IN wooden house I have a desire to install tiled floors - this is not a bad choice. This solution is acceptable not only from a decorative and aesthetic point of view, but also from a functional one. An equipped plank base with tiles can perform the functions fire safety, waterproofness and additional strength of the floor. It is advisable to install tiled floors in the kitchen, hallway, bathroom, etc.
In our article we will reveal the technology of laying tiles on a wooden floor, how to carry out the given work efficiently and correctly, and provide the order of the sequence of the main stages of arranging tiled floors on a plank base.
Assessing the condition of the subfloor
Actions to prepare for laying tiled floors necessarily require an inspection of the condition of the structure, since the wooden floor in our log house is built on wooden beams ceilings In the case of an industrial self-leveling floor, the situation would be much simpler, but we are not looking for easy ways. But the choice is always yours.
Of course, solving the problem of laying tiles would have been much easier if the house had been built from wood. Using monolithic foundation, you just need to prepare the floor surface with a self-leveling screed, and the process would go further. In any case, it is worth adhering to the main requirement when arranging tiled floors, and even more so on a plank subfloor: the base must be strong, rigid and, within the limits permissible loads, not deformable.
If the floors creak or move under load, then it is worth disassembling the floorboards and checking the general condition of the joists. When examining, you should pay special attention to the joists on which the floors are laid. The logs cut into the lower crowns of the frame, which gives a direct dependence of the condition of the floors on the process of shrinkage of the house. IN in this case floor deformation depends on the general condition lower crowns in places where the logs themselves are cut. It is also worth inspecting the logs; if necessary, they can be replaced and a complete reconstruction can be carried out, or separate strengthening measures can be used. If the logs require replacement, it is worth using larch or pine wood with a cross section of 100x100 mm or 150x100 mm. When installing logs, you need to leave a gap between its end and about 5 cm (equal to the thickness of one layer of foam). The logs must be treated with fire-bioprotection, and a waterproofing material must be laid between the logs and the support.
In modern construction of log houses they are often used constructive solution for independence of the floors, in which the floors and walls of the house are not interconnected.
Next, during inspection, you should pay attention to the condition and device support pillars. Construction experts, if the support pillars are in good condition and do not require replacement, recommend installing additional intermediate supports. Additional supports are made from rubble concrete pillars, metal pipes with welded platforms or lay out columns of red burnt brick. If at the time of arranging additional supports for the logs it is not possible to use red baked brick, then when using ordinary bricks, the columns must be additionally plastered with a mortar of cement and sand. It is recommended to build the columns on which the ends of the joists will rest with a maximum shift towards the base of the house, taking into account the need to use thermal insulation.
For additional rigidity, the lag structure should be spliced together with a nailless connection “”. With the above-described reconstruction, the result will be an independent single structure, since it does not come into contact with the walls of the house in any place.
We proceed further according to the current circumstances: we will make the flooring from previously removed floorboards; we will put the boards in order or replace them that require replacement or repair. The boards are held together using metal staples driven into the joists, and then we press them together with wooden wedges. Boards with lags are connected with nails or self-tapping screws. In another option, it is possible to lay a fairly durable material directly over the joists, for example, plywood, chipboard ( particle boards) or GVL (gypsum fiber sheets).
Preparing the base for laying tiles
If the floors are in satisfactory condition and have undergone mechanical stress successfully, then we proceed to the next stage - preparing the base for laying tiles.
The tiles cannot be glued, so there is a need for a screed. The heterogeneity of materials (screed and base) requires the use of a separating hydro-vapor barrier layer between them. First separating layer To ensure the independence of the floor and screed, bituminous paper will serve. We will cover the top of the paper with reflective thermal insulation about 4 mm thick. When laying, a layer of paper and thermal insulation must be placed on the walls, maintaining the required supply of material according to the future height of the screed layer. After pouring the screed, the protruding material can be trimmed.
We fill the screed with a thickness of at least 5 cm, using a pre-laid masonry mesh to give it additional rigidity and solidity. The masonry mesh must be raised above the surface of the separating layer by one third so that the solution can penetrate under the mesh. Raise the mesh as follows: lay under the mesh steel reinforcement with a diameter of about 12 mm, which is fastened to it with a viscous steel wire with a diameter of about 3 mm.
