And another note. We wanted 24" tile but we were told it's too difficult to install and make level. We sure are glad we did not upgrade to this tile. The 18" is a total disappointment as is. I want to rip it all up and start fresh but there is 2300 SF of it. Guess we have to live with it. Maybe just cover is up with rugs :(
Great video! We just built a new home and the tile installation is terrible! Wish the installer knew what he was doing. I can't even mop the floor without the Swiffer pad catching a lip and falling off. There are large gaps between the baseboards and the flooring, total lips going on. Not to mention all the tile residue left over. I'm sure the tile was not sealed before grouted. I'm guessing the builder got the cheapest sub. The only thing that I might not totally agree with is running the tile under the cabinets. Being in the water mitigation field, if there is a water loss and the tile runs under the cabinets, the cabinets and counter tops need to be removed in most cases. The same issue happens if old floorings are not removed like vinyl, which act as a vapor barrier. Thanks!
The reason for gaps under the baseboards is dips in the floor. Sometimes I leave them because to me, shoe rail used to cover those gaps is even uglier. Sometimes I wish they had flexible baseboards to eliminate those gpas.
I saw how the wedges are applied on two loose tiles, how do you install brackets/wedges as you go? Do you shove it underneath set tiles or do you lay bracket down before tile
After I lay each tile, I stick the brackets under a tile, then lay the next tile down, then slide the wedge until it clicks. I got 3 r 4 tiles down at a time, then come back and use the tool to tighten the wedges
Nice job and explanation!Can you overcome an almost 1/2 inch un levelled concrete floor with this system?Or should i use a levelling compound and make the floor levelled first?
You can overcome 1/2" but no more and it is risky. you want to make sure that 1/2" is in a small area. If it is across a living room that is large, you'll use twice the mortar, and be running back for more bags. Also, depending on the size, like if you are using 18" tiles, use a 1/2" trowel, and trowel the lines all in the same direction, do not curve your trowel lines. If you are using large tiles like I do, Look for a thin set mortar specifically made for large heavy tiles, like MAPEI LFT. Most bags will say LFT on them, meaning Large Format Tile. I would also recommend searching for a bag that has the ANSI spec, ANSI 118A.15T printed on the bag, as the .15T is a very important designation at the end, it specifies a low sag mortar which you'll need to over come the 1/2" depth you are trying to overcome. One example of this would be Schluter's Allset mortar, $33 a bag, but you get what you pay for with this improved spec. The MAPEI mortar with LFT on the bag is most likely ANSI A118.4 or A118.11, which the spec itself does not call out low sag, but the bag itself claims to be for large format tiles. Lastly I want to point out that the Tile Council of North America actually recommends against using extra mortar to even out floors, if you do, they want you to apply it all the same thickness, because varying thickness applied to the floor can theoretically cause shrinking and cracking of the mortar due to uneven drying/curing, which can cause brittle tiles like travertine and marble to crack. The key here is keep your troweled thickness of mortar even.
jeffostroff Thank you for a fast reply.It is a front door small concrete slab 1,65m2. Yesterday i levelled it with Mapei planitop 330 fast.It is still not flat but much better.The compound was really caky and difficult to work with. Will see today.I bought Mapei adesilex p4 thinset. Here in Europe we have different products.I don't know if I should wait for the Raimondi leveling sistem few days or put it without.I don't wanna mess up ☺.I have a 1/2" trowel.The tiles are 24x12.Thank you for your help.I look forward to new videos.Have a good day.
Christina, it has to do with adhesion of the mortar onto the tile.you'll see many UA-cam videos of tile fails where the old tiles popped right up, even though they were set into mortar. The the problem is the mortar does not just stick the tile, so we key in the mortar directly onto the tile first to make sure it has a grip on the tile. Then you set the tile. These are all part of the TCNA specs and handbook.
@@christinawarren9147 That's great, now you're a pro with better technique than many tilers out there. I was working in my flip condo today and finding more tiles from this 1974 condo, where it's hollow underneath because they did not back butter and likely did not trowel correctly.
I do this for myself own projects, occasionally for others but I charge $40 per hour. But, stores like Floor and Decor charge $4.50 per sq ft. I don't like this method of quoting, because it's all fast work, quick work, cutting corners, get the job done and get out, not about taking perfect time to level the floor using tile leveling systems, so best to find a company that does the tile leveling systems, takes their time, gets it perfect, and quotes you a set price based on the entire job, not by sq foot.
