Despite the variety of finishing materials, many prefer to use the classic options, proven over the years. When it comes to flooring, tiles immediately come to mind. This material has high performance properties. But for it to last a long time, you need to know how to lay tiles on the floor. This is what we will talk about today.
Tile: pros and cons
Why is this material in high demand? It is popular for several reasons:
- Water resistant (so perfect for the bathroom).
- Durable.
- Durable.
- Resistant to chemicals.
- Not afraid of ultraviolet rays.
- Easy to clean.
- Can tolerate extremely low and high temperatures.
- Great for floor heating.
The material is universal. You can safely lay tiles on the floor of a balcony, bathroom or hallway. Also todayThere is a wide range of tiles. You can choose the material of different colors or even with parquet imitation. The tile is a good element of decoration. Recently, black and white tiles have become relevant. It is used in both bathrooms and washrooms.
But you need to remember about the negative aspects of this material:
- High rigidity. If such a coating is used in the kitchen, if the dishes fall, they will instantly break.
- Slippery surface. This applies to enamel tiles. Therefore, this type is better not to use in the bathroom. Models with a matte surface are better suited here.
When the decision is made to use this finish, you need to get to work. How to lay tiles on the floor? Consider further.
Preparation of tools and materials
It doesn't matter what thickness of floor tiles you choose. The set of tools and materials will be the same. So, you should prepare:
- Glue or grout for tiles.
- Line for marking.
- Building level.
- Grout for tiles.
- Measuring tape
- Rubber spatula.
- Tile cutter.
- Notched trowel.
- Rubber hammer.
- Capacity for mixing the solution.
Preparation
In order for our floor to be strong and even, it should be properly prepared. First you need to get rid of all the equipment and furniture that is in this room. The room must be empty. If the tiling is carried out in the bathroom, it is desirabledismantle the toilet, after shutting off the water supply.
How to lay tiles on the floor? To do this, you need to dismantle the old one (if any). It is necessary to destroy the tile to the ground, along with the old cement mortar. We also note that in the future it will not be possible to correct irregularities by using a large volume of solution. Therefore, after removing the old tile, a screed must be made. Waterproofing will also be useful (especially if the renovation is done in the bathroom).
The screed itself can be done in two ways:
- Wet.
- Dry.
The first assumes the presence of a concrete base. It is usually used if tiles are installed in the bathroom. By the way, when installing tiles on the wall, you need to use an additional reinforcing mesh. But in our case (when laying tiles on the floor), this grid does not need to be used. However, all door frames and skirting boards should be removed.
Performing markup
To do this, we need to draw a line of the spaced part of the first row of tiles. If it is colored and with a pattern, the location of the tiles is marked in those places where the pattern will be different.
Laying solid parts
What to do after markup? Then you can start the installation process. What do we need for this? Here you will need tile adhesive. Which is better to choose, we will consider a little later. The adhesive solution can be both dry and ready. In the first case, we ourselves will have to dilute it until the desired consistency is reached. Ideally, the tile adhesive should be similar in consistencyfor sour cream Using a notched trowel, apply the composition in small portions to the surface. The layer should be thin. Next, lay down the tiles. It is not necessary to press hard. But in order for the solution to completely envelop the tile, you need to slightly rotate it along the axis. It is important that the adhesive completely covers the back of the tile.
But you need to remember that in the future it is quite difficult to dismantle such a tile. therefore, when installing it on the floor, you need to be sure that this tile is chosen for many years to come and fully satisfies the needs. By the way, when laying tiles, you can use a rubber mallet. With it, you can give greater adhesion without damaging the tile itself (although it is more difficult to damage the floor tile, since its thickness is several times higher than that intended for the wall). But you can’t press hard on the tile, as part of the glue will come out at the edges. All joints must be clean. It is necessary to leave a small gap - the grout for the tile is then installed here. Its colors can be different, but classic white is usually chosen. This grout helps prevent moisture from getting inside, which will cause destruction and mold in the cavities.
