Marble tiles can add beauty and beauty to your bathroom or front room. With a wide range of colors and finishes to choose from, marble tiles can complement any space color scheme you want. Although not an easy job, you can install marble tiles with precision and patience.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing for Installation
Step 1. Wear gloves, eye protection and a mask
This protective gear will protect your hands, eyes and lungs when laying marble tiles.
Step 2. Remove any old tiles that are still on the floor
If you are installing marble on a tiled floor, the old tiles must first be removed.
- Ceramic tiles can be crushed with a hammer and then thrown away.
- Vinyl tiles can be removed with a pry tool or a crowbar.
Step 3. Clean the floor surface to be tiled and allow it to dry
Before installing any tile, you must ensure that the floor under the tile is completely clean and dry.
Step 4. Use a flatness gauge to make sure the floor area is level
Marble tiles are soft tiles and crack easily if placed on an uneven surface. Use the flatness gauge as far as possible to make sure your floor is level.
- You can try sanding down bumps on the floor or filling holes in the floor surface with plaster. Wait for the plaster to dry completely before continuing with work.
- You can also install a floor mat made of plywood to level the floor.
- Marble tiles must not be installed on floors that have a height difference of 6 mm within 3 m.
Step 5. Check the tiles
Scrub the surface of the tile with your fingernail to make sure there are no cracks or crevices on the polished tile surface. You should not use tiles that have cracks or gaps as they will break during installation or use.
Many hardware stores are willing to replace tiles that have cracks or gaps
Step 6. Measure the length and width of the floor and make a plan on the paper
Plan the installation in advance on paper using the size of the floor area and the size of the tiles. Determine the floor pattern for tiling. You can install in rows or with pyramid structures or other patterns. Draw the pattern according to the scale used on the paper.
- As much as possible the tiles are used without having to cut them.
- Do not cut marble tiles less than 5 cm wide.
Step 7. Mark the midpoint of the floor
Measure the midpoint of each wall and make small marks with a pencil. Take a chalk snap line and tie/nail the rope at the two center points of the opposite wall. Pull the rope up and snap it to the floor to make a line. Repeat at the other two midpoints of the wall. The point where the two chalk lines meet is the midpoint of your floor.
Usually the center is the center of your marble floor pattern
Step 8. Mark your pattern on the floor with chalky string
Continue to staple the chalky rope to the floor according to the planned pattern. This pattern will mark where your tile will be placed.
Part 2 of 3: Installing Tiles
Step 1. Install the tiles according to the pattern
Lay the tiles in the pattern you have made on the floor. This dry tiling allows you to identify areas that require sizing with tile cutting and helps you determine the best place to start tiling based on your pattern and shaping the area to be tiled.
If there is a gap of less than 5 cm between the last installed tile and the wall, you will need to slightly shift the center point of the tile so that the area for the tile gap is larger and your marble floor will look more beautiful
Step 2. Coat the floor surface with adhesive plaster using a notched roskam
Use high-quality gloves and work on one section of the floor at a time. The adhesive tape should be thick enough so that you can use the roskam notched end to line holes in the adhesive tape without touching the floor surface but thin enough so that no plaster will appear between the floors.
- The hole line ensures that the adhesive plaster is evenly distributed on the underside of the tile.
- Use the adhesive tape recommended for your marble type. Ask what adhesive plaster is good to use where you buy marble tiles.
Step 3. Place the marble tiles on top of the adhesive plaster
Place the tile on top of the adhesive plaster within ten minutes of placing the plaster. Be careful when laying tiles. Tiles can slide across the floor and adhesive plaster can stick to marble surfaces.
- Tiles sliding across the floor will push up the plaster and make the tiles uneven. This can cause cracks in the tiles.
- Adhesive plaster will be difficult to remove from marble tile surfaces.
Step 4. Position the tiles in the designated place using the tile separator
Use tile separators to provide even spacing between tiles and align the tile dividers in straight lines along the rows and columns of the floor. We recommend using a 3 mm marble tile separator.
Tile separators can help ensure proper tile placement on the floor
Step 5. Check the flatness of the tiles
Check the flatness of the tiles to ensure that no "lips" or tiles are higher than the other tiles. Take a stick of wood and place it on the marble tile. Gently hammer the hammer into the wood. This will ensure that all the tiles are even.