We will make the main first layer of screed from cement-sand mortar in a ratio of 1/3 with the addition of small crushed stone. The first layer must be poured over the entire area at one time. The screed drying process can last up to several weeks; for example, 1 cm of screed takes about a week to dry. The screed should be sprayed with water once a day to prevent the surface from cracking, and the surface should be covered with film. When drying the screed, it is necessary to avoid drafts and sudden changes in temperature in the room.
The second layer of screed will be the final stage in the surface preparation technology for laying tiles. We will make the screed from cement-sand mortar, keeping the surface horizontal and using beacons, for example, square pipe made of steel measuring 10x10 mm. The process of caring for the second layer of screed during drying is identical to the first. In the second layer, as in the first, cement screed, an ideal flat surface may not be achieved.
Preparing to lay tiles
We successfully completed the main and most important stage of preparing the base and surface for tiles. We will also be able to carry out further work on laying tiles. But before you begin the process of laying ceramic tiles on the floor, you should purchase everything you need: tools for laying tiles and materials for installation.
Among the tools we will need is a level, safety glasses, a glass cutter, a small mat (on which we will rest our knees when laying tiles), a clean rag and sponge, a rubber trowel, a pencil and tape measure, a hammer and a jagged scraper. It is also necessary to arm yourself the following materials: tile separators (crosses of the required size), tile adhesive, putty mixture(for grouting gaps between tiles), silicone sealant, liquid silicone sealant and, most importantly, tiles.
When choosing tiles, it is worth considering that floor tiles are placed only on the floor, and wall tiles are used exclusively for walls. Floor and wall tiles may look the same, but the difference between them is huge: floor tiles are much thicker than wall tiles, the surface floor tiles processed in such a way as to prevent slipping on it. You should know that when purchasing tiles, you need to make a certain supply of material, taking into account trimming and for subsequent repairs. It's better to buy two or three square meters more tiles at once, since batches of tiles produced by the manufacturer may differ slightly in calibration and coloring, which may lead to a discrepancy with the already laid tiles.
Before gluing, the tiles must be soaked in water (about 50 minutes) so that they do not intensively absorb moisture from the adhesive - this can affect the quality of gluing. How to properly apply the composition for gluing tiles to the floor can usually be read in the instructions on the package.
Tile laying technology
The technology of laying tiles involves thinking in advance about the location of each tile. This process is worth paying attention to and spending some time on. First, remove the baseboards (if they are installed) and door jambs. Let's find the middle long wall room and from it along the floor, we will draw a line at the angle required in each individual case (for example, 90 degrees). We will carry out the same procedure on the other wall. As a result, we get two intersecting lines.
Guided by the two resulting lines, let's try to lay out the tiles on the floor. We arrange until we find the best location. Some cases require moving intersecting lines. You should try to ensure that the tiles are not cut off when laying along the entire perimeter adjacent to the walls; this is immediately noticeable and does not look quite aesthetically pleasing. When laying tiles on the floor, it is worth knowing that the dominant decorative items, for example, should be symmetrically surrounded by tiles.
The options for laying floor tiles are endless, but there are only two that are more popular. For example, the first option for laying a seam into a seam (see the example below), where different colors the tiles can be laid out in a checkerboard pattern. The second popular option is “staggered”, where the tiles are laid offset along the seam. You can choose how to lay the tiles at your own discretion, since we will do the work ourselves.
The glue is applied with a spatula or spatula in even strips on the floor, starting from any of the corners formed by the intersection of the lines. Laying the tiles on the adhesive is done by lightly pressing them onto the floor surface. To keep the distance between the tiles the same, you should use prepared crosses or ordinary plastic sticks.
From the center of the room we move towards the walls, while observing the direction according to the lines. When one half of the room is completely covered, we move on to the second, observing the level of the masonry. If the floor surface has a horizontal difference, then more adhesive base must be placed under the tiles.
We will cover the free space between the laid tiles and the walls with cut material. To do this, observing required dimensions, we will cut the tiles with a special cutter designed for cutting tiles, on which you can place right size. A day later, after the adhesive under the tile has dried, we will grout the joints, having previously cut the joints. The cutting can be done with a screwdriver selected to size. Grouting of joints is done using a scraper with a rubber pad. Using a scraper, carefully distribute the solution along the cracks between the tiles in all directions. Using a damp, clean sponge, remove any remaining mortar from the surface of the tile after the grout has completely dried. Polish the surface with a dry cloth.
