What Size Trowel for 12 by 12 Floor Tiles?

Rectified Tiles

• Rectified tiles are any type of man-made or factory-made natural stone that has been manufactured to be a specific thickness and dimensions. For these 12-inch tiles, the average trowel size is a 3/8-inch notched trowel, although you can also use a 1/4-inch notched trowel if you prefer. The recommendation from trowel manufacturers is at least 1/4-inch, but professionals tend to prefer the 3/8-inch for a little extra coverage.

Tumbled Stone Tile

• Not all tiles are created equal, and tumbled stone tiles are tricky to install when compared to rectified tiles due to the variations in thickness. The minimum trowel you should use for 12-inch tumbled natural stone tiles is 3/8-inch, although you may need to add more thin-set to the edges of the thinner tiles so there is sufficient support underneath them for foot traffic.

Saltillo Tile

• Because they are not rectified or uniform in size, Saltillo tiles are tricky to install. Generally, they have a somewhat bowl-shaped contour to them, which makes getting sufficient thin-set beneath them on a floor installation somewhat difficult. A 1/2-inch notched trowel is generally preferred by professionals, although extra may need to be added to certain tiles.

European Trowel

• European trowels are designed to work with a variety of tiles, and rely on different depth notches rather than singular depths. While they are not commonly used with rectified tiles, they are ideal for 12-inch natural stone and Saltillo tiles because they provide sufficient thin-set in varying depths for complete coverage.