While carpets, vinyl and laminates are fine, for a beautiful looking floor you should consider installing a ceramic tile floor. Learning how to install ceramic floor tile can be a fun project, especially for people who love the do it yourself jobs at home. The history of ceramic goes back over thousands of years and it is a very old craft that humans have been doing for a centuries.
Installing a ceramic tile floor does not take a very long time and if you ask a professional ceramic layer, they can tell you that the process of preparing an area is very important, which is why it is the longest part of the project. Make a plan and cut the pieces before you begin the task of installing ceramic tile floor. It can be frustrating at times but after you learn how to install ceramic floor tile, the job will be much easier and the finished results will look spectacular.
The first thing that you should do before installing ceramic tile floor is to remove every item and furniture that you possibly can. You want the room cleared completely so that you can have access to the entire floor. If you are tiling the kitchen floor, all of the standing appliances will need to go and this includes the stove, refrigerator, dishwasher and oven. For a bathroom you will need to take out the wall molding, toilets and sinks. You want the tile to fit every where in one seamless motion.
If your floor already has vinyl on it, you will need to have it cut up and tossed away. The adhesive of the vinyl will also need to be removed and you can scrape it or give it a good sanding to make the floor level and even. A great substrate to use for a tile laying project is sheetrock but when tiling a kitchen or bathroom, you should consider using backer boards because it will last longer in moist areas.
The center of any room is the best spot for a spectacular layout, so you should begin to measure and create your floor plan. Try not to have cuts that are too thin around the rooms' border. Be aware that you need to leave room and spaces for the grout when it is added later on.
The process of laying down tiles can be the most time consuming. You should have a space holder that is made of rubbed so that it can show where the grout will be added. A pattern should begin to form once you have laid down a few tiles. Check the height and width of the area so that you can see if you will need to add a little more space for any grout and mastic.
As you complete the tile cutting, feel free to waste a few tiles if necessary while you trim a few of the pieces. You want the layout to be perfect before you start to add the mortar, so everything should look the way you want it to before you move on.
Pick up a few tiles at a time and evenly smooth the mortar onto the backs of them. Use a bit of pressure to lay the tiles in place is you take away the rubber spacers. Repeat this process until all of the tiles have been put into place. Move as quickly as you can because you do not want the mortar to dry while you are still working.
When everything is fit into place and you are happy with the design, you will need to get grout into the spaces around the tiles. Use as much force as you can to get all of the gaps and spaces filled. Using a sponge that can remove grout and adding some water, you can then clean the tops of the tiles. It will take roughly an hour and it should be done quickly before the mortar has time to harden.
Using caulk, move around the edge of the room to seal the outer areas between the tiles and the wall. If everything is as it should be, furniture and items can be put back into the room.
Knowing the kind of subfloor you'll be installing ceramic tile flooring over is important. There are three main types of subfloors you might encounter: Vinyl, plywood, and concrete floors. Installing ceramic tile flooring directly to your vinyl or linoleum subfloor surfaces is greatly discouraged. One, it may contain asbestos fibers; and two, vinyl flooring is not a solid as good ol' concrete flooring. When installing ceramic tile on vinyl, experts would recommend rough-sanding, or scarifying, the vinyl floor surface first so your tiling mortar has good grip to set on.
If your subfloor is plywood, be sure that the wood is at least 1 and 1/8 inches thick and is supported by an equally strong underlayment. Otherwise, your ceramic tiles will dislodge easily, or worse, break and need replacing. Concrete floors are the most ideal subfloor surface to work with. But before you can start installing ceramic tile flooring over it, it must be cleaned thoroughly. For dust and other debris, sweep and then mop your concrete subfloor surface, and allow it to dry completely. Smooth concrete surfaces must be rough sanded just like vinyl floors to allow the tiling mortar some grip.
Once you have an estimate of the floor space, you can now window-shop for ceramic tiles. Ceramic floor tiles come in a variety of prices, shapes, textures and styles. Pick a tile type that's within your price range and ask to see it in what a palette of colors. The most common ceramic tile size is one square foot. But ceramic tiles may come in a wide array of sizes; from one inch, to two feet.
Prices can vary according to tile type. Natural stone tiles made from granite or slate may sell for two dollars per square foot. Glazed ceramic tiles run from a dollar to twenty dollars per square foot, while unglazed quarry tiles may average around $2 per square foot.
Always keep in mind that when installing ceramic bathroom tiles, use ceramic tiles with a slightly rough textured surface. This is so you won't encounter accidents on a floor that's always wet. Smooth glazed ceramic tiles, especially, are ideal for kitchen or back porch flooring. But you shouldn't use them bathroom floors, as they can be treacherous when wet.
Having the right tools for the job is a must. You can buy most of the tools and materials you'll need at you neighborhood hardware store, or home center. For equipment that might over your budget like tile cutters, try asking your local home center or tool rental yard if they have the tools you need for rental. Basic ceramic tiling tools include A pair of safety glasses, heavy leather gloves, tile spacers, notched trowel, a handheld tile cutter, and a pair of tile nippers. Have some sandpaper handy for smoothing out cut edges. Sponges and clean dry rags will come in handy for cleaning and wiping off excess mortar material and grout lining from your newly-finished ceramic tiling floor.
Of course, you can always consult a professional if you are hesitant over how to start installing ceramic tile on your floor. From choosing the right tiles and color, to tearing out existing ceramic tile floors without damaging the subfloor, to installing ceramic tile that will last you a lifetime, a home improvement professional will be able to help you with information, at the very least, or assist you when you start installing ceramic tile.
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