Probably no renovation is complete without tiles. Ceramics have many advantages over other finishing materials in many situations. And when it comes to decorating a bathroom, tiles are the absolute leader. However, laying tiles is not a cheap pleasure, and it is also a terribly interesting activity. These factors provoke many home craftsmen to work with their own hands. If possible, practice should be preceded by theory, so we tried to ensure that the article gives an idea of how to lay tiles on a wall.
We are not considering floor cladding here, but we assure you that if you master laying tiles on a wall, the floor will seem like an easy base. Vertical surfaces involve fighting gravity, the need to manage complex geometry and take into account many more parameters. However, it is not the gods who burn the tiles, and it is not the inhabitants of Olympus who do the finishing of the tiles...
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Surface preparation
Ceramics can be laid using two types of mixtures: tile adhesives and cement-sand mortars. There are other binders, but they are used in special cases and have no relation to everyday construction tasks. Preparation of the base depends on the type of solution. Having given preference to glue (and this is the most popular solution today), the walls are plastered or covered with plasterboard. In any case, the base plane should tend to the ideal.
Gypsum plaster Knauf Goltband Beacon profiles are set according to the level of flat plane and fixed to the solution. The plaster is applied to the wall and smoothed using the beacon rule.
The use of cement-sand mortar requires large layers of the mixture and a lesser degree of preliminary leveling with your own hands. We will describe how to glue tiles onto a flat surface. This method is more modern, but the main thing is that it can be mastered quickly. The “mortar” technique requires much more refined skills, and even many tilers do not fully master it.
Make sure the surface is as smooth as possible. The pipes should be hidden, eliminating the need to be distracted while laying ceramic tiles on the wall. The flatness allows you to use a minimum of glue and speeds up the cladding several times. Prime the leveled base, especially carefully if the walls are plastered.
We are making channels for pipes. 
We connect the pipes for the bath and hide them in the wall.
If the base has previously been prepared and painted, you need to remove the paint layer or make frequent cuts. Nothing should peel off or crumble. This is important because negligence will lead to extremely short-lived styling.
Tool
Wall cladding requires special tools. Make sure that before starting work you already have:
- trowel or spatula;
- comb (notched spatula);
- bubble level;
- hydraulic level or laser;
- wire cutters;
- tile cutter;
- rule 1.5 m;
- grinder with diamond wheel;
- tile crosses/wedges;
- foam sponge;
- rubber spatula.
Roulettes and other hammers were not included in the list; it is assumed that every household already has them. When mixing glue, it is difficult to do without a drill with an attachment, so it is advisable to have one. You can knead with your own hands, but correctly - with the help of a tool.
Marking
The basic rule of cladding: visually important places need to give whole tile. The purpose of the cut tiles is to be located where it will be less noticeable or hidden. Calculate the number of slabs before leveling the base. You may have to level with a slightly larger layer if the geometry requires too small a piece of tile in the corner. It’s better to lose a little space than to admire a two-centimeter “stub” for many years. If the corners are visually equal, it may be worth trimming to the edges, and to the same extent. Although there are certain design rules here, in reality the owner’s taste comes into play.
Vertical layout is based on the whole tile at the top rule. But again, there are exceptions, so use common sense. Do not forget to take into account the height of the floor and ceiling, as well as the joints between the slabs. Over a large area, despite their apparent insignificance, the latter play a large role, accumulating up to several centimeters in total.
The marking also depends on the type of ceramic layout. The most common:
- “seam to seam”;
- at a run;
- diagonally;
It is unlikely that you will start with the last method, it is the most difficult. The second imitates brickwork; it is easiest to glue tiles this way. The most popular type is the first, it requires careful adherence to the vertical and horizontal, any deviation will be noticeable.
A good video about the correct layout:
As a rule, gluing should begin from the second or third row. This is due to the fact that it is correct to cover floor tiles wall:
- it looks better;
- water flowing from the walls does not flow into the contour seams;
- cutting wall ceramics is much easier;
If you have already laid the floor (although this order is not according to the rules), start laying the tiles on the wall from the very bottom. But this option is unlikely, do not forget about the whole tile under the ceiling. Unless the height of the walls allows you to do without trimming.
Having decided on the beacon row, “punch” the marks of the upper edge of the first row using a water level. The presence of a laser will make the work easier, but the tool is specific, and there is no point in buying it specifically. Plastic tube is much cheaper, and unless you have a large area to tile, forget about the laser. Surely you know about the principle of communicating vessels, so we will not dwell on the operation of the hydraulic level.
Mark the horizon immediately along the perimeter, make sure that there are no problems with possible trimming around the pipes. Sometimes it is necessary to shift the marks to avoid a complex cut. Further on the marks you can:
- pull the beacon cord;
- draw a solid line;
The first option is still preferable, as it allows complete control over the horizon and plane. Let’s make a reservation that wall cladding with mortar involves only this point. Plumb lines will help you control the vertical, or what is much more common when finishing tiles with glue, the same line, but already along the Y axis.
The use of glue requires a support strip that secures the beacon row. Usually used aluminum profile or wooden slats.
To prevent the tiles from sliding down, we attach a 27x28 mm profile according to the marks. In this bathtub, an even layout from the center was chosen to create 2 equal trims along the edges.
Laying tiles
You need to glue it with tile adhesive that suits the task. Kneading with your own hands does not allow you to quickly bring the mixture to the desired consistency, so use a mixer. Apply the composition to the base or tile using a spatula. After application, remove excess glue with a comb; as a result, it will remain on the surface. even layer from the furrows. Select a notched trowel based on the size of the tile and the plane of the base. The larger the plate and the worse the plane, the larger the teeth on the tool should be.
Align the first tile along the horizontal and vertical marks. If using cord, start from the second row from the corner; After you remove the thread, you need to lay the rest of the tile. Fix with wedges placed between the ceramic and the support bar. Lay out the row, excluding the trim. Leave space between the plates, achieving uniformity using crosses (a popular size is 2 mm).
