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Currently the most practical look The floor in the bathroom is ceramic tiles. This flooring is easy to care for and continues to look very good for a long time. After proper preparation, ceramic tiles can be laid on almost any substrate. And today, continuing the series of articles on our website, we will talk about how to lay tiles on the floor.

All operations will be done in the following sequence:

1. We prepare the surface.
2. We decide on the floor design and choose ceramic tiles.
3. We are planning to lay tiles on the floor.
4. We do installation.
5. We rub the seams.

Preparing the surface

Since we are doing a DIY renovation in the bathroom, it is initially assumed that we already have some kind of floor. We need to bring this floor into proper shape.

AND the first stage When preparing the surface, it will be necessary to determine how well this floor is laid. In my case it was classic version for bathrooms Soviet period, the floor is covered with "brown hog" - the most common floor finish of those times. Mainly, since the tiles were laid on cement mortar, it holds very poorly and is placed very crookedly.

We arm ourselves with a chisel, hammer, sledgehammer and safety glasses and remove all the old tiles. This is not a very difficult matter, the main difficulty is to knock down the cement baseboard around the perimeter of the bathroom and make the surface flat.

Second stage It is necessary to determine how horizontal the surface is.

To do this, place a horizontal mark on the wall at a convenient height. (Since I was completely tiling the bathroom, I combined this procedure with marking the horizontal rows of tiles on the walls). Using a hydraulic level, we transfer the height of this mark to all 4 walls of the room so as to draw a continuous horizon line on the wall along the entire perimeter of the room. We measure the distance to our floor from this line. Ideally, the distances on all 4 walls should be equal, which means the floor is horizontal and nothing needs to be done.

In my case, when checking the floor for horizontality, a height difference across the floor level of 1.5-2 cm was discovered, although the size of the bathroom is very small - 1.45 m. in width and 2.2 m in length. For such a small space, I think this is a big difference. Moreover, the most high level was in the opposite corner diagonally from the lowest one. All this needed to be fixed:

At the highest point, we retreat from the floor a distance equal to the thickness of the floor tiles plus the thickness of the seam. This totals approximately 1 cm;

We put a horizontal mark on the wall;

We measure the distance from our mark to the horizon line that we drew earlier;

We transfer this distance from the horizon level along the entire perimeter of the room;

Let's draw our new horizon floor, this will be the finished height of our new floor.

If in your case the height difference is significant (more than 2 cm without taking into account the thickness of the tiles), you will need to first level the surface. This is done using a special floor leveler - or, if the difference is very large, using a cement screed with beacons positioned.

In my case, the difference was not very large, and I decided to remove it by changing the thickness of the adhesive layer under the tile.

Third stage We finally prepare the surface. It must be well cleaned, any loose elements, grease and oil stains must be removed, and the dust must be vacuumed up. It is advisable to prime porous surfaces.

Deciding on the floor design and choosing ceramic tiles for the bathroom

There are a huge variety of ways to lay tiles on the floor. It all depends on your room, its size, lighting, furniture arrangement, plumbing fixtures and much more. You can lay tiles in the classic way“seam to seam” with clear rows in the longitudinal and transverse directions parallel to the walls.

They use the method of laying tiles staggered; for example, only the longitudinal seams match, and the transverse seams are offset.

You can use the diagonal laying method, i.e. the seams in the longitudinal and transverse directions will be parallel to the diagonals of the room.

Having a large room, it would be advisable to lay out some kind of design on the floor. This will decorate the floor very well and add a certain unique flair.

At this stage, you need to think about what size tiles you want to see. If the bathroom is not very good big size It would be advisable to choose small tiles.

A product catalog from a trusted online store will help you with your choice, for example: http://nashaplitka.com.ua/catalog/plitka/

If you want to save on the cost of materials, then you need to correlate the size of the tiles and the size of the room. For example, if the room is 3 meters wide and 3 meters long, it would be more advisable to choose tiles measuring 30 cm * 30 cm. When laying it, there will be no waste at all, all the tiles will be intact, and accordingly the floor will look very impressive. And vice versa, if you choose a tile 33 cm * 33 cm, then there will be a lot of trimming, and accordingly there will be a lot of waste.

