Ceramic tile floors are easy to care for, beautiful, and long-lasting. Lay your own tile floor with the right tools and a little patience.
You can save money by laying your own floor tile. Be prepared, however, to spend a little time and get a little messy in the process. Tiles are ideal for bathrooms and kitchens and can give the rest of your home a contemporary and elegant look as well. Tile sizes vary. Smaller rooms, such as bathrooms and kitchens may look best with 12-inch tiles; larger living areas might benefit from 18-inch or 24-inch sizes.
Shop around. Often, independent tile and carpet shops have the best pricing and selection. Grout, adhesives, and tools will probably be lower-priced at the larger home improvement stores.
When the tiles arrive, inspect them. Clean them if necessary; dust and debris will affect adhesion. Expect slight variations in color and some incidental breakage.
The floor or subfloor requires preparation. Tile can be laid over linoleum, plywood, and even existing tile, but only if the surface is waterproof and rigid. This is not generally recommended. A concrete base or one made of exterior grade plywood is best as long as it is level and all cracks are filled. If the floor has low spots, purchase a leveling compound. To keep tiles and grout from cracking, the combined thickness of subfloor and tile should be at least 1¼ inches. If you lay tile on top of an existing floor, doors may need trimming to open and close properly and thresholds may not be even.
Tools needed to lay tile include:
A notched trowel - for spreading mortar
Chalk line - for centering tile lines on the floor
Rubber-backed trowel - for spreading grout
Spacers - to place in between each tile for accurate and even spacing
Tile nippers - for clipping rough-edged tiles
Rubber mallet - to gently pat tiles into mortar for leveling
Level - a 3-foot or 4-foot level is best
Framer's square - to make sure tiles are placed in a straight line
Dust mask - for mixing mortar and grout
Latex gloves - for smoothing caulk after baseboards are replaced
Rubber gloves - grout and mortar will eat through latex gloves and cause skin blistering
Hacksaw with tungsten carbide blade - for cutting tiles (straight cuts)
If several tiles require cutting, consider renting an electric tile cutter. This machine uses water and causes splashing, so plan to set it up outside.
Mortar is available in three different types: thin-set, mastic, and epoxy. Thin-set is usually recommended for concrete or plywood and is waterproof. Read the instructions on each type and do not hesitate to ask questions either where you purchase your tiles or at the home improvement store.
Grout is available in a range of colors. Use sanded grout if the tiles are spaced more than 1/8" apart. Use non-sanded grout if the space is to be 1/8 inch or less. Non-sanded is easier to apply. Spacer size will be determined by the width between tiles.
You are ready to lay out the tiles.
For perfect symmetry, you should begin in the center of the room. This method allows for tiles to be the same size along all outer edges, but will require more cuts and thus a higher overage on your original tile order. Centering is best if your walls are out of square. Baseboards can hide about a ¾" variation.
If you choose to begin along one wall, make sure that at least the corners of the two walls where you begin are square. Opposing walls will probably end with cut tiles, so you'll want them to be hidden, if possible, by furniture. When ordering tiles, plan on a five percent tile overage if you begin at a wall and at least seven percent overage if tiles are laid from the center. Remember to include space under appliances and toe space under counters in tile calculations.
If you are laying tiles in a diagonal pattern, you will want to start from the corner of two perfectly square walls.
Take measurements and snap the chalk line. Check all calculations a second time. Lay out the tiles, centering the first row over your chalkmark, on the dry surface and line them up with the framer's square. This extra effort at the beginning will save a lot of re-work as you get further into the job. Leave an approximate space for grout between each tile.
Laying out the tiles before grouting allows you to make most of your cuts at one time. Allow for breakage and for any unusual corners or shapes, such as around toilets or kitchen islands or doorways (if you are tiling more than one room).
A handy tip for beginners: Snap the chalk line in the center of the room. Take two lengths of 2 x 4 lumber (or any available odd pieces) and secure them where the edges of your first few tiles will be set; one length will run horizontal to your chalk line and the other perpendicular to the first board. Once the first two opposing rows of tiles have been laid, you will know they are straight and the rest of the job will go much faster.
Mix the mortar.
Mix only enough mortar that you can easily spread in thirty minutes. Use the notched trowel to apply the mixture. Smooth out the mix in one direction and make a crosshatch pattern in the opposite direction to create tiny rows. Once the area is completely covered, you are ready to press in the tiles.
Lightly twist each tile into the mortar and set the spacers. As you finish each section, use a rubber mallet to gently tap each tile in the center and around the edges. Use the level to make sure the tiles are lying flat. Remove the spacers but be careful not to nudge the tiles.
Allow at least 24 hours for the mortar to set. Two days is even better.
Grouting takes time and energy. Follow the mixing instructions on the package. Some mixtures need to sit for about ten minutes before spreading. Use the rubber-backed trowel to stuff the grout between each tile joint. Tip the trowel at about a 30-degree angle and go back and forth forcing the grout mix in between each space. You can pour the mix onto the tiles, but remove as much as possible with the trowel as you work it in.
It is best if you can complete the grouting in one session. Applying wet grout next to dry or on top of it can leave hairline cracks. Let the grout dry for about 30 minutes. Use a wet sponge to wipe away the excess. You will need plenty of clean water. Be careful, however, as too much wiping can sop up the fresh grout.
Wait about six hours and then use a dry cloth to remove any remaining haze on the tiles or continue cleaning the tiles with a sponge and clean water.
You can walk on your tile and replace baseboards the next day. After adding baseboards, be sure to caulk around the base to prevent moisture from getting underneath the tiles. The grout must cure before it is sealed. Expect to wait from about ten days up to two months.
You can be proud of your new floor; it is not only beautiful but also easy to care for. You and your family will enjoy it for many years.
