How to Install Ceramic Tile. Photo: shutterstock. Installing ceramic tile can be tricky. Successful tiling jobs are a direct result of good planning and a methodical approach. Take the time to do the right amount of prep work before you begin. STEP 1: Assess. Begin by inspecting the surface upon which you plan to install the tile. The substrate, or what tile is installed on top of, is just as important as the tile itself. A flexing floor or a wall that is uneven can lead to broken tiles and failed grout. Water- resistant backer board, not drywall, should be used under tile that is likely to get wet (shower walls and bathroom floors, for example). Whether it’s backer board, plywood, or concrete, the substrate needs to be sound, clean, and dimensionally stable. Surfaces need to be level or plumb and true to plane, as the pros say—that means no bumps. Wallpaper, loose plaster, flaking paint, peeling tiles or unsecured sheet flooring must be removed from the walls or floors that are to be tiled. STEP 2: Measure. Walls—When tiling a wall, you’ll want to establish a top line that is level. Few walls are truly plumb, so use a level to mark the top line. Establish its height so that you won’t have to cut very thin tiles (or cut very thin shards from nearly full tiles) to come flush to the floor. Snap a top line on your walls, and then snap a center line, too. Be sure to lay out all the walls you plan to do before you begin tiling. Installing Ceramic Wall Tile. The first step when it comes to installing decorative wall tile. Installing tile on bathroom wall. Thank you for reading our article on how to install wall tile in bathroom. Installing ceramic tile for shower. 6 X 8ft bathroom and using ceramic tile on the walls and river stone. Floors—To make your finished ceramic tile surface appear symmetrical (even if it isn’t), you need to find the center of the surface first. Then measure in from the sides. Pay special attention to this step if you’re tiling a small area, where wide tiles at one edge and narrow ones at the other will make the whole job look out of balance. How To Install a Soap Dish on Tile Wall 2. Ceramic soap dishes applied to shower or bath walls. Instructions for Installing Ceramic Tile. How to Install Ceramic Tile. Part 3 How to tile a bathroom wall Learn how to bring style. Installing a wall cabinet. How to Tile Over Existing Wall Tile; How to Tile Over Existing Wall Tile. How to Take Down Old Ceramic Tile in a Shower. How to Remove Ceramic Wall Tile. How to Install Ceramic Wall Tile. Is Needed to Tile a Shower Wall? Set the first tile in the middle of the wall (or floor). Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor. In an older home, you may find the floor isn’t square, which makes the job more complicated. Use the most obvious wall as a baseline, so those entering the room will see tile lines parallel to that wall; your job will look more even. Once you’ve identified the center and baseline from which you will work, snap a pair of perpendicular chalk lines. These will divide the room into roughly equal quadrants. You’ll want to work outward from the center point in each of the four sections. STEP 3: Lay out the tiles. After you’ve found the center point and squared the room for floor installations (or determined the top line level for walls), lay the tiles out to see how they will appear. Do it dry, before you mix the adhesive or mortar, within each quadrant of the grid. The space between the tiles should be uniform. Use spacers if your tiles don’t come on mesh sheets. The larger the tile the larger the space should be between them. Some do- it- yourselfers will make the mistake of pushing tiles too close together to reduce grout lines. For a basic 120 square feet project, the cost to Install Wall Tile averages $7.34. Residential grade glazed ceramic tile 12' x 12'. Moderate to heavy traffic. Without enough surface area, grout won’t bond well and can fail prematurely, leaving room for leaks and water damage. It’s also very important to let the adhesive cure fully. When it comes to the actual tiling, work across to the outside edge of one quadrant, then to the top or bottom, one row or course at a time. Double- check by measuring at least twice with a tape and a second time by dry- laying the tile prior to adhering. STEP 4: Cutting the tile. The first step in cutting tile is measuring the size of the tile you wish to cut and transferring the dimensions to the glazed surface of the tile via felt- tip marker. Position the tile on the tile cutter, aligning the center line of the cutter with the axis on which the tile is to be cut. To keep it square, the top of the tile should be held flush to the fence at the top of the cutter. Then, using