We are planning to lay tiles

We bought the tiles, now we begin the installation process itself. Most tiles produced are square, or at least rectangles with 90˚ angles. Most rooms, however, are far from square shape. Most walls have deviations, both from the straightness of the walls and from verticality, internal corners very rarely they are 90˚. And there can be many such construction flaws. This doesn't mean your home was built terribly, it's quite normal.

It is necessary to mark the laying of tiles so that:

In the most visible place (for example, at the entrance to a room or a place where the eye immediately falls), the tile lay parallel to the wall and was not cut;

Regardless of the position of the walls (walls can also form an irregular rhombus), the laid tiles formed a regular square (or rectangle);

The tiles were cut in the most inconspicuous place (for example, under the bathroom);

After laying the main surface at the junction of the floor and the walls, narrow strips for insertion were not obtained, because cutting a very narrow strip from a tile is problematic. It’s better to move the entire picture a little towards another wall.

Based on these principles, in my bathroom I first laid out one row along and one row across the room. I oriented the rows into the correct rectangle relative to the wall with the entrance. The goal was: at the entrance, place a whole tile at the floor level of the entire room of the apartment, make trimming to the right of the entrance (under the bathroom) and place whole (uncut) tiles to the left of the entrance.

For the correct orientation of the rows in the longitudinal direction, we measure the distance from the wall to our row at the beginning of the row and at the end. The distances must be equal. If necessary, slightly adjust the row by shifting it. We achieve parallelism of the row to the wall.

We draw out the position of the longitudinal and transverse rows and remove the tiles.

On this preparatory stage ends. We decided on the rows, the arrangement of tiles, and the height of the floor. In my bathroom, I started laying with a whole tile of the entire (not cut) outermost row, which is located opposite the entrance - to accurately match the floor level in the bathroom with the floor level of the entire apartment.

We carry out installation

To lay tiles, we need the following tools: a hammer with a rubber striking part, 2 levels (long and short), a tool for cutting tiles, a marking pencil, a ruler, a notched trowel, an ordinary trowel, a container for preparing glue, crosshairs for seams.

The tiles can be laid using ready-made glue (sold in buckets already diluted and ready for use) or prepared glue solution yourself, buying it in dry form. I used dry powder.

It is easy to dilute according to the instructions written on the package. Until you have the skills to work, don’t cheat a large number of, it’s better to add a little later.

We lay the first tiles according to our markings, checking their horizontalness in the longitudinal and transverse directions.

To accurately match the floor level in the bathroom and the floor level in the entire apartment, I laid the next tile adjacent to the entrance. We check the floor level according to our drawn marks for the height of the finished floor on the wall and, if necessary, slightly adjust our three tiles in height.

Setting up the first guide tiles is the most difficult and time-consuming step. After its completion, we lay the tiles in a row up to the wall in one direction.

And up to the wall in the other direction. We orient the horizontality of the row according to our three exposed tiles and the finished floor height marks on the wall.

We lay the first outermost, but always whole, tile of the next row.

We align it along our existing row, applying a level in the longitudinal and transverse directions. We achieve a uniform floor plane and insert a seam cross to maintain the identity of the seams. We leave all the tiles that will be trimmed for the end.

We lay out the entire second row, and lay out the last whole tile of the third row, similar to the previous procedure.

The procedure for laying tiles in a row is as follows:

We lay the tiles close to the two already laid. Align the tile relative to these two tiles in the horizontal plane.

We apply a level in the transverse direction of the row and achieve a plane, similarly in the longitudinal direction of the row. We check the horizontalness diagonally so that the free corner of the tile does not lift up. We insert seam crosses and set the straightness of the seams.

We check that the junction of the four tiles is at the same level and that no corner is sticking out.

It is advisable after these operations to see how the laid tiles look in the general background and whether the seams are straight. In this way we lay out all the intact (that are not trimmed) floor tiles.

And the last step will be laying the outer tiles that join the walls. We will all be trimming them in a certain way, so it would be advisable to first cut them all and number them, and then put them in place. When marking, it is necessary to take into account the width of the seam between the tiles.

