Laying tiles on the floor

Publication date: 01/22/2015

Laying tiles involves several stages, first of all, laying technology tiles includes installation ceramic tiles to the surface in various rooms in order to give the room an ergonomic, decorative and comfortable appearance to the surfaces.

Tile covering

Laying tiles on walls

The topic of apartment renovation is quite painful, especially if the apartment’s residents do not have experience or practical skills in renovation. One of the components of this topic is the installation of tiles as an important link in modern renovation.

When laying ceramic tiles, one cannot be irresponsible about this issue, since tiles are important part renovations carried out in the apartment.

The resulting surface after installing the tiles must be mirror-like, smooth, without differences or inconsistencies, otherwise any defect in the laid tiles will spoil the entire picture of the work performed. When installing ceramic tiles, you need to be patient and precise - the most important criteria successful outcome of the case.

This article will describe in as much detail and accessibility as possible how to lay tiles with your own hands with minimal losses.

Before laying the tiles, you need to decide on the design of the future room. The overall picture of the room will depend on which tile you choose.

The tile should fit harmoniously into the design. It is also worth deciding how you will lay the tiles: diagonal or checkerboard, straight or square.

Before going to a hardware store to select tiles, you should decide on the direction of the tiles, texture and color structure.

Tile can be classified according to many criteria, but there are the main ones:

For installation in the bathroom, toilet or on walls, tiles with code PEI I are used;
In the bedroom and on the balcony, tiles with code PEI II are used;
In residential premises with an average impact factor, for example, in the hallway - code PEI III;
For areas of high impact factor such as stairs, kitchen, etc. – code PEI IV;
In the area of maximum impact, for example, tiles at the entrance to the room, code PEI V;

There are three types of tiles:

With rectangular edge;
With a rounded edge;
With beveled edges;

A tile with a rectangular edge is taken if there is a gap to be formed. Tiles with beveled edges - for installing tiles end-to-end and without gaps.

Laying tiles on the floor

Chemical resistance:

Not exposed chemical exposure tiles category AA;
Category A tiles are resistant to chemical attack;
Category B tiles have an average level of chemical resistance;
Category C tiles have a low level of resistance to chemicals;
Category D tiles are completely unstable to chemical attack;

After you have chosen the tile you need, you need to understand in detail the base on which the ceramic tiles will be installed.

First, you need to take care of the flat surface of the walls and floor, and you also need to align all the corners (they must be strictly perpendicular).

To level the walls, you need to use plaster (you can find a lot of dry plaster mixtures in a modern hardware store). Also, the floor needs to be leveled using “gravy”, that is, liquid flooring for screeds.

After the plaster has dried, the surface must be coated with a primer. This will ensure better adhesion to the glue. After completing these steps, you can begin marking.

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Finished floor

Before carrying out work on installing tiles, you first need to understand what types of masonry there are:

Symmetrical masonry (laid “seam to seam”);
Diagonal masonry (located at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the wall);
Offset masonry (located relative to the other with an offset of half or two-thirds);

In principle, there are a large number of masonry, including figured masonry. But first you should practice installing ceramic tiles in simple circuits and technologies.

In order for the tiles on the floor to last for a long time, it is necessary to take into account everything required parameters: load, frequency of exposure, and so on. The choice should also be made based on labeling.

Laying ceramic tiles must always start from the far corner. The markings must be made in such a way that the drawn lines are perpendicular to each other in the place where the first tile is laid.

The first tile is considered a kind of “beacon”, so laying it is quite a serious action. If the first tile is laid crookedly, then the entire tile, accordingly, will be positioned in the same way.

The adhesive solution is applied in a pyramidal manner to the back of the tile, then the tile must be pressed to the floor surface and tapped with a hammer handle or mallet. This will distribute the adhesive evenly over the entire surface and give the required level to the laid tiles.

Then you should install gap plastic crosses for laying the next tile. After the glue has completely hardened, the crosses must be removed and the seams between the tiles must be filled with grout.

