Laying tiles on the floor with your own hands: detailed instructions, tips on choosing materials, photos and videos. How to properly lay tiles on the floor: the main secrets of master tilers Laying floor tiles

29.08.2019

Ceramic tiles - practically perfect choice for the floor in the bathroom. With its help, you can create an excellent floor that will last for several decades.

Such a coating is perfectly combined with all types of underfloor heating systems, and its installation technology is relatively simple. Having studied in detail how to lay tiles on the floor, even a novice master can cope with this task.

Floor ceramic tiles, like wall tiles, are sold in the most various options: by size, color, configuration, pattern, etc. First you need to decide on the design of the flooring and calculate the required number of tiles.

It is very important when buying not to confuse the type of material. It is strictly forbidden to lay tiles on the floor that are made for walls. Floor tile surfaces are specially roughened to prevent feet from slipping on them.

And the elements intended for the walls are too smooth.

Installing such material on the floor can result in serious injury as well as unnecessary expense. If you need a ceramic coating with a glossy, even surface for a spectacular floor design, you need to find this option. floor tiles.

It gives the necessary shine, but at the same time its surface is quite rough and safe.

Ceramic flooring goes well with all types of underfloor heating. For example, cable systems are simply mounted on the base under a layer of tile adhesive

It is better to buy all the material from one batch at once. A few tiles are recommended to be purchased in excess of the calculated amount in order to create the necessary reserve in case the tiles are damaged during cutting.

Tiles with the same name and article number, from the same manufacturer, but from different batches, often have a slightly different shade, and this will ruin the whole appearance gender.

In addition to tiles, you need to buy glue for its installation. In this case, the reserve is not necessary. At the final stage, you will need a grout for the seams. This composition can be the same shade as the tile, or a contrasting color.

To lay tiles on the floor, you should stock up on a set of quite affordable tools:

spatula with teeth;
plastic cross dividers;
building level;
tile cutter (or glass cutter);
roulette;
rubber mallet;
pencil;
rubber spatula;
sponge;
containers for mixing glue and grout;
clean rag.

Notched trowels come in different sizes and with different teeth. According to the type of teeth, there are three types of spatulas:

V-shaped - for mounting thin wall tiles;
Square teeth - for ordinary floor tiles;
U-shaped - for especially large tiles.

The size of the teeth and spatula depends on the layer of adhesive that is supposed to be applied under the tile. This information is contained in the tile and adhesive manufacturer's instructions.

The composition can also be applied with a conventional spatula, but then it will be difficult to achieve a uniform distribution of the adhesive on the surface of the tile, the quality of work may suffer.

Preparing the premises and grounds

Before laying ceramic tiles on the floor, it is necessary to remove everything from the room that may interfere with the work, and thoroughly clean the base on which the tiles are to be laid.

The presence of dust, grease or other stains may impair the adhesion of the adhesive solution to the substrate.

Another important part of the preparation of the room is the release of the floor from the skirting boards. In some cases, door trims are also removed.

Of course, the installation of floor tiles is best done before the doors are installed in the room. In order for the pattern formed by the elements to look beautiful, you should mark out the room by marking the center lines that connect the midpoints of opposite walls.

If a diagonal layout is selected, then you will need diagonal guides connecting the corners. After that, you need to lay out the tiles on the floor in order to evaluate the pattern that will be obtained when laying it, as well as determine the number and approximate dimensions of incomplete elements.

At this stage, you can make the necessary adjustments to the layout scheme.

If the floor tiles are supposed to be laid in a diagonal way, it is necessary to draw guides not only in the center of the walls, but also diagonally

It is necessary that the base is as even and smooth as possible. Most often, tiles are laid on a concrete or cement screed, but there are other types of substrates that also need to be leveled.

Here are a few important points, which should be considered when installing tiles:

The cement screed must be completely dry before starting work. This usually takes about four weeks.
The use of hardeners for cement screed impairs the adhesion of the base to the adhesive composition.
Before starting work, the cement or concrete base must be primed.
In a newly built house, it is recommended to use a plastic type of base for tiles, since the building can “shrink” over several years. The use of a rigid base will cause the floor covering to warp.
To seal cracks in a concrete or cement base, a special repair compound is used.
When installing tiles wooden base, it is leveled using sufficiently thick (12 mm) plywood sheets.
If the installation on a wooden base is carried out in a room with high humidity, an additional elastic layer is placed on the plywood to compensate for the expansion of the wood under the influence of moisture.
When installing on a layer of old ceramic tiles, the floor surface should be leveled with sandpaper. This will also improve the adhesion of the old floor to the new floor covering.

Usually, a specialist is not advised to lay ceramic tiles on top of the old layer. This greatly raises the level of the floor, and the amount of installation may not be too high.

This method is used very rarely, for example, when the removal of a ceramic floor covering can lead to significant damage to the underlying subfloor. Damaged during dismantling concrete slab not difficult to repair using repair compounds.

Of course, removing the old tile, repairing the bumps and laying the new tile will require more time and expense, but the quality of the work will be higher.

Important point - tile adhesive

Tile adhesive is sold ready-made, as well as a dry mix, which is prepared immediately before installation.

The cost of the finished glue is usually much higher than the dry counterpart. There are several types of dry tile adhesive mixes offered in hardware stores:

base mix - for treating bases that are well leveled and cleaned;
universal composition - suitable for almost any tile and any base;
reinforced version - recommended for large tiles, has increased adhesion to various substrates;
composition for working on complex bases - can be used for laying tiles on glass, metal and other non-traditional bases, it is used extremely rarely.