It is convenient to do this entire procedure after the bulk laid tiles will finally stand up and the glue underneath will harden. This will make it possible to walk freely on the floor and mark all the tiles to be cut. and I wrote in detail in the following articles. This is not a very complicated matter, but it is impossible to do without it.

We rub the seams

The last step in laying tiles on the floor will be grouting the joints. For your bathroom, it is imperative to choose a moisture-resistant grout that can withstand repeated wetness. How to choose it, what colors to choose and how to fill the seams correctly is a separate and very multifaceted topic. I plan to cover it in the next article.

Having laid all the tiles around the perimeter of the room and filled the seams, we get this picture of the finished floor.

Laying tiles on the floor - difficult task, but with proper planning and good preparation, it becomes much easier and will no longer seem impossible. By working carefully, slowly and enjoying the work, you are guaranteed a great result.

When approaching such serious types of work as laying tiles, I always tell myself: “I don’t need to follow the plan and lay twenty square meters in one day. I do not receive a salary from production here. Here I get the satisfaction of doing the work with my own hands.”

Approach complex repairs in the same way, and everything will work out and move forward very, very quickly.

In the article, I tried to describe in as much detail as possible the process of how to lay tiles on the floor in my small bathroom. You may have some of your own nuances and features. Don't be afraid, approach difficulties creatively, apply creative solutions.

Good luck with the renovation work.

October 25, 2016
Specialization: master in construction plasterboard structures, finishing works and laying floor coverings. Installation of door and window units, finishing of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

If you think that only builders can lay tiles, then read this article to the end and watch the video that I made for you. In the review, I very simply and clearly talked about how to do without a tiler and get the perfect result. To lay tiles well, you don’t need experience, you need to be careful, don’t rush and don’t get nervous, if something goes wrong - everything can be corrected in the process.

Workflow Description

Let's figure out what stages the work consists of and in what sequence they are performed. You need to start with proper preparation.

Preparatory stage

First, let's figure out what is needed to work from materials, the list is very simple:

• Ceramic floor tiles, it is better to choose options with an anti-slip surface, since in the bathroom water often gets on the floor, which creates a certain danger if the tiles are smooth;
• Tile adhesive, I always prefer to use compounds with increased fixation; additional strength has never harmed in such work;
• To ensure that all joints between tiles are perfectly even, it is necessary to use spacer crosses, in my case I took the 3 mm option, but you can take more.

You also need a certain set of tools:

Tool	Description
Tile cutter	Since floor tiles are much thicker and larger than wall tiles, we will need a large tile cutter. I have an option that allows you to cut elements up to 600 mm long; the design has a ballerina for cutting holes, which is also convenient, but not necessary
Drill with mixer	To quickly and efficiently mix tile adhesive, we need a drill with a special attachment. With its help, the work will take a matter of minutes, and the composition will be mixed very thoroughly
Level	I use two levels - shorter and longer, but you can get by with one middle option
Spatula and notched grater	This tool is necessary for applying the adhesive composition and its uniform distribution over the surface; for the floor, the teeth on the grater should be 8-10 mm, no less

As for the preparatory activities, they are as follows:

• The surface is thoroughly cleaned of debris; if there are protruding parts on it, they need to be knocked down with a hammer. After this, you need to check the plane using a level, place it in different directions throughout the room;
• If the base is uneven, then it is better to level it; the easiest way is to use a self-leveler, but if the differences are large, then you will have to use cement mortar, which is laid and leveled along the beacons. How smoother surface, the easier it is to lay tiles, remember this;
• Just before starting work, the surface is swept or vacuumed again, everything is ready for work.

Laying tiles

Now we have come to the main stage, let’s deal with it:

• First you need to prepare adhesive composition, a couple of liters of water are poured into the bucket, after which about 8 kg of dry composition is poured in and mixed using a mixer. If necessary, more mixture is added to achieve the consistency of thick sour cream;

• To determine how the tiles will lie, it is worth laying them out in length and width, starting from the most visible place. This way you will understand how many tiles fit in a row and how many need to be cut from the outermost element. Precise measurements will be taken later, but for now you should outline the installation order;

• After this, the tile is removed and tile adhesive is applied, starting from a visible corner, all visible places should be covered with a whole tile, cut elements are easier to hide. The composition is applied to the floor with a spatula in the area larger size tiles, after which the layer is leveled using a toothed trowel, at the same time excess tile adhesive is removed;