After a day, the support strip is dismantled and the bottom row of tiles is laid.
Control the plane using the cord or, if you don’t use thread, using a rule. The edges of the tiles must coincide with the beacon string. Check each row using a bubble level to ensure it is vertical. This is how you decorate the walls with your own hands. Trimming can be done immediately, but it is more convenient at the end of the stage. Remember to follow the pattern and remember that ceramics can have a lackluster pattern. On the back of the tiles there are arrows that show the direction of installation; they should always be in the same direction.
Video on how to properly lay tiles on bathroom walls:
Tile cutting
When finishing tiles with your own hands, you can do without expensive cutting tool. If you have a tile cutter - good, if not - use a glass cutter or scriber with a pobedit tip. Mark the cutting line, fix the slab on a flat surface and run the tool along the line several times. Next, you need to place the tile with cutting marks on a couple of nails and gently press - you have a finished trim. If you use a tile cutter, run the roller once, repetitions lead to defects.
In this way, they cut in a straight line, but tiling the walls also involves a shaped cut. Cut holes for pipes using a grinder with a diamond wheel. If there are few holes and there is no angle grinder, you can use a cheap diamond-coated blade. But this is a labor-intensive and time-consuming task, and is only justified economically.
Grouting joints
After laying the tiles on the wall and floor, the seams are cleaned of glue and rubbed with a special compound. The grout is applied to a rubber spatula and the gaps between the slabs are filled with the mixture. Depending on the material and skill, 1-4 square meters are processed in one approach. Residues are removed with a foam sponge. It is used to bring the filler to a smooth state, distributing the grout evenly along the seams.
Do-it-yourself wall cladding, which you have mastered at a basic level, requires an understanding of the nuances. Some of them:
- Before laying the tiles, check their quality, geometry and compliance with the calibration. Sort by size to make it easier to get straight seams.
- Prepare the surface carefully, do not skimp on primer and maintain right angles.
- Use on outside corners. Although it is not so beautiful, it is safe.
- The tiles must be glued to a dry surface.
Expenses
Costs for tiling a bathroom with an area of 3.5 m²:
- 2 guide profiles 27x28 mm - 90 rub.
- (25 kg x 3 pcs) - 717 rub.
- Strengthening soil Plitonit 1 l. - 98 rub.
- 300 pcs of plastic crosses 2 mm - 60 rub.
- Kiilto grout 3 kg - 320 rub.
- Self-tapping screws, dowels - 20 rub.
In total, installation cost us 1,305 rubles + the cost of tiles and preparatory work (plaster). If you do wall cladding yourself, you will need to spend money on the missing tools. For tiling the walls in a bathroom of this size, a tiler will charge at least 13-15 thousand rubles, including grout. Buy a tool that will remain with you forever and do everything yourself, or pay for the work of a master and calmly sip tea while styling - everyone will decide for themselves.
comments powered by HyperCommentsBathroom renovations are rarely complete without replacing the tiles, especially if they have already served for 10-20 years. But, as usual, the question arises: to hire a master or do everything yourself. If you have a proven, tried-and-true tiler in mind and a certain amount of money (usually they ask for the same amount of work as the materials cost), you can hire him. Otherwise, try laying the tiles yourself. If the walls are at least relatively smooth, everything should work out without any particular difficulties. But just before laying tiles on the wall, carefully study the technology.
It starts, as usual, with choosing a tile. Just pay attention not only to her external data. You will definitely need to check its geometry, otherwise it will be difficult to work with it. If you are laying tiles for the first time, any curvature will greatly complicate the task. So, let's check:
From experience, it is worth saying that ideal parameters are extremely difficult to find. If you like it externally, there are no cobwebs of cracks or glaze defects on the surface, the edges are even, the dimensions are the same, you can take it despite some non-linearity (first point). Otherwise, you will be tired of running around the shops. What you shouldn’t do is buy tiles “to order”. How can you control its quality if you already pay for it? Take only what you hold in your hands.
What are the tiles placed on?
Previously, tiles were laid on a cement-sand mixture, to which PVA glue or Bustilat was added. You can, of course, do it this way, but it will be more difficult. For more comfortable work use ready-made compositions They are also called “tile adhesive” because they contain adhesive components, which is why they sometimes say that tiles are “glued” to walls. Compositions come in two types:
- in buckets - mastics, ready for use;
- in bags - dry mixtures that require dilution with water.
Professionals mainly use dry mixtures. If necessary, they can be used to correct an imperfect wall, making the layer a little thicker or thinner. Another plus: they retain their plasticity longer, which allows adjustments to be made some time later. They work with mastic on an ideal wall and there can be no deviations here: the layer is too thin.
When choosing a tile adhesive, you can choose it for specific tasks. So there are compositions that contain additives that increase the water-repellent properties of a wall or floor. This is important in the kitchen and bathroom. There are frost-resistant ones, which will be useful if you place them in an unheated room or outside. You can find glue that has bactericidal properties: it will prevent fungi and mold from developing, which is in demand in wet areas.
Preparatory work
Before laying tiles on the wall, a number of preparatory measures are carried out. This is a long and unpleasant process, but it is extremely undesirable to skip it: not every master, let alone beginners, can lay tiles properly on uneven, unprepared walls.
Leveling the surface
First of all, the old coating and anything that may fall off is removed from the walls. If there greasy spots, they are taken out, or part of the plaster is simply cut down along with the absorbed oil. The walls are tapped with a wooden hammer, determining by the sound whether there are voids. They occur if the plaster has peeled off, but has not yet been blown out. If you stick a tile on such an area, everything will collapse under its weight. That’s why you do all these places yourself.
A flat plank is applied to the cleaned base and an assessment is made of how smooth or crooked the walls are. If the wall surface is very convex or curved, it is better to correct everything with plaster to a level. Then laying tiles on the wall will be very simple. If the walls are relatively flat, only indentations that are too large are leveled: irregularities (protrusions or holes) that are more than 5 mm. Protrusions need to be cut off, holes need to be filled plaster mixture, widen the cracks, moisten them and also cover them with plaster.
