Mastering Cement Leveling: The Wiggle Technique Explained

[@seanmcgrath9167]

ps/ had a shit day today dodging showers and still hung over and always a pleasure to see a new vid so you can cheer me up

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks Shawn glad it put a smile on your face and don’t forget to do the wiggle wiggle 😂👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@plummetplum]

Scott, your camera angles are making for most humorous videos, gave me a giggle this morning. Biggest lesson I've learnt is to clear your joints and don't make mortar too dry, I've had many hours banging down slabs , it's a proper pain.

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

It’s all a learning curve mate I’ll takes time we got there in the end 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@themotivatedgardenergarden7822]

Fair play Scott you do put in the time for us viewers. Great weather in Wales for laying large tile do cover a lot of ground excellent quality 😀👌 Stay happy

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks Conor just having a bit of fun 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@ljones396]

Absolute mentalist, Scott! Great work 😎🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks llyr I think I was losing my marbles that day 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@neilsmart78]

Hey Scott , nice to see you happy in your work even though the weather has been shite !! Great work as usual 👌🏻

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks Neil the weather has been really shite lately drives me insane that’s why I was a bit mental in that video 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@Tom_Prendiville]

Awesome work and fantastic info Mr Tidy 👍🏼

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks Tom I just felt the urge to put a video out today 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@matthewjones6476]

Great video, thankyou. Watched most of your videos in preparation for laying my first porcelain patio. Where do you get your string lines and rubber mallets from. Normal brick lines aren't great for getting tight enough. Cheers

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Brick laying stringline you want not nylon and the hammers from Amazon 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@lukefletcher3324]

Laying my own porcelain patio this week, I’ve done the sub base with a fall on it, thinking about getting the beds right, could you use a level with say an 18mm piece of timber attached to the underside and screed the bed with it? That way you know your bed will be the right height and a couple mm high to tap down? Or is it not that easy, thanks!

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Sounds like a great idea in theory see how it goes try it 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@MarcusT86]

Brilliant video butty! Typical mad Welsh lad... like all of us 😄

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Mad as a box of frogs 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@davidclarkson4947]

Really appreciate your videos Scott , and cheers for all your great advice 👍 top man

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks David glad you enjoyed the videos and I hope the advice is helpful for you 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@seanadams1635]

thanks for the video. Why do you put the wiggles in and what is the mixture you put on the back of the slab before laying it? what is its made from? Thanks in advance

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Hi Sean some good questions I should of said in the video the reason why so I’ll work on another video covering that. Ok the reason is before I do wiggle I’ve worked the cement level for the tile and by doing the wiggle is to give a bit of play with the tile when you’re tapping it down just in case the cement isn’t 100% level you can tap down easier than having to beat the tile down. And as for the primer here is a video explaining it. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. Thanks for watching kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZbGdnZ8bdhkndE

[@anthonynichilo5836]

I have a client that has 600 x 1200 x 20 mm porclain tiles to lay over concrete and the previous contractor used laticrete 254 to lay the tiles on, we use portland and sand mix with a portland slurry on the back of tile and on the concrete i'm in canada and thoughts which is better ( looks like about a 25 mm bed will need to be used ),

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Sharp sand 4/1 cement ratio works best for me over here not sure about the laticrete 254 never heard of it And yeh definitely slurry the tile 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@anthonynichilo5836]

@@tidybrickslandscaping is 3 sand to 1 cement to strong for tile

[@Technologyadvisor1]

when putting down flags sharp sand vs building sand ? using cement vs mortar??? when leave a space in-between flags ?

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Sharp sand and building sand have different type granules sharp sand for paving 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Space left between flags for jointing

[@benwilkinson5457]

Hi Scott, great vids and you've taught me a lot. Some of your jobs really are the dog bollovks. Looks like a bloody hard trade on your body. Back and knees especially. How come you went more paving than bricklaying? Is it just personal preference? I get bored of doing one trade all the time and like being jack of all trades.

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Just got bored of building houses and stuff needed a new direction to master now I’m getting bored of this 😂👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@wayneosullivan1549]

Nice to see you happy at work 🤪

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Insane in the membrane insane in the brain 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@Word293]

I love your workmanship and just from watching your videos have decided to do a patio in 16X48X2cm porcelain pavers. Those look pretty heavy, but mine come in at ~50lbs a piece. Is the road base/mortar setting still a long lasting install for a paver this heavy? I wish you could come to Arizona to do mine! The company I "was" working with wanted to charge me $3400 just to lay a concrete slab first, I don't think it's necessary.

