# small spacers for woodgrain ceramic tiles? maybe none?



## JazMan (Feb 17, 2007)

Hello again Pedro,

1. Yes you must have space between tiles. You don't need, (and for me I wouldn't want) spacers to create a space. 1/8" or less is the way to go. You're not gonna fool too many people thinking it's hardwood.

2. There is no reason to start a tile installation in the center or even near it. I have never done that and to me it would make little sense. You need to lay a bunch of tile loose and determine the best width at the walls. Once you've got that, snap chalk line parallel to the longest "main" wall and start working your way out of the room. 

If you start in the center you're gonna turn a 2-3 day job into 4-5, or more.

Jaz


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## vote4Pedro (Jul 23, 2010)

thanks, the job starts tomorrow..


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## JazMan (Feb 17, 2007)

Pedro, yesterday you said..........



> thanks, the job starts tomorrow..


OK, it's late, we want a report on how it went.:whistling2:

Jaz


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## vote4Pedro (Jul 23, 2010)

got the 1/16th spacers. (~ i know you don't like spacers.. but i didn't know of another option ~)

took out about 4 boxes of tiles to do a dry run. it's currently more time consuming since 1. match wood pattern has proven to be very difficult. 2. cleaning the edges so the tiles can be perfectly level took longer than i thought 3. mopping the floor.. i don't know how it got so dirty. i mopped like 5 times. 

we've decided to start tiling at the wall where the stairs go down to the basement per your advice


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## JazMan (Feb 17, 2007)

OK. Just measure from the starting point lines to the opposite walls at several spaces to make sure you end up right. You don't want cut pieces that get smaller as you go. Keep the joints clean on thinset by sponging as you go.

I assume you have all the right products and have done this before.

Jaz


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## vote4Pedro (Jul 23, 2010)

have done a small kitchen project (60-100sq ft) with granite tiles.. this will be the biggest undertaking to date in addition to the odd sizing of 6x24. 

since it's an old brownstone building, the dims are not perfectly rectangular will cause a bit of problem. i hope to minimize it with how i space the tiles. other than that, there are slight imperfections on the existing concrete floor that have minor high/low spots which i hope to fill out with thinset. none of the high/lows are over 1/2 (maybe even less) so i'm planning on playing with the thinset a bit to ensure that each tile is water leveled. finally i'm taking my time on this one considering the time it took me to match up the wood grains.. i'm planning a full 2 weeks to complete this job (after work hours).


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## vote4Pedro (Jul 23, 2010)

JazMan said:


> Pedro, yesterday you said..........
> 
> 
> 
> ...



here it is. a little late in getting the pics out of my phone


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## CaptRandy (Nov 9, 2011)

What flooring are you laying them over? Did you put down a subfloor? Did you lay down any underlayment? Be sure to give the gap at the ends to allow for expansion. The 1/2 round will fill in the gap. Just be sure not to nail the 1/4 round into the flooring but rather into the wall area past where your floor board end.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

I wouldn't pursue photography as a second career.

I'm really interest in seeing that floor but with a better photo.


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## vote4Pedro (Jul 23, 2010)

aight bud.. get ready for some over sized pics that breaks the forum


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> get ready for some over sized pics that breaks the forum


Don't do that!
Can't you re-size the pictures before posting here?


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## vote4Pedro (Jul 23, 2010)

not sure how to resize so i'll just post the links

edge against the brick wall
http://i39.tinypic.com/2dr77t0.jpg


in front of the eventual bar area
http://i42.tinypic.com/9h8d3p.jpg

floor with some stuff already placed on it
http://i51.tinypic.com/2vb3f5h.jpg

near the stairs
http://i51.tinypic.com/2551e0w.jpg


as for underlayment, it's in the basement so it's on a concrete slab. per bud's suggestion before, i measure it to be pretty even so i just laid right on top of that


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## <*(((>< (Mar 6, 2009)

CaptRandy said:


> What flooring are you laying them over? Did you put down a subfloor? Did you lay down any underlayment? Be sure to give the gap at the ends to allow for expansion. The 1/2 round will fill in the gap. Just be sure not to nail the 1/4 round into the flooring but rather into the wall area past where your floor board end.


Leave room for tile to expand? :huh:


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## CaptRandy (Nov 9, 2011)

Are they glued down? How do they adhere to each other? Never seen them so wonder.


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## vote4Pedro (Jul 23, 2010)

CaptRandy said:


> Are they glued down? How do they adhere to each other? Never seen them so wonder.



:confused1:.. they are ceramic tiles. they are installed like normal tiles. the sizing is a bit different with 6x24 planks but they are still just like tiles.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

I think that is a great looking floor.

I did one last winter with about the same grout spacing but installed the tiles in a random stagger similar to a regular wood floor. I even went as far as to cut some of the tiles mid-field so as to further disrupt the repeat pattern. It was only a hallway so the repeat wasn't that obvious if it was at all.


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## vote4Pedro (Jul 23, 2010)

glad you approve. i was slightly scared of your feedback... 

as for the pattern, i wanted to stagger the pieces a little more to give it more of a random look but the manufacture suggested to only stagger 6 inches.. i have no idea why.. but i did since it was printed on every box


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## neo5869 (Jul 22, 2013)

*Pattern*



vote4Pedro said:


> not sure how to resize so i'll just post the links
> 
> edge against the brick wall
> http://i39.tinypic.com/2dr77t0.jpg
> ...


It would have looked much better if you didnt do such a repetitive and noticeable pattern. Real wood floors are staggered more, yours screams "Look at me I am tile trying to be wood!"


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