The right tools and equipment are necessary to achieve an efficient and successful tile installation. These items are vital to ensuring a professional result. Below we offer a list of 10 of some of the most essential tools for tile installations. At Tile This, we are your source for the tile installation tools you need to achieve excellent tile project results.
1. Manual Tile Cutters
The manual tile cutter is one of the most important tools a professional tile installer can have. With this lightweight tool, you can make clean, precise cuts on various types of tiles and tile sizes.
2. Electric Tile Saws
When you need greater precision, an electric tile saw is indispensable. These saws can cut the toughest tile materials, including natural stone, ceramic, glass, and porcelain.
3. Diamond Drill Bits
Sometimes it is necessary to drill one or more holes into a tile for tap connection, pipe, or drainer finishing purposes. Drill bits penetrate through a tile surface without creating tile cracking or breaking. You can use a diamond drill bit with dry or wet cutting and on materials such as marble, granite, porcelain, and glass.
4. Tile Nippers or Pincers
These tile installation tools are designed to form tile edges and enlarge the size of holes in tiles. They are also useful if you need to create circular shapes on ceramic tiles.
5. Tile Levelling Systems
These systems prevent tile lippage through the use of tile strips, tile caps, and tile nippers. They help ensure tiles are installed with a flat, even distribution.
6. Tile Trowels
Trowels are tile installation tools designed to make sure mortar is smoothly and evenly distributed across the tile base, to ensure an even and secure adherence of the tile. Choose a trowel that is durable and lightweight for effective application of mortar.
7. Rubber Grout Floats
Grout is placed in between the tiles to ensure they lock together securely. A rubber grout float allows you to efficiently push grout into the joints that divide tile or stone.
8. Tile Spacers
The proper spacing between each tile is essential to have a finished product with the right appearance. If the seams are uneven, the finished product is going look off. Tile spacers slipped into the spaces of each tile make the process of laying tile evenly much easier.
9. Grout Sponge
Grout sponges are necessary tile installation tools for cleaning off the excess grout that develops around each tile. A regular sponge will not work well because it will come apart much easier and leave trails of grout behind. A grout sponge is denser and thicker and required to do the job properly and efficiently.
10. Rubber Mallet
A rubber mallet allows you to tap tiles into place gently after you have placed them in the mortar. Attempting to use a standard hammer wrapped in soft material of some kind will likely not work, leaving some of the tiles broken when you tap them down.
For information about the various tile installation tools we offer at Tile This, give us a call today at 952.882.0436, fill out our contact form and leave us a message, or visit our website.
