quick-setting thin set, mortar, or drywall compound. Margin Trowel – has a rectangular front and v-shaped back. It's used to mix thin-set, scoop stuff, and spread materials such as thinsets in tight quarters.

Elke Lugariz

Teacher

How much thinset do I need calculator?

Amount of Thinset Needed
A 120 square foot room with 16-inch tiles will take a minimum of three bags of thinset. Divide the square footage of your project by 95 (the maximum coverage of a 50-pound bag of thinset. For example, a 10-by-12-foot room is 120 square feet; divided by 95, the result is 1.26.

Jestine Innamorato

Teacher

What size notched trowel for 18x18 tile?

While a 12-inch tile can use a 1/4-by-3/8-inch trowel, an 18-inch tile must use a full 1/2-inch trowel. If full mortar coverage is not seen on the tiles, the tiles must be back-buttered -- that is, the mortar applied directly to their backs. Voids beneath an 18-inch tile could cause the tile to crack over time.

Eszter Jeannin

Reviewer

How do you grout tile?

  1. Choose a Grout Color. Standard grout comes in a variety of colors.
  2. Apply Grout. Pour a quart to half gallon of grout on the tiles.
  3. Hold Grout Float at 90-Degree Angle.
  4. Wipe Tile With a Damp Sponge.
  5. Use a Damp Cloth to Remove the Haze.
  6. Let Grout Dry and Then Apply Sealer.
  7. Caulk Along Baseboards and Walls.

Asael Bir

Reviewer

How do you cut ceramic tile?

Method 1 Using a Glass Cutter for Straight Cuts
  1. Use a pencil and a square to measure and mark your tiles.
  2. Set the tile down onto a sturdy surface and reposition the square.
  3. Score the tile with the glass cutter.
  4. Snap the tile over a wire hanger.
  5. Smooth the edges of the tile with a brick, if needed.

Wim Vidagany

Supporter

How do you get Thinset off porcelain tile?

Fill a container with muriatic acid and soak the pieces in the solution if you need to remove thinset from porcelain tiles in a demolition project. Muriatic acid is a fast-acting acid that works well against cement-based materials. Remove the pieces when they are clean of thinset and rinse them off with water.

Ludmilla Chica

Supporter

How thick should tile mortar be?

The terms thinset cement, thinset mortar, dryset mortar, and drybond mortar are synonymous. This type of cement is designed to adhere well in a thin layer - typically not greater than 3/16th thick. For example, a 3/8" notch trowel will produce a 3/16th inch thick coating after the tiles are pressed in to the cement.

Wei Tecedeiro

Supporter

How thick should a tile bed be?

For a mortar bed, this is not always practical as the typical mortar bed and tile in the minimum thickness measures more than one inch. Depending on the application requirements, it can be greater than two and a half inches thick.

Jeanine Otdelnov

Beginner

How thick should floor tile adhesive be?

1. Apply the adhesive to the surface with an appropriate notch trowel: as a general guide use a 6mm notch trowel to achieve a 1mm bed thickness for walls; 10mm notch to achieve an approximate 1.5mm bed thickness for concrete floors; 12mm notch trowel to achieve a 2.5mm bed thickness for timber floors.

Tamimount Whittingham

Beginner

What tiles are not suitable for outdoors?

Can I Use Porcelain Tiles Outside?
  • Porcelain Tiles Are Frostproof. When using a tile in a place where temperatures may drop to below zero, a porcelain tile is your only real option.
  • Porcelain Tiles Don't Need Much Maintenance.
  • Some Porcelain Tiles Are Slip Resistant.
  • Porcelain Tiles Are Fade and Scratch Resistant.
  • A Seamless Finish From Inside To Out.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

5

26th April, 2020

73

80% of readers found this page helpful.

4.3/5

Click a star to add your vote

Similar Asks
Trending