Do I have to install tiles one at a time? If you already have experience in similar work, you can install several tiles at once. At the same time, each tile must be pressed down for better adhesion of the adhesive solution. When moving to a new row, you need to use the level. You need to check if the new tile has gone to the side. Experts say that when laying tilessuch deviations should not be. And for the evenness of the gaps, crosses are used for tiles. Sizes may vary. This parameter is from 0.5 to 6 millimeters. But usually the sizes of crosses for tiles that are mounted on the floor are from 1.5 to 2 millimeters. This is the best option for floor tiles.
Laying floor tiles is recommended to be done without delay. If a pause is necessary, remove the adhesive solution around the edges. Otherwise, the solution will dry out and the strength of the joint will remain in question in the future.
Installation of the missing tile
How do you lay tiles on the floor with your own hands? When the whole tile is completely laid, we proceed to the installation of the missing pieces. To do this, cut the material. This is done with a tile cutter. It can be manual or electric. If there is no tile cutter, you can use a grinder with a special circle or a glass cutter. But you need to remember that when cutting the material, a lot of dust is generated. Therefore, be sure to use a respirator and open the windows in the room. In case you need to make a curved line, use manual tile cutters.
Grouting
This is an essential step when laying tiles. But this operation is performed only after the adhesive solution is completely dry. This requires at least a day at room temperature. At the same time, it is not allowed to walk on such a tile and make any other loads on it. After the solution dries, take out the crossesand make grout. As the latter, you can use the following compositions:
- Silicone.
- Epoxy.
- Cement based.
Which one to choose? It depends on the shade of the tile itself. Also, unlike the first two, cement grout is sold dry. It must be prepared independently (dilute with water). But the best option is to buy compounds in tubes (for a mounting gun).
Before applying the grout, thoroughly clean the seams between the tiles from dirt, dust and adhesive residue. Otherwise, the grout will be of poor quality. When using the first two options, you will have to additionally seal the tile with paper tape. Removing epoxy and silicone grout will be difficult, unlike cement. The latter is removed with an ordinary wet chopper.
Next, with a rubber spatula, you need to apply the grout to the seam, pressing the composition a little inside. Excess is removed with a damp cloth. If it is an enameled surface, the grout must not be allowed to dry. Otherwise, it will be difficult to get rid of it (even from cement). You need to process all the seams, including hidden places. Then wait until the grout hardens. This usually takes 24 hours. After that, the entire surface of the floor is washed with a damp cloth. At this stage, the laying of tiles on the floor has been successfully completed.
Cutting nuances
Before laying the building material, you need to find out the volume of solid and cut parts of the tile. Material must be taken with a margin(+10 percent of the required volume). It must be remembered that when cutting the tile can be deformed. Many prefer to use a glass cutter.
The cutting wheel of the glass cutter is installed on the surface of the tile and is drawn along a pre-marked line. After that, demolition is performed. But if the material is too strong or thick, then you need a tile cutter or a special circle for the grinder. Due to the larger diameter of the cutting wheel, the tile cutter will provide a high-quality cut of the material. The work itself is done in several stages:
- The tile is placed on the limiters with a marking line. The material must be set so that the cut line is in the middle of the tile cutter.
- At the top of the tool there is a carriage with a stop and a wheel. She follows the guides. We need to take it aside (from ourselves). Then a wheel is attached to the tile and a cut of the material is performed.
A more complicated procedure is to make curly lines or a semicircle. This must be done if the tile closes any communications on the floor - in this case, you need to pre-outline the shape of the cut on the front of the material. And then the cut is done on a tile cutter. Unnecessary part of the tile needs to be bitten off. But the edge after that will be uneven. Therefore, for greater smoothness, we need to process the part with a file.
Installing tiles on old tiles
Is it possible to lay a tiled floor without dismantling the old tile? As we said earlier, before installation, the floor must be prepared. Butoften owners want to save time and install directly on the old tile. What do experts say about this? It is possible to install tiles in this way, but not in all cases. First you need to make sure the adhesion of the old tiles to the floor. This can be done with a rubber mallet. If the material trembles upon impact, it is impossible to install a new tile on it. Otherwise, soon you will have to redo the repair. Also, experts do not advise mounting the coating if the old tile has cracks. You can proceed with the installation only after making sure that the old tile is securely attached to the floor.
