How do you see your Grid-Lines when Tiling?..

Assorted Esquires,

I haven't done any Tiling for quite a while, but with a fair amount (including some Floor Tiles) coming up, I'm trying to wrap my mind in advance around a few of the more subtle little details. The following in particular has got me stumped:

When you've worked out your Grid-Layout, and either pencilled or chalked-in your little lines, how do you actually see those lines once you've actually started to lay the Tiles? Consider this: To lay a Floor Tile, you need to spread the adhesive out first (obviously, huh...:cool:). Trouble is, though, once you've spread that adhesive out past the edges of where the Tile will sit, you will have also inadvertantly covered up your Grid-Line... So how do you know the Tile is in the correct position?...:? No good saying "You go off the last Tile, fool..." because you wouldn't have been able to see the Grid-Line when laying the last Tile either! And I wouldn't have thought that you could just go by the Spacers either, because you might be squeezing them all in tight close to one side, but quite loosely near the other, with the result being a very gentle curve in the overall row...:-.

I know it must be something simple that I'm missing, because that's how all Tilers pretty much do it. I can remember when we had the Kitchen done about a decade ago, the Tilers pencilled in a Grid, but I didn't actually watch them during the laying process...

When I did the Shower-Recess in the Flat a few years back, I used a pencil Grid, but I layed the Tiles using the time-honoured "5-Blob" method (ie. one in each corner, and one in the middle...:p), in which you can always still see the Grid-Lines no matter what. But now - with 320mm Floor Tiles in the offing - the 5-Blob method just isn't going to Cut The Mustard!..:no:

So, your thoughts if you please, Gentlemen...

Many Thanks,
Batpig.


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