| Knowing how to install ceramic floor tile can | | | | |
| be done in easy steps. What you need are the | | | | Lay out your floor. |
| right tools or equipments and the right | | | | |
| instruction book to follow. Follow these | | | | Measuring the length and width of your floor |
| basic and straightforward steps, and you'll | | | | will help you determine how to install |
| be able to bring your desired floor design to | | | | ceramic floor tile and help you know estimate |
| life. | | | | the number of ceramic floor tiles you will |
| | | | need to purchase. Start by finding the center |
| Get the right tools for the job. | | | | point of your floor area. You can do this by |
| | | | measuring across the room and marking the |
| For starters, if you want to know how to | | | | center. Do this in opposite direction and |
| install ceramic floor tile by yourself, you | | | | mark the center, as well. The intersection of |
| should have the right tools and materials for | | | | the two lines is the center of the floor you |
| the job. You can easily buy, or rent, most of | | | | will be tiling over. Run chalk lines over the |
| the tools and materials you'll need at you | | | | intersection lines. These chalk lines will |
| neighborhood hardware store, or home center. | | | | help you with how to install ceramic floor |
| For equipment that would be too expensive | | | | tile and with your tile positioning. |
| like a tile cutter, or hand held micro | | | | |
| cutter, you may be able to rent these tools | | | | Let the tiling begin! |
| from your local home center or a tool rental | | | | |
| yard. Here are most of the basic tools you | | | | Make sure you position and place the first |
| will need for your tiling job:a) Put safety | | | | tile at the intersection of the two lines you |
| gear on. Use a pair of safety glasses, heavy | | | | made. Then, bond it to your subfloor by using |
| leather gloves, and long-sleeved work | | | | a thin set mortar, or a tile adhesive of your |
| clothes, especially if it involves taking out | | | | choice. Using a notched trowel for applying |
| the existing ceramic tiles. Broken shards and | | | | the mortar is best on how to install ceramic |
| other debris can cause nasty cuts, if you are | | | | floor tile. But you may actually use the more |
| not careful. b) A tape measure, tile spacers, | | | | common trowel variety is you don't have one. |
| carpenter's square and a bubble level. c) A | | | | To secure the ceramic tile in its place, |
| mallet and hammer, a putty knife and a trowel | | | | press down while twisting it back and forth |
| (preferably, the notched kind), and a rubber | | | | till the tile no longer is set. If some of |
| grout float and a putty knife. d) A tile | | | | the mortar or adhesive oozes out, use your |
| cutter (which may be rented) and a pair of | | | | trowel (or a damp sponge) to scrape off the |
| tile nippers. e) Mortar material like a thin | | | | excess. Do this process over with the next |
| set mortar, or any one of a wide selection of | | | | tile, and so on and so forth, until you've |
| tile adhesives. f) Tiling grout and sealant. | | | | finished your ceramic floor tiling. |
| Tiling grout comes in many color tints that | | | | |
| you can choose from to fit your desired look | | | | Time to grout and seal. |
| and floor design. | | | | |
| | | | After your ceramic floor tiles have set, it's |
| Prepare your subfloor before installing your | | | | time to put the tiling grout in. Tiling grout |
| tiles. | | | | is a material that you should know more about |
| | | | when you want to know how to install ceramic |
| The tiling part of the project starts here. | | | | floor tile flooring. Tiling grout is a |
| It would be a great experience for you to | | | | material made cement, sand and water, and a |
| learn how to install ceramic floor tile by | | | | little color. It is used to fill in gaps and |
| learning about the type of floors you will be | | | | seal in the spaces between tiles. Tiling |
| putting your tiles on. Always check for | | | | grout comes in a wide variety of color tints |
| cracks and debris when If you're working on a | | | | that may be matched to your tile color. Use a |
| concrete subfloor. Make it is smooth and | | | | rubber grout float and work the tiling grout |
| clean. Repair as many of the cracks as you | | | | into the gaps between the tiles. Use your |
| can. If you see cracks that are too large to | | | | grout float at an angle so that you can fill |
| repair, replace the floor section where they | | | | in the joint gap with as much tiling grout as |
| are found with new concrete. For plywood | | | | possible. |
| subfloors, be sure that the wood is at least | | | | |
| 1 and 1/8 inches thick and is supported by an | | | | Use a damp sponge to wipe off the excess |
| equally strong underlayment. Otherwise, your | | | | grout from gaps between tiles. Rinse the |
| ceramic tiles will dislodge easily, or worse, | | | | sponge frequently to get as much of the |
| break and need replacing. | | | | excess grout off, and keep each tile clean. |
| | | | You have the option of applying a sealant to |
| You'll need to tear out the existing tiles in | | | | the grout lines after they dry. |
| case the floor you'll be installing tiles on | | | | |
| has existing tiles. For starters, all you | | | | And there you have it! Learning about how to |
| need to do is use a large flat-bladed chisel | | | | install ceramic floor tile is easy! By |
| and a mallet, and just hammer away. Then, | | | | following these basic steps, you too can |
| you'll need to clean out the debris. If you | | | | realize your ceramic floor design. Learning |
| to smoothen your subfloor -- you may want to | | | | how to install ceramic floor tile properly |
| rent a sander to do the job. Be sure to keep | | | | will give you a sense of satisfaction at a |
| yourself protected. Use heavy-duty leather | | | | job well done, and a beautiful ceramic tiled |
| work gloves, safety glasses, and long-sleeved | | | | floor. |
| work clothes. | | | | |