How to use tile spacers

A grout joint in tiling is the gap left between the laid tiles which is required to allow movement in the floor, so the tiles don’t crack. The grout compound added to the gap makes your tiles watertight whilst withstanding this movement and thermal expansion.

One of the most essential tools for creating a professional finish are tile spacers, in this quick-fire tile spacing guide we talk you through the essentials on using tile spacers.

Spacers are generally a cross or T shaped piece of plastic that are placed between tiles when installing them to ensure that the joints between the tiles are of a consistent width. This allows for a neat professional finish when it comes to grouting your tiles.

Available from 1-10mm, check with your local store for the ideal joint width required for your specific tiling project but we’ve laid out the basics for you in this article.

You don’t need to heavily invest in tile spacers for basic tiling jobs, however there are some instances where a better-quality spacer is beneficial.

T shaped spacers are ideal for laying brick bond patterns, whilst a cross spacer can be used for linear laying patterns.

Reinforced spacers are ideal for medium/light weight tiles, the empty gaps within the spacer fill when you grout over, adding structure and strength to your tiled area.

The size of your grout joint very much depends on the type of tile you are using, the tile’s substrate and the room it’s being tiled in.

If you are tiling over a large area or using non-rectified tiles, you will need to take into account the tolerance in tiling sizing, we’d recommend 3-5mm. However, if you’ve purchased a rectified tile range, this means they have been perfectly cut to the same size so you can afford to use a smaller grout joint (2-3mm).

Solid spacers are ideal for use with heavier tiles on a wall as they won’t squash under the weight of the tile whilst the adhesive cures, leaving you with uneven grout joints.

Regardless of the type or style of tile (porcelain, ceramic or stone) a minimum of 3mm tile spacers should be used for floor tiles, we’d recommend opting for a 5mm gap if you’re covering a large area and/or using larger tiles (up to 120cm) or using indoor to outdoor tiles.

If you have a smaller tile (under 60cm) and it’s rectified then you could use a 2mm grout line instead however, if your substrate is wood then you will need a larger grout line to accommodate the movement in the floor.

After applying your adhesive, position one spacer at each corner and then place your second tile next to the first. The spacer will create an equal distance between your tiles to the desired thickness, keep adding your spacers with every tile on the row.

One thing to note when using tile spacers is that levelling clips and wedges are different to tile spacers. You can read more about levelling clips in our dedicated guide but these clips should not be used in place of tile spacers but in conjunction with them.

If the spacer isn’t obstructing the grout joint, then you don’t need to remove the spacer, you can simply push the tile spacer further into the adhesive bed before you apply any grout.

If you’re using a thinner adhesive bed or don’t want to keep the spacers in then you’ll need to remove them before the adhesive is fully set, too early and the tiles may shift position and too late will make them too difficult to remove. The setting time is dependent on the type of adhesive you have used and the conditions you are tiling in.

If you’ve left it a little late then needle-nose pliers are you best tool to reach for, grab the side of the spacers and pull it out vertically to avoid moving any tiles.