This is definitely not the most interesting of topics to talk about but important nevertheless to the folks installing tile out there everywhere. What size trowel do I use on my project?

The best way to answer this is to say that the proper trowel size is basically the same as the tile size. The smaller the tile, the smaller the trowel and the larger the tile the larger the trowel. For example, for smaller tiles and many mosaics use a 3/16” x ¼” V notch trowel.

You want a mortar bed that will cover most of the back of a tile so there are no hollow spots or empty spaces with no coverage. You can “back butter” your tile in cases where the mortar might not be spreading evenly.

Hopefully these tips help when selecting a trowel for your project.