We prime
It is advisable to treat the prepared wall with a primer. “Betonokontakt” or another composition with similar characteristics is best suited for these purposes. It penetrates to a fairly large thickness deep into the wall, connecting all the particles. After drying, the surface becomes rough, and tile adhesive “sticks” to it very well.
How to start
There are several possible starting points. To put it quite simply, you can lay out the first row right from the corner, following the floor line. But the first row will become level and without problems only if the floor is perfectly level, without any deviations. Otherwise, you will be trimming the tiles to somehow get vertical joints. As a result of these prunings, the second and all subsequent rows can “walk”. The work will be very hard and unpleasant. Therefore, it is better to spend time and mark the wall, finding the “start” points.
Wall marking
If you don't really care about the small pieces of tile that have to be placed in the corners and at the top, under the ceiling, you can skip this step. But if you want all the tiles to lie symmetrically, before laying the tiles on the wall, you will have to do the layout:
If it turns out that only narrow strips remain at both ends, it is advisable to redo the layout. If the middle was located in the center of the wall, try laying it out from the seam, and vice versa. It should come out better.
When placing tiles in height, the situation is slightly different. In some cases, the seam is made at a certain level. In the bathroom this is often the edge of the installed bathtub. If there are no such requirements, you can do the same: find the center, arrange (draw on the wall) the position of the tiles relative to it. This way you will find how to trim the tiles of the top and bottom rows.
There is another way to arrange it vertically: mark the first tile from the ceiling, and so on to the bottom. In this case, only the bottom row will have to be trimmed. This is not entirely correct, but the consumption of tiles is slightly less.
In any case, when calculating how to lay tiles on the wall, mark the level where the first row ends. This usually serves as a starting point. This is where the laying of tiles begins.
Start line
Based on the layout results, you have a line where the first row ends. It is at this height that a flat bar is nailed. Resting the tile on it, place the starting row, and all subsequent rows on it. The last row to be installed is the first row, into which the tiles will have to be cut.
Profiles for working with drywall are usually used as a support strip, but a flat dry block can also be used. At a given height, it is attached to the wall with self-tapping screws or dowels (depending on the wall material). To lay tiles on the wall with your own hands without problems, you need to fasten them often enough so that there is no sagging. Be sure to check that it is installed horizontally. There shouldn't be even the slightest deviation.
How to lay tiles on a wall
The technology for laying tiles on the wall is simple. It consists of several simple steps:
A few nuances about full process. First, the outer whole tiles (those that do not need to be trimmed) are glued to the marked places on the installed plank. When laying out, you noted their position. It is very important to set them correctly. To do this, each is checked with a level in the vertical and horizontal planes. If the geometry of the tile is ideal, you can also check the verticality/horizontalness along the edges. Then they take a long level or an even bar with a shorter level and check how evenly one beacon bar is set relative to the other. They must be in the same plane. Then, using this bar, they check whether each subsequent tile is positioned correctly.
Description is one thing, but seeing everything with your own eyes is another. The video demonstrates the technology; after watching, you will understand exactly how to lay tiles on the wall.
Wall adhesive thickness
For those who are laying tiles on a wall for the first time, they may have questions about how thick the adhesive layer is needed. This value depends on how much smooth walls. If they are ideal, you can apply the minimum layer allowed in the instructions for the composition. If the walls are only relatively flat, the “starting” layer can be 3-4 mm. Then, as necessary, it can slightly decrease or increase, correcting the unevenness of the wall.
There are several techniques for laying ceramic tiles. It is not always the case that glue is applied to both the tile and the wall. Some craftsmen apply the composition only to the wall, others - only to the tiles, some recommend dipping it in water before applying the glue, others do not do this. Choose the option that seems more correct to you. But it is more convenient for novice tilers when the mortar is on both the wall and the tile: it is easier to move and level it.
Manufacturers of tile adhesive advise applying it to the wall, removing excess with a notched trowel, but this means ideal level base. Based on these recommendations, the cost of laying one square is calculated.
With other techniques, consumption increases by 50% or even 100%, since the wall has to be adjusted. But you should definitely listen to the prescribed sizes of the spatula teeth.
How to cut tiles
There are several ways. For small volumes and not very thick tiles, a manual tile cutter is suitable. This is a device consisting of a platform on which tiles are placed. Fusing pads are attached to the platform along which the cutter moves. The cutter moves with the help of a handle, ripping through the durable coating. A stop is usually installed on the same handle, with which the tiles are broken along the line drawn by the cutter.
Another way is with a grinder, but it is very noisy and dusty. Besides, you won’t be able to make a perfectly even cut, but it will work in case of an emergency.
If necessary, round holes are cut using a crown of a suitable diameter, which is put on a drill. During drilling, to ensure that there is as little dust as possible, the work area is constantly watered with water. The result is a perfect hole and everything looks decent.
If you need to cut a strip that is too thin, you won’t be able to do it with a tile cutter: it simply won’t break off. Then, by drawing a line with a cutting disc or rod (for some companies cutting element made in the form of a rod), the thin edge is broken off. In general, there are special tongs for this, but it works well with pliers.
If the edge turns out to be very uneven, you can smooth it out a little with a file or sandpaper, fixed on a block.
Decoration of corners
If the tiles are laid evenly, the internal corners do not raise any questions. Difficulties may arise only with the installation of crosses. Just turn them so that they are not in the way or break off the protruding parts. In general, they join neatly in the corners, and the final seam is formed using grout.
Available for internal corners more profiles. They are matched to the tone of the grout, installed in the corner, leveled, and then attached to self-tapping screws or dowels. When laying tiles in a corner, the tiles rest on them. This results in a finished fillet seam.
External corners are more difficult. If you simply join the tiles, overlapping the edges, it turns out ugly. To arrange it properly outside corner you have to cut the edge at 45°.
This can be done using a professional tile cutter. But not everyone has such equipment. Then you will have to work with a grinder. The first cut, approximately under the right angle, made with a smooth diamond disc. There should be no slits or holes in it, and the spraying should also be even.