• The ceramics are laid carefully with a small distance from the walls; the joints will still be covered with a plinth. The gap is also needed in order to compensate for the unevenness of the walls, they are present in any case. The element is carefully leveled, after which its position is controlled using a level - lay it in different directions and make sure that the tile lies perfectly level;

• Then the process is repeated: glue is applied to the surface, leveled with a notched trowel and tiles are laid on the surface. It is leveled using a level, and spacer crosses are inserted at the junction of the elements so that the seam is perfectly even. The level is checked both on a separate tile and on two elements at once, everything must be perfectly level;

• When you reach the last row that needs to be cut, you need to take measurements and determine the width of the tiles, taking into account the width of the seam and the distance from the wall (it should be 10 mm). Cutting is done as follows: the surface is marked, after which it is inserted into the tile cutter, the marking line is aligned with the line on the structure. The roller is placed on the edge, after which you need to move it along the surface with strong pressure, after which the element is broken with a tile breaker;

• Further work is carried out in in a similar manner, the main thing is to constantly control the plane with a level. If there is a skew somewhere, it doesn’t matter, the tile can be lifted and removed or you can add glue; the composition allows you to adjust the position of the elements within 10-15 minutes, so you will definitely have time to align everything. Don't forget about the crosses at the joints.

Lay the tiles so that you can leave the room, do not forget about this. You can walk on the surface within a day; before that you should not touch it.

Conclusion

The work took me two hours, including preparing to clean the surface and taking a coffee break. Of course, the speed is inferior to professional tilers, but the quality is definitely not worse. And yes - squatting for a couple of hours is hard, I’m writing an article the next day, and all the muscles in my legs hurt, so you can stock up on special knee pads, this way you can work for a long time and your legs won’t get tired.

And be sure to watch the video - in it I showed and told a lot more.

October 25, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, or ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!

Based on the specifics of the use of the bathroom, for its finishing you should use materials that have maximum resistance to negative impact external factors such as temperature changes, exposure to moisture, frequent treatment with chemical substances. One of them is ceramic tiles, which, thanks to a combination of excellent performance characteristics and availability, are the best option for finishing floor surfaces.

The market segment under consideration is capable of offering a wide range of ceramic products, so we will study the most important criteria choice.

Since in this case the tiles for the bathroom floor are selected, then greatest attention need to pay attention to:

• water absorption coefficient. This parameter indicates the density and strength of the product in compression, bending, etc. The lower it is, the higher the quality of the product and the longer the service life.
• tile sizes. The thickness of flooring products varies from 8 to 20 mm. For home use, ceramics with a cross section of 8-12 mm are sufficient. As for the width and length, the choice here is limited only by your preferences and the dimensions of the bathroom. For small rooms It’s better to purchase small- or medium-format tiles with a side size of up to 40 cm. If you are a beginner and want to minimize the number of trimmed elements, ask the consultants to choose a product for you that matches the length or width of your bathroom, preferably a square shape. For example, for a side of 2.30 m, taking into account tile joints and compensation gaps around the perimeter optimal dimensions floor tiles – 32,7*32,7.

Despite the apparent simplicity of the design, using plain square tiles you can create a fairly aesthetic surface that will meet all the necessary requirements.

As for the details color design material, it must be taken into account that bright hues visually increase the space of the room, which is important when small sizes. At the same time, if the work is being done for the first time, then there is no need to choose complex patterns decorative surface, but you should give preference to monochromatic options.

One of the most significant characteristics floor tiles – surface resistance to water and household chemicals. Therefore, do not trust advertising promises and purchase single-fired flooring with high-quality glaze.

You should also pay attention to the slip resistance coefficient, indicated on the packaging by the letter R. The bathroom is one of the most dangerous rooms and this is a fact. Therefore, for safety, choose products marked R10-R12.

Remember that all tile parameters are indicated on the box in the form of pictograms. Knowing their meaning, you can easily select the right one.

Tile marking.

