FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TILE SPACERS

Looking for some help in choosing whether you should opt for buying tile spacers in your next project? You will find this information helpful. Read all you need to know about tile spacers!

If you’re new to tiling jobs and has some questions about what tile spacers are, if they are necessary, which size to choose and so on, we’ve put together some commonly asked questions to give you insights and information about tile spacers.

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1. What is a Tile Spacer?

Tile spacers are small plastic products that helps in laying tiles with consistent and even spacing. Tile spacers are usually made of plastic, but they can actually be made of wood or ceramic as well. These are used to create space between tiles for what we call also as grout.

2. What do tile spacers look like?

Most tile spacers nowadays vary in shapes and sizes. There are spacers in shapes of crosses, T, horseshoe and many more but each has their own purpose. Choosing among various types of spacers depending on the tile patterns you wish to achieve on your project. Various sizes that are available ranges from 1.0mm to 10.0mm.

      3. Are tile spacers necessary?

YES! Using tile spacers provide much convenience and needed efficiency. If you lack tile laying skills and you desire to create designs with consistent and even spacing, use of spacers between tiles is ideal to prevent tile lippage and to achieve consistent and even spacing.

      4. What is grout?

Grout is a mixture usually composed of water, cement and sand that is poured into various narrow cavities such as spaces between tiles. Grout lines or joints depends on the size of the tile spacer you will use in your project.

      5. What are grout lines for?

Most tiles are usually made of hard materials and in cases of floor or house shifting, some tiles may be prone to damage when tiles rub with each other; it usually results to tile damages over time such as cracks. Grouts help protect the tiles from damage or stress.

      6. How thick should grout lines be?

The width of your grout joint should be based on a number of factors including everything to tile size and amount of variation in size to your desired design. Narrow grout is preferred often because a wider joint provides more surface for staining to occur. People often consider narrow grouts because it makes the surface look more unified, flatter and polished.

       7. How do you place tile spacers?

Here’s a simple rundown of how to use them:

Lay down four tiles to form a square. Insert a tile spacer at the intersection where these four tiles meet. The spacer will lie down flat on the ground using this method. Fit a corner of each piece of tile snugly into the corresponding corner of the tile spacer.

BEFORE the adhesive dries out, remove the tile spacers. You may use your finger, a set of pliers, or any tool. It may vary on how long it takes the adhesive to dry out. Check if the thinset is already dry. Once fully dried, it’s time to lay the grout.

       8. What tile spacer size should I use?

It is actually dependent on the design and aesthetic you wish to accomplish in your project. Tile spacers with specification of 1.0 mm means the width of grout would be 1.0 mm, 2.0mm would be for 2.0mm grout and so on. It is important that you consider the type of tile or its design that will be used since there could also be variation in size from tile to tile.

       9. How long should I leave tile spacers in?

Leave the tile spacers in place while the adhesive is setting. It is always advised by professionals to remove the spacers for lesser tile stress and to allow grout to go the full depth between the spaces. It usually takes the adhesive to set from about 20 minutes to half an hour.

      10. Are there tile spacers for tile flooring that you can leave installed before laying your grout?

Yes. These are called leave-in spacers. This type have hollow or empty space in the base part so that the grout can fill in. Commonly, these tile spacers ensure proper bonding and are used for larger tiles that need extra support.

      11. Should tile spacers be removed before grouting?

Yes! If you leave the tile spacers,  it will damage the grout after some time if you do not remove them. It can create damage to the floor later on so make sure to  remove them.

     12. How do I remove tile spacers?

Use needle nose pliers to remove them effectively and easily. Before the adhesive dries out, remove the tile spacers.  Then, you can apply the grouts.

     13. What can I do if tile spacers get stuck? Do I have to redo everything?

There are cases where tile spacers get stuck because the adhesive set quicker than expected. If this is the case, you can push the spacers farther down the spaces between tiles if it cannot be removed. Then they place grout over them.

Some would say that it is okay to leave the tile spacers. But most of those who have experience in using them would rather not forget this tip because it entails more repair by doing so.

      14. Can I use Leave-in Tile Spacers?

Some would say that it is okay to leave tile spacers in. Actually, there are also leave-in types that are available for purchase, but the general idea is to always remove them. Most of those who has experience using them would not forget this tip because it usually means to making repairs in the future.

      15. What happens if I leave tile spacers in between grout lines?

Grouting over tile spacers usually creates substandard results and could even damage your floor. Don’t grout over tile spacers! Leaving tile spacers in between narrow gaps create uneven grout application making other areas have thin layers. It is noticeable because of the grout over a spacer area is lighter in color and because of its thinness, that area is most prone to damage.