It turns out not very smooth, and the outer edge is quite thick. But this is only preliminary processing. Before required parameters We finish the cut using a grinding attachment with the same disc. See the video for more details.
If you don’t want to bother with such trimming, there is another option - to decorate the corner with a special plastic corner.
Another video about how you can design junctions and seams when laying tiles.
To make laying wall tiles with your own hands completely clear, watch another video tutorial.
When finishing kitchen apron ceramic tile technology is practically no different from that described above. There is simply no need to calculate the number of vertical rows. The “start” location is determined by the height of the tabletop: it should start 5-10 cm above the edge of the tile. Attach the bar at the required level, align it exactly with the horizon, and you are ready to begin.
An apron in the kitchen is usually made on the work wall. If it is not one wall, but two or three, you can start from one of the corners.
If it is laid out from small-sized tiles, the undercuts may not be very noticeable. If you want to do everything symmetrically, repeat the layout and start from the center, as described above.
Ceramic tiles are a material whose installation must be approached with special responsibility. It's all about the process itself. It is complex, requiring preliminary preparatory measures related to leveling and strengthening the surfaces to be finished. That is, before laying tiles on a wall or floor, it is necessary to prepare both load-bearing elements of the building. We will consider laying tiles specifically on the wall, because this is more difficult option cladding. If you deal with it, then you can safely move on to finishing the floor base.
So, first of all, defects in the wall surface are identified. If it is a concrete wall, then large cracks and chips are taken into account. If the wall is brick and also plastered, then you will first need to determine where the plaster layer is peeling off from the brickwork. This can be done by tapping the wall, for example, with a wooden hammer handle. A dull sound is a defect. This means that the peeling area must be removed and filled with new plaster.
Flaws concrete wall sealed with fastening solutions. After which the entire wall surface is primed, for which it is best to use a deep penetration primer. This liquid will not only increase the adhesive properties of the surface, but will also strengthen its upper layer, penetrating into the material, where it will polymerize.
A very important component of a wall is its verticality. That is, there should not be large differences on it. It should be noted that facing ceramics itself is a kind of leveling coating. With its help you can hide a difference of 2 mm. So this value is acceptable when the question is how to hide curved sections of the wall. If the difference in the plane is large, then you will have to carry out several operations to level it, for which putties are used.
Attention! When laying tiles, you should use cement-based putties, not gypsum-based ones.
After the leveling layer has been applied and dried, it must also be primed. If the difference in the plane of the wall is very large, then it is better to use sheets of plasterboard or gypsum fiber sheets to level it. Do not forget that the joints between the panels are the place of warping, which occurs under the influence of changes in humidity and temperature. Therefore, these areas must be sealed well.
In principle, the preparation of the walls themselves is completed, now it seems that the walls can be finished with tiles. But don’t rush, because the tile itself can be laid in different ways. Therefore, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the layout diagrams and identifying their pros and cons.
The basic rule for laying tiles on a wall is the exact visual location of the solid cladding elements. That is, when entering a room, cut tiles should not catch your eye. This is especially true for the bottom row, because it is on it that the trimmed elements are mounted. And if, for example, the trimmed row includes tiles of small diameter, then it is better to lay a thick leveling mortar on the floor to bring its level to the entire wall cladding. That is, it will be better if you lose part of the height of the room than to admire a two-centimeter boot later.
As for trimming ceramic tiles in a vertical position, you can also use trimming in the most visible corner of the room. That is, the trimmed material is laid in two opposite corners of the wall with equal dimensions. This is just a design option, but everything, as usual, will depend on the taste preferences of the owner of the house. As for the top row, it is usually laid in solid tiles, although there are deviations. When calculating the required amount of ceramic material for wall cladding, the dimensions of the tiles, as well as the width of the joints between them, must be taken into account.
So, before laying ceramic tiles on the walls, you need to lay them out. There are three main schemes:
- joint to joint;
- in a run;
- diagonally.
The simplest scheme is the first, the second imitates brickwork, and the third is not only the most complex, but also the most expensive in terms of trimming a large number of stacked elements, which leads to large waste.
- Nowadays, no one uses cement-sand mortars, which were once the only masonry mixtures. The whole point is to accurately correlate required amount cement and sand was very difficult, because the solution was made by hand. Ready mixes- this is not only the exact proportion of all their components, it various additives, which improve their quality. In addition, adhesive compositions are made based on cement. So high bond strength and long-term operation of the ceramic cladding are guaranteed.
- Wall tiling begins from the second row from the floor. This is done for the purpose that the first row will be trimmed. In addition, if the cladding is carried out in damp rooms, then after finishing the wall without installing the first row, cladding of the floor base begins. And lastly, the tiles are installed on the first row. The goal is to create conditions under which condensation will drain onto the floor, and not under the laid tiles. At the same time, cutting thin wall tiles is always easier than thick floor tiles.
- Before laying tiles on the wall, it is necessary to set the starting point for the tiling process. To do this, you need to mark a horizontal line on the wall exactly under the second row. On this line you need to install metallic profile, which is used as an element load-bearing frame under plasterboard structures. The profile is attached to the wall with self-tapping screws and dowels. It will additionally serve as a support for the laid tiles.
Technology of wall cladding with ceramic tiles
So, let's move on to the main question of the article - how to properly lay tiles on the wall. As mentioned above, the simplest installation option is joint to joint. That is, for novice craftsmen who do the work with their own hands without the supervision of a master, this is an ideal scheme.
It is necessary to start installing ceramic tiles (this is the basic rule for laying on the wall) from the most visible corner of the room, starting from front door. It is in the corner that the first solid tile is installed. In this case, tile adhesive must be applied to the tile itself (on its reverse side). The solution is applied with a regular spatula and leveled with a serrated one. It is with its help that the uniform thickness of the adhesive layer is established, which will ensure minimal effort in leveling the cladding element. By the way, the consumption of the adhesive composition depends on the size of the spatula teeth. Typically, wall tiling is done using a trowel, the distance between the teeth of which is 6 mm. So the consumption of tile adhesive will be 2.7 kg per square meter surfaces. So you need to accurately calculate the total area of all walls and purchase the required amount from the glue consumption indicator.