Tiles are often primed. To do this, the entire surface of the porous tile is coated with a special primer for ceramic tiles. Before doing this, you should check the instructions, since some types of tiles are coated with a primer during production, which protects the tiles from stains.
IN design solution premises, it happens that the border of the zones is round in shape. To do this, we need to cut the tiles along straight lines, taking into account small overlaps for future rounding. After this, we glue the tiles into place and then p%D
Bath tiles are no less important than wood. Wood is indispensable for a steam room, but ceramics are also appropriate here: on the floor and plinth. But in the dressing room, rest room, vestibule, and especially the shower tiles perform the most important protective function. Understand the technology of preparing and laying tiles in familiar conditions not enough. Specifics of the bath - in high humidity and temperature changes, hence the need to become familiar with the nuances of cladding that can withstand “wet” circumstances.
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Tile selection
When choosing tiles, relying only on decorative qualities is not enough; ceramics must meet certain requirements.
- Choose low porosity tiles. Tile with big amount The pores absorb liquid, which, under conditions of temperature fluctuations, leads to the destruction of ceramics. The best decision in this situation - porcelain stoneware or clinker. Their water absorption is extremely low, they can withstand both severe frost and African heat. Plus, these materials are also very durable. Conventional ceramics with low moisture absorption are marked with the letters “A I” and “B I”. The first letter denotes tiles made by extrusion, the second – those made by pressing.
- If you prefer regular tiles, choose glazed ones. Enameled ceramic tiles are fired twice, while unglazed ones are fired once. Double furnace treatment hardens the material more.
- Bath tiles must have a rough surface. Slippery ceramics in bath conditions are too dangerous for injury. First of all, this point concerns floor tiles, but it is also better to choose wall tiles in secondary rooms taking into account compliance with safety regulations.
Preparing the base
One of the most important stages of the facing process is preparing the base. Observe the following requirements:
- Do not skimp on materials; the rough base must be strong;
- Perform waterproofing;
- Set up a slope.
These are general points that we will talk about later, but preparation depends on the structure and condition of the foundation. Concrete base requires pouring cement-sand screed, slope and waterproofing devices. TO wooden covering an expanded approach is needed. Wood is a very unstable material, susceptible to temperature and other influences. Considering the comparative complexity of working with wood, let’s look at the pre-laying stage using it as an example.
Preparing the wooden base
Reliable operation of the floor is possible only if all components of the structure are strong. Therefore, we are talking about plank floorboards, but not about plywood or chipboard. Latest sheet materials They are not suitable for flooring due to their outright unreliability. Walls - please, subject to other requirements.
First of all, make sure the boards are in working condition. If necessary, replace individual floorboards or even the entire subfloor. Ideally, it is best to disassemble the structure, lay down insulation, get rid of the paint and varnish covering the boards, and treat the wood with an antiseptic.
Make sure there is a centimeter gap around the perimeter between the walls and the boards. Its absence in conditions of constant temperature changes will entail layering of wooden elements on top of each other. As a result, the movement of the boards will lead to disruption of the adhesive layer and destruction of the cladding. Also leave gaps of 3–5 mm between the floorboards. Fill the gaps with silicone or foam.
Fill any possible holes from knots or fasteners. Treat the wood with latex impregnation or heated drying oil. This is the first layer of waterproofing. Next, perform the second one - using the coating or laying method. The first involves the use of bulk or flowing materials, the second - the use of conventional roofing felt or similar roll insulation. Having chosen the coating method, after waterproofing, without waiting for complete drying, lay a painting mesh on the floor.
All that remains is to fill the screed. Before doing this, install over the entire base metal mesh, which reinforces the screed and compensates for possible movements of the layers of the structure. A horizontal plane in a bathhouse is inappropriate, so fill it taking into account the slope towards the drain hole (drain). If you are laying the tiles on a mortar, you can make a slope directly during the tiling process.
Slope
The degree of deviation from the horizontal depends on the room and water concentration. The average is 1 cm per meter. We won’t dwell on the screed; we’ll show it using the “mortar” option as an example. The ladder can be located in the center of the room or closer to the entrance, it can be “pointed” or stretched along the wall. In the second case, the task is simplified. The opposite side needs to be made higher using a design diagram and beacon cords stretched to the ladder. The center drain requires an “envelope” floor arrangement. Stages of work:
- Calculate the height difference between the ladder and the contour area. Make marks in the corners of the room.