Before preparing the solution, carefully study the manufacturer's recommendations, and then follow them exactly. Be sure to pay attention to the life of the finished solution.

It is worth preparing exactly the amount of glue that will be used during this period. To prepare the composition, the mixture is usually poured into a container with water, and then mixed thoroughly.

Technology and work procedure

Visually, the installation of floor tiles is presented in the following video:

Even at the preparatory stage, you should decide on the pattern that forms the tile on the floor. One-color tiles can be laid with the same seams or apart, along the walls or diagonally.

Multi-colored elements are sometimes placed in a checkerboard pattern. You can also select a set of elements that forms an image. It all depends on the imagination of the owner of the apartment.

Experts recommend choosing a pattern in such a way that its center line coincides with the center line of the window (if the bathroom has a window or a wall image imitating it). This detail will make the whole design of the room more harmonious.

It also needs to be calculated. We can offer you to use our free online calculator:

Start laying floor tiles from a wall that is in plain sight so that the elements that have to be cut are hidden under furniture or plumbing. The fewer cut elements in the selected layout, the faster all work will be completed.

The optimum air temperature for laying tiles is approximately 20 degrees. Too high or too low air temperature can adversely affect the properties of the adhesive composition. In summer, tile installation work is carried out early in the morning or in the evening, and a break is taken during the heat of the day.

First, glue is applied to the base. First, use the flat side of the spatula, turning it at an acute angle. In this case, the glue should be applied with some effort so that all the bumps and recesses on the base are well filled.

Then, cloves are drawn along the glue layer so that grooves appear, thanks to which the glue is distributed as evenly as possible. In the process of applying grooves, the angle of inclination of the spatula should not be changed so that their depth remains the same over the entire surface.

The result should be a layer of tile adhesive, the thickness of which is greater than the height of the trowel teeth.

With a notched trowel, grooves are applied to the adhesive layer, the depth of which should be the same. To do this, the spatula should be held at the same angle to the surface.

The tile is placed on the place treated with glue and pressed well so that the voids in the grooves are filled with glue.

If a little adhesive comes out on the surface, it should be removed immediately with a clean cloth. If this is not done immediately, the glue will harden and it will be much more difficult to remove it. There were cases when, during careless cleaning of a dried solution, deep scratches remained on the tile.

To ensure a tight and uniform fit of the tile to the base, each element is immediately tapped with a special rubber hammer, moving from the center to the edges.

In order for the tiles to adhere to the floor evenly and securely, it is necessary to carefully tap each tile after laying on the adhesive layer with a rubber mallet

Cross-shaped dividers should be installed between the laid tiles. They help create a perfectly uniform seam between the tiles, as well as control their position relative to each other.

From time to time it is necessary to check the resulting tile joint, which should be even. In addition, with the help building level it is necessary to constantly control the slope of the tile.

You can adjust it using the amount of adhesive placed under the tile. Typically, tile installation begins with solid elements, and then fill the remaining space with cut-to-size tiles.

During the laying of floor tiles, the position of the ceramic floor should be checked regularly using a spirit level and corrected if necessary.

It is enough to draw a straight line on the tile with the help of a tile cutter or glass cutter, then put it on a table or other convenient flat surface in such a way that the place of the incision coincides with the edge.

After that, you need to press on the hanging part of the tile to break it exactly along the notch line. Sometimes it is more convenient to simply place an equal stick under the incision line, and then lightly press on both sides.

Dividers in the form of crosses greatly facilitate the process of installing floor tiles, ensuring an even seam between them. About half an hour after installation, the dividers can be removed

It is more convenient and reliable to cut thick floor tiles with a tile cutter, since this tool, due to its design features, makes it possible to make an incision to a greater depth than when working with a glass cutter.

To make not a straight, but a curly cut, sometimes they use tongs for cutting metal. A narrow strip can be separated from the tile with pliers, but this must be done very carefully.

To cut ceramic floor tiles, it is best to use a tile cutter. This device allows you to make an even and neat cut on tiles of great thickness.

To drill a neat hole in the tile, you should use a special tool called a “ballerina”.

At the same time, it is still far from always possible to avoid cracking of the element. Professionals recommend carefully removing part of the glaze from the tile at the drilling site. To do this, use a hammer and a suitable object with a sharp edge, such as a tap.

Gentle tapping makes it easy to chip off and remove part of the coating. After that, for drilling, you can use a hand drill with a drill clamped in the chuck.

Grouting joints between ceramic tiles is performed with a special rubber spatula or “trowel”. The color of the grout can match or contrast with the color of the floor.

After all the tiles are laid, you should wait a while for the glue to harden. After that, you can start grouting the seams. The mixture is applied to the tiles in the area of the joints with a small rubber spatula so that they are filled.

Excess grout is also removed with a spatula. After that, you need to wait again until the grout dries. Then the tile must be washed from the remnants of the grout.

For this, a bucket of clean water and a rag is usually sufficient. Now the process of laying floor tiles can be considered complete.

The extensive choice of floor ceramics does not affect the basic rules for its installation. There are many characteristic features, technological nuances, without knowing which you can get something completely different from what you expect.

Absolutely all ceramic manufacturers insist: you should not start with testing the base for compliance with the standards, but with checking the ceramic finish and developing a laying plan.

Your first task is to choose the right design and caliber of the product. As a rule, stands in stores are tiled with tiles of one collection in the optimal, according to the designers of the plant, layout. Approximate variations can be found in professional catalogs on manufacturers' websites or in trading floors.

You can change, supplement or completely reshape the proposed design to your taste. To do this, ask to provide you with several samples of the main tile and its components (borders, decors, panels, etc.) and form a layout suitable for your room.

