How To Lay Tiles

Laying tile is another common term for installing tile. In this post we will be discussing a basic overview of how to install tile floor. Whether you are installing marble, granite, ceramic tile, or porcelain tile, there are a few keys things to keep in mind when you are installing tile. The first most important thing is to prep your subfloor. Here is a list of important steps for installing a tile floor.

1) Prep your floor.
Remove your existing carpet, tile, vinyl, or other material. You must get down to the plywood if that is your base. Be sure to pull up any particleboard, or other type of material on top of the plywood.

2) Install cement backer board or other
If you are installing underlayment make sure to use 1/2³ cement board if possible, it gives more strength to the floor. The cement board should be applied with thinset and then screwed or nailed down. Also make sure all sheets never meet at 4 corners, you want them staggered. Then apply thinset flat trowel to all the joints with fiberglass mesh tape if necessary for strength.

3) Lay Out Your Grid
Be sure to chalk out lines in 2 tile by 2 tile boxes on the floor. Get your measurement by setting 2 tiles out side by side with the grout joint width you want. Layout your floor grid so you will not have any small cuts of tile along the edges, but always the largest cut possible.

4) Tile To Install The Tile
Now you are ready to mix up your thinset and start. Be sure to get good coverage of thinset and to use the appropiatte size notch trowel Start at the farthest point away from the exit to the room. Lay tiles in the grids how they should be installed, and tap or shuffle down the tile into the thinset mortar. Once this process is done you need to let the tile dry for at least 12 hours or until the tile are hard and the thinset is dry.

5) Grout The Tile
This is the final step. Be sure to mix the grout according to the bag to ensure color consistency. After mixing apply only as much grout as you can wash in 30-45 minutes or else it will dry to hard on the floor tile. Hold grout float at a 45 degree angle and smear across the floor packing into the grout joints as well as making sure to clean up as much excess as possible from the floor. Wash grout with clean water and a sponge. Be sure to dry and wring water out of sponge as not to get too much water on the grout. Prewash and form your joints in a circular motion doing about 4-8 tiles at a time. Then follow with a clean sponge and diagonally final wipe the tile, cleaning all grout haze off. Be sure to change out water when fairly dirty approx every 50 square feet.

That is it, you now have a great solid tile installation. To learn more on tile installation please visit How To Install Tile

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