How to lay tiles on the floor

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Despite the seeming complexity, almost everyone can do the tiling of the surface with tiles.

1. Collect tools and materials

In addition to tiles and glue, you will need:

• deep penetration primer;
• roller or brush;
• grout;
• basin or bucket;
• mixer for mixing the solution;
• drill or hammer drill;
• notched trowel;
• soft spatula;
• rubber mallet;
• level;
• right and lo;
• roulette;
• ruler or square;
• pencil;
• crosses for seams;
• angle grinder with diamond disc or tile cutter;
• tile nippers;
• sponge.

2. Prepare the base

As a rule, the tiles are laid on a concrete screed. Installation on a wooden base and even on top of old tiles is also allowed, if it holds well. Parquet or board will first have to be covered with cement-bonded particle boards, and old tiles - with concrete contact primer. In both cases, the height of the finished floor will increase compared to screed installation.

• Smooth out any unevenness on the floor, then sweep away debris or vacuum.
• If the height difference is more than 3–5 mm at two meters, remove all irregularities with a self-leveling mixture.
• Apply a primer appropriate for the type of coating.
• Wait 2-3 hours until the surface is completely dry.

3. Decide on the type of styling

There are three main methods: traditional, diagonal, and wandering. In addition, there are various combinations that are used for beauty.

• The traditional one is the simplest and most common way. The tiles are arranged in even rows parallel to the walls. Suitable for square and rectangular tiles.
• Diagonal is a more original and complex option. The tile is laid at an angle of 45 ° to the walls. Looks better with square ceramics. Requires more trimming, increases material consumption.
• Spread - each new row of tiles is displaced relative to the previous one, as in brickwork. Well hides defects in tile geometry. More suitable for rectangular tiles.
• Herringbone - imitation of parquet boards using rectangular tiles. Looks good with wood finish. Gives the minimum amount of waste.
• Modular - the pattern is randomly selected from tiles of different shapes and sizes to create a repeating, non-uniform mesh. Suitable for small rooms.
• Offset - small and large square tiles are laid in long rows, creating a very interesting design. Definitely not for beginners.

For those who work with tiles for the first time, the traditional method of laying or tiling is recommended. Other methods are worth choosing only if you are confident in your abilities. Otherwise, it is better to entrust this work to professionals.

4. Apply the markings

To lay the tiles evenly, tie the layout pattern to the center of the room and start cladding from this point. The seams of adjacent rows or the middle of the tile should pass through the center - this will be the axis of symmetry. If the walls are uneven, it can be shifted. For example, to the center of the doorway - so that the open part of the floor has a better view, and the trims are hidden under the furniture.

For straight laying

• Mark the midpoints of the walls and draw lines from them to find the center of the room.
• Check the squareness of the axes with a square and, if necessary, correct so that there is 90 degrees between them.
• If the axle runs along the edge of the doorway, it is best to move it towards the center for a more aesthetic appearance.

For diagonal styling

• Attach the right and the lo to the wall and mark the points where the gap between them is minimal. If the plane of the wall is flat, you do not need to do this.
• Measure the diagonal length of the tile. Step back this amount from the wall or the marked points and draw a line on the floor parallel to the wall. This will be the edge of the first row of tiles.
• From the line drawn on the floor, mark a few more diagonally to mark the next rows.

With the presence of a laser level, the marking procedure is simplified. It is enough to draw diagonals to find the center of the room, and then set the laser at this point and mark the axes perpendicularly or at an angle of 45 ° to the walls.

5. Make a preliminary layout

For the integrity of the tiled floor, it is necessary to distribute the tiles in such a way that all undercuts in width are more than half of the tiles. Narrow pieces are allowed if they are hidden under furniture and appliances. This will increase the consumption of material a little, but the finish will turn out to be as harmonious as possible.

• Count how many entire rows of tiles fit along the wall, taking into account the thickness of the joints.
• Remove the outermost row on either side.
• Place the remaining rows exactly in the center of the wall.
• As a result, there will be one trimming at the corners, more than half of the tile width.
• For bathrooms with shower stalls, lay out the entire floor area. In bathrooms with a bathtub, focus on the space from one of the walls to the edge of the bathtub - this way the narrow trim will be hidden.
• In L-shaped rooms, place the symmetrical layout in a visible area, and hide the trims where the furniture is.

6. Prepare the glue

• Pour water into a basin or bucket and pour in the required amount of adhesive in strict accordance with the instructions on the package.
• Stir well until smooth with a hammer drill or drill at low speed.
• After 10 minutes, stir the solution again for a more uniform consistency and complete impregnation of the settled mixture.
• Do not prepare a large amount of the solution at once. If you do not have time to use it, it will dry out and lose its properties.
• It is impossible to add water to the already prepared glue: this will worsen the strength.

7. Lay the first row

• Use a notched trowel to apply glue to an area of the floor that is sufficient for one or two tiles, with a small margin around the perimeter.
• Smooth the mortar with a notched trowel in all directions. Hold the tool at an angle of 45 ° to the surface.
• Look for an arrow or manufacturer's logo on the back of the tile and install all tiles with these symbols in the same direction.
• Apply dry tiles to the prepared surface and align it with the markings.
• Use your hand or a rubber mallet to push the tile down to fill it completely with adhesive.
• Make sure the tile is horizontal using a level. Align it by tapping if necessary.
• Lay the next tile and place crosses in the adjacent seam.
• Align the second tile with the first and make sure with a level that it is level.
• Lay the entire first row of tiles in the same way.

8. Fit the remaining rows

• Lay whole tiles in the next rows in the same way.
• To make the tiles adjoin clearly, insert a cross into the joint of every four.
• Remember to control the horizontal plane with a level.
• Clean all seams with a cross and a sponge dampened in water from the glue that has got inside. When it dries up, it will be much more difficult to do.

9. Install undercutting

Lastly, tiles are laid around the perimeter of the walls, as well as adjacent to pipes and outer corners. Such a tile must first be cut to the desired size with a tile cutter or an angle grinder with a diamond disc. And then lay on the glue in the same way as whole tiles: using crosses and checking the plane with a level.

How to cut with a tile cutter

• Measure the desired length of the tile, taking into account the seams.
• Place a pencil mark on each side and draw a line.
• Place the tile on the tile cutter table according to the mark and press it against the edge of the bed.
• Move the roller along the cut line in one motion.
• Press lightly on the handle to separate the tile.

How to cut with an angle grinder

• Mark the cutting line on the tile and fix it with improvised means.
• Put on your glasses and take a grinder with a solid diamond disc.
• Cut through the tiles gradually without pressure, without going deeper at once to the full thickness.
• In order not to raise dust, you can moisten the tile and cut through only the top layer, and then put a nail under the tile and break it like on a tile cutter.

10. Grout the joints

• After a day, remove all the crosses from the seams and remove the protruding glue.
• Dilute the grout mixture with water according to the proportions indicated on the package and mix with a mixer.
• After 5 minutes, mix everything thoroughly again.
• Rubber trowel at an angle of 45 ° to the surface, apply grout to the seams.
• Move across the joint and press well with the trowel to completely fill.
• After 30 minutes, remove the remnants of dried grout from the tile with a sponge soaked in water.
• Wipe off any stains completely with a dry cloth.