Installation Instructions for Bathroom Tile
- 1). Prepare the wall or floor. In new construction, screw cement board onto the wall or floor and seal the seams with glass fiber tape. When remodeling a bathroom, remove the existing wall or floor treatment and clean the debris from the area. Remove smaller fixtures like the toilet and vanity if possible. Remove all baseboards if installing floor tiles.
- 2). Measure the length and width of the wall or floor area to be tiled. Multiply these measurements together to get the total square feet of the area and then add 5 percent to cover mistakes, broken tiles and miscalculations.
- 3). Lay the tile in place to check for a proper fit and verify that you have enough material to complete the job. Begin in the center of the wall or floor. If creating a design, lay the design tile first and work out from the design. Press the plastic spacers into place between the tiles as you lay them. If installing wall tile, dry lay only the bottom row of tiles.
- 4). Measure and mark the tiles that need straight cuts to fit around fixtures and baseboards. Mark the tiles with a pen or fine tipped marker.
- 5). Place the marked tile into a tile cutter or wet saw. Score the tile with the tile cutter and break the tile at the scored mark. If using a wet saw, turn on the saw and press the tile through the blade at the mark.
- 6). Trace a piece of tile onto a piece of thin cardboard or paper with a pencil to make a template. Use the template to fit and mark circle or rounded cuts. Trim the cardboard until the tile template fits around the area and then transfer the round cut to the tile with a pen. Cut the shape from the tile carefully with tile nippers.
- 7). Smooth the rough cut edges gently with a tile sander or sandpaper.
- 8). Mix thinset mortar with water using an electric drill and mixing paddle following the manufacturer's directions. Make sure you are using the proper thinset for the job, either a wall or floor mixture.
- 9). Remove the tile from the area, keeping the tiles in order as you remove and stack them.
- 10
Rake a small amount of thinset onto the wall or floor with a notched tile trowel. Start in the corner of the room. - 11
Press the first tile firmly into the thinset. - 12
Lay the second tile into the thinset beside the first and press two plastic spacers between the tiles. - 13
Continue applying thinset, laying tiles and installing spacers around the room. Work in small areas and use a level often to ensure the tiles are straight. Allow to dry overnight, or the amount of time recommended by the tile manufacturer. Avoid stepping on tiles during the drying time. - 14
Remove the plastic spacers. - 15
Mix the grout with water according to the manufacturer's directions. - 16
Apply the grout to the tile with a rubber float. Work in small areas beginning in the corner. Press the grout into all the joints between the tiles. Hold the float at an angle and smooth the float over the tile in long motions to fill the joints. - 17
Move a large wet sponge across the tile in smooth swiping motions to remove excess grout. Allow the grout to dry one hour. - 18
Wipe the tile again with the wet sponge to remove any grout residue from the surface of the tile. Press the sponge into the grout lines to smooth and shape them, wetting the sponge as needed. Allow to dry several hours or overnight.
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