But keep in mind - upon entering the room, the center of the room or the area that is completely free from furniture and equipment (the so-called free patch is popularly called) is the first thing that catches your eye. In small kitchens and bathrooms, this is usually no more than 1-2 m². Therefore, laying tiles on a concrete floor should be planned in such a way that the center falls exactly on the visible square meters area. Thanks to this simple technique, solid elements will be glued in the “empty” area, and cut ones - only around the perimeter. This is especially important in the presence of uneven walls.

Offset design planning.

The next stage is the choice of floor ceramics installation scheme. There are several basic types:

Thanks to a wide variety of formats and types of tiles (elongated planks, polygonal, oval products, etc.), installation of floor ceramics can be carried out according to parquet patterns (herringbone, wicker, deck, squares), randomly or modularly (combination of different-format facings).

If you intend to use decorative elements or a combination of colors, then do not be too lazy to make a drawing to scale. You can also request the development of similar sketches from ceramics of the same series, thickness or manufacturer from consultants in shopping malls specializing in ceramic cladding. As a rule, factories provide not only the relevant computer programs, but also special devices (outwardly resembling ATMs), on which even an inexperienced user can create their own floor design, and in a two- or three-dimensional version. BUT! If you want to arrange tiles of different manufacturers and calibers, then be sure to make sure that the thickness matches perfectly, down to a millimeter. Otherwise, laying the tile on your own is absolutely even, without flaws, it will not work.

It is better to think over the layout in advance in order to purchase the required quantity facing material. The calculation of the required quadrature is based on:

Surface areas

The indicated value must be divided by the area of \u200b\u200bone element, taking into account the tile joints. If the tile has a complex shape or ceramics of different sizes are used in one design, then it is better to draw a drawing.

Tiles sizes

The number of whole and trimmed elements in one row depends on this. To calculate the first value, you can ask consultants to make calculations in special programs (provided to sellers by manufacturers) or use the formula:

If, in accordance with the project, it is necessary to lay out a frieze and embedment along the perimeter (a wall section of the main or complementary tiles), then the overall pattern must be designed in such a way that the curb strip is laid out of whole elements, and full-length or trimmed tiles can be used on the embedment border.

Tiled floor with border frieze.

When buying ceramic tiles, be sure to take a small supply, that is, you need about 10-15% more than required. Partially finishing material will go into trimming, a possible battle or useful in the future to repair damaged elements.

Styling techniques

In what cases are tiles laid with a gap or a seamless method, with a straight or zigzag seam? It does not depend on your desire, but on the characteristics of the floor material. Firstly, a monolithic canvas looks, of course, beautiful, but it is made only from rectified porcelain stoneware. That is, the most stable and resistant to temperature extremes cladding with processed special machines edges. It is very difficult to lay this material yourself without solid work experience.

Secondly, almost all ceramic products for the floor must be installed with a gap. The larger the size of the products, as well as the load, the wider the seam should be, otherwise various defects (cracks, etc.) will appear in the future due to seasonal deformations. Recommended values:

For tiles of caliber from 5x5 to 30x30 cm - 1-1.5 mm;
For ceramics with sizes from 30x30 to 60x60 cm - 2-5 mm;
For products of large formats from 60x60 cm and more - 5-10 mm.

Intertile seams: zero, narrow and wide.

The choice of seam option - straight or curved - also depends on the shape of the tiles, design features. Some collections involve laying the base with inserts, joining the pattern in a certain order, etc. This information is on the box.

So, we have come to the finish line. The cladding is selected, the layout option is approved, you can proceed to the last stage - the selection of flooring material for quality. When buying, pay attention to the following:

Tiles of the highest grades must have a single thickness, width and length (limit deviations, as a rule, do not exceed 0.5 mm), as well as the same shade, without streaks, stripes, foreign inclusions, stains, chips, small cracks, scratches, bumps and other design defects.
The glaze should be uniform, without smudges and sagging, the surface should be as even as possible with a minimum of negative (concavity) or positive (convex) deviations from the plane, and the side edges should be free of burrs, bumps, and crevices. This is easy to check - connect the two tiles to each other at the ends and front sides, carefully inspect. Any deviations negatively affect the evenness and aesthetics of the future floor.
The purchased kit must be from the same batch and one tone, which guarantees the absolute identity of all elements in color, caliber and other parameters. This information is indicated on the box.
Tiles should be free of packaging and of the paraffin or wax protective coatings that are applied to the surface of some collections to prevent scratches during transport.

Tools and materials

To mount the tiles with your own hands, prepare the necessary set.

Including tools:

tape measure and metal ruler;
rail and moisture meter;
level and square;
a marker for marking on facing elements (main and complementary tiles, decors, borders, etc.);
dyeing cord marking;
electric tile cutter or manual tile cutter, special saws for ceramics for forming figured cutouts or a drill with nozzle cups for drilling round holes for pipes;
a plastic bucket and a construction mixer for mixing glue;
trowel and notched trowel for applying the mortar. The choice of the number of the last tool depends on the dimensions of the tile, and the larger the facing element, the larger the size of the spatula teeth;
pliers;
mallet and spatula for grouting;
sandpaper for processing tile slices;
mounting gloves and knee pads;
bucket, sponge and soft cloth to remove excess adhesive.

From the materials you will need:

Ceramic tiles with a full set of shaped elements;
The adhesive mixture is cement or polymer, corresponding to the specifics of the base (mineral screed, wood, plywood, etc.), as well as the operating conditions of the cladding. That is, allowing you to lay tiles on the floor in a heated or unheated space, on a heated base, in showers or pools;
Priming emulsion;
Waterproofing of a suitable type (in wet rooms);
Cement or polymer grout and water-repellent impregnation for joints;
Silicone sealant. It will be needed in order to process joints, internal and external corners;
Crosses for tile joints or tile leveling system (SVP).

