Having spent time and money measuring your floor, selecting tiles and deciding on the color, you now have to lay and grout them. This can seem daunting to a “first timer” but with the correct tools, planning and a bit of patience; it is a fairly easy job.

 

Preparation

Spending time on proper preparation will ensure your tiles fix correctly and thus guarantee a better finish and a more durable floor.

Tiling on Concrete

When tiling onto newly laid concrete floors, ensure they are completely dry (typically they should be at least 6 weeks old). The floor should be clean, free of any dirt or grease and completely level. You will need to level out any uneven parts with a self levelling compound.

Tiling on Wooden Floors

Existing floors must be solid and capable of supporting the extra weight.The first method is to lay 15mm exterior plywood (which has been sealed). Screw down the plywood and use a flexible filler to pack any gaps between sheets.

Or

If the existing floor is in an excellent state and level throughout, you may manage with only a plastic membrane (available from most flooring retailers) fixed using a flexible adhesive. Due to the possibility of movement, a flexible grout should always be used when tiling on wooden floors.

Once laid, the tiles will raise the level of the finished floor, because of this, it is advisable to remove any inward opening doors and fixtures which may be affected once the floor is tiled. These can then be replaced upon completion.

Using chalk, draw a line down the middle of the length and then breadth of the room. You will now, in effect, have a cross in the centre of the floor. Position four tiles to make a square, with the centre of the square over the centre of the cross. After laying these four tiles, you will lay subsequent tiles down each side of the chalk lines. A 3mm space must be left between tiles, plastic spacers can be used for a uniformed finish, alternatively, matchsticks or cardboard could be used if you don’t have any spacers.

 

Laying your tiles

  1. Following the instructions on your waterproof adhesive pack/tub and using a plain or notched trowel/spreader, apply your adhesive to the floor. Only spread a manageable amount at a tile; enough to lay around 10 tiles.
  1. Apply a layer of adhesive to the back of the first tile.
  1. Press the tile into the required position ensuring it is inline with your chalk lines. Using a spirit level, check that the tile is level. The positioning of the first tile is extremely important as this will determine the position of all further tiles.
  1. Repeat step 3 for each tile, following the chalk lines, then infilling in rows until the floor is complete. Always work towards the doorway so that you do walk on the tiles until they have set.
  1. Do not walk on the floor for 24 hours as you will risk disturbing the tiles before they have bonded with the adhesive

Cutting tiles

It is unlikely that your edge tiles (where the floor meets the wall) will fit exactly. This means you will have to cut your tile to fit. Floor tiles are generally harder to cut than wall tiles and will require a tile cutter tool. These are not expensive and will make the job much easier and ensure a more professional finish.

  1. Lay your tile against the wall and mark where you need to cut (with a pencil) using the previous tile as your guide (don’t forget to include your 3mm space)
  1. Using your tile cutter, cut to required size.

Grouting

Unless you have used a rapid setting adhesive, you must wait 24 hours, after tiling, before grouting.

1. Force the grout into the joints using a spreader. Remove excess grout from the surface with a (damp, not wet).

2. You may wish to run a rounded dowel or peg down the joints for a neater finish.

Sealing

If using unglazed tiles, you will have to seal the floor using the relevant sealer. This is a quick and easy process, following the instructions supplied with the sealer (usually it involves simply sponging the liquid onto the tiles.

Again, this is a task which can appear daunting for a “first timer”. With a bit of time and careful preparation, it is not difficult to achieve a professional finish.