Wall cladding with ceramic tiles means constant control of the placement of each element in relation to the horizontal and vertical directions.
- Therefore, we place the tile on the wall, press it in, and apply a level to its plane to determine the verticality of the installation.
- We level it to this level by tapping the lining with different sides. It's easier to knock with your fist.
- We set the level on the top edge and also level it by lowering or raising one of the two corners.
- Deleted adhesive composition, which emerged from under the tiles.
The installation of all other tiles is carried out in the same way, between which plastic crosses must be installed. They will determine the uniform width of the seam between the elements of the ceramic finish. In this case, the size of the crosses determines the size of the seam width. Currently, crosses with a standard thickness of 2-5 mm can be purchased on the market.
Once the entire wall is filled with tiles, you can proceed to installing the bottom row. First, you need to determine the height of the tiles to be laid in terms of cutting them, taking into account the width of the seam. Secondly, a tool is selected that can quickly and easily process the tiles. Basically, there is a huge selection here. various technologies, tools and devices. Now you need to cut the required number of tiles to the calculated size.
Attention! The first row of ceramic tiles is laid with the cut down. Thus, after grouting the joints, the cut will not be visible.
Basically, that's it. Laying wall tiles ends here. After which you can proceed to covering the floor base. In essence, this process is no different from the technology of wall finishing, although there are some nuances.
And the last stage is grouting the seams of the tiled walls. For this, special mixtures (dry or ready-made), called fugues, are usually used. Dry ones are diluted with water in a certain proportion to obtain a homogeneous paste-type mixture.
Fugu is applied to the wall rubber spatula, which must be held to the wall surface at an angle of 90°. Some people rub the entire surface, others only the areas of the seams. This has nothing to do with the quality of the final result. It’s just that in the first case there will be more consumption of grouting material.
After the fugue has dried, it is removed with a rag or sponge. After a day, when the tile adhesive has completely adhered to the tiles and the grout has dried, you can rinse the ceramic surface clean warm water, wiping it dry.
Conclusion on the topic
As you can see, laying tiles on a wall with your own hands is a real process, although not entirely simple. Experienced craftsmen recommend not to rush, because the most important thing is not time, but quality. And in this technology it depends on attentiveness and on correctly carried out preparatory work. You can lay the tiles according to a certain pattern, knowing the nuances of the cladding, without any problems. Even diagonal installation will not seem the most difficult if you do it yourself at least once. The main thing, as practice shows, is to lay out the cladding elements according to a certain pattern.
And one more point that will help answer the question of how to properly lay ceramic finishing. Pay attention to the back of each tile. The manufacturer installs arrows on it that show in which direction they should be laid. That is, all arrows on all tiles must point in the same direction. Firstly, it makes the process easier. Secondly, in this way the manufacturer does not allow mistakes when selecting the colors on the panels. All designs, patterns or color schemes will be identical in all directions.
Ceramic tiles are an ideal wall covering in a bathroom in all respects.
Moreover, today there are a huge number of different types of ceramic tiles on sale, from the simplest and cheapest to artistic ones with various designs or patterns.
Not every master takes on bathrooms; for them, this work is not very profitable. There are several reasons.
Bathrooms are small in size and have many corners and transitions. In addition, you have to waste time adjusting tiles for water supply and sewerage. All this takes a lot of effort, and the master’s salary is calculated per square meter.
IN absolute majority cases used for bathrooms are the lowest, especially for older apartments.
While they still tried in the living rooms, in the bathrooms many builders allowed themselves to mess around.
Quite often, old bathroom walls are waterlogged or already have fungal damage; additional time will have to be wasted in eliminating these problems. The final coating of the walls was done oil paints– such coatings have to be completely removed.
From quality training and the thoughtfulness of all actions largely depends on tiling the bathroom with ceramic tiles. Where should you start?
- Inspecting the condition of the bathroom walls and choosing the method and method of laying ceramic tiles with your own hands.
- Calculation of the required amount of materials. The number of tiles is calculated depending on the total area of the walls.
A prerequisite is that the obtained data must be increased by 10%; bathrooms have the largest amount of unproductive losses of building materials.
The amount of glue is determined using the same calculation.
The specific brand of adhesive composition does not play a big role; even the cheapest materials, if the technology for preparing them and laying the tiles on the wall are followed, ensure a strong connection between the latter and the wall.
- Preparing tools.
You will need a flat spatula, a comb, a tile cutter, a rubber hammer (preferably with white rubber), a trowel, a level, a water level and a blue thread for marking lines. To cut tiles for water pipes, you will need an ordinary diamond glass cutter, wire cutters and a grinder with a diamond blade.
The diamond blade should be for tile, not concrete.
The difference between them is that the first has solid planes, while the second has radial cuts. Radial cuts will always break the tile surface at the point of cut.
- Assessing the condition of the walls and making decisions on their preparation.
This issue should be discussed in more detail.
A very important point from the choice the best way The preparation of the walls largely determines the further productivity of the work.
If possible, you need to clear the room of furniture and inspect sockets and switches.
If necessary, extend the wiring so that new sockets and switches can be installed on the tile.
Remove old ones finishing coatings walls - wallpaper, ceramic tiles or paint. The biggest problems will be with the paint; it will not only take a long time to remove it, but it will also be “dusty.”
It is not recommended to make notches in the paint in order to speed up the work. Even a large number of notches does not guarantee reliable adhesion of the tiles.
The next step is to check the verticality of the walls and corners. Perfect option– the walls are smooth, in a vertical position, and all angles between them are 90°. But this only happens if plastering work was carried out by a real professional or the tiler himself is preparing the walls.
In most cases, the quality of plaster is far from ideal. Then the decision must be made by each master individually, taking into account not only the practical condition of the walls, but also his capabilities, availability of money and time.