Features of the work

Before you start work, you need to decide which method of laying tiles on the bathroom floor will be used. The main differences here will be in the position of the tiles relative to each other, as well as the walls of the room. So, we can highlight:

There are also other installation methods: herringbone, modular, offset, etc. Ceramics are used to form such a pattern. rectangular shape. For beginners, we recommend that you first practice square tiles medium sizes, from 15x15 to 33x33 mm. Accordingly, further we will talk about laying floor products in the classical way, as the easiest to perform for most novice craftsmen.

Among the features of working with ceramic tiles, it is worth mentioning that when laying them, the need inevitably arises:

• trimming to form pipe contours, etc.
• adjustment to the size of the room or when selecting a pattern (rapport).

This task can be accomplished in several ways. The simplest option is a tile cutter. With its help, you can significantly speed up work and increase cutting accuracy. Household models are inexpensive, and their service life is short, alternative solution- a simple glass cutter. You need to apply markings to the surface, apply a ruler and run the cutting edge of the tool 1-2 times. Then move the tile to the edge of the table and press sharply, breaking off what is unnecessary.

Important! Cutting movements using a glass cutter or tile cutter must be made from the front side, otherwise this may lead to chipping off part of the glaze.

Features of tile layout

Most often, the size of the room requires cutting the tiles when laying. Therefore, it is necessary to count how many whole elements are in the row. Then remove one of them and distribute the resulting amount from the center to the edges. The remaining gaps between the walls and floor covering filled with wide scraps of tiles. The main idea here is that the piece of ceramic against the wall should be more than half the width of the whole element. In this case, the surface will look holistic and beautiful.

Correct distribution of tiles.

Laying

To ensure that the installation of floor tiles in the bathroom is done efficiently, the work is carried out in several stages.

Surface preparation

The main condition for successfully installing a bathroom floor with your own hands is a smooth, durable, dry and clean base.

To level the surface, use a classic screed or self-leveling floors. The dry mixture is selected based on the condition of the base. An industrial self-leveling compound will cope with minor unevenness, but for significant defects you will have to perform a screed.

To save money, the space under the bathroom may not be covered with tiles. In this case, we recommend purchasing comfortable decorative screens under a bathtub made of PVC or LMDF (Metakam, Vitra, Alavann, etc.). Or make it yourself from wall plastic panels, painted plywood or chipboard. This will reduce not only the consumption of tiles, but also total time work, because the bathtub will not need to be dismantled and taken out. In this case, you can fill the space under the bathtub with a layer of mixture up to the level of the general surface, and after drying, prime and waterproof it.

As for waterproofing, a water barrier layer must be created over the entire area of ​​the bathroom floor. The market offers a large number of materials, from bitumen mastic to special roll products. When applying a waterproofing agent, special attention should be paid to the installation sites of pipes and plumbing. For maximum efficiency, you need to place “spreads” on walls 20-30 cm high.

Advice! If your budget allows, be sure to install electronic system from water leaks. Fortunately, there are a great variety of them on the market now. The system consists of a controller, ball valve with electric drive and floor sensors, which are installed in places of possible leaks. Together with waterproofing, such a system will provide an almost complete guarantee against accidents. In this case, it is very desirable that the floor level in the bathroom be a couple of centimeters lower than the floor level in the corridor, to prevent even minimum quantity water into adjacent rooms.

To level the surface, a classic screed can be used or a self-leveling mixture can be used. The choice here must be based on the condition of the main surface. Can handle minor imperfections bulk mixture, and in case of more obvious flaws, you will have to perform a screed.

Assessment of surface evenness is carried out using a two-meter metal rule for screed. Differences should not exceed 2 mm when using polymer adhesive and 4 mm when working with tile adhesive on cement based. Small holes and cavities need to be filled with quick-drying repair mixtures, and the tubercles should be cut off.

After the surface has dried, it must be primed. This will increase the overall adhesion (adhesion) of the surfaces, which will have a positive effect on the overall strength of the surface.

Before priming, it is necessary to clean the floor from dirt, dust, debris, residues paint coatings, oil stains, bitumen, soot, glue. If leveling was carried out, then a technological break should be maintained: for screed 28 days, self-leveling floor - at least 7 days. After this period, the base must be treated with a primer in 1-2 layers. This will increase the adhesion (adhesion) of materials and improve surface quality.