How to lay tiles on the floor with old tiles? There are several options. You can make notches and cut off the glaze with a grinder. But it is better not to do this, but simply apply a special primer. It is applied with a roller or brush. But in order for the adhesion to be of high quality, the surface of the tile is first degreased and the slightest dust is excluded. On average, it takes up to 3 liters of such a primer per 10 square meters. Since the composition contains sand, cement and special fillers, the surface will become rough. It is necessary to wait until the material dries. This takes about three hours. Then you can lay the tiles on the adhesive solution. The installation procedure is no different from the above instructions. Beacons are also installed.
Recommendations
To make the process of installing tiles in the bathroom or kitchen as simple as possible, you should follow a fewTips:
- Try to fit the tiles in a row as much as possible without trimming. Or you need to move it so that the last tile remains intact. And you can simply lay wide pieces of tiles in the gap.
- You must read the instructions on the packaging of tile adhesive. Some companies produce compounds that are applied only to a wet surface. This point must be taken into account.
- Before cutting a tile, it must be placed in water for an hour. Wet tiles are easily cut with a glass cutter and break along the line. The latter must be applied no closer than one centimeter from the edge of the tile.
- Holes in tiles are made with a special drill (ballerina).
- It is forbidden to completely cover the entire surface of the floor with mortar.
- The grout should have the consistency of a thick paste.
- At the finishing stage, the floor is always polished.
Glue for tiles: which is better to choose?
Experts recommend using a specialized adhesive for floor tiles. It contains a large amount of plasticizer. It fills all the voids under the tiles when gluing. We also note that it cannot be used for walls - the tile can float. If you are installing tiles in the bathroom, you can purchase water-repellent glue. It is also used for finishing swimming pools.
Dry mixes are produced on the basis of cement. To obtain a solution, it is enough to dilute the composition with water in the desired proportion. What brand to buy glue for square tiles? There are several good manufacturers:
- "Mask". This glue gets good reviews from consumers. Produced with different markings. Can be used for heavy tiles.
- Knauf. This is German glue. It is considered the best among those that are produced in dry form. Can be used for both floors and walls. It is also used when tiles are laid on a wooden floor. Dries slowly. Apply to tiles in a thin layer. Glue consumption is minimal.
- "Eunice". It has high adhesive properties and dries quickly. After three hours, you can walk on such a surface. Glue tolerates temperature extremes and high humidity. But you need to work with it quickly, because in a couple of hours it crystallizes.
- Ceresite. Quite a well-known manufacturer in the Russian market. The company produces mixtures for various purposes. Glue can be used on any uneven surfaces. Also, this company produces grout for tiles (colors can be very different).
About consumption of crosses
It is not necessary to calculate exactly how many tile crosses you need to purchase. There should definitely be a lot of them, so for one room you will need at least two packs. Given their penny cost, you can buy with a margin. As for the use of crosses, they are installed vertically. Two crosses are mounted on each side of the tile. If it is an extruded tile, up to four crosses can be applied along the long edge. But in no case should they be installed flat. It will be difficult to remove them, and the gap may be uneven. Therefore, you only need to install crossesas shown in the photo below.
As for the consumption of the dry mix, this parameter depends on the quality of the tile itself. If it is highly absorbent, with an enameled surface, and the installation will be done on concrete or masonry, it is better to use Ceresit CM9 glue for interior work. Glue consumption will be from two to four kilograms per square meter. The exact figure will depend on the evenness of the surface and the teeth of the trowel used.
If it is a weakly absorbent tile (from 3 to 10 percent), which is intended for interior cladding, you can use "Ceresit CM11" (it is universal and suitable for interior and exterior work). At the same time, its consumption will be from 1.7 to 4.2 kilograms per square meter of area. In the case of using large tiles (size - 40 x 40 centimeters) made of natural or profiled stone, a mixture of CM16 should be used. It has a higher viscosity and has better adhesion. Material consumption per square meter - from 1.7 to 5.6 kilograms.
Summing up
So, we looked at how to properly lay tiles on the floor in the room. As you can see, the process is quite complex and painstaking. Therefore, you need to be patient in advance and prepare all the necessary materials. To prevent the rows from shifting, markings must be made. Also, you should not mount the tile on the old one if it has cracks and other deformations. For the evenness of the gaps, it is recommended to use plastic crosses, installing them along the edges of the tiles with eachsides.
