Ingenious Tile Laying Tools

ExacTile also acts as a tile level-checking tool, allowing the user to confirm the relative levels of tiles, and their horizontal edge alignment - quickly and easily. With the help of UK based Level Developments, ExacTile is being equipped to provide accuracy well beyond the need of the average DIY user, and there will be a laser equipped version for the serious DIY tiler, or professional tile fixer, very soon.

ExacTile uses two blades with a unique design of locking handle to ensure rigidity and accuracy. The handle incorporates a spirit level that offers confirmation on the level of a single tile, a pair of adjoining tiles or multiples of tiles as required. A third blade is substituted when working close to walls or obstructions, and allows for the basic offset tile patterns to be achieved..

By adding an extension set, ExacTile becomes a pattern tiling tool. The patterns can vary in size by using the adjustment slots provided in the blades. The blades themselves can be widened if desired using sleeves and the sets can be produced in any size required by tile manufacturers. ExacTile comes in a range of three sizes that cover virtually all tiles available in the DIY marketplace.

The professional version utilises two sets of differently sized blades and two separate handles: this offers the serious tiler the chance to offer over 72 different combinations of tile patterns, including a unique range of rectangular tozzetto options that work perfectly with the current trend of rectangular format tiles.

The ExacTile is an opportunity for tile manufacturers to secure IP that protects the device for a range of sizes that they wish to offer. BDi is seeking manufacturers willing to take on licenses or purchase the IP outright, which would give them the opportunity to sub license as required. More information is available on request from Barry Clent of BDi.

GuessLess

The principle behind the GuessLess is to overcome many of the problems associated with the measuring of tiles. In particular, measuring spaces adjoining walls, corners, round obstructions and so on. Currently the prescribed method involves laying a tile on a previously laid tile, then positioning another tile on top of that, sliding it to the obstruction, marking the middle tile, remarking to allow for grout space and edge space, then cutting the tile.

If that isn’t complex enough, the process is many times harder with wall tiles … imagine holding one tile in place, sliding another tile over that one, then with your third hand … I think you see what we’re getting at!

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