Since mostly non-frost-resistant ceramics are used for interior work, manufacturers recommend mounting at a room temperature of at least +5 ° C and not more than +30 ° C at a humidity of 40-60%. Exterior finish, including facing of facades, steps, is carried out only in the warm season.

Step by step instructions

From quality installation work depends on the service life and ease of use of floor ceramics. This axiom, unfortunately, is often neglected, and the result is a fragile, unaesthetic or defective coating. Therefore, we recommend that you follow all the rules, from the preparation of the base to the grouting time.

The process can be roughly divided into 6 stages:

Foundation preparation

The quality of the subfloor should ensure the possibility of creating a layer under the tile coating from adhesive cement mortar 2-15 mm thick, under mosaic - up to 20 mm. Therefore, the following actions are required:

The foundation must be;

By the beginning of work, pipelines and other types of communications laid in ceilings must have outlets in accordance with the design of the premises. Do not forget that on large areas, uniform expansion joints are required to compensate for temperature and hygroscopic deformations of the base. When laying tiles on concrete or mineral screed indoors, it is recommended to arrange thermal gaps every 20-25 m² of area, with external cladding - 16 m².

IN small spaces the role of temperature-shrinkage joints is played by a gap 4-5 mm wide around the perimeter between the ceramic coating and the walls.

Once again, we recall that the floor must be monolithic. Many craftsmen believe that irregularities are easily leveled with tile adhesive - the layer will turn out to be thicker than it should be. However, they forget that the cement-polymer mortar shrinks, so a perfectly even coating will not work. All recesses, cracks and bumps more than 5 mm must be eliminated - filled with repair mixtures or scraped off, and dust and debris removed. Treat the surface with primers with the required properties - hardening, adhesive, etc.

Applying a primer to a concrete base.

If you're thinking about tiling your shower, bathroom, or bathroom, pay special attention to waterproofing. To create a reliable water barrier, you can use polymer paints, coating penetrating agents, impregnations, membranes, or any other material available to you. The main thing is to correctly form a layer with an institution on the walls 10-15 cm in height and carefully sealing the corners.

markup

When marking, the center lines of the room serve as the basis. Connect the midpoints of the more closely spaced walls to get the longitudinal axis, and the center points of the farther ones to calculate the transverse line. On the walls, mark the level of the future finishing floor. This will help to correct minor flaws in the tiling process. It is better to apply a marking drawing with an alcohol marker or with a coloring cord.

First, check the correct geometry of the room. This will allow you to adjust the plan for tiling the floor with ceramic tiles and significantly speed up the work.

To make sure that the walls are mutually perpendicular, pull two cords diagonally from opposite corners, measure their length with a tape measure. If the corners do not correspond to the ideal 90 °, and the sides have different lengths, then various tricks can be used to visually level the effect. For example, move the picture or lay out friezes around the perimeter, and between it and the wall - a background tile with trimming.

The principle of marking formation depends on the chosen design.

Standard seam-to-seam or corner installation

If the room has an even rectangular shape, then the laying starts from the corner. The first element is mounted in the corner of the room, the rest - in different directions from it.

Corner layout.

In a run or with an offset

For tiles produced in the form of elongated strips, it is not correct to use the simple corner method. Installation should be carried out from the center of the room. The method is quite laborious, requires care and accuracy in work.

First, the reference point (central) is calculated, the first row is laid from it, then the subsequent lines are formed as shown in the figure below.

Laying pattern with offset or from the center.

Laying scheme from the center of tiles of different calibers.

The shift coefficient of each subsequent row relative to the previous one depends on your desire - by 1/2, 1/3 or more. Since this is not a laminate or parquet board, no tying is required here. It is more of a decorative effect that allows you to create decking, brick or typical laminate.

In two perpendicular rows

To lay tiles in a room with irregular wall geometry (including various ledges, bay windows, etc.), this method is used. We mark the center of the room, from it we set the first element. With respect to this cladding, we apply two perpendicular central lines, along which we lay the floor covering up to the wall. From the finished rows we lay the remaining ceramics. This is very convenient for forming panels and various decorative or accent inserts.

Diagonally

In addition to the finished centerlines, you need to draw diagonal lines from opposite corners. The layout is carried out either from the center or from the far corner of the room. The pattern can be anything.

Diagram of diagonal tile laying.

After the necessary marking lines have been applied, lay the ceramics on a dry floor surface. This is necessary for precise adjustment of the general laying pattern, as well as cutting edge tiles or shaped elements with a tile cutter (including for forming figured cutouts for various plumbing fixtures, water pipes and other communications).

Instructional and technological map for facing works, developed back in 1973 and updated in 2003 by the Design and Institute of Technology industrial construction, recommends craftsmen to make landmarks for themselves on large areas: either from a mooring cord stretched between extreme reference points (for example, along long wall or diagonally) or install the so-called beacon tiles. These are single ceramic elements or a series of facings laid along an extended surface, which allow you to control the level of finish and the correct formation of stripes.

Preparation of the adhesive mixture

The solution must be perfectly homogeneous and fluid enough to be easily applied to the surface and distributed. The dry mixture is mixed with water in the proportion recommended by the manufacturer, thoroughly mixed with a mixer until a homogeneous mass without lumps is formed. Remember that the finished adhesive can be used for a certain time (20-60 minutes), so for large laying areas it is better to prepare the mortar in batches.

