Installation grid

Abstract

A molded tile grind is adhesively secured to a support wall, floor or planar surface in preparation for installing tiles. The grid is installed in a aligned manner and additional grids are abutted together to provide a continuous grid across the surface. The grid includes cells sized for snuggly receiving a tile and the grid accurately locates and aligns the title relative to adjacent tiles. The grid preferably remains in place and is of a thickness less than the tile to allow grout to be placed between tiles in the normal manner. The grid may be molded of a resilient plastic material.

1 . A tile insert grid comprising a molded plastic grid having a series of cells with each cell forming a peripheral frame about a tile receiving open center, said grid including peripheral edge portions adapted to cooperate with peripheral edge portions of a like tile insert grid to provide an expanded grid having the same spacing between cells including cells at an abutment between like tile insert grids.  
   
   
       2 . A tile insert grid as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said grid is sufficiently resilient to be rolled upon itself for storage or shipping.  
   
   
       3 . A tile insert grid as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said grid is adapted to receive and locate at least 24 tiles.  
   
   
       4 . A tile insert grid as claimed in  claim 1  in combination with predetermined tiles wherein said grid is of a thickness less than half the thickness of the predetermined tiles.  
   
   
       5 . A tile insert grid as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said tiles are rectangular.  
   
   
       6 . A tile insert grid as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said tiles are square.  
   
   
       7 . A tile insert grid as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said grid includes a top portion two side portions and a bottom portion and said grid is disposed at a 45° angle to said top portion.  
   
   
       8 . A tile insert grid as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said top portion, said two side portions and said bottom portion include a peripheral edge having a profile defining adjacent half cells.  
   
   
       9 . A tile insert grid as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said grid includes a top portion two side portions and a bottom portion and said grid includes a series of interior grid members of an equal width terminating at said top portion, said two side portions or said bottom portion at a grid member of half width of the interior grid members.  
   
   
       10 . A tile insert grid as claimed in  claim 9  said interior grid members are of a width of about one eighth of an inch.  
   
   
       11 . A method of installing tiles comprising 
 securing one or more tile receiving grids to a support surface in an aligned desired orientation for receiving tiles in cells of the one or more tile receiving grids, using said secured tile receiving grids as a guide to accurately locate tiles one to the other by using an adhesive to secure tiles within the cells of the one or more tile receiving grids with said grids being of a reduced thickness relative to said tiles, and applying grout between adjacent tiles and above said grid members.    
   
   
       12 . A method as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said tile receiving grids include open cells accommodating direct securement of said tiles to said support surface.  
   
   
       13 . A method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said tile receiving grids are secured in abutment with adjacent tile receiving grids and defining equal spacing between adjacent tiles of abutting tile receiving grids.  
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  said tile receiving grids include diagonally orientated grid members relative to an edge portion of the respective tile receiving grid.