How To Install Tile In Kitchen Floor

In the pantheon of home improvement projects, installing tile flooring is, in theory, one of the most basic projects a exercise-information technology-yourselfer can undertake. The thought is basically: put downwardly adhesive, identify tile, grout tile, seal grout. That's it, no fuss no muss!

But if this were truly the case, everyone would install their own tile and professional tile and flooring installers similar your partners at The Skilful Guys would be superfluous.

Examined critically, installing tile flooring is the onion of habitation improvement projects. You pare i layer and find another, and each layer is fraught with potential DIY miscues. It's important to understand the many steps of your tile project, including the potential pitfalls of each step.

Let'due south be articulate – many standard DIY tile jobs are just fine and will more or less achieve the desired outcome. However, the majority of folks who have tackled a homegrown tiling project would acknowledge that while they were proud of the work they did, information technology would definitely look meliorate (and exist washed faster, with fewer tears and tantrums) if completed past a professional person. Additionally, most would also concede that information technology took more work than they initially thought and in the end, it didn't really relieve them that much coin.

Installing tile floor does take a certain measure of DIY skill, and so for the DIY novice, we would always encourage you lot to work with a professional installer – like the pros at The Adept Guys – for professional results. However, if you lot are adamant to requite this a DIY Try, we have laid out below the steps for how to install tile flooring. Earlier getting started, be sure to read up on Part 1 of this series on proper floor prep for tile floor installation.

Materials Needed for Laying Tile

Installing tile flooring uses a lot of tools. Specialty tools y'all may never employ on another projection, just they're absolutely a necessity and it is non recommended y'all attempt without them. These can all be purchased, and some rented, from your local home improvement or tile stores.

So, here's a general list of necessary materials. You should wait to tailor materials to your specific task on an as-needed basis.

Safe & Condolement

Goggles or Safety Glasses
Knee Pads

Cut/Laying Tile

Tile (plenty to encompass the total square footage of room plus 10% for waste matter; 15% for patterns)
Thin-Set Mortar
Thin-Set or Grout Mixing Drill, OR a ane/2" Heavy Duty Drill and Mixing Paddle
Level or vi' Straight Border
Notched Trowel*
one/8"-iii/16" Spacers, or Leveling Spacers
Tile Cutter or Tile Saw
Diamond Hole Saw (optional)
Rubber Mallet (optional)
Contour Guess (optional)
Tile Nippers (optional)

Grouting & Finish Upwards

Grout** (sanded or unsanded as needed)
Grout Float
Grout Sponge(s)
Buckets
Caulk (sanded, unsanded, acrylic, or silicone, every bit the job requires)
Grout sealer (optional)

Yup. That'due south a lot of tools. Many of these are tools y'all will use on other jobs, only some of these are dedicated tile tools. Bear this in mind when planning your project. Some of these tools are specific to one phase of the projection, whereas others – like safe glasses – are a proficient tool for the entire job. While you can get by with a tile cutter for ceramic tile or some softer natural stone, a wet saw or tile saw makes the job much easier for more dense materials such as porcelain tile.

*The size of your notched trowel will vary based on the size of the tile to exist installed. For tile that is 13x13" or nether, a three/viii" square notch works. Large-format tiles crave a deeper layer of thin-set, using a larger 1/two" square notch trowel. Mosaic tiles would use a smaller trowel, such as one/4" square notch.
**Generally speaking, you will desire to use sanded grout for floor applications and grout joints larger than i/viii". However, if you're installing a rock product that would scratch from the sand, yous can look at an epoxy-based unsanded grout for the larger floor joints. Epoxy grouts can be less pliable and more hard to work with (besides as more than expensive) than sanded grout, so be forewarned.

Installing Tile Flooring in Five Steps

Stride 1: Mixing Mortar & Laying the Main Flooring

Mix your mortar per the manufacturer's recommendations, doing your all-time to avoid over mixing and damaging the pigment. Use a bed of mortar to the floor using your notched trowel at the proper 45-degree bending. Don't overdo it with the mortar, seriously. This stuff dries quickly so merely spread enough to install one or ii tiles to start until you become the hang of doing it.

Carefully lay the tile down on to the bed of mortar and work it back and forth to ensure adhesion. Utilize your level to cheque each tile and any adjustments tin exist made with light taps from the prophylactic mallet. Make certain yous level from multiple sides and so you don't take gaps between tiles or one side sitting higher than another. This will be critically important once again tiles are added.

Employ tile spacers to properly align your tiles and to leave the appropriate space between them. While they can be difficult to work with, they will leave a perfect infinite every time and let the proper size grout channel. Be careful not to mortar them into the joints. For larger format tiles we recommend using leveling spacers. These are special spacers that accept either wedges or locking mechanisms to pull side by side tiles to the same affluent end superlative eliminating the loftier lows or at to the lowest degree minimizing information technology greatly. You tin can use them on any size tiles, but they are definitely recommended for larger format tiles over 18"x18" in size.

Clean up any mortar that squeezes out IMMEDIATELY. It'due south super difficult to do once dried. Make sure you get it off the edges of the tile so as not to affect your grout chore later. Keeping a h2o bucket and sponge close past makes this procedure much easier.

Repeat this procedure, laying mortar, placing tile, level tile, place spacers, until you've covered the desired area. Or until you meet the need for cutting!

Step two: Cutting Tile & Laying Edges

Tile is not easy to cut, just it doesn't have to be as intimidating as it's often portrayed. Take your time, article of clothing your condom spectacles and you volition be ok. Promise.

