Laying ceramic tiles can tricky for new comers but rewarding when the job in finished nicely. I’m sure you have seen tiles that have been laid properly on floors, they look great. However, if they have been laid badly you will see it straight away and when you walk on them they are not completely flat. So how do you get it right?
- Tile On A Flat Surface.
A very rough tiling surface
First thing you need to know about tiling is that they can only be as good as the surface that you lay them on. If the floor or walls are rough your finished tile job will be rough because the tiles follow the surface they are laid on. So if your floor is rough, or it has highs and lows, it must be corrected before you lay tiles. So, how do you correct a floor? If it is a timber floor you will need to sand the floor flat if it is uneven. This is done by getting a floor sander and running over the high spots. For concrete floors that are uneven you use floor leveling compound which is a self leveling cement that is spread thinly across the surface of the floor. However this does not apply to bathroom floors as they need to slope to a drain.
- Always Use The Right Type Of Tile Glue. I never use premixed tile glue as this type of glue is weaker and dries slowly. However dry power gule that is mixed with water or a premixed liquid will chemically set and is much stronger. For floors and walls it is best to use a flexible tile adhesive as this type of glue will move with the house and helps stop the tiles from cracking. If you get a lot of house movement then it should just crack along the grout lines which is easily repaired. So flexible tile glue is the way to go.
- Always Use the Correct Glue Trowel. For best results you must use the right sized notched trowel to spread the glue. For example use a 12mm or 1/2 inch notched trowel for 300 x 300mm or 12 inch x 12 inch. Your tile supplier will be able to advise you on the correct sized notched trowel for your ceramic tiles. Spread the glue in a even coat on the surface without any lumps or glue missing. The lines created by the notched trowel should be even to create a uniformed bed of tile adhesive. Also do not spread too much at once has it will start to dry out and tiles should always be laid on wet glue.
- Lay Your Tiles Evenly And Straight.
Laying Bathroom Floor Tiles
When you start to lay your tile start from a straight wall and lay and cut the tiles to suite the rest of the walls. Firmly press the tiles into the glue as you lay them, however make sure each tile is level with the tiles next to it so there is no lip. If the tiles are laid correctly there should be no lip or extremely little. Great care should be taken to lay your tile correctly so make sure allow time to get it right as a tile laid quickly can bring many years of regret if not laid right.
- Grout Your Tile Evenly.
Grouting witha grout float
Mix your grout to the consistency of whipped cream making sure there are no lumps in the mix. Using a grout float, spread the grout diagonally to the spaces between the tiles forcing the grout into the gaps. Make sure the grout is even and filled level with the tiles and then clean the excess off with a clean wet sponge taking care not to wipe out the grout. Don’t make the mistake of cleaning the tiles to much at this stage because you will just remove to much grout. Just remove the excess grout and wait until the grout is set and then polish anything off with with a dry rag.
If you want great results when you lay ceramic tiles follow these tile laying tips and you will be well on your way. Also check out more on laying ceramic tiles at our renovating and remodeling information pages.
