Installing tiles on your own bathroom floor can be a satisfying and cost-effective home improvement project if you get the right materials and plan the project ahead of time. With a little planning, anyone can do it. Keep reading to learn how to prepare the foundation, lay the tiles, and fill the grout so that the tiles will last for years to come. Match tiles!
Step
Part 1 of 4: Getting the Right Materials
Step 1. Buy tiles
Buy tiles that are strong and look attractive. Buy more than you need. According to an experience-based rule, buy 15% more tiles to anticipate the possibility of tiles needing to be cut to fit in tight spaces and tiles that might break during shipping. There are many types of tiles, namely:
- Ceramic and porcelain tiles cost about a dollar per 30 square cm and they are attractive, durable, and strong. The problem of a classic look in the bathroom, ceramic or porcelain tiles is hard to beat. Make sure the tiles you buy are categorized for use on the floor.
- Vinyl tiles are also common, easy to install, and inexpensive. Vinyl is also self-adhesive, so you don't need anything more than the tiles yourself. Other types of tiles require extra work and materials. If you use vinyl, you don't need to buy other materials. Just follow the gluing instructions listed on the package and follow the tile alignment problem instructions below.
- Laminate and linoleum tiles are usually available as planks instead of tiles, but are sometimes quite popular. Also more expensive, the price ranges up to 4 dollars per 30 square cm.
- Other materials made of wood, cork, stone, or glass are also available but tend to be more expensive. Such tiles require a type of polyurethane coating to avoid dents and dents, but are a good choice if you like the way they look.
Step 2. Purchase a thin-set mortar and grout
In order to hold the tiles together and create a solid bathroom floor, you'll first need to coat a little bit of mortar to keep the tiles and grout together.
Mortar is usually available in two types, namely, mixed and unmixed mortar which is packaged in boxes. All you need to do to mix it up is add water and pre-mixed mortar which is usually more expensive, but just buy whichever type works for you
Step 3. Purchase equipment
In addition to tile, mortar, and grout, you'll also need:
- Tape measure
- Cement board
- Knife.
- 2 big buckets and a big sponge
- Curved wall spoon
- Hammer and roof nails
- Tile cutter or wet saw
- Tile spacers
- Flat gauge, tape measure and chalk thread
- Kape and grout adhesive
- Knee protector
Part 2 of 4: Laying the Foundation
Step 1. Prepare the floor
Make sure the layer to be tiled has been brushed and free of debris, especially if you are doing a renovation or construction project.
Make sure that the existing floor is flat, strong, and firmly attached to the floor below. The floor and underfloor layers should have a minimum thickness of 2.5-0.32cm
Step 2. Mix in a lump of mortar
Follow the tile manufacturer's instructions, mixing water and mortar in a bucket with the right composition. The mortar should be thick, as thick as mud, but not so thick that it won't come off the wall spoon.
Do not mix more mortar than you can use in an hour, otherwise the mortar will start to dry out
Step 3. Spread a layer of mortar on the lower floor with a notched wall spoon
Spread the mortar quickly, but evenly. Use a sweeping motion on the wall spoon.
Step 4. Cut the cement board to fit the available space
If you want to strengthen the floor with cement board, first scrape the cement board with a knife before attaching it to the mortar.
Drive roof nails along the sides to secure the backing boards to the floor. Continue until the floor is covered and apply a layer of mortar to each joint
Step 5. Wait until the next day to start laying tiles
In the meantime, you can prepare marking lines to make sure the tiles will lay flat.
Step 6. Draw vertical and horizontal marking lines from the middle of the room
If you start laying tiles along a crooked wall, it will look really crooked by the time you reach the opposite wall, so you'll need to use chalk thread (a piece of string wrapped in chalk dust that can be glued into place) to make marking lines that fit. easy to remove.
- Identify the walls that are most visible when you enter the room. This is the wall with the longest area of continuously connected tiles.
- Determine a 90 degree angle from the wall, using a tape measure, and thread the chalk thread around the room.
- Use the tape measure again to mark the 90 degree perpendicular angle of the chalk thread and attach another chalk thread parallel to the first line. There are now two chalk threads crossing each other as markers for placing the first tile.
Part 3 of 4: Installing Tiles
Step 1. Place a row of horizontal and vertical tiles on the floor along the chalk marking line
Swap tiles, if needed, so that the cut to be made near the wall is at the least visible wall. Don't cut tiles at the entrance, so adjust the tiles so the pieces lie away from the wall.
You can apply additional chalk lines, once the tile layout is complete, if you wish
Step 2. Place the first tile in the far corner of the room and continue to attach it towards the door
Avoid stepping on the freshly laid tile, as the mortar will dry out. Place the tiles in small sections one at a time.
- Mix a little mortar and smooth it on the cement board with a wall spoon.
- Match multiple pieces of tile with tile spacers to create even lines of grout.
- Press the tile firmly into the mortar so that there are no air bubbles underneath.
- Place a flat gauge over the tile to make sure the tile is completely level.
Step 3. Cut the tiles with a tile cutter or wet saw, if necessary, to fit them along the wall
As you head towards the wall, you may not be able to use the right number of tiles. It is also necessary to make cuts for tiles installed near the toilet and other round objects.
Step 4. Allow the mortar to dry for at least one day
Follow the instructions recommended by the manufacturer before gluing the tiles.
Part 4 of 4: Gluing Bathroom Floor Tiles
Step 1. Pull the tile separator before adding the grout
Mix the gritty grout with water in a bucket, according to the manufacturer's directions.
Step 2. Apply the grout to the floor with a wall spoon
Press it firmly into the grout line with a spatula, working in small sections one at a time. Remove excess grout from the tile surface before it dries.
Fill a second bucket with water and use it to wet a sponge with rounded corners. Dry the sponge, then sweep it over the tile so that you're sweeping it diagonally across the grout line. If you sweep parallel to the grout line, it may gouge some of the grout and leave an uneven surface. Rinse the sponge in a bucket of water and repeat until the grout comes off the tile surface
Step 3. Wait at least 2 days for the grout to harden before gluing it
Leave the grout exposed to moist air for two days, to strengthen it.
Suggestions
- Don't add too much water to the grout, because too much grout won't harden quickly. Preferably the thickness is more or less like thick paste.
- By wearing knee pads when laying and gluing tiles, which require you to kneel long enough on a hard surface, your knees will be protected.
- Expect the grout to appear much darker when you install it. If you're not sure if the color is right, dry the area a little with a hairdryer before gluing the entire floor with the wrong color. It will be very difficult to remove the grout once it is dry.
- Sponges with rounded corners are best for removing grout from the tile surface, as sponges with square corners may pick up the grout when you run it across the grout lines.
Warning
When cutting tiles and mixing mortar, harmful particles are released in the air. Regulate the flow of air in the room or try to use respiratory protection
Materials needed
- Tape measure
- Cement board
- Knife
- Thin-set mortar
- 2 big buckets
- Curved wall spoon
- roof nails
- hammer
- Meter
- chalk thread
- Tile
- Tile cutter or wet saw
- Tile separator
- Average gauge
- Big sponge
- Nat
- Putty knife
- grout adhesive
- Knee protector