Elastic polymer mixtures for ceramics are one- and two-component. Mix them thoroughly before use, and apply with a notched trowel.

Installation of the cladding starts from the reference point located in the corner farthest from the entrance, or from the center of the room. Floor finishing is recommended to be done in stripes or small squares, gradually moving towards the doorway. If the design assumes the presence of a frieze and panels, then laying should begin with decorative elements.

Laying from the corner and from the center of the room.

Some types of tiles with a highly porous structure are recommended to be soaked before use. This is done so that the ceramic does not "pull" moisture out of the solution before it polymerizes. But most of the products on the market do not require such an operation, so carefully read the information on the packaging before use.

If you are laying floor finishing material with a thickness of more than 12 mm or with a side of more than 50 cm, then carefully consider the recommendations of the manufacturers. The adhesive solution must be applied not only to the base, but also to the underside of the tile with preliminary moistening.

Do not lay ceramic cladding on the floor with the heating turned on or with the room heating system running. It should be turned on only after the complete "seizure" of the adhesive solution.

Apply adhesive mixture on the base with a spatula with an average thickness of 2-5 mm (polymer - a layer of 2-3 mm) and spread over the surface of 1 m² or in an amount covering one row. Next, lay out the tiles in accordance with the chosen scheme, align them, lightly tap with a mallet or press down with your fingers. Clean the seams of excess glue and insert spacer crosses or SVPs. Next, apply glue to the surface as needed and mount the cladding, periodically checking the evenness with a hydraulic level, as well as the geometric correctness of laying - horizontal, drawing, laying scheme.

Application of adhesive mixture on the floor and installation of tiles.

If required according to the plan - at the end, mount the wall plinth from the curb elements or trimmed tiles of the main background using dividing crosses.

Grouting

Filling gaps can be carried out only after the coating has been laid completely and the adhesive has hardened. As a rule, 24 hours is sufficient.

Mix dry cement grout with water in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, apply with a spatula and fill all joints without exception. After 15-30 minutes, collect the remaining color mixture with a damp sponge. After an hour, rinse the surface again with a wet cloth, and the next day, treat the seams with water-repellent impregnations.

Coating cleaning

The ceramic floor after completion of the grouting work has a whitish coating, which must be removed with a solution of acid-based special detergents for ceramics (Pramol Ceracid, Pufas Glutoclean acidic, Italon A-CID), then rinsed clean water until all foreign liquids and dirt are completely removed. In the future, it is recommended to use neutral detergents or a mild soap solution, and to remove stains or heavy dirt, purchase professional concentrates that do not damage the surface and do not leave streaks (Litokol Colored Stain Remover, Bellinzoni Mangia Macchia, etc.).

Do not use abrasive cleaners that may cause scratches, especially on polished, lappated or high-gloss ceramics.

It is possible to load the finished coating with furniture and other household items after 48-72 hours.

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Today we will talk about how to lay tiles with your own hands. Laying tiles on the floor is not the easiest task, but doable. The best way flooring in the bathroom, kitchen and toilet, this is a ceramic floor tile.

Renovation of a separate room, apartment or a whole house is directly associated with spending money, especially when it comes to the kitchen, bathroom or toilet. According to statistics, these premises require the most close attention from the owner, because coziness and comfort depend on many factors. At limited budget homeowners try to do all the work on their own, but not everyone has the patience to complete the job. Undoubtedly, if you professionally lay parquet or tiles, understand the issue of water supply, know how to replace plumbing, sewers, as well as make and assemble furniture, they say about such people “jack of all trades”. In the case when you first pick up a spatula, tile and grout, you cannot do without our advice, they will become your guide to the world of repair and construction.

Let's talk about the rules for laying tiles on the floor, but before you start work, you need to stock up on material. In addition to the tile itself, we emphasize that it can be different, but more on that later, you will need working tools: a notched and rubber spatula, tile adhesive, building level, tape measure, plastic separators, tile cutter, pencil, sponge, grout, ruler, dilution container glue (bucket, bath).

As for the tile, as we said above, it can be different: for walls and floors. They differ from each other in thickness and coverage. Floor tiles are more massive, have a matte texture, which makes them less slippery. As for the issue of choosing the color and texture of the tile, we are not advisers here. It all depends on your preferences, passions. Tip: before buying floor tiles, calculate the area of future work, based on these data, add 10% of the material for the stock. In the process of work, the tile can break, crack, it is not advisable to go to the hardware store because of several pieces. In addition, the new batch may differ from the old one in color and quality. Therefore, it is better not to save money here.

Floor preparation for tiles

Well, if the working tool is prepared and you bought a beautiful tile, you should think about the surface on which you will lay it. In new buildings, experts do not recommend laying tiles on the floor if there is no screed. It is known that new houses shrink during the year, so your efforts can turn into ruins. To avoid this, use a plastic base. It can be thick plywood or any wooden floor.

When laying tiles on the floor for the first time in old apartments or houses, if cracks or other defects are found, use a self-leveling floor. It will level the surface, fill cracks, create the perfect canvas for your creativity. concrete base is an the best canvas for the master, on which you can create a real masterpiece. In general, remember that you need to lay tiles on a leveled floor. The main rule for laying tiles on a concrete pavement is to pre-treat the surface with a primer. It works in two directions: it creates the effect of additional adhesion and actively fights against the formation of fungi.

When the surface is covered old tiles and you can't peel it off, use sandpaper. With its help, you will remove accumulated fat and various contaminants from the surface. After that, be sure to make sure that the surface is even, for this, use the building level. Only after preliminary preparation can you start laying tiles on the floor.