- Pull the cords from the corners to the drain hole.
- Start laying, keeping in mind that the side of the tile parallel to the ladder should be horizontal, and the perpendicular side should correspond to the slope specified by the cord. Of course, each side of the room has its own parallels and perpendiculars. You can maintain the slope of slabs that are not in contact with the fishing line using a bubble level or using additional beacon threads stretched between the main ones.
- At the intersection line formed by the main cords, tile cutting is required. If the floor is large enough relative to the size of the ceramics, you can do without trimming. In this case, small “steps” are made. It's not very beautiful, but the cut floor ceramic tile looks even worse. With oversized tiles and small room This trick doesn’t work – the “steps” are too noticeable.
Laying tiles with glue
The bath lining, with the exception of the points that have already been mentioned, is no different from the usual one. The screed with a slope is already ready, maintain the specified plane. Another nuance: bath tiles require moisture-resistant glue. Given the need for dense, non-porous ceramics, the mixture must also have good adhesion. The market is saturated with formulations with suitable parameters; carefully study the description on the packaging.
Grouting joints
Like glue, fugue must have water-repellent properties. The best two-component epoxy grout in this regard. But we also recommend cement-based putties if the appropriate components are added to them. Epoxy fugue is more difficult to use, but its performance capabilities are impressive.
Grout the seams at least 24 hours after finishing the cladding. Pre-clean the spaces between the tiles and the tile itself from glue. A strong mixture is difficult to remove after setting; universal compounds are easier to remove, so look at the situation. Sometimes the wrong approach to cleaning takes too much time and effort.
From what has been said, it is clear that tiles for a bathhouse do not require an overly complex approach; the process of selecting materials and installation is only diluted with some nuances. Pay attention to the strength and moisture resistance of the tiles, the stability of the base, the presence of a water barrier and slope. And further. It's nice to walk around warm floor, so many people additionally arrange for it to be heated: electric or water.
Following their example, take care to install another layer of waterproofing on top of the screed. In addition, keeping in mind the stated requirements for glue, choose a heat-resistant mixture. Inelastic composition under influence high temperature, will not withstand expansion and will crack.
The tile is ideal for use as flooring for a bath and constitutes serious competition wooden floor. Any owner can install it, subject to strict adherence to installation technology. Let's talk about this in more detail.
Advantages and disadvantages of a tiled floor in a bathhouse
Tile Ideal for installing a floor in a bathhouse and has undoubted advantages:
- Ceramic tiles are not scary high humidity, fungus and mold.
- Using tiles, you can slope the coating to organize water flow into the floor drains.
- Tile flooring can be complemented modern systems heating
- Ceramic material is durable at its low cost.
- Tile coverings are relatively inexpensive, easy to maintain and varied in design.
- The simplicity of laying the tiles is ensured by moisture-resistant glue, which is diluted with ordinary water.
Choosing floor tiles for a bathhouse
Depends on the choice of tiles appearance and ease of use of the coating. It goes on sale in the form of glazed and unglazed tiles. The first one undergoes double firing in production, which increases its strength and resistance to temperature changes.
When purchasing tiles for a bath, you should consider some criteria:
- The texture of the front side of the material should be rough to avoid falls on slippery surfaces.
- The base of the tile must contain a relief to ensure adhesion of the adhesive to the product and the prepared surface.
- To install it yourself, buy rectangular tiles; octagonal tiles can only be installed by professionals.
- The quantity of tiles for the floor is taken 10% more than its area; the reserve is needed for trimming the tiles to the junctions.
Materials and tools for installing a floor in a tile bath
Before laying the floor in a tile bathhouse, you need to purchase materials and prepare the tools that will be required for the work. Below is a list of everything you need:
- Ceramic floor tiles;
- Plastic crosses for forming seams between tiles;
- Waterproof adhesive for laying tiles in sanitary facilities;
- Joint polymer grout;
- Metal comb spatula;
- Standard metal spatula;
- Rubber spatula for sealing seams;
- Rubber mallet for setting tiles;
- A container for water and moistening the tiles before laying them;
- A machine for cutting tiles or a grinder;
- Construction level;
- Cord.