The most expensive and time-consuming solution is to level the walls on all surfaces, in many cases them.
The use of various modern mastics to increase adhesion is not at all necessary.
The tile will already be firmly attached to cement plaster, adhesive compositions have excellent performance characteristics. There are several options for preparing walls in cheaper and faster ways.
Leveling walls while laying tiles
This method can be used with a vertical spread of up to 1.5-2 cm.
This is done simply - the glue is applied to the wall and tiles not with a comb, but with an ordinary metal spatula.
The fact is that after a comb, the thickness of the glue allows you to smooth out only a few millimeters of unevenness, but with a spatula you can apply glue up to two centimeters thick, and this makes it possible to level rather “bad walls”.
The glue should not be applied over the entire surface of the tile, but only along the edges and in the middle - this saves material.
Practice shows that the strength of the connection is quite acceptable (this is not floor tiles, where the load on the coating reaches significant values). Before using this method, you need to use a plumb line or level to check the maximum deviation values of the walls along the entire perimeter of the bathroom.
Partial leveling of walls
New plaster needs to be applied only in the most “problematic” places; all other surfaces will be leveled with glue while laying the tiles. This method allows you to perform work efficiently, quickly and without large material costs, even on the most difficult surfaces.
If you have time and money, you can completely re-plaster the walls. There is no need to correct small errors; they will be leveled out when laying the tiles using the first method.
The use of various “fashionable” impregnations and additional coatings is voluntary. It must be borne in mind that even without their use experienced master guarantees reliability of installation due to strict adherence to existing “old” technologies. And vice versa.
Violation of the basic rules of technology will not be corrected even by the most expensive mastics and impregnations.
Another important point. You need to know about the technological differences between cheap and old adhesives; you shouldn’t dwell on price and other characteristics, this is already understandable.
As for the direct technological characteristics, we should dwell on them. Expensive adhesives remain in place longer after dilution in a container. suitable form, do not harden and are not separated into heavy fractions and water. And after application to the wall and tiles, on the contrary, they harden quickly. This greatly simplifies the process of laying tiles.
With cheap adhesives, the opposite is true - they cannot remain in their prepared form for a long time, and on the wall under the tiles they harden much longer.
Marking the walls and the first row of tiles
This is exactly the case when you need to “measure seven times and cut once.” The use of a water level is mandatory.
You can, of course, purchase a laser level, but its price will unpleasantly surprise you, first of all.
Secondly, the bathroom has so many obstacles for the laser beam that its advantages are neutralized.
And thirdly, during installation laser level You can easily make a mistake and the entire markup will be incorrect.
Marking should start from the top of the wall; in these places the tiles should be intact. The joints near the floor can be cut; they are not very noticeable and do not catch the eye. When marking, you need to take into account the size of the tiles and the width of the plastic crosses; with this calculation, the height of one row is determined.
It is advisable to mark horizontal lines on the wall using a rope with blue, this will allow you to constantly monitor the position of the tiles.
Lines can be beaten through three or four rows. If you don’t have enough practical experience, you can also mark several vertical lines along the intended tile seam.
There are several ways to lay tiles, but for all there is a general procedure for performing basic work.
- The glue must be prepared immediately before starting work.
Quantity should be calculated 
based on the maximum productivity of the craftsman and the approximate consumption of material, taking into account the installation method and the condition of the wall surface.
It is advisable to produce the prepared glue within two to three hours.
- Dry glue is poured into water, and not vice versa.
It is better to stir using a drill and a special stirring attachment. If it is not there, then you can use a trowel.
Lumps are not allowed. The mixture should be completely homogeneous.
After stirring, let the glue sit for about 15-20 minutes.
- If the bathroom floor does not yet have tiles, then it is advisable to start laying the walls from the second row.
Along the line of the beginning of the second row, a flat line is fixed wooden slats and the laying of slabs begins on it.
- The first row is laid after the floor work is completed.
The fact is that floor tiles are more difficult to work with, they are thicker and stronger, they cut worse, and there is a high risk of chipping. The wall tiles will lie on top of the floor joint and hide all possible imperfections.
- For decoration of internal and external corners and end lines of tiles, it is better to use special plastic inserts.
They not only make the tiler’s work easier, but also greatly improve appearance walls, hide uneven edges after cutting.
- The position of each tile must be checked with an even level or a rod.
The spatial position must be checked in several directions. Even the slightest deviations should not be allowed; correcting them later is very difficult, and an experienced eye will notice traces of corrections in any case.
Crosses are inserted two on each side of the plane.
The most qualified craftsmen can lay tiles without crosses, they lie end to end, this is the highest “pilotage”.
But in order to carry out such work, you need not only skill, but also the appropriate quality of the tile - it must be perfectly smooth and identical in linear dimensions and geometric shape.
You need to check the tiles before purchasing. To do this, you should attach them one to the other with their front surfaces. There should be no gaps or protrusions between them, the angles must match exactly.
If the tiles have patterns on the surface, then during installation you need to ensure their correct location. To make it easier to control the correct installation, manufacturers apply special marks on the reverse side.
The position of the tiles is leveled by lightly tapping with a rubber hammer. Small errors can be corrected with crosses.
If the joints of the tiles do not coincide slightly, then the crosses are not inserted on this side; by slightly changing the gap between the adjacent tiles, the entire row is leveled.
You just need to do this gradually; changing the gap width by more than one millimeter at once is not recommended. Otherwise it will become noticeable.
Another practical tip is that puttying the seams significantly hides the unevenness of the distances between the rows of tiles; do not be upset if, without putty, the rows of tiles have minor unevenness.
Tile laying options
There are several ways to lay tiles, they depend on the tile itself (it can consist of several elements with various indicators according to size and configuration), from the wishes of the customer and from the skill of the tiler.
Direct laying
The scheme for laying tiles using this method is quite simple. Vertical tile joints can be aligned or offset by half the width.
You can use different shades and lay out vertical and horizontal stripes, lay them in a checkerboard pattern, make them out of stripes different zones etc.