In order for the tile to lay well on a wooden floor, you need to level such a surface using plywood with a width of at least 12 mm. For a bathroom or toilet, buy aquapanels. They do not absorb moisture, are a good sound and heat insulating material.

Subtleties and rules for laying tiles on the floor

Before you start laying tiles on the floor, you must be aware of what you want to see in the end. There are a lot of tile laying technologies, you can use multi-colored tiles in your work different sizes, put it across or along the window, in a checkerboard pattern or alternate with rhombuses. Use the archaic sculpting technique or create an apocalyptic drawing. It's all a matter of taste and preferences of the owners of the apartment or private house. The main thing to remember is that any masonry begins with a wall, which immediately catches your eye when you enter the room. Also, do not forget that the center lines of the window play an important role when choosing a pattern on a tile. With sharp differences in the center lines, even a masterpiece looks terrifying.

Having decided on the pattern of the future floor, you should take care of the temperature in the working room. The optimum temperature when laying tiles on the floor can vary between +20 +24 degrees. At temperatures below +18 degrees, the glue will dry for a long time, in the case when in a room more than +30 degrees the water from the tile adhesive evaporates faster, which affects the tenacity of the entire structure.

And of course, do not forget to dilute the tile adhesive before laying the tiles. Since you are trying to save as much as possible, use a dry mix adhesive. Note that today the construction market offers ready-made tile adhesive, which is sold in buckets. The price of such a material is high compared to a dry mix, so you can safely buy an analog version - a dry mix. It is better to breed glue in a separately prepared container (bucket, bath).

Laying tiles on the floor

We ask ourselves how to lay tiles on the floor? Where to start laying tiles on the floor? How to lay tiles on the floor special efforts? Laying tiles begins on the intended side of the wall, to begin with, use only solid tiles. So you will create the main pattern on the floor, and the resulting voids along the edges can later be closed with chopped parts. Tiles should only be cut with a tile cutter. In the absence of this tool, use the grinder. Be careful, because in your hands is a fragile building material.

The adhesive is applied to the floor surface with a notched trowel. Remember, if you started laying tiles on wooden surface, glue should be applied in two layers - on the floor and on the tile itself. A little effort and you can easily smear the glue on the floor surface, so that it will penetrate into all the bumps and fill the cracks. With such a leisurely step, you will create a long-awaited pattern on the floor. Don't forget to use the building level. With it, you will create a smooth, reliable tile floor. After each addition of a new tile, it is worth laying plastic separators between the materials, or as they are often called tile crosses.

After completing the work, let the tile dry for a day. During this time, the glue will dry thoroughly, and you will get a half-finished result. The next step will be the processing of the resulting joints with grout. Today in hardware stores you can find grouts of the classic white color or choose a shade according to the composition and texture of the tile. Regardless of the option chosen, rub the grout carefully. For this work, use a rubber spatula. With uniform movements with little effort, the grout is pressed into the grooves formed, after drying, the floor surface is wiped with a damp cloth, and later you can call the chief inspector, the landlady, to take over the job.

Laying tiles on the floor video

Tiles on the floor of the kitchen, bathroom, hallway or utility room - perfect option flooring from all points of view. The coating easily creates the desired effect in the design, the main thing is to choose the right colors and texture. It does not require effort when cleaning, it is easy to clean, it is cleaned of dirt, it has a neat appearance. Properly selected floor ceramic tiles are not afraid of high humidity, temperature, are durable, and do not wear off like paint.

Disadvantages - a cold floor, painstaking laying work and increased hardness, due to which broken dishes that fall on such a floor are sure to break. However, these shortcomings are not significant. The tiled floor can be insulated, the kitchen can be equipped in such a convenient way that the risk of dropping the dishes is minimal, and anyone can master the correct installation technology with the proper desire and diligence.

When choosing a tile for the floor, you should consider a few points.

When choosing a tile, do not be lazy to attach two or three tiles to each other to make sure that there are no gaps between them and that they fit snugly together.
Floor tiles must not slip. You can check for slip by moistening front side water. The surface must be rough, with corundum coating or ribbed. Slippery tiles are not suitable for flooring and are suitable for walls.
You should buy material with a margin, during installation you can split it, damage it. To do this, the area to be covered must be measured and then compared with the size of the sample and correctly determined the required amount. The remaining part of the coating after the repair can be stored in the house in case of damage during operation, for replacement.
Calculate the required amount as follows: divide the floor area by the area of the tile sample to find out the required amount. You need to add another 10-15 percent for marriage and stock.
Pay attention to moisture resistance. look specifications, moisten. back side must not absorb moisture.
When choosing, preference should be given to heavier, thicker tiles (from 8 to 13 cm). It must be resistant to impact and withstand solid physical exertion.
By hardness, the tile is divided into 5 levels. flooring correspond to levels 3 to 5.
Pay attention to how the tile is washed, reacts to washing abrasive substances. When choosing, designers are advised to choose floor tiles that contrast with the walls in color.
by the most reliable material for tiling is porcelain stoneware. It costs more, but does not create problems during installation and operation.
If the kitchen is small, it is better to choose smaller tiles (10 by 10). Large tiles visually reduce the room. The easiest way to lay square classic tiles. If you choose curly, do not forget about skirting boards, borders, corners. For such places there are special forms of tiles.

Tools and materials needed during the laying process

To lay the tiles yourself, you need to stock up on tools and materials.

Adhesive mixtures

Ready adhesive solution in voluminous plastic buckets or bags is expensive, but in practice it is not very convenient to use it. It is better to buy a special dry mortar, which is easy to turn into building glue at home. In addition, the dry mix can be prepared in parts, choosing a convenient schedule and pace of facing work.