Tile installation

The tiles must be brought into the room and allowed to acclimatize for 24 hours. It is not advisable to unpack the material immediately.

Prepare the glue. The dry mixture must be mixed with water in accordance with the instructions on the package. It is better to prepare the solution in portions, since its viability period is short - from 30 minutes to 1 hour.

It is most advisable to start work from the most “prominent” corner, and line up the first row along the longest wall. Apply tile adhesive to the base with a trowel and spread it with a notched trowel in a narrow strip width equal to approximately 1 row of ceramics. Lay the first tile taking into account the compensation gap between the wall and the floor (7-10 mm), move it slightly and fix it. After installing the first two elements, insert spacer crosses between them to obtain even tile joints.

To achieve the highest quality result when laying, you can use special tile leveling systems made in Russia or Europe.

If the size of the elements is more than 50x50, then the tiles are laid using the double gluing method. That is, the adhesive composition is applied both to the floor and to the underside of the ceramic. This approach will ensure reliable fixation of the coating and a long service life.

It is also important to pay attention to the correspondence of the already glued tiles to a single horizon. For these purposes, when laying, a building level is used, which is applied to several adjacent tiles.

Important! The longer the level, the more accurate its data will be. The dimensions of the device should be sufficient to compare the level of three adjacent elements.

The main difficulties for novice craftsmen usually arise when laying the outer row. In such cases, it is extremely rare to use whole elements, so the tiles will need to be cut to the required sizes. After which the surface is left until the glue dries. The instructions on the packaging of the composition will help you determine how long it takes for the tiles to dry on the floor. As a rule, average data is indicated - 3-7 days. The higher the air humidity and the lower the temperature, the longer the drying time.

Grouting joints

The final stage of work is grouting the joints. For these purposes, various compositions are used: cement, cement-polymer, polymer sealing. Dry mixtures are mixed with water and applied to the joints with a rubber spatula. If caulk is used, you will need a skeleton gun that can be used to fill the joints quickly and easily.

After application cement compositions you need to wait 10-20 minutes and wash off the excess with a damp cellulose sponge. If a whitish residue remains on the surface, it can be removed the next day with an acidic tile cleaner. Full use of the floor is possible 5-7 days after completion of work.

At this point, the main stages of laying tiles on the bathroom floor can be considered complete. For a person facing such a need for the first time, the task may seem difficult. But if you have basic skills and desire, such work is quite doable with your own hands. This approach will allow you to avoid significant material expenses, and the bathroom itself will become a source of personal pride.

Advice! If you need repairmen, there is a very convenient service for selecting them. Just submit in the form below detailed description work that needs to be done and you will receive offers by email with prices from construction crews and companies. You can see reviews about each of them and photographs with examples of work. It's FREE and there's no obligation.

This article is about how to lay tiles in a bathroom, these methods can help you lay tiles on any concrete floor. has a nice appearance and very good material for flooring, as it is very resistant to water, heat and humidity, provided that the tiles are laid correctly. If you are planning to tile your bathroom floor, you will need to carefully read the manufacturer's instructions and our step by step guide how to get the job done professionally. The masonry itself is not as complicated as it might seem, but right choice It is better to spend more time on materials. There are a few important aspects, which must be taken into account before you start laying tiles on the floor.

Prepare the surface thoroughly before laying ceramic tiles. To remove uneven floors, use special tools, as well as a vacuum cleaner to remove dust. However, if the floor is not level, you must level it first. If the bathroom floor is made of wood, then you must first lay a layer of cement, it is important that before you start pouring cement on the wooden floor, you must seal the gaps between the boards with galvanized tape.

Use a tape measure and determine the length and width of the bathroom. Next, when purchasing floor tiles, consider these dimensions to ensure you get the fullest amount of tiles possible and ensure you don't end up with large strips of tiles, no more than 7.5cm, along your bathroom wall. If such tile-free strips cannot be less than 7.5 cm, try to keep them in less noticeable places.

