What Trowels and Spreaders for Tiling do you Need?

Laying down new tiles in a bathroom or kitchen can be a rather grueling and exhausting process, for all of how easy it is compared to other decoration options. Fortunately tiling can be done with in just an afternoon and with little to no prior training or experience required, provided you have the right tools on hand.

Given the popularity of tiles as a home design choice, it’s perhaps not surprising that there exists a broad range of items dedicated to helping set down tools properly. Certainly the process can be fairly delicate and in need of good hands.

However with so many tools and tiles to choose from, the decision of what you need to buy and what you can probably do without may not be immediately obvious. Fortunately, here’s a quick list of more essential materials, trowels and spreaders for tiling you can use to help give you an idea. The actual tiles go without saying, of course.

Adhesive

This is what actually attaches your tiles to the walls, before you bring out your trowels and spreaders for tiling. Adhesives come in a wide variety of types, differing in things such as drying time, thickness and how hard they set onto the wall. Make sure you use an adhesive that’s not only suitable for your walls, but won’t damage your tiles either.

Grout

Grout seals the tiles into place and helps prevent moisture and dirt from building up behind them. Not only does this keep them on your walls for longer, but it’s also essential for promoting health and hygiene within the room. Gaps between your tiles can quickly become a festering breeding ground for germs and bacteria, so make sure you grout the tiles very thoroughly when you’ve finished setting them.

Hammer and Chisel

Mistakes sometimes happen, or else a broken tile may need replacing. It’s difficult to remove tiles whole, so it’s often the case that the tiles are broken with the chisel and removed fragment by fragment. A power drill may also come in handy here. They’re used to drill holes into the tile and make it easier to break up under sufficiently applied pressure. All are used to remove tiles that are already affixed to the wall, allowing you to set down a new one. Use a crafting knife to puncture and scrap away grout too.

Trowels and Spreaders for Tiling

Trowels and spreaders are basically tools used that help apply the adhesive to the wall, as well as spread it out for a more even consistency. If adhesive is lumpy, it can create air pockets and leave the tiles looking wonky and uneven. If you’re removing tiles, a trowel can be hammered gently under a tile to lever it off the wall.

Safety Supplies

Usually this is just a pair of goggles and maybe a pair of gloves too to protect your hands and eyes from any sharp fragments of tile or dust. A respirator may not be a bad idea either. In addition, you should make sure surrounding furniture and fittings are adequately protected too.