Decorative Ceramic Tile

Installing Ceramic Tile

A Brief Outline For Installing Ceramic Tile

You've selected the decorative ceramic tile to use for your do-it-yourself project, and you're ready to begin the installation. Here are some simple instructions to get you started on your task. They are intended only to give you a quick run-through of what you'll be doing.

You should first read through this article, then watch one of the many videos available online to actually see a skilled craftsman installing ceramic tile. You may also want to get a book or pamphlet that has more detailed information. There's no substitute for adequate preparation. Trying to fix a mistake after setting your tile is not the way to go.

First get together the tools you will need. Some things, like a carpenter's square, you may have already. If not you can buy them at your local home center. More expensive equipment, like a ceramic tile cutter, should be rented, as it is too expensive to buy just for one job.

Next, you must prepare the surface on which you're going to set the tile. Tile can be installed over most sub-surfaces, as long as they are structurally sound. You will need to fill any holes or cracks, and smooth, clean, and level the surface.

For a ceramic tile floor installation, you may first need to rip out any existing tile before you begin. This is a messy job, so be sure to protect your eyes and skin from dust and flying debris.

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Once the surface is ready, you need to plan out where the tiles will go before you actually begin installing your ceramic tile. If you're installing cermaic floor tile, you will need to find and mark the center of your floor, and lay your tiles from there outward to the walls. For wall tile, you work from the base upwards.

When you're ready to begin laying ceramic tile, apply a thin layer of mortar to the surface, but not too large an area. You don't want it to dry before you've set the tile. Place each tile by pressing down and twisting to and fro until it is set. Don't forget to use tile spacers, so that you have room for the ceramic tile grout later on.

At the edges of the space you're covering, you will of course need to cut some tiles to fit. When cutting ceramic tile, use the ceramic tile cutter you rented for straight or diagonal cuts. If you have a curved cut, you will need to nip off small pieces a little bit at a time, and then smooth the edges.

After allowing the mortar time to dry, you can begin to fill in the spaces between the tiles. Remove the tile spacers, and apply the ceramic tile grout with your rubber grout float. After it has begun to set, wipe the excess grout off with a damp sponge. When the grout is hard, buff the tiles to get rid of the haze that forms on the surface. Finally, a grout sealant may be applied to make it easier to keep clean later.

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Russ

Posted 597 days ago

I don't know about watching a video to see how it's done. Those guys always make it look so easy. Then when you try to do the same thing yourself, you find there's something they neglected to mention.

Shon

Posted 619 days ago

After reading this article, I don't think I'm going to try installing my own ceramic tile. It sounds like just the sort of job that I have a habit of screwing up so badly that it ends up costing me more to fix it than it would have to hire a professional to do it in the first place.

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