Preparing the base before laying tiles on the bathhouse floor
Before preparing the base for tiled floors, it is necessary to arrange drainage and disposal systems Wastewater outside the building. The start of these works is planned at the stage of foundation construction. If on site sandy soil, a drainage hole is dug under the washing room of the bathhouse, which is partially filled with crushed stone or fragments of brick.
For removing unpleasant odor From the drainage pit, which can enter the room through the floor intake ladder, air ducts are laid out through the body of the foundation. Embedded sleeves for them must be provided before pouring the formwork with concrete.
In dense soil, for a similar purpose, a pit is made with drainage in the form sewer pipe, which is discharged into the prepared drainage ditch. The walls of the pit are concreted, and the pipe is insulated against freezing in the ground during severe frosts. After installing the sewer system, we install a tile floor in the bathhouse with insulation made of porous material. For this purpose, under washing department it is necessary to level and compact the soil.
The following are placed on it in turn:
- Sand cushion 15 cm thick;
- A five-centimeter layer of polystyrene foam or mineral wool;
- Overlapping roofing felt waterproofing;
- Metal reinforcing mesh 100x100 mm.
Laying tiles on the floor in a bathhouse
Floor covering process bath room characterized by the use of moisture-resistant materials and the creation required slopes in the coating for water drainage. These nuances should be taken into account when working in “wet” rooms. The creation of floor slopes will be discussed below. For now, let’s focus on the technology of laying tile material.
Floor tile laying technology
Features of laying tiles on the floor in a bathhouse are as follows:
- The concrete base prepared for cladding must be level, dry and clean. The tiles should be soaked in water for a few minutes before work. After this, the material will not absorb moisture from the binder solution, and this will ensure the strength of the laid coating after polymerization of the adhesive composition.
- The cladding begins from the most visible corner of the room. To determine this, simply stand on the threshold of the doorway and look around the room.
- Then, using a mixer, prepare the adhesive mixture or cement-sand mortar according to the recommendations indicated on their packaging.
- An adhesive mixture is applied to the base of each tile using a notched trowel, the texture of which will have grooves across the entire surface as a result of using such a tool. This allows for increased adhesion between the tiles and the subfloor. The mixture consumption per 1 m 2 of floor is indicated on the packaging.
- Then the tile with mortar is pressed against the concrete surface and, if necessary, settled with a rubber mallet.
- Excess mixture is removed with a spatula and used in further work.
- The seams between the tiles are assumed to be 2-5 mm. To keep them even, special crosses made of plastic are used. They are installed vertically near the corners of adjacent tiles and allow you to maintain the same distances between piece materials. The even laying and horizontality of the rows is constantly controlled using a leveling rod.
- Any solution that gets on the front of the tile should be immediately removed with a damp sponge. Once it dries, this is extremely difficult to do.
8-12 hours after finishing laying the coating, the tile joints are grouted. It ensures their reliability and waterproofness of the entire coating. To grout, you need to remove all the plastic crosses and use rubber spatula fill the joints between tiles glue mixture. To give seams a certain color The appropriate pigment is added to the grouting solution. The color of the joints should be in harmony with the shade of the front of the tile. Remains of the grouting compound are immediately removed from the finished surface with a damp sponge.
Organization of the slope of the tile floor in the bathhouse
Puddles indoors do not look attractive. Therefore, the floor is tiled washing bath is arranged with a slope of 1:100, which is directed towards the sewer drain drain. The drain can be located in the center of the room, near the entrance, in its corner or in the receiving tray.
In the latter case, the task is very simple. The edge of the floor opposite the tray must be made a little higher, using beacon cords between the points of difference in height of the future coating when laying the tiles. In other cases, installation of the floor profile with an “envelope” is required.
This is done this way:
- It is necessary to calculate the difference in height between the top of the ladder and the covering along the contour of the room.
- Make appropriate elevation marks at the corners of the room.
- Connect the corners with opposite sides of the drain hole with cords.
- Begin laying the tiles, taking into account that the side parallel to the ladder lies horizontally, and the perpendicular side follows the slope specified by the cord.
- You can adjust the slope of tiles located far from the cord using additional cords stretched between the corner “beacons”.