Ready-made glue or dry adhesive mixture can be replaced with a cement-sand mortar. To Work with cement mixture It’s tricky, but it’s cheap, it will help smooth out errors in the curvature of the floor, and in terms of the quality of installation, if you do everything carefully, the cement mortar prepared with your own hands will not yield to glue.

A good composition for a building adhesive mixture is a combination of sand, ordinary quality cement and a dry adhesive mortar. It is both reliable and economical.

Fugue (grout for tile joints at the junction of tiles)

Fugue - grout for inter-tile joints at the junction of tiles. When choosing a fugue, you should pay attention to the fact that the contrasting grout makes the floor bright, emphasizing the shape of the tile, and the fugue matched to the color of the tile will give the effect of a uniform smooth coating. The width of the seam depends on the quality of the tile and ranges from 2 to 20 mm.

Before facing, it is necessary to prepare the floor for laying tiles. If the surface is not level, then the floor must be leveled following the construction work technologies. Minor errors can be easily corrected with the help of cement mortar, as well as building aggregate from dry building mixtures.

Lay the tiles on a clean surface. Therefore, before work, the room must be completely freed from furniture and things, the floor must be thoroughly vacuumed, washed, cleaned of grease, dirt and dried. The room must be ventilated and closed for the duration of work and drying, eliminating drafts.

How to lay floor tiles in relation to walls

There are three main types of laying floor tiles.

"Seam to seam" - the easiest, most understandable and simplest way, when the tiles are laid sequentially, one after the other, in even straight rows, while the seams are the same, located one above the other evenly, the plates are parallel to the walls of the room.
"Diagonally" - the plates are not parallel to the walls, the corners of the tiles "look" at the walls. This is less economical, more troublesome, since many slabs have to be cut diagonally. But it is this method that can aesthetically make the room more attractive, visually more spacious, due to the diagonal lines on the floor.
"In a run" - the slabs are placed one above the other, but the seams do not match, the fragments of the coating are laid like bricks, the border between the overlying tiles is in the middle of the seam of the underlying tile.

Video - Laying tiles

Laying tiles

The first thing to do is determine the point from which laying will begin and where the first tile will be laid. Such a point can be located at the middle of the wall or in the middle of the room. This is necessary for symmetrical styling, as it is convenient.

Having prepared adhesive composition, apply it to the floor. For thicker tiles, we give a thicker adhesive layer. Level it, distribute it evenly with a notched trowel. We make sure that when leveling the grooves are the same in depth and height.

Experienced repairmen usually fill 1 square meter with glue or cement. meter. If there is no experience, it is better to reduce the area. You need to lay the tiles quickly, until the glue is weathered and begins to dry out.

If a cement mortar or a more reliable mixture of cement and glue is used instead of a special adhesive, the tile must be soaked in a basin of water, for tight "sticking" and adhesion (adhesion) with the prepared floor surface.

On the finished fragment of the floor with the adhesive applied, the tile must be applied and pressed with your hands, then carefully tap on each side with a rubber construction hammer so that the laid tile adheres evenly.

For this, the building level is used. If the edge of the tile is higher than it should be, lower it with pressure or tap with a hammer. If the tile "sags", it is better to add a small portion of the adhesive solution.

We insert plastic dividing crosses between the tiles. so that the seams between the fragments of the coating are the same. Crosses can be replaced with matches or narrow wooden wedges, pegs with a diameter of 2-8 mm.

Sometimes a tile does not fit at the end of a row, in which case a tile cutter will come to the rescue, and if it is not there, an ordinary "grinder". Can be used for cutting and glass cutter. This will require additional effort, but - no additional costs.

While working on laying tiles, it is necessary to keep a damp cloth nearby to immediately wipe off glue and cement stains until the composition thickens and dries.

After laying the tiles completely, you need to wait until the glue is completely dry. It is necessary to exclude the slightest drafts, close windows and doors tightly, make sure that there is no one in the room with freshly laid tiles, including animals and children. The glue will dry in a couple of days. After complete drying, you can begin to complete the work - grouting.

The seams between the tiles are rubbed with a special construction mixture. We take out all the plastic dividing crosses (or matches) from the gaps between the tiles, then apply the grout mixture to the seam with a small rubber spatula.

By the way, puffer can be made colored by adding dye to the finished mixture. The paint is selected individually in accordance with the aesthetic tasks that you set for yourself.

If the tiled floor is in a crowded room, liquid cement mortar can be used instead of a fugue, it is stronger, more resistant to physical aggression and does not wear off quickly.

After grouting, the tiled floor must dry out. Usually this takes a day. After that, you can wash the floor and breathe easy: the repair and construction part of the work associated with flooring is completed.

Floor tiles boast a thousand-year history, however, they do not give up their positions even today. This is especially true for using it for flooring in bathrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and other rooms with high humidity and unstable temperatures. Why are ceramic floor tiles so popular? Here are just some of its advantages: it is not afraid of moisture and elevated temperatures, it is easy to clean, it is not subject to abrasion, it serves for a long time (several decades for sure).

The disadvantage of floor tiles can be called not only complicated, but requiring a painstaking and accurate approach to laying. And this allows tilers to set considerable prices for their services. Meanwhile, anyone can master this technology - it is enough to know some secrets of how to properly lay tiles on the floor.

Calculation of the number of tiles

If you decide to lay the tiles yourself in the room, then the first thing you will have to do is calculate the required amount of material. Usually, calculations are carried out in this way: the floor area is divided by the area of \u200b\u200bthe tile. To this figure, add 10% for trimming, marriage, possible damage to tiles during installation.

"Gentleman's set" for styling - what do we need?

