# leveling tile



## joe dirt (Nov 29, 2008)

Anyone use the Tuscan leveling system, or any other system that you would recomend ? I have been laying alot of larger tiles and think this might speed thigs up.
Thanks Joe Dirt


----------



## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

The search function is your friend. There are already many a good threads about leveling systems.


----------



## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

A look at some 18"x18" tiles in China Town.

No Lash.

No Tuscan.

Old School.

Thinset. Mortar Mix. Thinset. Tap Tap Tap.

Next.


----------



## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

*Lash System with ten foot straight edge*

Here is a look at a perfect kitchen floor.

Remember to bring the long straight edges with you. Also plan for your Lash or Tuscan system to not get in the way of using these long straight edges.

This floor was set by Cory from Power House Tile. Cory was pissed that a few tiles had humps in the middle - and the floor was slightly out. He showed me one location where it was out a mil. :laughing:


----------



## MortarForker (May 4, 2011)

JohnFRWhipple said:


> A look at some 18"x18" tiles in China Town.
> 
> No Lash.
> 
> ...


John, Setting large tiles or stone over a wet mortarbed is the best method possible..But some tile layers have never done it..The one's that have not done it this way would be shocked at how fast and easy it is once they try it and get the hang of it.Zero Lippage...Good call..:thumbsup:


----------



## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

MortarForker said:


> John, Setting large tiles or stone over a wet mortarbed is the best method possible..But some tile layers have never done it..The one's that have not done it this way would be shocked at how fast and easy it is once they try it and get the hang of it.Zero Lippage...Good call..:thumbsup:


Dave Gobis even says it needs to be re looked at by many setters with the new tile format sizes but comments on how are new homes are not built to take the added weight of these types of installs.

I found his last article (Tile Letter USA JULY 2011) interesting and like that he calculated the weight per square foot. I have misplaced the magazine but think it was 12 pounds per square foot per inch of material.

I'll dig out the magazine and double check these facts.


When you look at today's homes and that they are mostly built to L/360 and that many of our home's beams can and are allowed to sag 1/4" or more. Makes you wonder if we shouldn't be asking our Structural Engineers to give their heads a shake and spec floor assemblies that can take the weight.

In Tile Letter Canada Dale Kempster has a good article on expansion joints and the use of them in our new construction. I think what Dale is specify with these large format tiles will shock most of you tile men out there.

I have only been on two jobs in 8 years where I have seen them.

JW


----------



## Tech Dawg (Dec 13, 2010)

Id like to be doing some mud work as well, there are some ooollllllddddd homes around here where this can work. Everywhere else is cheap built homes, not typically the builders fault but what's available. Right now with the general public its all about cheap, cheap, cheap and I think its ridiculous


----------



## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

I just looked at a cost comparison between RLS and the almighty TLS.

I can get 1600 RLS clips for $276.
1500 (100 less) TLS straps are $468.

There's no way the TLS is that much better than RLS :no:


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Tech Dawg said:


> Right now with the general public its all about cheap, cheap, cheap and I think its ridiculous


and that's where they get video watchers using the latest high tech/no skill gizmos/methods. And/or where people get their information from, from websites that talk/promote this stuff.


----------



## Tech Dawg (Dec 13, 2010)

CO762 said:


> and that's where they get video watchers using the latest high tech/no skill gizmos/methods. And/or where people get their information from, from websites that talk/promote this stuff.


I promote all the good stuff... the jobs that I do are on my terms, regardless of who wants cheap.
I either walk away from cheap or they find cheap. Within the last 2 years, I've had 3 calls from clients that I didn't get admitting that they should have went with me and paid the few extra bux because they ended up with crap work from a hack :sad: I can only do my thing and hope people listen


----------



## joe dirt (Nov 29, 2008)

I will do a search, gettin lazy,


----------



## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Tech Dawg said:


> Within the last 2 years, I've had 3 calls from clients that I didn't get admitting that they should have went with me


Those are strong people because people usually go to such great extremes to not be wrong, calling someone like that and admitting it is pretty special. I've never heard from them again and/or heard from someone who knows them or the like.


----------



## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

*Just Mud It*

*Just Mud It* by Dave M. Gobis CTC CSI Ceramic Tile Consultant

The article is in the July 2011 issue of Tile Letter (page 28) and the weight per one square foot (1" thick) of mortar is 12 pounds.

Another interesting post by Dave was the placement of the diamond lath in a traditional shower build. To quote Dave here (re: TCNA method F145).

"Reinforcing wire and it's placement are critical to the success of this system. The reinforcing wire doesn't do any reinforcing when it's lying at the bottom of a mortar bed as so commonly found."

I'm guilty of that one too on occassion but have been doing a better job on our projects where we have switched to the Mapei Lath. It likes to stay put better I'm finding.


Over on Garden Web this web page is referenced all the time - http://www.ontariotile.com/preslope.html I think it was this link that started me nailing it down in the first place. I'll stick to my Mapei Lath and go back to fighting the lath into position if that is what Dave wants and is calling us tile men out on... In the "How To" at the above link only the pre-slope is reinforced and not the primary bed. The wood is pinned right to the concrete walls it appears. Other than that I think it looks pretty good.

JW

JW


----------



## Floormasta78 (Apr 6, 2011)

I have been using that diamond lath always , because its only $3.00 per piece .ahh ! The good mistakes I make.


----------



## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

angus242 said:


> I just looked at a cost comparison between RLS and the almighty TLS.
> 
> I can get 1600 RLS clips for $276.
> 1500 (100 less) TLS straps are $468.
> ...



Angus can you send me a handful of those RLS clips. The boys at Powerhouse blow through them like mad. I might be able to switch them off the Lash if a few of the guys try them.

Maybe I should bring in a few thousand and pass them around. :clap:


----------



## astor (Dec 19, 2008)

It maybe a stupid question, but I do not remember seeing pic of TLS on wall installations. is it works on walls too?


----------



## astor (Dec 19, 2008)

astor said:


> It maybe a stupid question, but I do not remember seeing pic of TLS on wall installations. is it works on walls too?


Never mind..I found out it is used on walls too.


----------

