Install Tile Flooring for Professional Results

The exact procedures for installing tile will, naturally, differ depending on the type of tile. But there are many similarities among them.

Preparing the Floor

As with any home do-it-yourself project, preparation is often 80% of the effort. That's especially true when installing a tile floor. Laying down the tile itself is fairly simple. Prepping your floor is the larger part of the job.

For an existing floor, all the material needs to be completely removed and the subfloor cleaned. Old wood, vinyl, previous tile or whatever happens to be there must be chipped, chiseled or stripped away.

Any sub-floor problems should be evaluated and addressed at this stage. Even the best tile with the most precise placement will be uneven if the underlying plywood sags or has holes. Any moisture that has collected must be dried and any mildew removed. If not corrected, the problem will only continue to increase beneath the tile, leading to early cracking.

Edges are important, also. Professional-looking results will be achieved only with proper finishing techniques. That won't be possible if there is any remaining grout, partial tiles or other material left over from the previous floor.

Even when installing a new floor for the first time such as in a room addition project or a basement that has never had flooring needs preparation. Be certain that any concrete or other flooring is perfectly level. Any ridges or gaps will cause the tiles to crack when pressure is applied from walking.

Some concrete floors will require a sub-floor of plywood, cork, pressboard or other material in order to make the surface ready to accept the tile.

Tile Installation

Once your floor is well-prepared, the rest of the job will go more quickly. Read the instructions that came with your tile. They'll describe something like the following...

Measure the floor and calculate how many tiles you will need, and whether partial tiles will be needed around the perimeter. They commonly will. It's optional at this stage whether partial tiles will be placed on only one edge or the floor or will be laid symmetrically with partial tiles all around.

First, test your tiles first by laying down several without any adhesive. If the tiles are designed with a tongue-and-groove system, get familiar with how it works. If the tiles have flat edges, practice laying them down straight without grout.

Then, remove the backing from tiles if they have pre-applied adhesive and lay them down, starting at one edge if you plan to use partial tiles along only part of the perimeter. If you plan partial tiles around the entire floor edge, start in the middle of the floor and work out.

For tiles without a tongue and groove system, it can be helpful to lay down tiles without adhesive and use a thick pencil or other spacer to make lines between them.

For tiles without backing, apply adhesive to the back of the tile and press the tile in place. Before it sets, quickly use a long straight edge (such as a drafting T-square) and keep all tiles along one line. Then ensure they're straight in the perpendicular direction. Once the adhesive has dried in place (usually overnight), use a caulking gun to spread a bead of grout between the tiles and quickly wipe off any excess before it dries.

Repeat until you near the edge. Use a tile cutting tool to shape any partial tiles needed around the edge. Lay them in the same manner, leaving a thin space for expansion. About 1/8 inch is usually good, but this will vary with your climate.

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