IN construction stores There are many grouts, so choosing the one you need won’t be too difficult.

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Grouting joints

Grouting of joints is carried out according to the following scheme:

Stirring the grout composition according to the instructions on the manufacturer's packaging to the desired concentration;
Applying grout to the seams;
Uniform distribution of grout along the entire length with a special rubber spatula;

After the grout has completely dried, its remnants can be removed using detergent.

If you wish, you can make the gaps between the tiles wider than the standard 1-2 millimeters. In this case, you can add a little fine sand to the grout, which will make the grout more flexible and allow you to save a little grout.

Also, experts often use instead of dry grout mixtures sealant. The sealant is designed for better moisture insulation in the room. In the bathroom, it is especially recommended to use a sealant to protect the coating from moisture.

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Wall installation

It is believed that it is easier to install tiles on the walls when ceramic tiles are already laid on the floor.

The flat surface of the tiled floor is an accurate guide for laying tiles on the walls. If the floor is not laid out, but you still need to start laying tiles on the wall, then the necessary evenness can be achieved by drawing horizontal and vertical lines under the leveling strip, intersecting at right angles.

The intersection of the line should be positioned so that it coincides with the edge of the ceramic tile, which will serve as a guide.

If the floor is already tiled, then these tiles become the entry level. If not, then experts proceed as follows.

To get the desired level on the wall, they draw a line along the entire length of the wall, located from the floor at a distance equal to the height of the tile (plus a gap of a few millimeters from the floor) and attach a metal profile used when working with plasterboard, or a lath, to the wall.

The profile attached to the wall is the basis of the first row of ceramic wall tiles.

Gaps on the wall are also made using plastic cross wedges. After laying the first row, you must use the rule to check the evenness of the entire row.

Laying tiles

The slightest defects in the flat surface of the first row must be eliminated immediately, otherwise all the remaining tiles will be laid crookedly.

Experts advise checking the evenness of the surface every time after installation, otherwise, after the glue has hardened, measures to level the row will be very labor-intensive.

If you decide to lay tiles using the technique brick row, then in order to save money, use cut pieces of tiles from one row when laying tiles in another row. But the next row must also begin with a whole row.

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Bathroom installation

The bathroom is a room in which it would be the most optimal option to cover the walls and floors with ceramic tiles.

The humidity in the bathroom is constantly high, the floor is always wet. High humidity has a negative impact on the laid tiles and on your health in the form of fungi and mold.

Therefore, installing tiles in the bathroom requires a responsible and careful approach in order to avoid unpleasant moments.

Before laying tiles in the bathroom, you need to understand how smooth the presented surface is. To eliminate all surface defects, many measures must be taken.

After laying ceramic tiles on the floor and walls, it is necessary to grout the seams.

Experts point out that it would not be superfluous to lay a layer of waterproofing: after all, the bathroom is an area of high humidity.

After carrying out measures to prepare the surface of the floor and walls for laying tiles, you need to divide the surface into sections:

Direct laying areas (areas on walls and floors where tiles can be laid without difficulty);
Areas of complex installation (areas that do not allow for sequential installation - communication pipes, holes, switches);
Areas of additional inserts (areas where they will be installed in the tiled surface additional elements decor: mirrors, shelves, hangers, sinks);

In areas of direct masonry, installing ceramic tiles will not be difficult. In areas of the second category, it will take more time and effort to lay the tiles correctly and accurately.

Experts recommend marking and preparing tiles in advance in those places where laying is difficult. For example, a pipe protrudes. The tile must “encircle” the pipe; to do this, a hole of the required diameter is marked on the tile and cut with a special tool - a tile cutter.

To prepare small holes (take, for example, a hook or hanger), you need to use a special tile drill. Such a drill is called a “feather”.

Original floor design

Areas of additional inserts are areas that do not require laying tiles. But in this case it is necessary to maintain a level with the tile material. Mostly such inserts are mirrors.