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

I so agree with you but it seems to be that in America the way of doing things laying patios on concrete slabs here in the UK we just use hard-core compacted perfect don’t forget it’s only foot traffic not driving a car on the patio. Concrete base is overkill and can crack as hardcore can flex I say our way is quicker easier and flexible but your codes of practice say different. Do it my way tell them I told you to 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@Word293]

@@tidybrickslandscaping Thank you for quick reply! I agree and more American installers need to see your method. I've been documenting your work for months and have decided to give a company a chance. Concrete for pedestrian patio is complete overkill they are just afraid of a new style 😄.

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

@@Word293 tell them you wanted done with a hard-core base the price will come down dramatically. Good luck keep me informed 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@stujennings8605]

Hey Scott loving the Chanel great tips, advice and workmanship! I'm in the process of laying my own patio of about 46sqm using 20mm porcelain tiles, I'm going with with levelling system you use but would like a bit of advice on how much sharp sand, cement and primer I will need? any advice would be much appreciated. Cheers Stu

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

3.6 tonnes of sharp sand at 40mm laying bed and about 18 cement bags 20kg anyone’s and either 2 primmer tubs or several sbr tubs And that should get you near as dammit 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@stujennings8605]

@@tidybrickslandscaping Cheers Mate that's a big help

[@stevenmccaffrey4162]

Laying this paving I feel the back pain... from making the mix to lifting those heavy tiles... my backs struggling doing my patio ... I dunno how you do it all year round got to be superhuman to make this your career

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

I bought myself a massage chair last year for those days when I come home from work and I’m aching it does help 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@GM-wu7cn]

Were made of different stuff us landscapers 👍👊

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

@@GM-wu7cn true that 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@GarethVillageBoyz]

What mallet are you using? Looks good

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

No idea on the make of the mallet I had it given to me 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@1919micky]

Good info can i ask how heavy is your thor mallet is please.Great job

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

I’ll check tomorrow not quite sure 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@1919micky]

Only when you have time.Thank you for reply

[@eyerish90]

What bird lies on its side, asking for a friend 😂. Good work man.👏🏼👏🏼

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Glad you agree with that lol 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@gilesj2215]

Nice vid Scott! Like you I’ve actually starting using far less clips now 1 each side to help lock them ! They definitely worth having after a good few months using them ! But say 2 on each side slows you down something rotten not to mention them being really in the way of ya spirit level ! I usually put them on the sides where the fall is going and the left to right i don’t bother now ! All the years of laying without them let’s us do it old school really but yeh the way they lock it all in really helps in a lot of situations!! Great vid ya make me laugh 😂👌🏻👌🏻

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks Giles yes I agree on the clips not so many it does have its benefits to still keep using and yeah make sure you do the wiggle wiggle 😂👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@SIBUK]

What does the wiggle do? Also what exactly is that primer? Is it just cement you are spreading on there or is it something special?

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

The wiggle allows some of the cement to raise higher to allow you to tap down flat before the wiggle height 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@andytwonames]

Daft question from the uninitiated. What is the primer you are using please?

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

That was a marshalls cement slurry primer but the are many types 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@andytwonames]

@@tidybrickslandscaping cheers

[@Blue60]

Great video showing your skills, do you use sharp sand and cement when laying slabs ?

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks for watching Blueboy yes sharp sand and cement 4 to 1 ratio 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@michaelanderson196]

Hi, been watching you for a while now. I’m a tiler myself and do mostly large format stuff now. I’m about lay to 100m of 20mm porcelain 1200x600 at my own house, I wondered if the primer you back butter can be replaced with tile adhesive? I’ve been told you can. Also is there a a reason for 5mm spacers? I’d prefer to go smaller if it allows. Thanks in advance

[@richwallwin]

So long as it’s exterior you’ll be fine, 5mm joints allow for tiny adjustments as they’re never truly all 1200x600 you’ll get some + or - a few mm and then if you’ve gone super tight they’ll butt up also they aren’t as flat as they’re made out to be, especially Chinese or Indian porcelain

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

I agree with everything Richard said 5mm is a good size 10mm for sandstone but yeah don’t go smaller than five

[@systemsky7921]

Love the channel and just laid my first Indian stone patio after watching your videos for tips on doing it properly! I'm made up with the results, ive just recently pointed it with the sikka fastfix which looks great too. Are there any products that you would use for treatment after installation? Or do I just leave it. Its a grey colour that I have put down.

