Patent ID: 7070667

Claim:
A method for installing tiles on a vertical support surface, comprising the steps of: providing a device having an elongate, single solid straight configuration body; said device having a spirit level having a bubble; forming in said device a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart openings; axially misaligning the openings with respect to one another to maintain structural integrity of the device so that said device may be affixed to a stud behind said vertical support surface without limitation relating to the location of the stud; adapting each of said openings to accommodate a fastener means; providing a tile support surface along an upper edge of said device; making mark on said vertical support surface at a predetermined location thereon; positioning said tile support surface of said device in abutting, overlying relation to said vertical support surface in registration with said mark and rotating said device against said vertical support surface until said spirit level indicates that said tile support surface is horizontal; fastening said device to said vertical support surface by inserting a fastener means through at least two of said openings; installing a lowermost row of tiles on said vertical support surface such that said lowermost row of tiles is supported by said tile support surface; removing said fastener means after said tile installation is complete; and removing said device from said overlying relation to said vertical support surface; whereby said lowermost row of tiles in said tile installation is level; and installing subsequent rows of tiles using said lowermost row of tiles as a foundation such that the subsequent rows are also level.