To correctly insert a mirror into a tiled sheet, first mark the dimensions of the mirror on the wall (taking into account gaps of several millimeters), and only then lay the tile, starting from the established area.

Experts note that to install ceramic tiles in the bathroom, you need to use a special adhesive made for wet rooms.

During the installation of ceramic tiles, it happens that a gap of several centimeters remains between the bathtub and the tiles. To hide this gap, experts recommend making a flashing. It is mounted using the usual technique of pressing into the glue and attaching to the bottom row.

When installing ceramic tiles, it is worth considering that temperature fluctuations in the bathroom are possible, which can deform the tile.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to glue the tiles in the corners of the walls so that there remains a gap designed for expansion. Such gaps can easily be closed with trims (special corner inserts). The trims fit tightly to the tiles and hide all the gaps.

In areas where door jambs are adjacent to the floor, it is necessary to mark the tiles and cut out the marked area in advance. Alternative option This may involve sawing down the door jamb and door casing after laying ceramic tiles.

If you plan to place switches and sockets in the bathroom, then you need to mark the tiles in advance and cut out the necessary areas of the required sizes.

When the need for tile covering arises new apartment or home, or if you need to update the walls and floors in the kitchen, bathroom or hallway, the idea immediately comes to learn how to lay tiles with your own hands.

If you take care of laying the tiles, you can not only save money and, thanks to the difference in price, purchase tiles best quality, but also to gain creative freedom and be freed from the hassle of problems with installation, because sometimes the owner of a house or apartment has to either redo it, or put up with the unaesthetic appearance of his floor and walls, masking installation flaws with shelves.

Not only the variety of tiles, but also the wide selection of tools and adhesive solutions make this idea more attractive.

Even if there is no need for major repairs, tiles and brooms are just asking for concrete coverings in front of the house or in the garage.

Tile laying methods

All the variety of patterns when laying tiles on the floor or wall fits into three main ways:

Traditional method: tiles are laid parallel to the walls and floor, joint to joint. With this method, the evenness of not only the surface, but also the seams is important.

Even small deviations in the size of the tiles will require adjustments and special selection when laying.

The dressing method involves the arrangement of tiles offset in the middle of the rows, or in a special pattern, in which case tiles can be used various sizes. With this type of laying, minor deviations in the standards for the width and length of the tiles are easily masked.

Diagonal masonry is the most complex and time-consuming method, in which you need to show special skill to maintain clear perpendicular lines and geometrically adjusted connections at joints and corners.

The methods for laying tiles are shown more clearly in the photo.

Stages of laying tiles

The result of the work will largely be determined by the surface on which the tiles are laid. Before you begin the installation process itself, you need to take care of preparing the surface, which must be perfectly flat and clean.

The traditional way to obtain a flat surface for tiles is concrete screed floors and plaster walls. You can also use different modern materials, such as drywall and various mixtures for leveling floors.

Let's look at the whole process in the form of brief step-by-step instructions:

Step 1

Measurement and calculation of material. This simple step involves measuring the area to be covered with tiles and calculating the number (in pieces) of tiles needed to lay them.

Niches and corners require special attention, for the design of which you will need a design solution that is pleasing to the eye and special cutting of tiles.

Step 2

Creating a layout layout. This stage is especially recommended for beginners.

Note!

By creating an accurate drawing on paper that maintains the scale, you will be able to check your calculations and finally decide how exactly you will lay the tiles in terms of color, size and installation method.

Step 3

Surface check. When checking with a level and plumb, the differences should be no more than 2 mm. Hollows, wrinkles and pits can be smoothed out by sanding or putty.

It is also necessary to tap the surface to check the strength of the covering layer. At the final stage, you need to clean the walls and floor of oil stains, dust and sand.

Step 4

Landmarks. Depending on the chosen pattern, at this stage, approximate rows of tiles are laid out without gluing (in the center or from the middle, vertically or horizontally) from which further laying will proceed.

To maintain even horizontal and vertical lines just above the intended masonry surface, a thread is pulled approximately 5 mm. You can also prepare special slats with plumb lines that will help you check the evenness of the masonry.

