Buying a new home or changing homes is a hasty and pain-staking job. It is costly, and a lot needs to be done, but you can save money on some aspects – such as installing ceramic floor tiles by yourself. Read along to find out how to install floor tiles.
You need to choose the right ties for your home, and naturally, you would want to select the best ceramic tiles manufacturing company in Bangladesh.
Floor Tiles’ Patterns
Before moving on, it is necessary to know the pattern you are going for. You must have noticed that floor tiles never come in one pattern. There are quite a few patterns out there, with hand-crafted, unique, zellige tiles becoming increasingly popular. Each design is one of a kind – see it here in more detail. Some of the other more common floor tiles are:
Herringbone
Herringbone is pretty popular and found everywhere, even in walls and furniture. This shape looks like a ‘V,’ but one tilted line is over the other.
Modular
Modular has different patterns and can make your floors or walls uniquely impressive to look at.
Basket Weave
Basketweave looks fabulous in smaller spaces, whether on the wall or floor…
Checkered Tiles
Checkered tiles have been around for a long time, and they are still used today because they are a classic.
Marble Tiles
Marble Tiles give any house a look of elegance without them looking fake.
How to Install Ceramic Floor?
The difficulty level is moderate, and following the proper steps, you can do it flawlessly and save yourself the money of a professional tile-setter.
Things You Need
- Snap tile-cutter/Wet tile-saw
- Rubber tile float
- Tile Nipper
- Notched tile trowel
- Flat margin trowel
- Tile spacers
- Rubber Mallet
- Large sponges
- Buckets
- Measuring tape
- Lining chalk
- Leveler
- 2×4 scrap lumber
- Safety glasses
- Framing square
- Thinset mortar
- Tile grout
- Grout sealer
- Grout haze remover
- Cement backer board
- Rubber gloves
- Fibreglass seam tape
Choosing the Right Tiles
Some of the best of Bangladesh include DBL Ceramics Limited, R A K Ceramics (Bangladesh) Limited, Great Wall Ceramic Ind. Ltd and many more.
After choosing the pattern, you will need to buy the ceramic tiles. The number of tiles you need depends on the pattern and the space. To calculate the amount, you can use an online tiles calculator or calculate the space’s area and add 15% to the tiles that will be wasted.
The Steps You Must Follow to Install Tiles
Thin Mortar and Cement Board
You need to spread the thin mortar evenly, install cement board panels, and screw them eight inches deep along the perimeters. Use fiberglass seam tapes for the seams and fill them with thin mortar.
Fit the Tiles Dry
Use chalk to mark after finding the midpoint of each wall and create a cross pattern. Put the tiles in the cross. Avoid small tiles near the wall because that will look unpleasant. After fitting them perfectly, take them out and form a heap with them to know which goes where.
Adding Mortar
Use your notched tile trowel or flat margin trowel to spread the thin-set mortar. Hold it straight at a 45-degree angle to apply it evenly. Switch the sides, apply pressure to the cement board, and move consecutive lines.
Put the Tiles Back
Set the tiles on the wet floor, and keep a 1/4th expansion gap along the walls. Put pressure with your fingers and make sure the mortar has evenly spread on the back of the tiles to avoid lippage. Add tile spacers to keep the space accordant.
Use the Bubble Level
Use the bubble level on some tiles to see if they are equal and eliminate lippage.
Cutting Tiles
Use a wet tile saw for cutting tiles meant for against the walls. You can use a rail tile cutter, but that will not give a straight, smooth cut. Use tile nipper when the cuts are for pipes and other non-straight areas.
Add Grout and Remove It
Add grout evenly and use a sponge after an hour in circular motions to remove excess grout. Later, you need to remove the white grout haze with a sponge using the haze cleaner. Do not use too much force, or you will rip out the necessary grout.
Sealing the Grout
To avoid the grout soaking up water, apply sealer using a brush along the grout lines or spray it on the tiles and wipe off the excess sealer later.
Conclusion
These are the steps to install Ceramic floor tiles by yourself. It may take quite some time to fill the room yourself, but it is undoubtedly worth it. Keep extra care not to use too much force in some cases to avoid any unnecessary problems. Ask for professional help if needed.