@@jeffostroff $40 an hour is a good price. Thanks. Great work! Yeah, lowes charges $5.75 to $5.99 a square foot in SAN Jose CA but I doubt that includes the detail you do and the leveling system your using.
Question; why do you need to leave a space (grouts) between tiles. Nobody likes them and they are extra work for the tiler and owner because the owner ends up cleaning em up because if you don’t its gonna destroy the look of the floor no matter how nice you tiled it
I prefer to use an eighth of an inch grout line because they are thin enough that that you don't really notice them. Some people prefer a 16th of an inch grout line but it requires a very particular accuracy in the cut of the tile by the manufacturer so that they can be lined up together and not have any noticeable change in the grout line. Also if you go with a 16th of an inch grout line you need much much more perfection in the flatness of your floor and in the way you set the tiles. I find that an eighth of an inch grout line is perfect because you can still use a sanded grout or a special grout that's made with the strength of sanded grouts.
@@jagboy69 It was used by my friend to back butter the tiles while I was troweling we couldn't find the other trowel. Sometimes you have to improvise but you're too closed minded if you think that the tools just made for drywall, it can be used for anything. You will notice we also used a painter's 5 in 1 tool to scrape the edge of the tiles to get thin set motor off, Because the half inch tall side of the edge of that played perfectly matches our tile height.
✅ Tile leveling system parts used in this tile leveling video:
✅ Raimondi Tile Leveling System Starter Kit: amzn.to/2CAyweW
✅ Raimondi Tile Leveling Clip 1/8" joint: amzn.to/2RhbodI
✅ Raimondi LS250WEDGE 250-Piece Tile Leveling System Wedges: amzn.to/2Sopebl
And another note. We wanted 24" tile but we were told it's too difficult to install and make level. We sure are glad we did not upgrade to this tile. The 18" is a total disappointment as is. I want to rip it all up and start fresh but there is 2300 SF of it. Guess we have to live with it. Maybe just cover is up with rugs :(
Great video! We just built a new home and the tile installation is terrible! Wish the installer knew what he was doing. I can't even mop the floor without the Swiffer pad catching a lip and falling off. There are large gaps between the baseboards and the flooring, total lips going on. Not to mention all the tile residue left over. I'm sure the tile was not sealed before grouted. I'm guessing the builder got the cheapest sub. The only thing that I might not totally agree with is running the tile under the cabinets. Being in the water mitigation field, if there is a water loss and the tile runs under the cabinets, the cabinets and counter tops need to be removed in most cases. The same issue happens if old floorings are not removed like vinyl, which act as a vapor barrier. Thanks!
The reason for gaps under the baseboards is dips in the floor. Sometimes I leave them because to me, shoe rail used to cover those gaps is even uglier. Sometimes I wish they had flexible baseboards to eliminate those gpas.
We also built a new home. Tiler fucked up ours too, not level and grouts are pretty wide
@@jeffostroff They do have flexible baseboards just google
I saw how the wedges are applied on two loose tiles, how do you install brackets/wedges as you go? Do you shove it underneath set tiles or do you lay bracket down before tile
After I lay each tile, I stick the brackets under a tile, then lay the next tile down, then slide the wedge until it clicks. I got 3 r 4 tiles down at a time, then come back and use the tool to tighten the wedges
Great work! Will you do another video like this soon?
Nice job and explanation!Can you overcome an almost 1/2 inch un levelled concrete floor with this system?Or should i use a levelling compound and make the floor levelled first?
You can overcome 1/2" but no more and it is risky. you want to make sure that 1/2" is in a small area. If it is across a living room that is large, you'll use twice the mortar, and be running back for more bags. Also, depending on the size, like if you are using 18" tiles, use a 1/2" trowel, and trowel the lines all in the same direction, do not curve your trowel lines. If you are using large tiles like I do, Look for a thin set mortar specifically made for large heavy tiles, like MAPEI LFT. Most bags will say LFT on them, meaning Large Format Tile. I would also recommend searching for a bag that has the ANSI spec, ANSI 118A.15T printed on the bag, as the .15T is a very important designation at the end, it specifies a low sag mortar which you'll need to over come the 1/2" depth you are trying to overcome. One example of this would be Schluter's Allset mortar, $33 a bag, but you get what you pay for with this improved spec. The MAPEI mortar with LFT on the bag is most likely ANSI A118.4 or A118.11, which the spec itself does not call out low sag, but the bag itself claims to be for large format tiles. Lastly I want to point out that the Tile Council of North America actually recommends against using extra mortar to even out floors, if you do, they want you to apply it all the same thickness, because varying thickness applied to the floor can theoretically cause shrinking and cracking of the mortar due to uneven drying/curing, which can cause brittle tiles like travertine and marble to crack. The key here is keep your troweled thickness of mortar even.