In order to lay tiles in the bathroom, you need the following:

Materials

• Ceramic tile
• Tile spacers

Tools

• Protective gloves, eye protection
• Tape measure, pencil
• Rubber hammer, level
• Notched trowel
• shovel, ladle

Adviсe

• Apply glue to small surfaces to avoid drying out
• Use a level to check the quality of your work

Laying tiles in the bathroom

Use the right tools to do the job right.

Smart Tip: If you are a beginner and have not installed tiles before, we recommend drawing chalk lines on the floor to help you out. Make sure the lines are perfectly straight and parallel, how to get a professional job. This step is optional, but it is helpful to have a guideline when you have no experience working with ceramic tiles.

Preparing the floor before laying tiles

Make sure the surface is clean, otherwise your tiles will not lie level. Use a dustpan to remove any lumps or uneven spots on the floor. However, if you cannot resolve these issues, you have two options: either pour a 5 cm layer of mortar. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and other debris, making sure the surface is level and the adhesive will stick to the floor.

You need to start from the wall (the area most visible from front door), and lay out the tiles in a straight line, making sure you use spacers between them.

Preparing adhesive for laying tiles

Let the glue sit in the water for 5-10 minutes before you begin mixing the joints. Thus, water activates additives that make the solution resistant to water and humidity. Make sure you are wearing a respirator mask.

Smart Tip: If you want to prepare the glue mixture quickly and professionally, you should use a drill with a special mixing attachment.

Laying tiles

Before you start laying tiles, lay them without glue to immediately understand whether whole tiles will be enough or whether you will have to cut them. If you still have to cut the tiles, it is advisable to lay shortened tiles in inconspicuous places.

Smart Tip: Use notched trowel for spreading glue on the floor. First, apply the solution to a spatula and spread it onto a small surface. Spread the solution evenly.

There are situations in which you have to cut a tile and place it in a specific location: there are sewers, pipes or any other obstruction all over the floor. In this case, you will need to cut the tiles with a grinder using diamond wheel. When cutting tiles, it is advisable to wet the cut. Ideally, it is better to use a tile cutter for cutting.

Smart Tip: Wear safety glasses and a respirator to avoid injury or inhalation of toxic dust. When cutting tiles, mark the cut lines with a carpenter's pencil.

The tiles should be installed as follows: press the tiles into the adhesive and then, if the edges stick out, press them down using a rubber hammer. If you can’t level the tiles and they stick out, you may have put too much mortar, try removing it.

Use a level every time you install new tiles to make sure you installed them properly.

Smart Tip: Don't spread the glue over a large area or it will dry out before you can install the tiles over the entire area. When laying on glue, hold the spatula at 45º and firmly to get the ridges.

Install spacers between the tiles to ensure the joints are even. There are several types of spacers, varying in thickness.

Smart Tip: When pressing the tile into the mortar, make sure that the tile lays down well and that there is no air left under it. Otherwise, the voids under the tile will cause it to quickly break.

In this picture you can see how you should make cuts in the floor for the drain pipe.

Smart Tip: Use a sponge and water to clean the grout from the tiles. Once it dries, it will be much more difficult to remove the remaining solution. Additionally, use a notched trowel to scrape between tiles to make the grouting process easier.

After this, when everything is dry, grout the joints between the tiles.

Thank you for reading our article on how to lay tiles in the bathroom and we encourage you to share our projects with your friends using social buttons.

Bathrooms in apartments and cottages are usually tiled, as this material is characterized by increased resistance to moisture and temperature changes. Finish them yourself in small room doesn't seem particularly complicated. However, laying tiles in the bathroom with your own hands has a number of nuances, failure to comply with which leads to problems. When applied correctly tiled cladding serves for many years. But if mistakes are made during the finishing work, then it will not last even a couple of months.

Which bathroom tiles are suitable for walls and floors, tools

After installation tile reliably protects the tiled walls, ceiling and floor in the bathroom from moisture. At the same time, such finishing is durable and aesthetically pleasing. Plus, even a novice master can put it in the bathroom. This is far from installing plastic windows or forced ventilation, where it is recommended to use the services of professional installers.

To lay tiles in the bathroom yourself, you will need:

• floor and/or wall tiles;
• tile adhesive;
• grout for seams;
• building level;
• tape measure with pencil;
• tile cutter;
• plastic crosses for tiles;
• nippers and rasp;
• two spatulas (notched metal for glue and rubber for grout);
• a container for the solution and a drill with a mixing attachment;
• rubber hammer.

