Be it installing new ceramic tile flooring or repairing an old one, the following step-by-step guide shall help you do it yourself. If you have no DIY experience then it might be best if you have someone with a bit of know-how to assist you. Divide the area of the room with the size of tile in use, wherein the unit of measurement of areas should be identical, to find out the quantity of tiles required. You can also go for various internet tools at your disposal or seek the help of the nearest tile store to find out the exact quantity of ceramic floor tiles you will need.
Crosscheck the sturdiness of the subfloor and mend it wherever needed. Ensure that the floor to be done up is absolutely flat. Clear the floor from any paint, grease etc Ensure that the doors in the room slide easily over a stack of at least two ceramic floor tiles. Trim the doors, if required. Finally, clean the floor thoroughly to steer clear of any loose rubble and dust. Choose from the several ceramic tile patterns and start laying the ceramic tiles from the center of the room for best results. To achieve this, snap two chalk lines leading to the center of the room and perpendicular to each other. Now start placing rows of tiles along the lines, leaving reasonable space in between for the grout. Buy plenty of thin set to last the entire task of ceramic tile installation.
Stir thin set with enough water to render it into a thick paste. Apply the paste over the floor area to be installed with ceramic tiles, in parts, with a trowel. The area being covered up at a time must be within your reach on your knees. DO NOT run the trowel in circular pattern .With slight pressure downwards, place each ceramic tile into the thin set and tap the tile a little with the rubber mallet so as to ensure a better grip. Remove excess thin set that comes up between grout joints. Precede lying of Full tiles over the cut tiles. Let the floor set overnight before proceeding with grouting.
Use unsanded grout for grout joints smaller than 1/8 inches, while sanded grout for joints 1/8 inches or larger. Put grout first in the container and then add water. Stir slowly into a thick yogurt consistency paste. Use Latex or acrylic addictive as per directions on the bottle only. Once the mixture is set and ensured of the desired soupy consistency after ten minutes or so, use grout float to spread grout over the grout lines. Push grout into open lines while spreading. Run the float at 45 degrees angle across the tile in order to remove excess grout. Work in small parts only. Use damp and clean sponge to remove the excess grout. Further wipe the excess group with a clean sponge after ten minutes. Re-wash again after the job is complete. Apply sealer on the floor after waiting for at least ten days to let the tiles sit satisfactorily.