jeffostroff Thank you for a fast reply.It is a front door small concrete slab 1,65m2. Yesterday i levelled it with Mapei planitop 330 fast.It is still not flat but much better.The compound was really caky and difficult to work with. Will see today.I bought Mapei adesilex p4 thinset. Here in Europe we have different products.I don't know if I should wait for the Raimondi leveling sistem few days or put it without.I don't wanna mess up ☺.I have a 1/2" trowel.The tiles are 24x12.Thank you for your help.I look forward to new videos.Have a good day.
I only see 1/16 Raimondi spacers, not 1/8. If I buy 1/16, can you somehow adapt to 1/8 ?
Why backbutter 12mm notch lft heavy enough to set themselves.
Christina, it has to do with adhesion of the mortar onto the tile.you'll see many UA-cam videos of tile fails where the old tiles popped right up, even though they were set into mortar. The the problem is the mortar does not just stick the tile, so we key in the mortar directly onto the tile first to make sure it has a grip on the tile. Then you set the tile. These are all part of the TCNA specs and handbook.
There's videos showing the additional adhesion you get from backbuttering.
ua-cam.com/video/bF2SgLBF6qI/v-deo.html
Thanks for the advice guys we did decide to back butter and very happy with the results
@@christinawarren9147 That's great, now you're a pro with better technique than many tilers out there. I was working in my flip condo today and finding more tiles from this 1974 condo, where it's hollow underneath because they did not back butter and likely did not trowel correctly.
After all this time would you still recommend this system or is there a better way ,Thankyou
Labor only, How much do you charge per square foot on install?
I do this for myself own projects, occasionally for others but I charge $40 per hour. But, stores like Floor and Decor charge $4.50 per sq ft. I don't like this method of quoting, because it's all fast work, quick work, cutting corners, get the job done and get out, not about taking perfect time to level the floor using tile leveling systems, so best to find a company that does the tile leveling systems, takes their time, gets it perfect, and quotes you a set price based on the entire job, not by sq foot.
@@jeffostroff
$40 an hour is a good price. Thanks. Great work! Yeah, lowes charges $5.75 to $5.99 a square foot in SAN Jose CA but I doubt that includes the detail you do and the leveling system your using.
Question; why do you need to leave a space (grouts) between tiles. Nobody likes them and they are extra work for the tiler and owner because the owner ends up cleaning em up because if you don’t its gonna destroy the look of the floor no matter how nice you tiled it
I prefer to use an eighth of an inch grout line because they are thin enough that that you don't really notice them. Some people prefer a 16th of an inch grout line but it requires a very particular accuracy in the cut of the tile by the manufacturer so that they can be lined up together and not have any noticeable change in the grout line. Also if you go with a 16th of an inch grout line you need much much more perfection in the flatness of your floor and in the way you set the tiles. I find that an eighth of an inch grout line is perfect because you can still use a sanded grout or a special grout that's made with the strength of sanded grouts.
Thanks for answering man
A drywall taping knife??? Really?
Not sure what you're complaining about. Drywall taping knife? Don't remember using one in this video.
Really? 1:03 That's a taping knife for drywall work. Not a tile tool. :-/
@@jagboy69 It was used by my friend to back butter the tiles while I was troweling we couldn't find the other trowel. Sometimes you have to improvise but you're too closed minded if you think that the tools just made for drywall, it can be used for anything. You will notice we also used a painter's 5 in 1 tool to scrape the edge of the tiles to get thin set motor off, Because the half inch tall side of the edge of that played perfectly matches our tile height.
@@jeffostroff You can use a rotting cat to back butter tiles if that works for you, but you wont be taping drywall with this tool anymore.
worldtraveler I didn’t understand the instructions and I am using a rotting cat for finishing drywall. Was I supposed to shave this thing first?