DIY Tips: How to Install a Tile Floor Like A Pro

Tile floors are beautiful, durable and ideal for areas like bathrooms, kitchens and patios. If you are fairly skilled at DIY and want to give your home an updated look – whether it’s to increase its sale appeal or for your own personal enjoyment – then this is a great project for you. One of the highest costs involved in these projects is labor, so you’ll be getting a stylish look for a lot less!

These are the Materials You’ll Need

• Spacers
• Chalk and chalk box
• Framing square
• Notched trowel
• Power drill with the mixing wand attachment
• Mortar or tile adhesive (consult with your tile supplier to ensure you have the correct type)
• Grout
• Paint scraper
• Tile cutter – manual tile cutter, wet saw, jigsaw or tile nippers
• Knee pads
• Trowel float
• Rubber gloves
• Bucket of clean water
• Large sponge

Stage One – Preparation

Remove existing flooring down to the cement, then clean it thoroughly. Any uneven or damaged areas will need to be patched. With cement floors, it’s recommended that you lay down an anti-fracture membrane (in paste, sheet or liquid form) before you begin the tile installation. Check the level of your doors to ensure that they can still open easily once the tile is installed.

Stage Two – Stage Your Tiles

Find the center point of each of the four walls of the room. Using your chalk, draw lines from each point into the center of the floor. The first tile you lay will be at the point where these lines intersect.

First, dry-fit one row of tiles along the chalk lines in each of the four directions (in the shape of a cross), and remember to leave gaps for your spacers and grouting. This will indicate where you will have to cut your tiles so that they fit correctly in the space against the wall. Be sure to leave an expansion joint (essentially a gap) around the edge of the room between the walls and the last row of tiles of at least ¼ inch. This should be left free of grouting.

If you are tiling a very large or very sunny space, you can divide the room into smaller grids as outlined in the beginning of stage two, and add expansion joints for approximately every 10 feet of tile.

Stage Three – Adhesive

Always start by reading through the manufacturer’s instructions for the adhesive. A good rule of thumb is to only mix small batches, approximately the amount of adhesive you’ll need for 30 minutes of work, to prevent it from drying out too much.

Apply the adhesive to the floor by taking a generous scoop out of the bucket with your trowel and spreading it out with your notched trowel, getting it as close to the chalk line as possible but extending it a little towards where the next row of tiles will be. Rake the adhesive with the notched trowel to create groves. These work to create suction which will hold your tile in place. Continue down the row, repeating these steps.

Stage Four – Cutting Tiles

The equipment you’ll need to cut your tiles to shape will depend on the type of tiles you have. A manual tile cutter makes great cuts in porcelain or ceramic tile, while wet saws are ideal for stone tiles. A jigsaw is a good alternative to a wet saw but will require the right blade for your tile type. You can use a tile nipper to make curved cuts where needed. Mark your tiles for specific areas with chalk to make them easy to find and place quickly once cut.

Stage Five – Place Your Tile

Start at the center of your room where you marked it with chalk and work within once section of the grid at a time. Place each tile and add spacers to ensure the gaps between them are even. Press each tile down firmly, tapping it with a rubber mallet and removing excess adhesive with a damp sponge.

Stage Six – Grouting

Leave the floor to set for at least 24 hours before you start grouting. First, clean the floor with a damp sponge to ensure all traces of adhesive are removed from the tile surface. At this point, you may have to apply sealer it you are playing natural stone tiles.

Mix up the grout according to the manufacturer’s instructions in small batches. Work on one section of your grid at a time, no more than 3×3 feet in size. Use the trowel float to spread grout onto the tiles and then, holding it at a 45-degree angle, move the trowel diagonally over the tile joints to fill them smoothly. Scrape off any excess grout and leave to set for 15-20 minutes. At this point, you can use a damp sponge to gently clean the tiles.

Usually there is a powdery residue of grout dust that forms over the tiles, and this is best removed with gentle buffing from an old, damp towel. Keep the room empty of people and furniture for around 72 hours to allow everything to set firmly. Then it’s ready to move in!

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