the lever to which the cutting wheel is attached, draw the cutter across the surface of the tile, exerting a firm, even pressure. Make only one pass with the cutter. Finally, snap the tile. Different snap cutters have different means of snapping tile. Some have a heel at the rear of the lever that has the cutting wheel at its toe; with others, the reverse is true. Whatever the design of your cutter, use the surface to apply pressure to the score line. In combination with a bead built into the base of the cutter, the pressure will cause the tile to snap in half. A little patience, some practice, a score and a snap, and you’re a tile cutter. Photo: shutterstock. STEP 5: Adhering Tiles. If you are using tile, chances are that it’s in a setting where moisture is a given—kitchen, bath, entryway and so on. Make sure you use a waterproof adhesive. You can use a premixed adhesive or a mortar, but if you choose the latter, make sure it’s a thin- set variety. Spread the adhesive smoothly with a square- notched trowel, then set each tile with a slight twist to spread the adhesive. Begin at the center of the surface and work out to the perimeter. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and stay off the installation for the required amount of time before beginning grout work. STEP 6: Grouting tiles. Grout is usually purchased as a powder and mixed with water or a recommended additive. Read the instructions on the package or ask advice at the tile store. Wear gloves and spread grout evenly, being sure to force it into the joints with a blunt stick or another tool. One simple way to enhance your color scheme is to add a dye or pigment to the grout. White grout, even after it has been sealed with a grout sealer (which is recommended, especially for floors), may prove difficult to keep clean. STEP 7: Cleaning and sealing Make sure you sponge off the residue on the surface of the tiles before it has the chance to dry. This step will require several passes over a period of an hour or more. It’s a critical stage when you’re working with tiles that have a porous or variegated surface. Dried grout can prove almost impossible to remove from indentations. Finally, apply a grout sealer according to the manufacturer’s directions, and your tile job is complete! All of the Best Hands- on Tutorials from Bob. Instructions for Installing Ceramic Tile - How to Install Ceramic Tile. Step 1: Start. Using a level, draw a vertical line from the outside edge of the tub up as high as you want the tile on the wall. Check the tub for level: If one side is higher or lower by more than 1/8 inch, adjust the starter row of tiles. Step 2: Temporarily place the starter row of tiles (start with an edge cap tile) along the top edge of the tub. The tile next to the corner wall will have to be cut to fit. Adjust the run slightly so that not less than half a tile will have to be cut. Remove the tile. Step 3: Spread as much mastic along the wall of the tub as you'll be able to cover with tiles in a half hour. As you progress, spread more mastic as needed. Push each tile with a slight twisting motion to spread the mastic, but don't slide the tile around or the mastic will rise in the grout line. Leave a 1/8- inch gap between the tub and the first row of tiles. Plastic tile spacers are available at tile and hardware stores. Step 5: Put the edge cap and first two tiles of the next row in place. Then put the edge cap and first tile of the third row in place. You now have the beginning of a stair- step pattern. Step 6: Continue placing tiles in a stair- step pattern until all except the top row of cap tiles are in place. Finish by placing the row of cap tiles along the top of the tiled area, starting with an outside corner cap. Step 7: Place the tiles on the long wall in the same stair- step fashion. Start by placing a row temporarily along the top of the tub to determine how much must be trimmed off the tile. Spread the mastic as you did for the first wall, and install a row of tiles along the edge of the tub. Then place the tiles of the next two rows to start a stair- step pattern. Fill in the rest of the wall, and finish the top with a row of cap tiles. Step 8: The procedure for the faucet wall is the same as it is for the other two walls. Use a saber saw equipped with a carbide blade or use tile nippers to cut the openings for the spout, faucets, and shower arm. The openings don't have to be exact, because the chrome trim rings (escutcheons) will cover minor imperfections. Step 9: Clean up any excess mastic and clean the tools. Allow the mastic at least 2. Now it's time to grout those tiles. Detailed instructions are in the next section.
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