Laying a Ceramic Tile Floor

Tiling a floor can make any home look classy and updated. Tile is much easier to care for than carpet and lasts virtually a lifetime.

Preparing subfloors for tiling:

The subfloor. A smooth concrete subfloor can be tiled without preparation. Concrete makes an ideal subfloor.

Patching concrete. Apply patching compound with a trowel to fill cracks and holes or to smooth rough surfaces.

Plywood subfloors. To tile over wooden floorboards, cover the floor with plywood sheets.

Linoleum. You can lay tile directly on unpadded linoleum, providing the linoleum is glued down.

Padded linoleum. If the linoleum is backed with padding, such as foam rubber, remove both before tiling.

Sanding linoleum. To help the mortor stick, roughen the surface of the linoleum with sandpaper.

Calculating the right amount of tile:

Measuring. When buying tiles, measure the floor surface accurately to determine tile quantity.

Adapting tile. In rooms that are not perfectly square, trim the tiles to fit the shape of the room.

Doorways. The new tiles will raise the floor. You may need to raise the threshold of the doorway as a result.

Preparing to lay the tiles:

Using a small pry bar, remove baseboards. Do this carefully so that they can be replaced.

The subfloor must be as clean, dry and dust-free as possible. Finish cleaning by vacuuming.

Stretch a string across the floor to serve as a guide for laying tile. Move the string to each new row.

An alternative to drawing lines is to use a straight board as a guide for the tile.

Notch the tiles so they fit the curve of the doorframe. Nip off small bits at a time.

Gluing tiles to the subfloor:

Before starting the job, make a sketch of the area to be tiled, showing obstacles and recesses in the room. This will help determine amount of materials you will need.

To make tile placement easier, you can buy small spacers that place the proper amount of space between tiles. Leave the spacers in place and cover with grout or they can be removed once the tile has settled and are dry underneath.

Always put tile sealant on unglazed tile before beginning the grouting process. The sealant keeps the grout from penetrating the tile and makes the final cleaning easier.

When cleaning grout from tiles, use sponge and rinse often in water, wringing it out thoroughly.

Never let dry grout get into joints that are not grouted yet. Dry grout will prevent wet grout from sticking properly.

Begin tiling at a corner of the wall farthest from the door. Work so that you will not tile yourself into a corner.

Spread adhesive with a trowel. Work in a space of about four square feet at a time.

Remove excess mortor with a putty knife. Hold the spreader at right angles to the floor.

Lay the first tile in a corner slightly away from the wall. Carefully press the tile into the adhesive.

While the adhesive is still wet, align the tiles; making certain the spacing between tiles is correct.

Complete the first row of tiles. A string stretched parallel to the wall can serve as a guideline.

Using a ruler or straightedge, make sure the width of the gap between tiles is uniform.

After the first row is in place and aligned, lay a second row at right angles to the first.

Work slowly and carefully. Continue to use a board as a straight edge and tile-gap gauge.

After you have gone about two feet, lay a third row of tiles parallel to the first.

Make a fourth row to complete the square or rectangle. Be sure to check alignment of all tiles.

Tile the remaining area. Check the alignment of the inside tiles with a ruler or tile-gap gauge.

A concrete floor can wear down the teeth of a trowel. You may need to replace it during the job so it might come in handy to have a spare.

Use a level to check that all tiles are at the same height. Press any raised tiles farther into the adhesive.

Adjust tiles while the mortar is still flexible. Clean up excess mortar with water.

Repeat procedure for remaining sections, spreading mortar evenly and checking tile gap.

Fitting tiles around doors and pipes:

When cutting ceramic tiles, avoid cuts of less than an inch - smaller cuts may chip or break unevenly.

For clean, easy cuts use a special tile cutting tool, which can be rented or bought at a building supply store such as Home Depot of Lowes.

To lay tile under doorframes, saw off the frame in order to insert the tile beneath it.

If a tile needs to be fitted around a doorframe, measure and mark the top of the tile. Finish trimming with the tile cutting pliers.

Remove just enough material to fit the doorframe. Make the cut straight and even.

Fitting tile around a pipe requires careful work. Mark the area to be cut with a pencil.

Use heavy tile cutting pliers to remove pieces of the tile. Nip away small pieces.

Another method of fitting around a pipe requires splitting tile. Use a tile cutter for this job.

Mark the split tile with a pencil and use tile-cutting pliers to cut away the pipe opening.

If spreading adhesive behind a pipe is difficult, apply adhesive to the underside of the tile.

Cut the tile so that it fits closely against the pipe. Special plumbing flanges help hide the joints.

When the floor is completely tiled, the adhesive must be allowed to dry two or three days before grouting.

On unglazed tiles, the grout will work into place easier if you first moisten the surface with water.

Coat unglazed tile with sealant, sold by tile dealers. This will make cleaning easier after grouting.

Using a rubber float spread a generous amount of grouting mixture over the tiled surface.

Work the grout thoroughly into the joints of the tile. Push down hard on the float.

In cold climates, use frost resistant tiles on porches, terraces and walkways outside the house.

There are two easy solutions to tiling rooms that are not perfectly square or have walls that are not straight: trim the tiles to match the walls, or start the first row of lines slightly away from the wall. Once the floor is complete, cover the trimmed tile or gaps with baseboard.

Remove excess grout by holding the float perpendicular to the tiles and drawing it across diagonally. Before the grout dries, wipe off the entire surface area with a slightly damp sponge.

Keep the grout moist for two to three days to ensure it reaches full strength.

After a day of drying, the tiles can be thoroughly cleaned again with water or tile cleaner.

Rinse the tiles once more after washing, and keep the tile moist and additional day or two.

Grout cannot be remoistened once it has dried, so only apply as much grout as you can work with in about half an hour.

The grout may have a hazy film on the tiles that can be wiped off with a damp sponge.

After the grout has dried overnight, clean away any remaining grout particles with a sponge or non-metallic scouring pad.

Caulking at a doorway:

Caulk the gap where the tile meets the threshold. Waterproof caulk will seal better than grout.

Mask both sides of the open joint to keep caulk from spreading onto the tile.

Using a caulking gun, apply an even layer of caulk to the joint. Apply steady pressure to the gun.

Remove surplus with a putty knife. The joint compound must not get beyond the masking tape.

Remove the masking tape before the caulk has dried. Pull the tape straight up from the joint.

Using a solution of household detergent, clean up any excess caulk with your finger.

Final cleaning of tiles:

Both glazed and unglazed tiles should be given a final wash with household detergent and water. For a deep luster on unglazed tiles, rub tile with tile polish on a sponge or lint-free rag.

Ceramic tiles vary in color and sometimes even in shape. Check for irregular tiles before beginning work.

After the grout has dried apply a grout sealant to the grout lines.
This will make them more water proof and to stay cleaner longer than without no sealant.
Reapply the sealant yearly or as needed if the area receives heavy foot traffic.