Diagonal laying method
More complex method. The marking is done taking into account the angle of inclination of the tiles, the number of cut tiles increases. During this method, you can also combine with colors to create various designs and patterns.
Offset installation
The most difficult. Its peculiarity is that it is necessary to lay tiles with different linear dimensions. Due to this, a displacement effect is achieved.
You can simplify it - work with tiles of the same size, and shift only the joint lines in any direction, but this method already resembles a variation of ordinary straight laying.
Features of laying tiles on plasterboard
Bathroom - no the best place for using drywall. You need to be very careful about its quality. In addition to paying attention to the moisture resistance of the material, important has its thickness and .
You need to choose sheets with a thickness of at least 2 cm, and attach them only to liquid nails with their maximum application over the area. In this way, it will be possible to slightly increase the resistance of plasterboard boards to static and dynamic loads.
The low physical strength of plasterboard boards is their main drawback. In the future, all installation work can be performed using conventional technology using one of the listed methods.
But those who have been laying tiles for many years do not want to use it. It is inconvenient to work with, it bends and does not allow you to tightly fill the gaps between the tiles with putty along the entire depth. And this is the main condition for high-quality grouting. As for “scratches from a metal spatula,” you need to “try” very hard to scratch the surface of the tile.
The grout should be filled into the seams as tightly as possible; this should be done alternately along the seam in small portions of putty in a direction transverse to it.
Excess grout should be wiped off with a dry or slightly damp cloth or sponge approximately 30-40 minutes after application. Of course, the plastic crosses need to be removed before doing this.
To speed up the work, you should apply the grout for about half an hour, and then wipe it off the finished area.
In this way, the grout is applied in parts and wiped off from the entire surface of the walls.
It is not advisable to wait until all the grout is completely dry and then wash the walls.
First of all, it's much more difficult. Secondly, it is difficult to correct missing or poorly filled areas of seams, and such places always form during work.
Thirdly, grout that has not yet completely hardened can be easily corrected in terms of the thickness and depth of the seam.
A few words about the main thing
If practice is not enough, you need to start laying tiles from the least noticeable place or from the least noticeable corner. Then you already have some experience and you can “take” your work to areas that are more open to the eye.
Laying tiles is one of the most expensive construction jobs. This means that this is one of the most difficult and responsible jobs. Only after a sober assessment of your capabilities and skills can you begin to implement them.
There are times when “independent tests” necessitate a complete redo and calling in a real master. The cost of finishing bathroom walls, accordingly, doubles. And this doesn’t count the lost time and nerves.
Do-it-yourself repairs have become a very popular activity today. However, just the desire to change the interior of the apartment is not enough. It must be supported by knowledge of the basic theoretical aspects of this rather complex event. Typically, renovation work begins with the bathroom and toilet. Knowing how to lay tiles on the wall correctly, you can radically change the usual appearance of the bathroom. Competently following all the rules for laying tile material will help save time and reduce the cost of hiring specialist firms.
How to choose the right tile?
Tile is the most common material among its analogues. The reason for this popularity lies in its availability and relatively low cost. Before you learn how to lay tiles, you need to choose them correctly.
First of all, you should pay attention to the packaging. A special sign in the form of a foot or hand will indicate which category of tile the product belongs to - floor or wall. Wear-resistant building materials are marked with a dash on the packaging, frost-resistant ones are marked with snowflakes. In addition, if you want to purchase a quality product, then pay attention to the number of stars on the box. The more there are, the better the tile.
IN hardware store you will definitely see that tiles are divided into several groups:
- first class tiles - designed specifically for bathrooms;
- second class - used in cottages and country houses;
- third class products - designed for residential floors.
When choosing tiles it is worth Special attention pay attention to the color scheme. Remember that light colors visually enlarge the space, dark ones do the opposite. On a matte surface, dirt is less noticeable than on a glossy surface.
Tile properties
The tile has several main characteristics that determine its purpose:
- ease of care;
- protection from moisture and pollution;
- a wide range of;
- large selection of decorative elements.
Advantages and disadvantages of tiles
The main advantage of tiles is their durability and strength. Thanks to special production technology, it is very difficult to break. The tiles are made from pressed materials, followed by firing and application of glaze, which ensures the product is waterproof and durable.
Modern painting technologies can also be attributed to the advantages of this building material. It is painted not on the surface, but in the mass. That is, if you scratch the tile, you don’t have to worry - it won’t be very noticeable.
Ceramic tiles come in a wide range - everyone can choose the color and design to suit their taste. Especially popular today are surfaces that imitate leather, glass, etc.
But, unfortunately, tiles also have disadvantages:
- The fragility of the glaze. When dropped, it can easily break off or crack.
- Due to their high strength, tiles are difficult to cut.
- When water evaporates or gets in, the glaze becomes slippery.
Preparation for installation
Before answering the question of how to lay tiles on a wall, let’s highlight another important nuance. It's about about preparation for the process. To do this, you need to measure the room being repaired, namely the surface where the tiles will be located. Next, you need to schematically draw the wall being finished with all the recesses and openings, taking into account the taken dimensions. Do not forget about sockets and other elements where there will be no tiles. We calculate the required amount of building materials.
Tools for work
Before we figure out the question “how to lay tiles on a wall,” you need to prepare everything you need for finishing work. First of all, you need to buy binding material. They might be like cement mixture, and special glue. In addition, you will need grout, primer, guides, screws, trims and plastic crosses. The latter are necessary to maintain the size of the seam. Guides or special profiles will help you lay out the bottom row of tiles horizontally and evenly; trims are needed to create the correct angle.
You will also need a special set of tools:
Drill with drills and various attachments;
Tile cutter (if you don’t have a special one, you can use a grinder or glass cutter);
Sandpaper;
Several types of spatulas;
Containers for preparing glue;
Spirit level.
Wall preparation process
Any builder-finisher admits that before laying tiles on the wall, the surface needs to be prepared. After all, they are the right ones preparatory work provide long service life, attractive appearance and strong fastening of the material.
