Tile Laying Basics - Install Tile...
If you want to install tile yourself instead of hiring someone professional to do it for you, you'll save money if you do the job right. Tiles themselves are not terribly expensive, and doing it yourself can certainly be cheaper than hiring to get the job done.
Labor is what's costly about laying tile, and when you decide to do it yourself, you can follow a few simple instructions to save money and have the feeling of a job well done.
One of the first things you're going to need to lay tile well is a good subfloor. Usually, these floors are made of wood. The surface should be even and solid so that you can lay tiles properly. If you've had a tile floor previously, you should remove these tiles so that your new tile floor will last longer.
If you have to get rid of the glue from the old tiles that remains on your old floor, you can buy substances that will simply dissolve it for you. If you want your new floor to look professional and to stay in place, you have to prepare the subfloor for the new floor by cleaning it.
If you're tiling in the kitchen, remove the appliances before you tile. The tile should also go under the appliances in case you ever decide to move them or if you want a different size. It's going to look quite odd to have bare spots with no tiles if you ever want to remove your appliances or move them
to a different spot.
Make sure you've measured the floor if you haven't already. With this, you're going to determine the correct amount of tile you'll need for the room. Buy about 10% more than you need so that you're sure to have enough. If you have unopened boxes of tile once the job is done, most stores will take these back,
as long as you keep your receipt. When you're ready to start to install tile, have all your tools ready. You should have the following:
1) Work clothes that you're not afraid to get dirty, splattered with glue, or stained.
2) Safety glasses
3) Grout and adhesive
4) Tile spacers
5) Grout float and notched trowel
6) Tile cutter
7) Putty knife
8) Tape measure
9) Level
10) Square
Make sure you have these tools before you start; if you don't have them, you'll need them to install your floors properly. Next, find the center of the floor. Measure the width of the floor and then mark the center with a chalk spot. If you mark the center of the floor correctly, you can start by laying tile here and then use that as a guide to make sure it stays straight and even.
To begin, put your first tile in the center of the room, where you have the spot marked. Use adhesive
to glue it to the floor. Make sure your towel is notched, so that you can spread the adhesive. Press
the tile in place and then move onto the next one. Use a damp sponge or towel to wipe excess adhesive
off the tiles as you go.
Lay tiles one after the other until the floor is covered. Use spacers to keep spaces between tiles
even and use the tile cutter to trim tiles to fit odd spaces. When this is done and your tile has set
(usually about 24 hours) grout the tile by putting grout between the tiles in the spaces. Use the grout float to fully fill the gaps. When the grout is dry, brush off the excess. Let it set for another 24 hours, and you should be ready to enjoy your new floor.