Laying Tiled Floors And Walls: Step By Step Instructions, Tips And Videos

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 22:24

• Where to start work
• Tools and materials
• Floor covering
• Preparatory work
• Laying tiles
• Wall mounting
• Grout

Many people think about how to lay a tile floor with their own hands. And especially how to do it efficiently and quickly. The process itself is not very difficult and difficult, and therefore even a beginner can cope with it, the main thing is to clearly follow the instructions, which we will consider further.

Where to start work

The first step is to decide? how to carry out installation work in preparation for laying tiles, and in what order to organize the process. For this, it is necessary to fully study the stages of laying tiles. In total, the whole process can be divided into the following parts:

1. Preparation of tools and materials.
2. Surface preparation.
3. Markup.
4. Laying tiles.
5. Grout.

Here is a general list of steps, we will consider them in more detail below for laying tiles on floors and walls.

Tools and materials

In this case, the first step is the preparation of tools and the choice of material. Speaking of tools, a standard tiler kit is required here:

1. Spatula set (regular, notched, rubber)
2. Level.
3. Roulette and pencil.
4. Construction mixer.
5. Tile cutter or grinder.
6. Solution containers.
7. Select crosses for seams.

But with materials, the situation is a little more complicated. The choice of glue and accessories will depend strictly on which tiles you use in the bathroom. And therefore, you need to clearly determine the choice of facing material in advance (this can be done by studying our articles).

And we note that already at this stage, many make mistakes when laying tiles, not yet starting it. In particular, we are talking about the wrong choice, both of the tile itself, and of glue or alignment systems (SVP, crosses, etc.).

We will not deviate much from the topic of the installation itself, but for those who need to get acquainted with our articles on how to choose crosses for tiles, what SVPs are and how to use them, which tiles to choose, as well as which glue and grout to choose.

Floor covering

So, we note that if the goal is to find a solution to the question of how to quickly lay tiles, then it is necessary to start preparation from the floor. And then we will consider all the stages of laying floors, and some secrets of the correct work.

Preparatory work

As already mentioned, the right choice of materials becomes the primary task. After that, you need to start preparing the surface. The training itself is carried out as follows:

1. The old coating is completely dismantled, and the surface is cleared of debris.

   

2. Next, you need to check the evenness of the floor (you may need to level it further).

3. If the floor is not even (there are height differences of more than 1 centimeter), then a screed is necessary.

   

4. In cases where the floor does not have large deviations, you can move on and perform a preliminary layout of the tiles.

Note that many "masters", absorbed in the desire to do everything quickly and correctly, forget about the importance of layout. In particular, they forget that it may be necessary to trim the tiles, as a result, they start laying from the corner and, as a result, the trimmed sections fall into the most prominent places, which completely spoils the appearance of the room.

To avoid this, you need to pay attention to all the secrets of laying tiles, in this case, perform a preliminary layout and accurately measure. And besides, it is necessary to think over where to put the pieces of tiles so that they are not striking.

Further, accordingly, you need to measure the necessary segments and cut the tiles, which is done using a tile cutter or grinder.

Laying tiles

Now you can start finishing. And it's time to learn how to lay the tiles yourself. Naturally, the surface must be leveled and primed if necessary.

Let's consider the whole process in the form of step-by-step instructions:

1. We knead the solution or glue mixture. It should be uniform. To do this, pour water into a container and gradually pour the mixture while stirring thoroughly.

2. Next, we take the mixture with a notched trowel and apply it to the base, as well as to the tile itself.

   

3. We apply the tiles and press them a little so that the adhesive mixture is correctly distributed.

   

4. If you are more interested in how to quickly lay tiles, it is best to use floor leveling systems for arranging joints. It is also permissible to use crosses, but in this case, the work will take a little longer.

   

5. Before laying subsequent tiles, it is necessary to determine which tile gap to the floor to make.
6. Now we lay out several tiles, after which we align them relative to each other. To do this, you can tap them with a rubber mallet. But do not make too much effort, since there is a risk of breaking the tile, and besides, lowering it too low, as a result of which you will have to remove it and put it again.
7. Further, the same manipulations are carried out with the rest of the tile.

This is how you will be able to lay the tiles correctly step by step.

Wall mounting

Now it is worth paying attention to some of the features of laying tiles on the wall. The technology itself is very similar to the arrangement of the floor, but at the same time there are a number of characteristic features, namely:

1. If a deviation of up to 1 centimeter is permissible on the floor, then in the case of walls, the maximum permissible becomes 5 millimeters. Otherwise, the tiles may simply float when installed. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully check the verticality of the walls and the absence of bulges or depressions in it and, if necessary, plaster.
2. If necessary, alignment should be carried out, which is carried out using plaster or drywall arrangement.
3. It is necessary to prime the surface, and ideally to waterproof the walls in the bathroom, especially if gypsum plaster or drywall was used.
4. Next, you need to determine the height of the tile and at a height less than 2 centimeters than the height of the tile, determine the level. Beat off the first row with a dye thread around the perimeter. A plank is installed above the thread, as a rule, a drywall profile is used, along which the first row will be laid.
5. The bottom row is stacked last. It will need to be trimmed, while unsuccessful trimming can be well masked using an angular layout.

Read more about laying ceramic tiles on the wall and the nuances of work on the website.

Grout

And the final stage of the work is grouting, and let's look at how to make it and lay the tiles correctly. The correct grout must be selected. Then get to work.

1. It is necessary to dilute the mixture in a small container, since it quickly sets, and if it has time to dry out a little, then it can no longer be used.

2. We take into service a rubber spatula, we collect a little mixture on it and press it into the seam. The more effort, the more likely it is to completely fill the voids in the joints and, accordingly, the better the sealing of the joints.

   

For more information on how to choose a grout and how to apply it, see our separate article.

Well, you can already be congratulated, because, having read the material, you already know how to lay the tiles in the bathroom yourself, and to fully consolidate your knowledge, we suggest watching several videos.