What did you do today?

[zannej]

I don't have login info for homesteading forum so I can't post there.

 

[Floorist]

I don't have login info for homesteading forum so I can't post there.

https://www.homesteadingforum.org/

 

[Jon]

I have a room prepped to accept Armstrong alterna tiles. The room is 20 x 20 and the tiles are black and white 16in by 16in.
I couldn't find my Armstrong trowel a couple days ago so I ordered a new one. It was supposed to be here this morning but didn't show up. It won't be here till Tuesday....... so that's how my day went. No one in town carries that Armstrong trowel, so I went home to look for one that would work close enough. I found one but it wasn't in very good shape. But it had about 30% more notches then the Armstrong trowel so that wasn't going to work.
....... I was looking for a spare wire brush in the back of my newer van, the one that has the transmission problem. Lo and behold underneath a plastic bag was my Armstrong trowel.
What a waste of a day.
I'm working at the fellas place over the weekend, hoping to get the room completed. His son and daughter-in-law and their newborn baby are coming up from California next week. He'd really like to get this job done.

Whats wrong with any type of trowel with about the same notch?
There is no way I am buying a trowel for every different type of flooring product or different glue

 

[zannej]

Thanks, rusty. I can't remember my password and didn't want to reset it there.
Jon, good question about the trowels.

 

[Jon]

Jon, good question about the trowels.
It wasnt a question
It was answer

 

[highup]

Whats wrong with any type of trowel with about the same notch?
There is no way I am buying a trowel for every different type of flooring product or different glue

.....but then I'd have to have a trowel with the same notch. If there isn't one.... ya order an Armstrong trowel. 10 x higher quality than any other and delivery time would be the same anyway.
I actually found my old one in a place I never put it. Just tuned up the notches with a mini machinist file in my drill.
Finished prep and layed out the lines. I got the first section done. Tomorrow, we'll slide the bar and juke box over to this side where they will reside permanently, so then I can finish the rest of the room.

 

[highup]

This is the trowel. 1/16th on one side and the oddball 1/32 by 1/16 by 5/64ths on the other. They make it for left handers also.
https://www.armstrongflooring.com/commercial/en-ca/products/ima/installation-tools/item/S-891.html

 

[highup]

To be honest, I don't know why they specify S-288 flooring adhesive instead of a regular thindpread tile adhesive.
https://www.armstrongflooring.com/commercial/en-ca/products/ima/adhesives/item/S-288.html
Might have something to do with this tile also being able to be installed with a grouted method instead of just butting them tight like I'm doing.

 

[highup]

Thanks, rusty. I can't remember my password and didn't want to reset it there.
Jon, good question about the trowels.

If Armstrong specified their adhesive for a specific product, that's what I'm using.
I days of old paper backed sheet goods, most all materials were the same, and we used either Armstrong or Henry's multipurpose adhesive.
These tiles are very similar to a standard 1/8" VCT tile, but the back side has no pattern and the textured top surface is a wear layer. If they don't list their standard thindpread adhesive as an option, I'm using the adhesive they recommend and the notch they require. The material cost is about $120 per carton, so this is expensive to the customer. The area is 20 by 22 feet. I'm not second guessing Armstrong's requirements.

 

[Floorist]

Did an ice cream shop with black and white tiles 30 years ago.

 

[Don Monfils]

How much was that trowel?

 

[highup]

$19 and something cents.

 

[highup]

Did an ice cream shop with black and white tiles 30 years ago.

These are 16 inchers. Room is about 20 by 20, to there are close to full tiles on all sides of the room. I don't think 12 by 12s would have looked nearly as good. These are textured a bit like stone.

 

[highup]

Don, the ups charges would have been $15 or so because I couldn't wait for it to be shipped with other supplies. The trowel price was probably close to dealer cost I'm assuming, through my carpet one dealer. I saw them online for rediculous prices.

 

[Floorist]

I have a triangular file somewhere for recutting old trowels.

 

[zannej]

I can barely read on this tiny screen. Lol.

 

[Floorist]

Paid my grandson to cut the other yard.
He cuts it for $20. I have to load my mower on a trailer, hook up the trailer, drive across town, unload the mower, cut the grass, put the mower back on the trailer, drive back home, unload the mower and unhook the trailer. Giving him $20 just makes sense,

 

[zannej]

Paid my grandson to cut the other yard.
He cuts it for $20. I have to load my mower on a trailer, hook up the trailer, drive across town, unload the mower, cut the grass, put the mower back on the trailer, drive back home, unload the mower and unhook the trailer. Giving him $20 just makes sense,

I wish your nephew could come cut the weeds in my yard. Lol. Too hot for me to get on a riding mower.

 

[Jon]

If Armstrong specified their adhesive for a specific product, that's what I'm using.
I days of old paper backed sheet goods, most all materials were the same, and we used either Armstrong or Henry's multipurpose adhesive.
These tiles are very similar to a standard 1/8" VCT tile, but the back side has no pattern and the textured top surface is a wear layer. If they don't list their standard thindpread adhesive as an option, I'm using the adhesive they recommend and the notch they require. The material cost is about $120 per carton, so this is expensive to the customer. The area is 20 by 22 feet. I'm not second guessing Armstrong's requirements.

You got to watch what type of glue you use
Acrylic type glue so one has to use more expensive one the cheaper ones ccan react to heat making vinyl planks etc shrink in the sun no trouble with plastic backed vinyls though

Latex type glues can go yellow under these new plastic type backings. Also I have seen commercial type vinyls go a slimy sticky mess after a few years. If some layer has used acrylic the vinyl is a lot harder to lift Latex and vinyl backings dont like each other but latex type glues are more dead set than acrylic
Now back to the trowel you must have more money than sense
I would be wary of using a power tool to re notch any trowel used for vinyl flooring
Those trowel notches dont leave the trowel flat between the notches which could leave swill marks mirroring through the vinyl I use a smaller type 3 cornered file to keep the notches how I want them
You actually think I am going to take a different trowel into a house for every different type of vinyl
Also when you finish spreading an area drop the trowel into a bucket of water, self clean so the notches dont block up with drying glue
I would be keeping the heat off you tiles for a day
With vinyl floors these days good gluing is critical, no puddles, lumps etc

 

[highup]

I have a triangular file somewhere for recutting old trowels.

I use those a lot too very small ones so the v can be cut well.
Larger files tend to have a flat spot in the middle, at least the cheaper ones do.
This is a u notch trowel. The U is extremely tiny so it's actually a half moon. Here's the round file that I have in my drill. It's a needle file. It's very well made and works fantastic for these tiny notches. The girl is 10 times faster than doing it by hand and makes for much smoother finish inside the U.