"make sure your subfloor is perfectly level before laying big tiles. Learned that the hard way once..."
Yeah, wish I'd known that earlier too. I remember helping my brother redo his bathroom floor—he insisted the slight unevenness wouldn't matter. Fast forward a few months, and we had hollow spots popping up everywhere. Ended up having to redo half the job. Lesson learned, I guess... Curious though, anyone tried those leveling systems with clips and wedges? Wondering if they're worth the extra effort or just another gimmick.
I used the clip-and-wedge system last summer when we redid our kitchen floors. Honestly, I was skeptical at first—seemed kinda gimmicky and overly complicated. But once you get a rhythm going, it's pretty straightforward. The tiles came out noticeably flatter with fewer uneven edges compared to our bathroom (where we didn't use them). Not sure I'd call it essential, but it definitely saved us some headaches later on...
I get the appeal of clip-and-wedge, but honestly, I skipped it when we tiled our entryway. Seemed like extra plastic waste and hassle to me. Instead, we just took our time prepping the subfloor carefully and used a good leveling compound. Floors turned out smooth enough, no noticeable lips or edges. Might depend on tile size or skill level though...but for me, simpler felt safer and more eco-friendly.
I hear you on skipping the clip-and-wedge. Did a bathroom floor last summer—figured I'd try those clips since everyone was raving about them. Honestly, felt like more hassle than help. Ended up ditching them halfway through and just focused on prep and leveling compound. Turned out fine, no tripping hazards or uneven tiles. Guess it depends on your comfort level and patience, but sometimes simpler really is better...and cheaper.
- Tried those clips once—felt like assembling IKEA furniture blindfolded.
- Good prep and leveling compound usually beats fancy gadgets anyway.
- Curious though, anyone ever find a tile tool that actually made life easier?