That's the whole “science” of laying tiles on the floor in a bathhouse. The matter is not complicated, but troublesome. We hope that our material will help you complete this job correctly.
First, according to the options for arranging the plinth that you described. GVL definitely cannot be used. Regular plywood too, it will swell. There is special moisture-resistant plywood, although it is quite expensive. It can theoretically be used. But only with this option of arranging the plinth does a greater thickness gain. Of course, this is quite subjective, but such a wide baseboard will not look very good. It’s better then to carefully cut the tiles end-to-end in the wall, without a plinth. The water will still not stand there if you have a slope of the floor surface towards the ladder. With this option, the tiles are laid with a small gap between the edge of the tile and the wall - approximately 5 mm. Then this gap must be filled with a special sealant for parquet or silicone to match the color of the wood or tile. But if you still decide on the option with a plinth on moisture-resistant plywood, then write, and then we’ll think about how exactly to arrange such a plinth. In the meantime, I will describe in more detail the plinth that we have made more than once and tested in practice.
The sequence is:
- open the log at the level of the future plinth with ST 16 primer or an equivalent (I haven’t written about it before, but we consulted with the builders, and in your case it will be better). This primer will increase the adhesion (adhesion) of the tile adhesive to the wood. After it dries, the surface will be rough. Dries in approximately 12 hours.
- in increments of approximately 25 cm, drill self-tapping screws into the wood approximately at the level of the middle height of the plinth. Self-tapping screws for metal, 45-50 mm, preferably with a wide head. Determine the protrusion of the wood screw by eye. On those two walls where the gap between the tiles and the log is large, the self-tapping screw will protrude a little more. On those walls where the gap between the tiles and the log is smaller, the self-tapping screw can be almost flush, just so that the head protrudes. As a result, the tile adhesive will cling to the cap plus the rough surface of the log (pre-treated with ST 16 or an equivalent) and the tile will adhere better.
- On those walls where the gap between the tiles and the wall is larger, foam there construction foam, after the foam has hardened (after 24 hours), cut off the excess.
- Now you can attach the tiles using tile adhesive CM11 or an equivalent. I write specifically Ceresit stamps only because it can be bought in almost any city. But any analogue will do. It’s just that you and I are in different cities (I’m in Kyiv, you’re in Samara), and I don’t know what kind of mixtures and glues are in your stores. That's why I'm writing about the most popular brands. And you can already pick up an analogue there. Let's go back to the tiles again :-). The glue must be rubbed in well so that there is 100% filling between the log and the tile, without voids.
Now for the additives:
- in the screed rough You don't need to add anything;
- V screed finishing you need to add a regular plasticizer, for example Sika BV 3M or an analogue;
- tile adhesive:
- laying tiles along the screed with coolant (cable). If you use a special adhesive designed for laying tiles on heated floors, for example, Ceresit adhesive CM 117, CM 17 or similar. This adhesive has increased elasticity, which compensates for the difference in expansion of concrete and tiles. And you don’t need to add anything else to this glue. If you use regular tile adhesive, for example CM 11 or an analogue, then you need to add an elasticizer SS 83 or an analogue to it.
- laying tiles on the baseboard. Here it will be enough to use ordinary tile adhesive, for example CM 11 or an analogue. There is no need to add anything to the glue, no plasticizers or elasticizers to attach the tiles to the baseboard. Why is described in detail in my above.
Important! Any additive to concrete (plasticizer, elasticizer, etc.) must be added strictly according to the instructions. If you add more additives than what is written in the instructions for use, then chemical composition the solution will change irrevocably, and the solution will simply deteriorate. In this case, they often say “the solution has burned out.” The solution begins to crumble, crack, etc. You can see one of the examples of such a case, which was described by one of our readers in the question.
As a damper tape, you can use 2 layers of laminate backing (it is usually made of foamed polyethylene, just like damper tape or from thin EPS). You can rivet it to the wall with a regular construction stapler. Or, to fill the thermal seam, you can cut thin strips of EPS.
You will have only one finishing screed. There is no need to make several ties on top of the insulation. Especially thin ones, as shown in your last diagram. Such thin ties lag behind. Place beacons along the slope and immediately pull one tie with the desired slope.
Today I will add drawings: the unit of the baseboard device and general form floor with all screeds.
