It is essential to have a durable floor in high-traffic areas of your home, like the entryway. Undoubtedly, it has to be beautiful because it is going to last a long time. Tile is an aesthetical and versatile flooring choice, which meets both of these goals. It doesn’t require much maintenance as well. Since there are so many options, you can quickly reflect your personal style among them. It would be best if you decided which material is the best for your family lifestyle. The foundation of our vast tile selection is ceramic tile, porcelain tile including subway tile, wood-look tile, and many other tiles in between. They are featuring unique colors and patterns; the floors and wall tiles collections are available in an expansive selection.

You can watch this video for the latest tile trends in 2021.

You can learn a precise and clean floor tile installation by following the below seven steps:

1. Prepare the surface

For the best result, you need to ensure that your subfloor is clean, smooth, and dry. It would help if you took time to repair the damaged area and level uneven surface.  Make sure that you’re the structure of your surface is fitted and your area is without any wax and grease. Install a water-resistant cement backer board as your underlayment if you have a plywood or OSB subfloor. Concrete subfloors typically don’t require a backer board.

Now it is time to remove any moldings, trim, or appliances that could interfere with the application. Besides, the door jambs should have clearance to install tile beneath.

You could read here to get some tips from designer Lynn Kegan.

2. Provide required tools and materials

  • 4-in. diamond blade
  • Angle grinder
  • Bucket
  • Caulk gun
  • Cordless drill
  • Drill mixer
  • Drywall saw
  • Dust mask
  • Grout float
  • Knee pads
  • Margin trowel
  • Nippers
  • Notched trowel
  • Offset saw
  • Putty knife
  • Safety glasses
  • Scoring knife
  • T-square
  • Tape measure
  • Tile cutter
  • Utility knife
  • Wet saw

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3. Use a layout

As you finish the tile design, draw a layout for tiling a floor directly onto your subfloor. When you start laying floor tiles, the layout’s lines show you the points and help you to ensure that the tiles are properly centered in the room.

You should avoid ending up with odd-shaped tiles on the walls; therefore, the layout lines must be square. You are making a floor plan by an accurate drawing of the room’s wall on a sheet of grid paper. That should include doorways and the floor obstructions such as cabinets.

Now you need to find the room’s center point. So measure the four walls for their midpoints. Then snap two chalk lines; one of them would be from the midpoints of two opposite walls. The other one would be from the midpoints of the next two walls. The point where these two lines intersect is the center of the room.

Check the chalk line to be square. It is tricky to manage a large room. You can snap additional lines parallel to the centerlines, additional lines divide each section into smaller 2 * 3 inches grids.

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4. Apply the adhesive

Generally, you should add only enough adhesive within 30 minutes. Tile trowels have two sides: smooth side and notched side. The notches are called teeth. Depending on the tile’s type and size, the trowel’s depth and width of teeth are different. Typically, the notch should be as large as the tile is. It is recommended on the adhesive package to use the smooth side of the trowel. Then without covering the guideline, spread a ¼ inch coat on the surface of one grid area. Now you can hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle and use the notched side to comb adhesive into standing ridges.

You leave behind a uniform rigid setting bed for your tile, as you remove the excess adhesive.

Tip: Do not spread a larger area of your adhesive that can be set in 15 minutes as a rule of thumb.

Get some tips for designing with tile looks.

5. If necessary, cut the tile

With a pencil or felt-tip pen, star to mark carefully measured cut-to-be on the tile surface. To achieve pinpoint straight or diagonal cuts, you can use a tile cutter. For better results, make masterful curved cuts with a nipper and chip away small pieces. The most adequately suited to handle the task for any full-length curved cuts is a rod saw. With a carborundum, smooth out any sharp edges after your cuts are made. It will give a soft finish to your tile.

How to estimate and purchase your Pergo floor?

6. Put the tiles

As you prepare the surface by creating the layout, applying the adhesive, and cutting the tile, it is now the time actually to install the tile.

The first rule is to begin installation from the center of the room; you should install one grid at a time, and finish each grid before moving on to the next. The best option is to start the first tile in the corner and work outward within each grid. Set the tiles one at a time by using a slight twisting motion and avoid sliding them into the place. There are equal joints between tiles so be sure to either insert spacers. You should save the perimeter tiles in each grid for last, leaving a 1/4th inch gap between the tile and wall.

As you installed a grid completely, with a rubber mallet or hammer, tap in all tiles and woodblock to ensure a solid bond and level plane. With a putty knife, remove excess adhesive from joints.  To prevent uneven appearance, with a damp sponge, remove the excess adhesive from the tile.

Tip: You should not walk on any tile for at least 24 hours.

How to install Pergo flooring?

7. Apply the grout

As you finished the tile flooring installation, the last step is to apply the grout after 24 hours. Grout will fill the joints and strengthen your floor into one mass. Don’t forget to read all instructions and precautions on the grout package; prepare just an amount of grout to use during 30-minute. To force the grout down into the joint, use a rubber grout float or a squeegee when you remove the tile spacers and spread grout on the tile surface. Immediately, remove the excess grout from the surface with the float’s edge which tilts at a 45-degree angle. Now scrape the float with a 90-degree angle tilt diagonally across the tiles.

 

To clean any residue from the surface after letting the grout set slightly for around 15 to 20 minutes:

  1. Use a damp sponge
  2. Smooth the grout joints
  3. Rinse your sponge frequently during work, and make sure you change the water when needed
  4. Whenever the grout has dried and haze forms on the tile surface, polish it with a soft cloth, and if necessary, rinse again with a sponge and clean the water.

 

Allow your newly grouted floor at least 72 hours to set before any heavy use. Before applying any sealers or polishes, you should put it at least for three weeks.

Here you are. You have just finished your tile flooring. Now you learned how to tile a floor. From now on, whenever to decide to create a beautiful room with a new look, you just need to pick your desired tile, gather your tools and take your time.

Tip: To determine how much material you will need, instead of guesstimating, calculate. You could use a tile calculator here.

 

If you decide to leave tiling a kitchen floor, bathroom floor, or other space in Orange County to an expert, call our professional staffs at (949)427-2336

 

Sources:

– Installing Tile Floors, Step-by-Step Tile Installation Guide: Mohawk Flooring

https://www.mohawkflooring.com/tile/guides/tile-installation

– Banta,John & Baker,Thomas    How to Tile a Floor

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/flooring/21016706/how-to-tile-a-floor

– How to Install a Tile Floor

https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-install-tile-floor/9ba683603be9fa5395fab909b1ae90d

– M., Marc (2021, Febraruy03)   How to Lay Tile: DIY Floor Tile Installation

https://www.lowes.com/n/how-to/install-floor-tile

– Handyman, Family       How to Install Ceramic Tile Floor in the Bathroom

https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/install-a-ceramic-tile-floor-in-the-bathroom/