Abstract: A trowel designed to apply adhesive to a wall or floor includes a grooved cylinder along one edge. The grooves extend completely around the cylindrical surface and are uniform in size allowing one to apply a uniform amount of adhesive onto a surface regardless of the angle of the trowel relative to the surface.

Abstract: Elastomeric sleeves are positioned on the handles of tile nippers to maintain the tile nippers in an open position and to absorb shock. The elastomeric sleeves each include two opposed raised projections. The raised projections nearest the head of the tile nipper bias the tile nipper in an open position and provide cushioning as the tile nippers engage a piece of tile. The second raised projections contact each other as the tile nipper cuts the tile, preventing the jaws from contacting each other and reducing the jolt that the user feels as they cut the tile.

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced pultruded planks serve as underlayment for tile, stone or terrazzo. In one embodiment, the planks have a thin base surface with a plurality of elongated ridges. The planks have interlocking tongue and groove edges. The elongated ridges have a narrow base and a wider distal portion wherein the areas between adjacent ridges have a trapezoidal cross sectional configuration with the thin base resting on the support. Tile can be adhered to the surface using a rigid cementitious adhesive which fills in the trapezoidal area, creating a very rigid support structure. If the planks are reversed with the ridges resting on the support, tile or stone can be adhered to the relatively smooth thin base with an epoxy adhesive.

Abstract: A fiber-reinforced pultruded underlayment for ceramic tile includes a thin base with a plurality of elongated ridges. The underlayment is in the form of planks having interlocking tongue and groove edges. The elongated ridges have a narrow base and a wider distal portion wherein the areas between adjacent ridges have a trapezoidal cross sectional configuration. Tile is adhered to the surface using a rigid cementitious or epoxy adhesive which fills in the trapezoidal area creating a very rigid support structure for the ceramic tile.

Abstract: A manual tile cutter includes a base adapted to support a tile, a rail connected to the base above the tile and a carriage slidably mounted on the rail. A manually operated lever and a cutting toolholder are independently pivotally mounted to the carriage at a common pivot point. A shaft has one end mechanically coupled to the cutting toolholder and an opposite end extending through the carriage and connected to a manually adjustable knob. A biasing element applies a force on the cutting toolholder toward the tile. A height adjusting device in mechanical communication with the knob and the cutting toolholder adjusts the height of the cutting tool with respect to the tile but independent of the lever to accommodate different tile thicknesses.

Abstract: A manually operated tile cutter having a carriage slidably mounted on a pair of guide rails supported by a base. An operating lever is pivotally connected to the carriage at a point below the guide rails, and the carriage contains two interconnected operating lever pivot supports which position the scoring wheel at different heights thereby accommodating different tile thicknesses.