All these questions can be answered in the affirmative. What does it cost, for example, a tile leveling system (SVP) and a home-made comb for leveling tile adhesive on the base.
We chose a heated garage with an area of 35 sq.m. as an object. The base is a self-leveling cement floor with the addition of fiberglass and primed. That is, simply, it is an ordinary cement screed with reinforcement.
In general, a well-prepared base is a prerequisite for quickly and efficiently completing the work of laying tiles, especially large sizes or if there are defects on it.
The process of laying tiles using SVP and a homemade comb
The material we will use is not standard, so it makes sense to see what it is like.Most often, these are products that did not pass final inspection due to geometry defects. Usually, they are marked with a dot either on the glaze or on the end. Also considered substandard is tiles with any imperfections in the glaze or the presence of large chips on the edges.
But we should not consider poor quality material to be unsuitable for anything. It can be usefully used for trimming or for laying in less visible places.
This substandard tile was specially purchased at a low price, and, in our opinion, it is just right for a garage. Of course, it is somewhat more difficult to work with, but with some effort the result will still be excellent.
The most important and lengthy stage is laying out the first row. But before that, you need to estimate and evaluate what kind of flatness the walls have. For large volumes, it is best to use a construction cord for this, although the use of a laser is not prohibited. But with a cord it will be much easier, more convenient and more accurate. Moreover, we will use it only to control the line along which the tiles are laid.
Also in our work we will use the 3D cross tile leveling system and test a new tool, which is made entirely of plastic, and is designed to facilitate and speed up the reliable and tight insertion of the wedge into the clamp.
The main homemade device in our work will be a comb inclined in the direction of travel. It is attached to two wooden sides, which, to give them rigidity, are connected by a cross member and two jibs - with an inclined comb. The sides are attached to the ends of the comb and are parallel to each other.
This modernized tool allows you to quickly and, most importantly, accurately apply a layer of tile adhesive of equal thickness, which is an indispensable condition for fast and high-quality work. After all, when the adhesive solution is applied evenly, laying the tiles will be done quickly and as simply as possible. Such a comb can be made right on site in just half an hour from scrap materials.
Working with such a homemade tool is very simple and at the same time productive. Tile adhesive is laid out in front of it and smoothed out a little with a trowel. Then, pressing the comb against the ends of the already laid tiles and slightly towards the floor, we move forward, adding more and more portions of tile adhesive as the tool moves.
At the same time, behind such an improved device there remains a strip of adhesive solution of equal thickness with ridges and depressions on the surface, parallel to the laid rows of tiles. They guarantee that when laying tiles on the adhesive and rocking them across the strips, there will be no air left underneath and the tile will be glued over its entire surface.
Then, on each side of the tiles being laid, we install at least two clamps, otherwise it will be difficult to ensure the same width of the tile joints. Since the tiles are laid on a flat base, there is no need to coat them on the back side. You can clearly verify this by lifting one of the laid tiles. It can be seen that glue in the form of shagreen leather is also present on its back side, and this is a sure sign that it is glued along the entire base.
Having laid 5-6 tiles, you need to insert wedges into the clamps and seal their connection using the previously demonstrated special tool. As a result, not only the size of the joints is maintained, but also the same level of tiles is ensured. In this case, there is no need to use a level gauge, the use of which takes a lot of time and requires considerable experience.
Working with SVP is especially effective when working with an assistant, when everyone clearly knows what they need to do at each moment. At the same time, the productivity of laying tiles increases approximately 4 times compared to the traditional method, and quality is ensured almost automatically, provided that the base is properly prepared.
Just don’t forget about the masonry composition, which is squeezed out through the seams between the tiles. It must be removed immediately using a narrow brush dipped in water. This will prevent the wasteful work of removing dried adhesive, which is not only difficult to do, but can also damage the edges and glaze of the tiles.
In order to make sure that there are no errors, it is necessary to check the accuracy of the laying using a construction cord after every second or third row.
Laying the last row against the opposite wall will require the use of a tile cutter. This is where the initially rejected tiles with defects in geometry, damaged glaze or chipped edges will come into use.
Having completed laying the tiles, it is necessary to leave the coating with SVP overnight. The next day, when the glue has hardened enough, you can remove the top of the clamps and wedges by simply knocking them down with your feet in your shoes.
Depending on the material of the hovercraft, some clamps cannot be knocked down without wedges, while others can be easily removed, both with and without wedges. All that remains is to use the brush on the handle to sweep the wedges and the upper parts of the clamps into one place. The wedges can be reused up to 50 times, but the clamp parts will have to be thrown away as they are disposable material.
Notes at the end
Experienced tilers strongly advise not to spare time and effort in preparing the base for laying tiles, and the larger it is, the more thorough the preparation should be. Otherwise, using the SVP method will not give the desired result.
When the clamps are knocked down, some of them may break off above the tiles, which can be easily removed using regular pliers or pliers. When a fragment of the clamp cannot be grasped with pliers, it can be removed so that it does not interfere with the grouting of the joints using a narrow disk mounted on the spindle of a drill or grinder.
