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| Surface preparation | How to lay tiles | Bedding methods | Tile tips |
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STEP-BY-STEP TILE INSTALLATION

The rule: Plan before you stick

Aesthetics play an important role in laying tiles, particularly if you are planning a pattern. In general however you always have to start somewhere.

| Floors | Walls | Tiling walls | Tiling floors | Getting stuck in |

FLOORS

This information is designed to familiarise you with the various steps involved in the most common types of tile installations. It is not designed to show you how to actually lay tiles, but it should give you a fair idea of the scope of the job to be done and help you understand the different phases of the job.

Surface conditions

The condition and strength of the surface to be tiled plays the biggest part in the performance and success of any tiling system. The preparation of the surfaces is therefore of the utmost importance. The surface to be tiled must be capable of supporting the weight of the tiles without breaking down. All surfaces must be firm, free of dust, mould, oil, grease, wax polish and organic growth. It is bad practice to tile directly onto old floor coverings, such as: linoleum, vinyl, tiles, slasto, etc.

WALLS

New Walls

If you are in the process of plastering a new wall that still has to be tiled, it is important that it be given enough time to cure - up to four weeks depending on climatic conditions - and as a general rule you should wait at least three weeks before tiling. Despite its apparent dryness within days, it will not have had set and if tiled too soon, cracks will appear over time.

Once the new plaster is completely dry, with all electrical switch and conduits as well as plumbing inlets and outlets in place, tiling can begin.

Do not finish the plaster with a commercial gypsum finish until you have completed tiling. Once the tiling is complete, mask the tile with plastic sheeting and masking tape then finish plastering the un-tiled portion with gypsum finishing plaster.

All finishes such as cornices and skirtings should be left till last.

Previously tiled walls

It is possible to tile over existing ceramic tiles but there are a number of drawbacks.

Firstly, one can never be entirely sure that the existing tiles are bonded securely enough to the wall, and secondly, a double layer of tiles doubles the 'shelf' effect if the tiles only extend part of the way up the wall. This shelf can be quite significant and can spoil the look of the wall. Thirdly, will existing fittings be accommodated?

Given these facts, it is often better to remove the tiles and prepare the wall as described below.

Should you choose to proceed without removing the existing tiles, they should be well cleaned with Sugar Soap and allowed to dry completely before starting.

Painted surfaces

Painted surfaces do not take tile adhesive well and if possible, you should remove all paint before tiling. If it's difficult to remove, the surface must be properly prepared by stripping down to the underlying plaster to give a stippled effect. To give a good enough bond, this stippling need not be too deep but must cover at least half of the surface to be tiled. Remember that the resulting chipped surface will need up to 50% more adhesive than a smooth surface.

Papered walls

No matter how well bonded wallpaper appears it, together with its adhesive, has to be removed completely. The underlying surface must be washed with Sugar Soap and well rinsed before being allowed to dry. Often wallpaper is applied to a painted wall so the underlying surface has then to be prepared as above.

Outer wall coverings

A number of decorative finishes, such as cork, vinyl and textiles are applied to walls and must be removed completely before you tile. The safest rule is: 'when in doubt, remove'.

TILING WALLS

• For walls, unlike floors, it is not the centre of the room you are interested in but the lowest part of the wall. Floor levels are often uneven, particularly when the floor caters for drainage.
• Establish the lowest part of the wall and place an upright tile against it.
• With the edge tile held perfectly horizontal according to a spirit level (not your eye because the floor may be uneven) allow a gap, the width of a spacer, and mark the wall in two places, the width of the tile apart.
• Remove the tile and place your batten against the wall, just below the two marks you've made.
• Fix the batten to the wall below your marks with one nail.
• Now, using your spirit level again, establish the perfect horizontal and nail the batten to the wall using steel nails (remember you will have to remove them when finished).
• Use a second batten to establish the vertical with your spirit level and fix the second batten at 90 degrees to the first.
• Apply your adhesive above the horizontal batten with the same technique as described for floors.
• Work along the batten to establish the base row of tiles.
• You then start building up row by row until you reach the desired height.
• Wait until the adhesive has set before removing the battens.
• The lowest row can now be cut and fitted using the techniques mentioned under Cutting Tiles.