Tile marking

There are several ways to lay tiles - regular (straight), diagonal, offset, modular, etc. But in a typical bathroom, due to its small dimensions, it is best to resort to the easiest-to-install option with perpendicular seams running parallel to the corners in the room. And to diversify such a layout, tiles can be used in two or three different colors. In contrast, they give interesting visual effects and make the design more harmonious.

Preparing the base

Before you start laying tiles in the bathroom, the surfaces for tiling must be prepared. And the main problem of any bathroom is high humidity. Therefore, the walls, floor and ceiling in it under the tiles must not only be leveled, but also protected with waterproofing. The choice of technology for these insulation works depends on the plumbing fixtures being installed, as well as the material used for making the ceilings and partitions.

Walls must be cleaned and primed

Waterproofing barriers in the bathroom under tiles are made from:

• painting mastics;
• roll materials;
• coatings made of cement and polymer additives.

If in the bathroom you need to create a “trough” on the floor under the shower with a tray without sides, then you will have to lay self-adhesive roll materials on a bitumen or fiberglass base. If the surfaces under the tiles require leveling, then a coating applied in a thick layer is more suitable. In other cases, the easiest way to waterproof them is by painting them with ordinary bitumen mastic.

If it is impossible to delete old paint, make as many notches as possible to improve grip

Drawing, layout and unpacking

On the floor, tiles in the bathroom should be placed from the threshold (from the most visible spot) or from the corner opposite the door. Everything should turn out so that in areas not covered by plumbing and furniture, only the whole tile is visible. It is better to remove elements with cut edges further away, where they will not be so noticeable.

The situation is similar with the walls - when entering the bathroom, what first catches your eye is the far corner opposite. You should start laying tiles from there.

At the same time, in order not to make a mistake with the quantity required material in both cases it is recommended to draw a sketch plan to scale. On paper you need to indicate places with furniture, plumbing fixtures and pipe outlets, and also roughly “lay out” all the cladding elements. This will allow you to avoid many mistakes by accurately calculating the required number of tiles and borders.

Features of tile layout in the bathroom

Marking the bathroom walls

After determining the tile layout pattern, the wall to be tiled must be marked for the first row. The first tile in the bathroom must be glued strictly vertically and horizontally in level. The marking process should be given maximum attention. If it is not done correctly, even with minimal errors, then tile cladding then it will go wrong.

If there is a bathtub in the bathroom, then it is best to lay the first row directly on its side or with a small gap under decorative border. So tiles and general interior will look as harmonious as possible.

Marking walls before laying

Laying tiles

The adhesive solution for laying tiles should not be mixed all at once onto the bathroom, but in small quantities. It should be enough for approximately square meter cladding. Majority tile adhesives sets within 0.5–1 hour. After this, such a solution can only be thrown away; it can no longer be used for its intended purpose.

The technology for laying tiles in the bathroom looks like this:

1. The finishing surfaces are leveled and covered with waterproofing.
2. By using building level The first row is marked.
3. The initial tile is glued and once again verified with a level.
4. The rest of the tiles are being applied.
5. A day after the glue hardens, the seams are rubbed with special compounds.

The tiles on the walls in the first row at the bottom should not be installed with their edges on the floor. It is better to first lay the tiles at a low height on a support rail specially set for this purpose. And then, after covering the entire wall surface, seal the remaining gap with whole or cut elements, depending on the size of the indentation.

Features of vertical tile laying

Drilling holes for taps

The easiest way to drill holes in bathroom tiles for sockets and pipes is to use a crown of the appropriate diameter. But you can also use an ordinary thin drill, making several holes in a circle, and then using wire cutters to remove the excess.

how to drill a hole in ceramic tiles

Laying around the tabletop

When gluing tiles around a countertop or a sink attached to a wall, the most important thing is to cut the ceramic correctly. Cracks, chips and other visible flaws are unacceptable here. If errors are made during cutting, the cut part should be replaced. And don't rush to glue it. It’s better to try everything on several times and first, without glue, lay out the cut tiles in the intended place.