What Is the Right Way to Put Spacers in When Setting Wall Tile?

Flat Spacers

• 1

  Check all the tile spacers for damage and for waste plastic attached as a result of the manufacturing process. Spacers with excess plastic attached to them can be trimmed into shape with a sharp knife. Reject any damaged spacers, and ensure that the remaining ones are all the same size.

• 2

  Lay one spacer flat against the wall at each corner of a tile. Position the spacers so that each one has two of its arms fitted tightly against two edges of one of the tile's corners. Each of the four corners of the tile should have a spacer closely fitted around it.

• 3

  Slide additional tiles up against the four sides of the first tile, slotting them into the remaining arms of each of the spacers. The result looks as if the spacers form crosses between the tiles. Leave the spacers in position until the tile adhesive has set.

Protruding Spacers

• 4

  Check the spacers for damage. Cut off any damaged limbs and discard them, but retain the undamaged portions of the spacers, because they can still be used.

• 5

  Hold a spacer as if it were a small dagger. Push one arm into the gap between two tiles, a short distance in from one end of the edge. Insert a second spacer in the same way, a short distance in from the opposite end of the edge. The spacer arms that are perpendicular to the part inserted between the tiles should point toward the two tiles rather than along the gap between them.

• 6

  Repeat Step 2 on each side of every tile, inserting two vertical spacers per side. Wait until the tile adhesive is set, then gently pull the spacers away from the tiles.