A client in Denver pointed out my grout lines were uneven, so I switched from a 1/4-inch trowel to a 3/8-inch for larger format tiles.

Has anyone else found that a simple tool change made a huge difference in the final look of a project?

3 comments

3 Comments

Hold up, I gotta disagree here! Changing your trowel size is just a band-aid for bad technique. If your lines are uneven, that's on you, not the tool. A pro should be able to get it right with the proper trowel for the tile from the start. Swapping sizes feels like guessing and can mess up your mortar bed thickness. Mastering the basics matters way more than just grabbing a bigger tool.

vera291d ago

Switching trowel sizes is such a game changer. I had the same issue with a herringbone backsplash, the smaller notch just wasn't giving enough grab. Went up a size and it totally fixed the lippage, made the whole pattern look way sharper.

aliceharris1d ago

Tell me about it. My first tile job looked like a drunk person laid it because I was using the wrong trowel. Switched from a v-notch to a square notch for some subway tile and suddenly everything was flat. It's wild how such a basic thing can make you look like a pro or a total hack.