How to install wall tiles

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

Take some time to level the surface and everything will go like clockwork.

1. Collect materials and tools

They will be needed for measurements, preparation of the base and the installation itself. Almost everything from this list is in every home or is sold in a hardware store at affordable prices:

• tile, glue and grout;
• primer, tray and roller;
• seam crosses, profiles and screws;
• mixer and kneading container;
• drill, puncher;
• notched and soft spatulas;
• rubber mallet, tile nippers;
• angle grinder with diamond disc or tile cutter;
• pencil, level, tape measure and square;
• bucket, sponge.

2. Prepare the walls

The smoother the surface of the walls, the better the result will be. You can install tiles on concrete, plastered brick walls, drywall and old tiles.

• Clean the walls from the peeling old coating, remove all debris, sweep away the dust. If the base is smooth, cut with an ax, chisel, or grinder.
• Apply a coat of primer according to the type of wall material.
• In case of plane differences of more than 8-10 millimeters at two meters, pre-plaster the surface or level it with tile glue to avoid uneven shrinkage and the appearance of steps.

3. Decide on the type of styling

As a rule, wall tiles are installed in the traditional way: when the tiles are laid end-to-end to each other, and the seams are located at an angle of 90 ° to the walls. Each manufacturer has a variety of collections with a variety of designs, where the pattern is formed in the usual straight installation.

Less commonly, a diagonal mounting method is used. The tiles are also stacked end-to-end, but in relation to the walls they are at an angle of 45 °. The diagonal method is much more complex, requires more skill and increases the number of wall trims, which in turn increases material consumption by 10-15%.

If you are installing tiles for the first time, it is better to stay with the traditional method. This will make your job easier and increase the chances of a good result. We will consider just such an option.

4. Make a preliminary layout

Before starting the process, consider how best to position the tiles in order to achieve the most harmonious look and avoid clipping. If you can't get away from the narrow pieces, move them to the most inconspicuous places. For example, on the wall above the door.

Ideally, all trims should be more than half the tile. This will slightly increase the consumption of material, but will make the cladding more aesthetically pleasing. For this calculation, do the following:

• Divide the width of the wall by the width of the tile and count how many whole tiles fit.
• Remove the outermost row on either side.
• Move the remaining tiles to the center of the wall.
• As a result, in the corners there will be one tile in width a little more than a whole one.

5. Draw a line and set the guides

To make it easier to work, mark the horizontal and vertical lines on the wall to align the rows of tiles, and install guides along them from a profile for drywall or wooden battens.

It is recommended to start styling not from the first, but from the second row. This is more convenient, and in case of unevenness in the floor, the risk of the tiles falling over is excluded.

• Determine the position of the bottom edge of the second row by counting the number of tiles from the ceiling or floor, taking into account the thickness of the joints.
• Draw a horizontal line and fix the metal profile along it with screws or dowels. You can also use a piece of drywall or a piece of wood as a lighthouse.
• Due to such a support, the tile to be laid will be in a horizontal plane and will not slide down.

6. Prepare the glue

• Pour water into the container 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 second row

• Apply the adhesive to the first tile with the straight part of the trowel. Flatten it over the surface with the scalloped side, holding the tool at a 45 ° angle to the tile.
• Observing the picture or focusing on the arrow on the back, attach the tile to the wall.
• Set the tile down by lightly tapping with your hand or a rubber mallet so that the glue is evenly distributed over the surface.
• Align the tiles horizontally and vertically using a level.
• Lay the rest of the whole tiles in the row, placing two crosses in each seam on one side.

8. Fit the remaining rows

• In the same way, lay all the whole tiles in the remaining rows.
• Insert crosses at the joints of the four tiles for additional alignment.
• Do not let the glue get into the seam and scrub it with a cross or sponge until the mixture has set.

9. Install undercutting

When all of the entire rows have been assembled, install the outermost tiles by cutting them with a tile cutter or angle grinder.

How to cut with a tile cutter

• Measure the exact length of the undercut including 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.

How to drill holes

Use diamond core bits or drills to drill pipe holes. Contoured cuts can be made using a diamond-coated wire for a conventional hacksaw for metal. All options are discussed in detail in the video.

10. Make corner joints

When laying tiles in the inner corners, make sure that tiles with a cut edge are covered with a plate with an even factory edge on the other wall.

For the formation of the outer corners, use special corner profiles made of plastic or aluminum. Install the corner and align the first tile with it, and insert the second into the profile coated with glue.

11. Fit the first row

Lastly, lay the first row that you missed at the beginning. Measure each tile locally, trim and install as usual. Ideally, do this after the tiles have been laid on the floor in order to trim as accurately as possible.

12. Grout the joints

Not earlier than a day after the glue has completely solidified, you can proceed to the final stage - grouting, or jointing. This is done like this:

• Remove the crosses and remove the remaining glue from the seams.
• Prepare a small amount of fugue according to the recipe on the package and mix thoroughly with a mixer.
• Let stand for 5-10 minutes and stir again.
• Fill the joints with grout with a soft rubber trowel.
• Hold the tool at a 45 ° angle to the surface and apply the mixture perpendicular to the joint, completely filling it.
• After half an hour, pick up the remains of the fugue with a damp sponge. Wipe off the remaining stains after a few minutes with a dry cloth.