After a botched pattern, I'm all in on laser guides

I mean, I thought I could align tiles by sight alone. But one crooked line on a herringbone job proved me wrong, idk. Maybe it's just me, but has anyone else made the switch?

3 comments

3 Comments

thompson.emery2mo ago

Eyeballing spacers on a herringbone job? That sounds like a recipe for disaster from the start. How did you not see the wavy edge forming as you went? Once one tile is off, the whole pattern falls apart, right? Laser guides aren't just helpful, they're basically required for that kind of work. Why take the risk when the tool exists?

caleb_owens2mo ago

How did you even get past the first few tiles without seeing the problem? I can't believe someone would try to eyeball spacers on herringbone, that's just asking for trouble. Like @kevin_roberts41 said, once that wavy edge starts, it just gets worse and worse. You have to tear things out and start over, which wastes so much time and material. Laser guides are not just helpful, they're a must-have for any serious tile work. Why would anyone risk ruining a whole job to save a few minutes setting up a laser?

kevin_roberts412mo ago

Yeah that "crooked line on a herringbone job" is a nightmare. I helped my dad with a bathroom floor once and we tried to eyeball the spacers. Ended up with this wavy edge that got worse with every tile. Had to tear out a whole row before we caved and got a laser. Never went back.