So, you have got a new home and you are keen to go ahead with some renovations. You should probably read about tiles and how to install them. The reason for this is that most of the surfaces in your home will be covered in tiles. This is, of course, because tiles keep everything clean and tidy, so it works in your favour to have as many of them as possible. Installing them yourself will mean that you get to choose where they get done first, and it also serves as a great project for you when it comes to the decorating of your home. If, however, doing things yourself is not quite your style, you can always hire someone to do the work for you. Regardless of who tackles the task, you should always know what to expect, just so that you can keep an eye on the process and make sure that everything is going according to plan. There is something great about knowing that you fully understand the process and that you are in total control of the final result.
Your ‘how to’ guide
Learning about tiling and how to install it is a very easy process. The installation isn’t, but it comes with great satisfaction once you look at the finished product.
Here are a few of the basic steps:
- First off, you need to make sure that you have measured the room accurately. This is crucial, because tiles do not spread, and you need every surface to be covered.
- Cut the cement board. This is a board that goes on top of the concrete floor and provides a surface for the tiles to adhere to. It is not that difficult to cut, you just need a razor knife and patience to do it properly.
- Once all of the pieces of the cement board are cut, they must be laid out on the floor of the room.
- The cement board must be secured to the floor. This can be done by the method of drilling gently, to screw it in. There are special cement board screws that must be purchased in order to do this job effectively.
- The centre of the room must then be marked out, as this is where the first piece of tile will go. Everything after that will come and fill out the room from the centre.
- Lay out the tile. If you are using patterned tile, the best thing to do is to make sure that you lay it out in the sheets that it came in. Do not attempt to separate the tiles, as you may never recreate the exact design.
- Once you have marked out where the centre piece of tile will go, you can then go about laying down the adhesive. Place the tile sheets gently in the adhesive and make sure that they have dried before you do another section. It is important that no tile sheet shifts while you are applying adhesive to a section of the floor.
- Cover the entire centre of the room. Continue to lay down the tiles in an outward direction until you have reached the perimeter. It is called this because you will have to cut the sheets of tile to fit exactly to the corners of the room.
- Once the perimeter is covered completely, spread the grout over. This should be a thick, creamy consistency. When it is still wet, wipe off all the grout that you can, before you let the floor dry. Once the floor is dry, you can the wipe off the rest of the grout.
You will now enjoy all of the benefits of a ceramic tiled floor.
Taking care of your ceramic floor is very simple. All that you need to do is to make sure that you apply a form of grout sealant and let that coat the floor as well. This will prevent any damp from seeping into the tiles and will make sure that your tiles do not get mouldy or damp. In order to avoid mould, it is imperative that you take care of your tiles properly.
If you are looking for a top quality tile provider, look no further than Velvet Moon. We are known for providing quality tiles for all. Come through for the best of the best!