Use logs in both directions along the floor pattern to ensure all floors are perfectly level
Step 6. Measure the tiles to be cut by laying one tile on top of the full tile closest to the wall
Place another tile on the wall so that the edge of the second tile is directly above the first tile. Draw a line on the first tile using a knife to mark the width of the tile that needs to be cut.
Step 7. Use a tile saw to cut the tiles to fit the edges along the wall or in special sections
To minimize the risk of the tile breaking when cut, saw the length of the tile. Turn the tiles over and then, cut the rest. Repeat the process until you have cut out all the special parts of the tile and laid these tiles on top of the adhesive plaster.
You can rent a tile saw at your local hardware store or at a tool rental company
Step 8. Remove excess adhesive plaster between tiles
If too much adhesive tape is placed under the tiles or you put too much pressure on the floor, the adhesive tape can be excessively visible between the tiles. If this happens, take a small knife to cut off the excess.
Step 9. Leave the tiles for 24-48 hours for the plaster to dry completely
Each adhesive plaster has a different drying time. Therefore, check the instructions for using the adhesive for the correct drying time.
Do not step on the tiles during drying time. Stepping on the tiles can cause the floor to be uneven
Part 3 of 3: Putting the Finishing Touches on Your Marble Floor
Step 1. Coat the marble
Because marble tile is very soft and can damage easily, you should coat your floor with a high-quality marble coating material before grouting the floor. This coating is also important because marble has a lot of pores and the grout can stain the floor.
- Coat the marble surface with a special marble coating material.
- If you prefer the color and look of uncoated marble, you can use a grout release or other type of coating that will prevent the grout from adhering to the marble tiles.
Step 2. Mix the grout according to package directions
Grout or mortar is used to fill in the gaps between tiles. Make sure you use a high-quality dust mask, protective eyewear and gloves. Wear a long-sleeved shirt to prevent damage to your skin when it touches the grout.
Mix enough grout to use for 15-20 minutes. The grout will dry out and harden when used longer than this time
Step 3. Moisten the gaps between the tiles using a damp sponge before applying the grout to the gaps
Step 4. Fill in the gaps with grout
Smooth the grout between the gaps with a rubber scraper. Avoid grout adhering to the marble tile surface. Although a little grout will stick to the tile, the amount should be kept to a minimum.
- Stuff the grout into the gap as much as possible to seal the gap.
- Wipe up any grout stuck to the tile surface as quickly as possible.
Step 5. Use a rubber scraper to smooth the grout
Use a rubber scraper to smooth out the grout and create a smooth surface in the cracks. You can also use your gloved finger to smooth out the holes and smooth out the top of the grout.
Step 6. Use a clean sponge to wipe the surface of the marble tiles
Use a damp sponge to clean the tile surface of excess grout. Try not to add extra moisture to the grout to prevent the grout from getting too wet.
Step 7. Dry the grout
Allow the grout to dry for the amount of time recommended in the instructions for use. Some types of grout require a longer drying time to ensure maximum strength.
Step 8. Coat the grout
Use a disposable sponge to coat the grout with the grout coating material. This coating will help prevent stains and dirt from permanently discoloring the grout. This coating also makes it easier to clean the grout at a later time.
Step 9. Clean the equipment with water or acetone
Clean your utensil with water or acetone to remove excess grout or mortar and prepare the utensil for future use.
Tips
- Tile separators of 0.16 to 0.32 cm are recommended for marble tiles.
- Use the flatness gauge as far as possible to ensure the floor is level. If there is a slope of more than 0.16 cm for every 0.9 m, you need to put a layer under the tile.
- If you don't have a tile saw, you can rent one from your local tool rental shop.
- Make sure you lay the marble tiles evenly. Otherwise, the tiles will crack or chip easily.
Warning
- If you are removing vinyl tiles before installing marble tiles, you should first check if the tiles contain asbestos. Asbestos particles can be released into the air and be harmful to your breathing. You can ask a special officer to remove these tiles.
- Be careful when using a tile saw. Tile saws have very sharp blades and are very dangerous.
