If you are laying tile in your home, then you know that your space will be greatly improved with the addition of the new flooring surface. Tile is easy to clean, durable for many years and not as hard to install as many people think. Even more: it is becoming less and less expensive with each passing year. Tile has become so affordable, in fact, that many people are making the switch for laminate flooring to authentic tile.
If you are thinking about laying tile in your home on your own, here is an overview of what you can expect from the process:
1. The floor surface onto which you will be laying your tile should be flat and very even. You may need to consult a professional contractor to help you get a level floor, as many people find it to be a real challenge, especially if you have any older home with many different levels of floor boards.
2. On top of your level floor, you will need to install simple sheets of floorboard. These sheets are made of wood layers and will help to absorb shock as well as ensure that the entire surface on which the tile will be laid is flat. Simply nail or screw these under layers of floorboard to the existing floor.
3. On top of the floorboard, you will need to install cement rock, which can be purchased at any home inmprovement store. Cement rock is similar to the floorboard underneath it, but it is more durable and stronger when people walk on it. This cement rock should be glued, using cement glue, to the under layer of floorboard. The cement rock should also be nailed or screwed into the floorboard.
4. Once the two layers of floorboard are installed, use a leveler to ensure one final time that the floor is entirely even.
5. The actual tile will be installed directly on top of the cement rock. To install the tile, work from the center of the room outwards. Using a cement sealant, smear the sealant in a 5-foot work area onto the cement floorboard and onto an individual piece of tile (use only one tile at a time.)
6. Rake through the cement sealant with a quarter-inch mason’s rake, which will create quarter-inch grooves. Rake both the tile and the entire surface of the floor where there is the glue.
7. Press the tile firmly onto the cement board, moving it around to release air bubbles that may be trapped underneath the surface of the tile.
8. Place spacers evenly around the edge of the tile.
9. Repeat the process of smearing the tile with cement glue and placing it on the floor. Move the spacers into place so that each tile is spaced an even distance from its neighbor.
10. Once all tiles are on the floor, let the whole floor sit for 48 hours without walking or disturbing it in any way. Return after the 48 hours to install the grout in the groove.
11. Lay the grout between the gaps in each tile. Before it dries, wipe the gaps with a rubber sponge to remove any excess grout.
12. Let sit for 24 hours before using the floor.