Tiling the bathroom floor can be a rewarding and cost-effective home maintenance project when you have the right materials and plan well. With a little planning, anyone can do it. Read on if you want to learn how to prepare the foundation, tile and grout the floor so that the work lasts for many years. At work!
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Part One: Get the Right Materials
Step 1. Buy the tiles
Buy tiles that are strong and aesthetically pleasing. Buy more tiles than you need. As a general rule, it is advisable to buy 15% more of the tiles actually needed. This will give you enough tiles to cut for the narrowest parts or in case they break during transport. There are several types of tiles:
- Ceramic and porcelain tiles cost around € 10 per square meter and are beautiful, strong and long lasting. To give your bathroom a classic touch, there is nothing better than ceramic or porcelain tiles. Check that the tiles you bought are suitable for the floors.
- Vinyl tiles are also widely used, easy to install and inexpensive. They're also self-adhesive, so you won't need anything else. Other types of tiles will require more work and material. If you use vinyl, you won't need anything else. Simply follow the instructions on the package on how to get the tiles attached and consider the alignment guidelines below.
- Plastic laminate and linoleum tiles are usually delivered as boards rather than tiles, but in some cases they are widely used. They are also more expensive, from € 15 upwards per square meter.
- There are also wood, cork, stone or glass tiles but they are more expensive. They require polyurethane coatings to prevent scratches and dents, but they are a good choice from an aesthetic point of view.
Step 2. Purchase some thinset mortar and putty
To fix the tiles and create a solid floor, you will first need to put a thin layer of mortar to arrange the tiles and then use the grout to connect the tiles together.
Mortar is usually found in two varieties, pre-blended and unmixed. To mix it you need to add water. Pre-mixed tubes are more expensive - buy the type that suits you best
Step 3. Buy tools
In addition to tiles, mortar and grout, you will need:
- One meter
- A concrete slab
- A utility knife
- 2 large buckets and a large sponge
- A notched trowel
- A hammer and large-headed nails
- A tile cutter
- Spacers for tiles
- A spirit level, a square and a rope marks lines
- A mortar trowel and sealant
- Knee pads
Method 2 of 4: Part Two: Lay the Foundation
Step 1. Prepare the floor
Make sure the surface to be tiled is clean and free of debris, especially if you are doing other renovations or construction.
Make sure the floor is level, solid and well connected to the subfloor. The floor and subfloor together should be at least 3cm thick
Step 2. Mix a batch of thinset mortar
Following the manufacturer's instructions, mix the right amount of water with the mortar in a bucket. The mortar should be thick, with a consistency similar to that of mud, but not too thick that it does not come off the trowel.
Don't mix more grout than you can use over the course of an hour, or it will start to harden
Step 3. With the notched trowel, spread a layer of thinset over the subfloor
Spread the mortar quickly, but also so that it is level. With the spatula you make large and safe movements.
Step 4. Cut the concrete slab to size
If you want to reinforce the floor with a concrete slab, engrave it with a utility knife before placing it on the mortar.
Tap the large-headed nails along the edges to secure the backing plate to the floor. Continue until the entire floor is covered and apply a thin layer of mortar along the seams
Step 5. Wait a day before starting to lay the tiles
In the meantime, you can start preparing the reference lines to lay the tiles evenly.
Step 6. From the center of the room establish a vertical and a horizontal reference line
If you start laying tiles along a crooked wall, everything will be crooked when you reach the opposite wall; for this you need to use mason's line marker (a piece of string covered with chalk) to establish guidelines that are easy to remove.
- Determine which wall is most visible when entering the room. This is the wall with the longest tiled area in a row.
- Using a square, make a 90 degree angle from that wall, and draw a chalk line across the room.
- Use the square again to mark a 90 degree angle from that line and draw another line perpendicular to the first. You now have the chalk lines crossing as guidelines for laying the first tile.
Method 3 of 4: Third part: Lay the tiles
Step 1. Place a single horizontal and vertical row of tiles across the floor, along the chalk guidelines
Move the tiles as needed so that any necessary cuts are made along the less noticeable wall. It would also be better not to have tiles cut at the entrance to the bathroom: arrange the tiles so that the cuts are against the far wall.
If you wish, you can draw other guidelines after the tile layout is finalized
Step 2. Place the first tile in the far corner of the room and continue to the door
You must avoid stepping on the tiles that have just been laid before the mortar has dried. Work in laying the tiles in small sections at a time.
- Mix a small batch of thinset mortar and, with the notched trowel, spread a thin layer on the concrete slab.
- Arrange several pieces of tiles with the tile spacers to form even joints.
- Press the tile firmly into the grout so that there are no air bubbles underneath.
- Place a level on top of the tiles to make sure they are perfectly flat.
Step 3. Cut the tiles with a tile cutter or saw if necessary and place them along the wall
When working close to walls, it may not be possible to use whole tiles. You may need to cut tiles to put around the toilet or other curved objects.
Step 4. Let the grout dry for at least one day
Follow the manufacturer's instructions before grouting.
Method 4 of 4: Part Four: Grout the bathroom tiles
Step 1. Insert the spacers between the tiles before adding the grout
Mix the cement grout with water in a bucket, according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Step 2. Put some putty on the floor with a putty knife
Press it well between the joints with the trowel, working in small parts at a time. Remove excess grout from tiles before it hardens.
Fill another bucket with water and use it to wet the sponge with rounded corners. Squeeze the sponge and pass it over the tiles in a diagonal movement with respect to the joints. If you clean parallel to the joints, you risk removing some grout and the surface will not be smooth. Rinse the sponge with water in the bucket and repeat until all the grout is removed from the tile surface
Step 3. Allow the grout to harden for at least two days before sealing
It may be helpful to keep a humidifier during the two days so that the grout gets stronger.
Advice
- The use of knee pads during laying and puttying, in which one kneels on a hard surface for a long time, protects the knees.
- The putty is darker when you are applying it. If you are not sure if the color is right, dry a small area with a hair dryer before grouting the entire floor. It is very difficult to remove the grout once it has hardened.
- Do not add too much water, otherwise the grout will not harden. It should be roughly the consistency of thick batter.
- A rounded sponge is best for removing grout from tiles, as a square sponge may remove grout from the joints.
