What Size Trowel For 3x6 Subway Tile?

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Trowels are one of the most important components while using tiles in the subway. Here a question arises, “ what size trowel for 3×6 subway tile”

Choosing the appropriate size of the trowel is important for the effectiveness and durability of your tile. So, you must be aware of this fact.

Read the article to know your answer. You will also know how a tile trowel works.

What Size Trowel For 3×6 Subway Tile?

For 3×6 subway tile, you should take a trowel with a ¼ inch x ¼ inch (6 x6) square notched trowel. Also, you will have to find this trowel to use to put the right amount of mortar on these tiles.

For your new 3×6 extra-thick and wavy handmade tiles, you will have to decide to use this notch trowel again.

But this time, you find that there isn’t enough mortar to hold the pieces of wood together. Not all the way to the back. You should always check your mortar coverage, no matter what someone tells you to use.

Here is a table from which you can know the measurement,

Tile Height	Tile Width	Trowel Notch Size(mm)	Notch Type
5	3	8×5	V
6	3	6×6	U
8	4	8×8	U
10	5	10×10	U
12	6	12×12	U
18	6	10×18	U

What Is A Tile Trowel Is And How Does It Work?

With a handle on one end and a flat metal plate on the other, a tile trowel is similar to other types of masonry trowels in that it is meant for scooping up and spreading mortar over a generally smooth surface.

Tile trowels are distinguished by the notches on the end of the handle. The notches perform two critical functions. The first advantage is that they make it simple to apply only a certain amount of mortar.

No matter how much mortar you pile onto the trowel, the notches will ensure that it is applied in lovely, equal lines of identical thickness no matter how much you pile on.

Second, the trowel creates voids between the lines of mortar that are already there. When the tile is pressed into the mortar, the air pockets allow for ventilation.

Air pockets could form if you don’t leave enough space between the tiles, preventing them from resting level or adhering properly.

Tile Trowels with a Square-Notch

Square-notch trowels have notches that are either square or rectangular in shape, and they are used to build mortar rows with flat gaps between them.

When compared to V-notch trowels, they often dispense more mortar, and the intervals between rows allow for more mortar to be smashed.

Most floor tile, as well as any tile larger than roughly 2 inches square, should be installed with square-notch trowels, as a general rule. The U-notch trowel is a type of square-notch trowel that has a rounded edge.

Because it provides somewhat less mortar than a square-notch, it is appropriate for use in situations where a square-notch would be inappropriate.

Tile Trowels with a V-Notch

A zig-zag or saw tooth pattern is created with points on a V-notch trowel, which is continuous throughout.

They are most commonly used for little tiles, such as mosaics, or for any tiles that are less than 2 inches in square dimension.

In addition, because V-notch trowels dispense less mortar than square-notch trowels, they are chosen for a wide range of wall and ceiling installations.

V-notch trowels are also more manageable than square-notch trowels since they move less and extrude less twinset mortar than square-notch trowels.

It is recommended that you use V-notch trowels with soft, plastic handles to make them simpler to hold.

How To Choose Right Size 3×6 Subway Tile?

Aside from the notch form, the size of your trowel will make a significant difference while applying your glue. Keep in mind that if you use too little glue, you run the danger of having broken or cracked tiles, while using too much might produce a mess and be extremely difficult to clean up.

The size of your trowel will be determined by three parameters in order to apply the appropriate amount of glue. Also it depends on,

the size of the tiles
the thickness of your glue under the tile
The type of surface (e.g., floor or wall)

Once you’ve discovered these variables, it’s important to understand how trowels are measured. Generally speaking, when working with V-notch trowels, you will notice that there are two numbers to consider: the width of the notch and the depth of the notch.

Square or U-notch trowels, on the other hand, usually have three numbers to consider: the first is the width of the notch, the second is the width of the space between the notches (which is not a factor in V-notch trowels), and the third is the depth of the notch. Square or U-notch trowels are the most common type of notch trowel.

Most trowels have this information included in their product specs, which you may find here. For example, if a trowel is marked with simply two numbers, it signifies that both its tooth spacing and its tooth spacing between each other have the same width.

It is a good idea to install a few tiles and then raise them up to see if enough mortar hits the surface of the tile and subtract from that figure.

Tips on how to use 3×6 Subway Tile

The trowel should be held at an angle to the ground.
Pull the trowel away from you or to the side, not forward, so it doesn’t fall.
Keep your trowel clean, dry, and washed between uses to keep it from getting rusty.
There may be too much thin-set mortar in the mix if the trowel is hard to move.
Were there too many lumps in the mortar when it was put together? (add a little water to thin it down).
Use latex, nitrile, or other gloves that are waterproof to get a better grip on your things.

Video: Trowel Selecting For 3×6 Subway Tile

FAQs about Trowel For 3×6 Subway Tile

Which Size Of Trowel Is The Best For Installing Subway Tile?

A trowel with a Square-Notch should be used for Versabond thinset to apply to a tile where the longest side of the tile is less than 8 inches. This is the recommended trowel size for this type of tile.
The type of trowel that should be used with the adhesive is usually written on the package.

Why Should I Use ¼ Square Notch Trowel For 3×6 Subway Tile?

The most common trowel used in the tiling industry is the ¼ inch square notch trowel. This size works best for small mosaic and ceramic tiles, like subway tiles that are 3″ x 6″.
It impressively works to make a smooth, clean surface for putting down tile. Besides, it is ideal for separating membranes used to reduce stress between tile and substrate

How do I know what size trowel to use for subway tile?

Finding the right trowel for the job is easy if you know that, in general, the size of the trowel should match the size of the tile. If the tile is small, the trowel should be small, and if the tile is big, the trowel should be big.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, we are successful to give you a proper answer to your question, “what size trowel for 3×6 subway tile” When it comes to choosing the right tile trowel for your next project, the tile that you choose can often make the process easier.

However, with a large number of options available on the market, it is easy to become overwhelmed. To get rid of this confusion, follow the information we have given above.