So, we counted the number of tiles. However, in addition to it, for styling, we need something else, namely:

tile adhesive
(fugue)
plastic crosses
notched trowel
building level
rubber mallet
tile cutter

Laying of ceramic tiles must be carried out on a solid, even and not subject to deformation base. Wooden floors do not meet these criteria. In order to lay tiles on a wooden floor, you need to change its characteristics. Let's see how to do it in special material: .

Tile adhesive and its substitutes

The strength of holding the tile on the surface will depend on the correct choice of glue, so we will focus your attention on it. Glue can be sold in the form of ready-made formulations or dry powder. Ready-made compositions are expensive, but not very practical - it is necessary to use all the contents of the purchased container at a time (most often ready-made glue is supplied in plastic buckets). A dry adhesive mixture is a longer-lasting option, but it will require some additional gestures: to acquire a plastic consistency, the dry powder is mixed with water in accordance with the instructions on the package (paper bag, bag).

Instead of special glue for laying tiles on the floor, you can use a cement-sand mortar. A couple of decades ago, they did just that, and no one complained about the quality of the lined surface. Cement mortar is an excellent replacement for tile adhesive. Firstly, laying is cheaper, and secondly, the cement mortar can be applied in a thick layer, which means that errors in the floor relief can be compensated for.

Sometimes the adhesive solution is done like this: sand, cement and dry glue are mixed in proportions of 3: 1: 1 and closed with water. It turns out a mixture of cement mortar with glue, which reliably and quickly adheres the tile to the floor surface. This option also allows you to save the amount of glue and, accordingly, money for its purchase. Try it - a similar composition is often used by professional construction teams in enterprises.

Layout: in straight rows, diagonally or "in a run"?

There are 3 standard tiling options:

in straight rows or "seam to seam" - the tiles are laid in straight rows, and the seams of the overlying and underlying tiles coincide.
"in a run" - the seams of the overlying tiles are placed above the middle of the underlying tiles.
diagonally - the tiles are not laid in straight rows, but horizontally. This method is the most complex and uneconomical ( a large number of tiles have to be trimmed), in addition, requires significant experience.

Work procedure

1. Definition of a reference point

After you have decided on the pattern, it is very important to indicate the location of the first tile from which you will “dance”. Since the cut tiles do not look aesthetically pleasing, it is advisable to start the first row from the wall, which is located in the room in plain sight. If the floor is completely open and the trimmings cannot be hidden behind the furniture, you will have to do it differently: beat off the center of the room with a coated cord and lay out the tiles starting from the center. Thus, the tiles on both sides of the floor will be cut in the same way and the installation will be symmetrical.

2. Laying a layer of adhesive

It's time to lay the tiles. Prepare the adhesive and apply a thin layer on the floor. The adhesive should be leveled with a notched trowel, leaving grooves of the same height on the surface. According to the rules, glue is applied to 1m 2 of the surface at a time. For inexperienced tilers, this is too large an area - you simply won’t have time to lay out all the necessary tiles, and the glue will already dry. Therefore, it is better to apply glue to the surface corresponding to one tile - the one that you are going to lay right now.

There is one important detail: if you use cement mortar instead of modern tile adhesive (or, alternatively, a mixture of cement mortar with adhesive), then the tiles should be soaked in water before laying. This is necessary for good adhesion of the tile to the mortar.

3. Laying tiles on glue

Lay the tile on the applied adhesive composition, pressing it to the surface from all sides and leveling it with your hands.

Be sure to check the straightness of the row and the horizontalness of the tile surface using the building level. It is unlikely that you will be able to determine the correct position of the tile by eye, most likely some corner will have to be lowered, and some will have to be raised. To lower part of the tile below, just press on it with the palm of your hand or tap with a rubber mallet. When the tile sags, an additional portion of the solution is placed under it.

Plastic crosses are inserted between the laid tiles, the thickness of which will depend on the thickness of the seam. If for some reason you were unable to purchase crosses (for example, you forgot about them), then ordinary matches will successfully replace them.

4. The need for pruning

When laying tiles, a situation often arises when a whole tile does not fit in a row and has to be cut. Then a tile cutter or grinder comes to the rescue. It happens that these useful tools there is no farm, how to lay tiles in this case? There is a way out: at home, tiles can be cut with a glass cutter or a hacksaw. Of course, this is not so convenient, but it does not require you to purchase expensive tools.

In order for the adhesive to finally harden and acquire the necessary strength, it will take 2-3 days. After that, it will be possible to start grouting the seams.

Sometimes it's easier to level existing walls or make new drywall partitions. We will tell you how to tile such walls with ceramic tiles and analyze the nuances of such work in the article:.

Grout for joints - think about beauty

Tiled joints, which were formed during the laying process, must be filled with a special compound - grout for joints. To do this, remove all the crosses and rub the seams with a white or colored grout (fugue) using a small rubber spatula. The color of the fugue is most often selected to match the tile from the available color palette. Although it is possible to get the desired tone by adding a color dye to the white grout.

For floor tiles, special grout is not always used, especially when facing floors in corridors, vestibules and other high-traffic areas. This is due to the fact that in such places the grout will quickly lose its color and rub off. Therefore, instead of it, a liquid cement-sand mortar is often used.

The grout dries for about a day. After this period, wipe the tile surface with a damp cloth or, if necessary, mop the floors. Now you can use them for their intended purpose!

Video instruction with an example of work

Surely after reading the article it became clear to you how to lay tiles on the floor. What if there are questions? Then you just need to see the process with your own eyes. look short video, which we have specially selected for you - in it the specialist lays tiles on the floor, and also explains in detail all the nuances of this method of flooring.