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

The next thing you can do is to seal the patio but that only can be done one year later after installation to let any possible effervescence out of the cement through the stone. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Porcelain tiles you don’t do anything

[@systemsky7921]

@@tidybrickslandscaping What would you recommend to seal it with? Cheers for the reply 👍

[@andrewmoynihan6911]

Great vid once again Scott .. I’m sure u touched on this in a previous video but I can’t remember but could you recommend a product to remove grout stains from the slabs cheers mate

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Lithrofin www.lithofin.com/en-gb/products/ceramic-and-porcelain-tiles works every time 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@andrewmoynihan6911]

Thanks a mill Scott

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

@@andrewmoynihan6911 I’m sure I know a Andrew Moynihan from Cardiff when I was younger

[@andrewmoynihan6911]

@@tidybrickslandscaping well I’m actually from Ireland ha but funny enough my fathers brother moved to Wales years and years ago I think he lived in a place called Llandudno tho

[@abscomm]

That looks like a handy mallet, all the ones I seem to get lose their heads after a time. That one looks like quality, where do you get them?

[@CowzaSoze]

They are called halder simplex mallets. Can get them off amazon, can change the rubber heads when they wear down. Pricey but by far the best mallet I have used myself, comes in different sizes aswell. I recommend the 50mm one 👌👍

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

I really couldn’t tell the make of the hammer I use I had it given to me by another landscaper friend for doing him a favour 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@abscomm]

@@CowzaSoze Thanks

[@funnyboyz101]

Hi Scott, do you have a link for the tile levellers?

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Here we go Nathan Hope this helps tilerstools.co.uk/product-category/levelling-equipment/

[@kingsrd1]

Have you finished this job yet?

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Yes all wrapped up here’s the video 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKnRhGShd798fdk

[@stevevw34]

You de man 👍👍👍 Wiggle wiggle

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Everybody do the wiggle wiggle 🕺🕺👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@Boxingfanatic-fb8zg]

The mix is so wet the water will rise to the top and wash the slurry off stopping it sticking. A dryer mix with a thicker slurry works better. It's just harder to work with.

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks for sharing and yeh it’s a top to[ic wet or dry lots like it wet as I did a poll a while back 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@Boxingfanatic-fb8zg]

@tidybrickslandscaping trouble when it wet water definitely rises to the top after a few days it will shrink slightly pulling away from the tile leaving it slightly hollow. If using tiles all the same thickness it makes sense to lay the base first. And then tile properly using tile adesive. They will be rock solid then. Especially if its for a driveway.

[@goober650NX]

Hope that you don't mind me asking but, are your specs Rayban frames?

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Definitely not I think they were £5 from boots 😆👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@goober650NX]

@@tidybrickslandscaping Well, it's a fiver well spent as they look the part. Fooled me, but then again, maybe that's not too hard. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

@@goober650NX No worries hopefully enjoy the video to 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@seanmcgrath9167]

wiggle wiggle bang tidy

[@Technologyadvisor1]

whats the prime for ?

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

It makes the back of the tile sticky and helps bonding 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@Technologyadvisor1]

why do wiggle lines ?

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Makes it easier to settle in place 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@lessmith3718]

Hope your fans understand now to put compo down , before flagging it.

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Did you notice the other message I sent you

[@lessmith3718]

@@tidybrickslandscaping no

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

@@lessmith3718 the other video start to finish easy setting out patio levels you commented on a week ago

[@JohnnyMotel99]

Just curious to know why, that your footage is reversed. The logo on your shirt is a mirror image.

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Yes sometimes that happens it’s quite annoying I didn’t realise it happened on this video sometimes I see it with the writing on my van bloody back to front 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@JohnnyMotel99]

@@mdcclxxviepluribusunum1066 ok, that’s the reason. I thought it might have happened in post…but that would take a conscious decision so unlikely.

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

@@mdcclxxviepluribusunum1066 thanks for the input on the imaging it’s a constant pain in the rear sometimes I’m watching the video before I start making the movie I’m looking at the garden or driveway and everything’s in the wrong place freaks me out.. I didn’t realise I missed it on this one 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 thanks for subbing

[@pogg01]

fine work r kid

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks Phil glad you enjoyed the video mate. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@garethwilliamsmanchesterga5864]

Hi Scot your funny guy u uno lol 😂 u not blind r u haha 👍

[@tidybrickslandscaping]

Thanks Ga just trying to have a bit of fun which I’m gonna do more of over the next couple of months 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@garethwilliamsmanchesterga5864]

Well keep up vids all your vids are really good for tips always learning and it’s great to see that I’m not only one falling apart I’m 41 and my backs a nightmare let alone my shoulder This job really takes it toll but love to see you can have a laugh about it grab yourself a grabbo 👍

[@stevevw34]

You de man 👍👍👍 Wiggle wiggle