Before laying the tiles, the walls are plastered, simultaneously leveling the surfaces. Next, the walls are treated with a primer, which increases the adhesive effect. finishing materials.
In some cases, tiles can be laid over old ones. concrete coverings, brickwork, moisture-resistant plasterboard.
Laying tiles over old tiles is not recommended. To securely fasten the cladding to the previous work surface, you need to use layers that increase the adhesion of materials, and especially strong glue.
Basic installation steps
How to start laying tiles? The work process is as follows:
1. First prepare the required quantity soil mixture, after which they apply it to the walls. The primer for the walls of the bathroom and toilet must have water-repellent properties and contain an antiseptic.
2. A small amount of The tiles for the initial rows are cut through.
3. On the surface, using a level, determine the main horizontal points of the lower area to be finished. Usually they put four points in the corners and four around the perimeter.
If you are laying tiles on the wall, and there is already a covering on the floor, then it is not at all necessary to attach a profile for the bottom row. It can be rested on the floor.
Defining horizontal rows of tiles
If you have a flat floor, determining the bottom row of tiles will not be difficult. However, this is not always the case. The question immediately arises: “Where should I start laying tiles?” The fact is that often builders and finishers have to start from the second, or even the third row. This is due to this:
There are communications along the walls that need to be bypassed;
Only the walls are tiled, and the floor remains untouched; moreover, it has an uneven surface;
Planning horizontal rows depends entirely on the quantity vertical tiles. It happens that the level of the original supporting row needs to be lowered or raised to accommodate a whole tile. You need to move from top to bottom, transferring marks to the next row.
Defining vertical rows of tiles
Each builder-finisher decides independently. Some approach this process creatively, some have their own scheme of work. The main problem with laying tiles is the top rows, which have to be trimmed. And this is not always beautiful. There are several tricks that will help you avoid these troubles:
You can move all the rows and trim only the tiles in the corner so that they look symmetrical;
Reduce the size of the tile in the place where it will be least noticeable.
How to lay tiles? Step-by-step instruction
Laying the tiles should begin from the corner of the wall, which is located opposite the entrance. Next, everything needs to be done according to plan:
- Cover the back side of the tile with glue or a special product.
- Use a spatula to smooth out the glue layer so that there are no voids.
- The tile must be fixed in the corner and tapped with a rubber hammer.
- The glue that appears on the wall after pressing must be quickly removed.
- Lay tiles in the same way to the opposite corner.
- After fixing 3-4 rows, you should wait a little for the glue to set better.
- To ensure that the joints between the tiles are as smooth as possible, plastic crosses are installed. It is important to remove the crosses before the solution hardens.
- After laying, be sure to check the verticals and horizontals of the tiles. This can be done using a level and plumb lines; sometimes an ordinary block is applied to the surface of the facing products, and all the flaws become visible.
- Finally, the seams need to be filled with a sealant, after which grout should be applied.
Note to builders: before the glue completely hardens, you can adjust the position of the tiles and seams. Therefore, after laying the tiles, you need to carefully check the entire surface for defects and flaws.
This instruction is also the answer to the question of how to lay tiles on the wall in the kitchen. The principle is the same everywhere.
If you are planning to lay tiles on plasterboard surfaces, keep in mind that this can only be done after the walls have been treated with waterproofing. Before laying tiles on drywall, you need to pay special attention to the cut edges. They also need to be treated with a waterproofing mixture. You can lay tiles using a special tile adhesive using the same technology as in the bathroom.
Cost of tiles
The modern market for construction and finishing materials is huge. On store shelves you can see various variations of tiles. In addition to individual color range, texture and size, tiles vary in cost. The most profitable option is to purchase finishing materials of domestic or Belarusian production. The absence of customs duties and transportation costs significantly affects the price. Russian tiles can be purchased for 130 rubles/m2. Some domestic producers make facing materials on the territory of our country, but using foreign technology. Here the price is slightly higher - 350 rubles / m 2, but the model range is much wider. Plants and factories from neighboring countries occupy an honorable third place in terms of the cost of tiles. Ukrainian tile collections are presented in the price range of 400-700 rubles per sq.m. Polish, Lithuanian and Czech manufacturers are not far behind them. Price per 1 sq.m. European tiles range from 600 to 1000 rubles. Of course, the leaders in the quality of building materials are Germany and Italy. Products from German and Portuguese factories can be purchased for 1,100 rubles per 1 m2.
Manufacturers' tile collections
The variety of shapes, sizes and textures of tiles is simply amazing. Such a large number of options for finishing walls and floors allows you to realize even your most secret desires and projects. It is best to lay tiles on the wall and floor using materials from the collection of one manufacturer. Such tiles will be in harmony with each other, and you will not notice any striking contrasts.
Modern color schemes for finishing materials allow you to combine a variety of shades, for example, pink and blue, white and turquoise, etc. In addition, there are hundreds more options for tile laying techniques. Some people make colored inserts or borders, others study technology, how to lay mosaic tiles, etc. In general, there are a lot of ideas for changing the interior, so trust your flight of fancy, naturally, based on your physical and financial capabilities.
Tile care
Tile is a fairly unpretentious material, however, it also requires proper and constant care. Otherwise, limescale will ruin both the tiles in the kitchen (they should be laid according to the same principle as in the bathroom) and in the bathroom. The tiles should not be brought to this state; it is better to take care of the surfaces constantly.
Suitable products for cleaning surfaces lined with such products can be found at any hardware store. It is better to use creamy or liquid composition. Powder products often scratch the surface of the tile.
To deal with rust and limescale, you can use chlorine-containing preparations. Among other things, chlorine disinfects the surface being treated.
When you need to wash the tiles, but you don’t have the opportunity to go to the store, try cleaning the tiles with window cleaner. Ammonia, which is included in its composition, will perfectly wash away dirt and give the surface shine.
This article will teach you how to properly lay tiles and care for the tiled surface. Following simple installation rules will help even a beginner change the interior of a bathroom, toilet or kitchen.
