The present description relates to tile spacers for tile installation and, in particular, to a bracket with an adjustable amount of spacing.
In laying tile, spacers are used between each tile to separate the tiles by a consistent distance determined by the size of the spacers. The tiles are placed on mortar or another adhesive to attach the tiles to the underlying surface. After the mortar is cured or dried sufficient to hold the tiles in place, then the spacers are removed. The gaps between each tile are then filled with grout.
For a wall, the bottom row of tiles rests on a surface, typically the floor or rim of a tub, however, other types of supports may be used. The second row of tiles rests on the bottom row of tiles or on spacers that rest on the bottom row of tiles. Rows of tiles are stacked on top of each other up to the top row.
For some types of wall designs, decorative patterns are used that are not able to support the weight of additional rows of tiles above the pattern. Some such decorative patterns have stone or tile pieces with uneven size or spacing attached to a mesh backing. In order to install such a decorative pattern, the pattern is applied onto the wall with mortar or adhesive, then the tile rows above the pattern are applied after the mortar for the decorative pattern has dried. This prevents the tiles above from disturbing the pattern. Grout can then be applied after all of the mortar has dried.
An adjustable tile spacer is described. In one example, the tile spacer includes a first support bar connected to a first spacer arm. The first spacer arm has a top face to abut a wall and support a tile. A second support bar is movably connected to the first support bar. A second spacer arm is connected the second support bar. The first spacer arm has a bottom face to abut a wall and to support the second support bar against a tile. A lock fixes the first and the second support bars in a position with respect to each other when the lock is engaged to define a distance between the top face and the bottom face corresponding to a gap between two tiles.
The invention may best be understood by referring to the following description and accompanying drawings that are used to illustrate embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:
Similarly the spacer arm of the second support bar 16 also has a top surface 22 and a bottom surface 24 for the spacer arm. The spacer arms are both designed to extend out the same distance so that the ends will contact the same vertical wall while the support bars are level with the wall along their length.
The support bars are parallel to each other and the spacer arms extend perpendicular to the support bars so that they are also parallel to each other. The spacer arms may have various reinforcements, braces, ribs, and brackets depending on the particular implementation. The larger first support bar 10 includes an elongated groove 26 that goes most of the length of the elongated support bar through the center of the bar. The second support bar has a bolt 28 that extends through the groove 26 to allow the second support bar to slide along the groove to a variety of different positions.
A nut 32, such as a wing nut, on the opposite side of the first support bar screws into the bolt 28 to hold the second support bar in any desired position along the length of the groove 26. While a wing nut is shown any type of hand fastening system may be used, including lever operated clamps. Alternatively, a convention hex nut or other fastener may be used so that a tool is required to fix the first and second support bars in position.
Moving the support bars with respect to each other along the length of elongation moves the two support arms with respect to each other. This allows the distance from the top face 18 of the first support arm 14 to be adjusted relative to the bottom face 24 of the second support arm 16. This distance can be used to determine the distance from between one row of tiles laid on a vertical wall and an upper row of tiles laid on the same vertical wall. The adjustable tile spacer also has a textured surface 34 on each support bar that helps to prevent the two support bars from moving after the nut 32 has been tightened to hold the two support bars in place.
The larger first support bar may have a ridge (not shown) on either side of its inner face along the length of the support bar to act as a guide for the smaller second support bar. The ridges may be used as guides to control the lateral movement of the support bars. The second support bar would rest between the two ridges as it slides along the groove in the first support bar. The ridges may be on the edge or in any other position and aligned with longitudinal guides on the second support bar. The ridges are an optional feature and the groove and bolt 28 may also or alternatively be relied upon to hold the smaller second support bar in place.
In use, an insert panel will have a particular width when placed on a wall. The adjustable tile spacer can be set to that specific width using the scale. As an example, if a particular tile mosaic decorative insert is five inches wide, then the support bar index can be moved to the five inch mark on the scale and the nut 32 tightened against the bolt 28 to lock the upper and lower spacer arms into position at that distance.
The spacers are typically round plastic pegs which are pushed into the thinset adhesive or mortar which has already been applied to the wall to hold the tiles in place. While only two rows of tiles are shown there may be one or many rows of tiles depending upon the particular wall design to be placed a third row of tiles 70 has been placed over the adjustable tile spacers 68.
A mosaic panel 76 is inserted into the space above the lower tiles 62, 64. This space may be filed in with any type of inset which fits into the space above the lower tiles. The insert may have any desired color or pattern the array of circular tiles is provided only as an example. A third row of tiles 70 is placed against the mortar on the wall and above the mosaic 76.
In
In
The adjustable spacer bracket 68 is placed against the wall 86 so that the bottom face 24 of one spacer arm rests upon the top edge 82 of a tile of the top row 64 of the lower tiles. The other spacer arm 14 is also pressed against the vertical wall 86 and then the next row of tiles 70 is pressed against the mortar 84 so that the next row of tiles 70 has its weight resting upon the top face of the support arm.
As a result, the bottom edge 80 of a tile in the next row of tiles 70 presses downwards on the top face 18 of the upper support arm. This weight is transferred through the adjustable tile spacer 66 to the bottom face 24 of the lower support arm. As a result, the weight of the upper tiles 70 rests upon the lower tiles 64. The weight of the lower tiles of the top row of lower tiles 64 rests upon the spacer 66 and the lower rows of tiles 62. The space between the upper and lower spacer arms 14, 16 is then preserved for the insert that can be added later. The support arms take all of the weight of the upper tile rows 70, 72 off of the decorative insert 76 and transfer it directly to the lower tiles 62, 64.
After the thinset or mortar has dried so that the tiles are firmly held in place against the wall, all of the spacers may be removed. This includes the round pin type spacers 66 and the adjustable tile spacers 68. The result will appear as the final elevation view of
In
Alternatively, the adjustable tile spacers 68 may be placed into the wall as soon as the lower tile rows 62, 64 are set in place. The upper rows of tiles may then be placed 70, 72 using the adjustable tile spacer by resting the upper tiles against the upper arm 18 of the spacer. The insert may be installed before or after the adjustable spacer is placed on the wall. The insert may be installed before or after the mortar for the upper and lower rows of tiles has set and dried. The adjustable spacer allows much greater flexibility in how the tiles are laid up on the wall.
References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.
While embodiments of the invention have been described in relation to a vertical installation, the same practices may be used with a horizontal installation, such as a tile or floor. The adjustable spacers can be used to ensure that straight lines are maintained even with a decorative inset that does not have consistent straight lines. While embodiments of the invention have been described in relation to the upper arm having a larger support bar than the lower arm, the support bars may be the same size or the lower support bar may be larger. The spacer may be used in the opposite orientation so that the upper spacer arm 14 is resting on a lower tile 62 and the lower support arm 16 supports an upper tile 70. The scale 44 on the back of the larger support bar may be placed on the side or front or on a different surface or on the other support bar.
While the invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described, and can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The description is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead of limiting.
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Number | Date | Country |
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635896 | Apr 1950 | GB |