Grouting

• Ensure that the joints are free of loose material and adhesive residue.
• Apply grout liberally to the surface and work across the joints with a squeegee ensuring that the joints are completely filled.
• Clean excess grout off the tiles surface as the work progresses using a grout squeegee.
• Leave the joints to dry for +2 hours before pointing the joints with a dowel stick or pointing tool. Then clean with a damp (not wet) sponge. Finally allow to dry for 24 hours before polishing the haze off with a dry cloth.
• You'll find everything you need, including sound advice, at CTM.

Finishing and sealing around fittings

Edges around doorways and windows can be finished off with a ready-made nylon edge trim, or a variety of edge tiles or listelli. Ask your CTM assistant to show you the various types.

TILING FLOORS

Where to start

Aesthetics play an important role in laying tiles, particularly if you are planning a pattern. In general, however, you always have to start somewhere. This is how:

Finding the 'key' tile position

• Rectangular and square rooms - use the builder's line (any line will do) and join the diagonally opposite corners of the room to find the centre.
• Irregularly shaped rooms - choose the largest portion of an irregularly shaped room and find the centre in the same way as above.
• Where the two diagonal lines cross is the 'key' tile position.
• The 'key' tile must be perfectly centered on this point with its sides exactly parallel to the walls. (Remember that any inaccuracies will be magnified the further you progress from this central point. It is from this tile that the rest will be laid.)
• In rooms with irregular shapes, line up the 'key' tile to the longest wall.

Proceeding from the 'key'

• Place a series of tiles in four directions - forming a cross - until you reach each wall, remembering to leave a 10 mm gap between each tile.
• You will almost certainly find that you need to cut the last tiles to get a fit.
• NB: A perfect fit is ideal so if you have more than half a tile at each end of a row see if you can fit them perfectly if you move the 'key' tile slightly. If you have to cut your tiles, it is always better to have equal size cuts at the opposite ends of the room.
• If you are certain about your positioning, proceed.
• Remove all the tiles except the 'key'.
• Place a metal batten up against one edge of the tile and nail it lightly to the floor so that it won't move, but can be removed later. Be careful not to move the 'key'.
• mark the position of the tile on the batten.
• At this point you will need to make any cuts to the 'key' tile to accommodate inlaid patterns.

GETTING STUCK IN

The rules

• Tile slowly and carefully and don't take short cuts, the tiles will be there for a long time and you'll have to live with your mistakes.
• Make corrections early and continuously.
• Don't mix too much adhesive at any one time.

Where to start

• With your tile spacers ready (make sure they are the right size for the size and type of tile you are laying) mix your adhesive according to the instructions and only enough to lay 10 tiles.
• Using the comb-like spreader and holding the spreader as upright as possible, spread about 0.5 m2 of the adhesive a little more than a tile width from your batten. Comb straight lines in one direction with the depth of adhesive as uniform as possible.
• Fit one edge of the 'key' tile against the marks you made on the batten and lower it away from you.
• It is a temptation to work quickly and estimate the level of your tile. Resist it!
• Use a spirit level to get true level by placing it across the diagonal of the tile - gentle pressure with the spirit level is sufficient to get it right. Now repeat for the second diagonal. A rubber hammer can be used very gently to tap down the tiles.
• You now proceed by tiling along the batten with tile spacers about 2 cm from each corner repeating the leveling procedure with your spirit level with each tile. You should always tile one tile at a time alternating to opposite sides of the 'key' tile.
• Always check your levels against the 'key' tile.
• When you've tiled no more than six tiles, check they are true to the key tile in level and the edges are true using another batten. Adjust them at this stage!
• Remove your spacers when the adhesive is firm, taking care not to move the tiles.