First things showtime: practice not lay mortar for a tile that hasn't been cut still. Fifty-fifty if you piece of work rapidly, chances are that mortar will dry earlier you lot're ready to set the tile. Better to measure out your tile, cut it, dry fit it into the space then mortar it in place.

If y'all accept cuts to make, y'all'll use the tile cutter or tile saw.

Straight cuts are easiest. Measure and mark the tile where you lot want information technology cutting. Then place it into the tile cutter, score and snap. Be careful treatment the cutting tile, as it nearly probable volition be sharp. The process is the same with a tile saw (often called a moisture saw), just make sure to thoroughly dry the cut tile before installing that slice. Dry out fit cutting tiles into identify to check sizing and mortar down. If your trowel won't fit in the infinite for the cut tile, you can utilize the mortar to the back of the tile using your trowel. This is often called "dorsum buttering". If yous utilize this method, make sure not to dab spots on the back and stick it. You lot must actually employ it with proper trowel marks for a proper bond. If you lot just dab spots of mortar onto the back of the tile you will leave hollow points under the tile.

Bend cuts require a chip more than handling simply are mostly treated the same way. Once you've adamant the bend you lot need on tile past adjustment and measuring where it will be installed, or using a tool called a contour approximate, mark the cut line on the tile. Curve cuts are oft washed with an bending grinder using a diamond bract by pros in the field; a diamond hole saw for smaller holes. Snap tile cutters cannot make curve cuts. You tin can also brand the cutting with your wet saw, freehand. Merely slowly turn the tile to keep the curve line in the spot on the blade as needed. For rougher, or less-cosmetic curves, you tin can make a series of cuts perpendicular ending at the curve line and use your tile nippers to nip off the excess. You lot may need to polish downwards the edge once you lot're washed and exist careful of the sharp edge. Install as you would a direct cut.

Step 3: Remove the Spacers

Once all the tile is installed and the adhesive mortar has stale for the recommended amount of time, it'southward in this pace where you remove all the tile spacers. Make sure not to get out any pieces of them behind (they can tear if they get caught on mortar) in the joints and clean up whatsoever dried mortar to set for grouting.

Step 4: Grout

Ok, if you've made information technology this far, you lot're nearly to the stop. Grout. This is going to make the tile projection wait like a finished job. Grout fills in the spaces betwixt tiles (where your spacers were. See? It's not just a clever proper noun!) and works with the adhesive to concord the tiles in identify.

Selecting the color of grout is a fun way to add together a bit of character to your final floor. For forest-look or stone-look tile, we recommend that you lot choose a grout that closely matches the main color of the tile. For solid colour tile, choosing a grout that is like in color to your tile unifies the installation. Using a complementary or fifty-fifty contrasting color of grout adds a mod and geometric flair to your floor tile. A low contrast grout subtly emphasizes tile shapes without looking harsh. With a colorful tile, contrasting with white grout lines is a classic and clean approach.

Mix your grout according to the manufacturer's recommendation. Apply the grout using a grout float, pressing it into the seams between tiles. Make certain to thoroughly fill all the spaces, then come dorsum across them at a diagonal angle to remove as much excess grout as possible with the float. This is important. Remove as much every bit you lot tin can with the float, without removing it from the seams or you volition have to re-grout those spots.

In one case y'all've grouted an area, use a grout sponge and a bucket of h2o to remove grout from the tile face and smoothen the seams. Run your sponge at an angle across the grout joints likewise to avoid removing likewise much grout from the joints. Practise not apply besides much pressure but allow the sponge to practice the work. You don't want any grout left on the tiles or it will exist visible and leave what is called "grout haze". Go along dunking and wringing your sponge (y'all desire a clammy, not dripping sponge; excess water is not your friend), wiping the tile and repeating until all the backlog is removed and the potential for haze is gone. Make clean the sponge and h2o saucepan frequently. Make clean h2o is the primal to a clean flooring.

Trick of the Trade: You tin go ahead and grout the edges of your tile flooring virtually the wall, then apply caulk later. Caulk shrinks every bit it dries so if yous have a deep infinite to fill here, it will crave multiple applications of caulk to get it to look skillful. If you force the grout into this gap and wash it off affluent and allow it to dry out and then you tin come back and information technology is much easier to apply the caulk over the grout. Just do not overfill the joint; yous want to leave some room to apply the caulk.

Repeat this as necessary until all areas are grouted, sponged wet and clean. Allow grout to dry out.

Step 5: Clean-up and Seal

Ok, clean-up. Clean upward your tools, launder the grout off your float, etc. Make certain information technology's all put away properly. Good job!

Seriously though, you probably demand to keep traffic off the grouted tile per the grout manufacturer's recommendation. Typically, about 24-72 hours. Once this time has passed, you can enter the project area and caulk the exterior edges of the tile.

Many grout manufacturers offer a caulk to match grout colors in both sanded and unsanded options, for utilize in these areas. Colour lucifer silicone caulk is likewise great for moisture areas similar bathrooms.

Now, let the grout "cure", which is to say, dry fully and set completely. Once the manufacturer's recommended curing time has finished (on average a few weeks to thirty days), you can seal the grout using the recommended grout sealer. Some are even offered in a sponge roller canteen you tin run through the grout lines. Go with their pick or ask your friends at The Skillful Guys for assist.

In one case you've sealed the grout, yous are officially DONE! Congratulations!

Now, if whatsoever of this makes you uncomfortable or scared, it's highly recommended to turn this chore over to a professional. Your flooring and remodeling pros at The Good Guys are e'er here and happy to help!