      16. Which spacer size is great for laying large tiles?

Professional tile installers usually recommend 1.5mm for walls and 3.0mm for walls. If you are using tiles in sizes 12 by 12 inches and 16 by 16 inches, you may use spacer measurements suggested or go wider with 3/16. It depends on the design you prefer.

      17. When can I use 2.0mm or 3.0mm sized tile spacers?

Usually, 2.0 to 3.0mm size is used with rectified tiles. Tiles rectified edges allows for smaller grout lines because the tile has been more precisely cut. There is less irregularity with rectified tiles, so less spacing is needed between each piece. A tight grout space will allow the pattern to flow nicely from one tile to the next.

      18. Can l lay tile without grout lines?

Some people may think that maybe they can place tiles next to each other without spaces to avoid making grout lines. It is highly advisable to know recommended for grout size for the kind of tile product you will use for your project, but there really is no set width requirement. There are tiles however that does not need much grout lines and these vary depending on your preferred tile type.

      19. Is 1.0mm the narrowest size I can use?

It is not recommended to install any tile products tighter than 1.0mm but you can always go larger.

      20. When should I use 1.0 mm or 2.0 mm tile spacers?

The gap between the tiles on the wall is better to be 1 mm to 2 mm. With other small tile sizes, such as 100 mm x 100 mm, you can opt for a bigger tile space for better aesthetic. Grout between the tiles on the floor is suggested to be 1 mm to 5 mm. For outdoor tiling job, it is better to leave gap of 6.0 mm, 8.0 mm or 10.0 mm.

       21. When should I use 4.0 mm to 5.0 mm tile spacers?

It is ideal to use 4.0 to 5.0mm tile spacers to leave room for the natural variation in size, and the perfectly imperfect edges of handmade tiles.

      22. Can you buy tile spacers by piece? And how many do I need to purchase?

They can be bought either by pack or by tub. It is made available to purchase them by packs in different sizes starting at 100 pieces, 200 pieces, 250 pieces, 500 pieces, and 1000 pieces. Most tile spacers nowadays also vary in shapes. Some are T-shaped, other cross-shaped and it also come in horseshoe-shaped.

If you’re planning for your project, kindly consider also the room’s size and layout, and the tile size.

      23. When can I use Cross-shaped tile spacers?

There may be different shapes available, but each has their own purpose and using which type depends on the patterns you wish to achieve. If you wish to achieve neat rows and columns like those of a ‘Checkerboard’, this pattern is best achieved with cross shaped flooring spacers.

      24. When can I use T-shaped spacers?

‘T’ shaped tile spacers are best for more irregular, offset patterns.

     25. When can I use Horseshoe-shaped spacers?

Horseshoe spacers are perfect for wall installations such as countertops, because they hold their shape and don’t cause grout bulging.

Also, kindly check on the type of tile you wish to install for your project and then choose among the types of tile spacers which is best to use.

     26. What are Tavy Tile Spacers?

Another type of cross-shaped variety are what are called Tavy tile spacers. These have a circular ring around the x that helps prevent them from sinking down into the adhesive and also allows you to see all four corners of every intersection. Another notable feature of this type is that you can use its both sides; it has cross shape on one side which you can use in corners and a straight edge on the other which is ideal for any type of sides where spacers are required.

     27. What are Tile Wedge Spacers?

Wedge spacers allow grout lies have the same width and it also helps in achieving aligned tiles. For features of this type, you can use LASH, meaning it Levels, Aligns, make Spaces, and Holds the tiles for professional finish installation. It can be used in both horizontal and vertical surfaces helping in maintaining even grout lines and helps to avoid tile lippage.

    28. Is it ideal to have narrow grout lines or joints?

It is very trendy nowadays to have minimal grout space but that isn’t always the best option for some tile types. Keep in mind that space between tiles also serves another purpose– relieve stress between tiles.

If the tile space is too narrow, the tile could chip at stress points once the grout dries. Stress from home settling may also be an issue with little grout space. This is especially important for other tile types such as glass since glass is more sensitive to stress cracking than ceramic tiles.

It is an aesthetic decision whether which width you would prefer to go with your design. But, tighter grout width could show more variation from tile to tile. Professionals may suggest for larger grout line to achieve a more polished work.

     29. What should I remember when using Tile Spacers?

Be sure to use the same exact size tile spacers as you used originally when creating the joints between trim pieces and also between the trim and the rest of the tiles in your installation when the project you are working is using wide joints.

If you leave tile spacers in between tiles, it will result in a thin layer of grout that makes it lighter in color.