To maintain the standard width of the gaps when laying tiles, homemade simple devices called crosses.

Note!

Step 5

Gluing beacons and laying. Beacon tiles are glued in the center or at the beginning of the rows and serve as a standard for determining the height and adjusting the row line. When laying tiles on the floor, you need to apply the adhesive mixture to the surface, then lay the tiles and tap them with a rubber hammer.

When covering walls, the adhesive solution is applied to the tiles; it must be leveled with putty and pressed to the surface.

Typically, floor tiles are laid from the center to the walls, and work begins from the wall opposite the door. The tiles are laid in horizontal rows from bottom to top.

Step 6

Filling (grouting) joints. It is necessary to apply a special solution in the area of the seams, and after uniformly distributing and filling the recesses, remove the excess mass.

In order to avoid stains on the tiles, especially if a matte variety of tiles was used, you need to treat the surface with a sealant before filling the joints.

Note!

A beginner in this business will need not only clear instructions, tools and materials of good quality.

When laying tiles, it never hurts to have a friend's help, and you should also find an opportunity to practice in small areas.

Photo of laying tiles with your own hands

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 should be given a 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 with wall tiles:

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 if you don't have to lay tiles on large area, 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, an even layer of grooves will remain on the surface. 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 back side tiles there are arrows that show the direction of laying; 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 tools. 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 are processed in one approach square meters. 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 mastered on 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 even 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(plasters). 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.

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Laying tiles on the floor is an excellent solution when arranging flooring in rooms exposed to increased external influences. In kitchens, bathrooms, toilets and corridors, tiled flooring has no equal in practicality, strength, wear resistance and durability.

When carrying out almost any renovation in an apartment, the question arises about purchasing finishing materials. In construction markets and stores there is a large number of goods, including various floor tiles. When choosing tiles, you need to consider a number of recommendations:

Ceramic coating on the floor must be hard and durable. It is not allowed to cover floors with wall tiles, as they do not have the required characteristics.
Increased demands are placed on the chemical resistance of tiles to aggressive environments (alkalies, salts, acids, etc.). You need to purchase coatings belonging to classes A and AA.
Abrasion resistance is an important selection criterion that directly affects the service life of the material. IN kitchen areas Floor tiles with wear resistance class 3 are laid. For corridors, class 4 is more suitable; for bathrooms, class 2 is sufficient.
Floors should be covered with non-slip tiles that have a rough or textured surface with a friction coefficient of 0.75 or more.
The tile should harmonize well with common interior premises both in color and texture.

When purchasing, you need to consider not only the beautiful appearance tile covering, but also a number of performance characteristics.

Required quantity calculator

Required tools and materials

You can lay the tiles on the floor correctly and carefully with your own hands, then you won’t have to resort to the help of master tilers and you’ll be able to save money. First of all, you need to prepare necessary tools and calculate the amount of materials.

For tiling work you will need:

rubber spatula for grouting tile joints;
trowel (trowel);
notched spatula 16-20 cm wide;
tile cutter (grinder, nippers);
pliers, sandpaper, needle file;
rubber mallet (mallet);
2 building levels: 30-40 and 60-80 cm;
plastic bath for mixing mixtures;
plastic crosses or wedges for fixing gaps between tiles;
marker, pencil, tape measure, gloves, clean rags.

Laying ceramic tiles on the floor yourself is not that difficult, you just need to follow the appropriate instructions and recommendations.

Adhesive mixtures

Available for sale big choice glue mixtures. They are available in the form of ready-made glue, packaged in large plastic buckets, as well as in the form of dry mixtures in bags or bags. Dry compounds need to be diluted with water; they can be made before installation. When preparing them, be sure to follow the attached instructions and maintain the required proportions. The advantage is the ability to dilute and turn into glue the amount of material required for installing tiles; besides, the powders are cheaper.

Flow calculator

Product	Tile adhesive UNIS 2000 / UNIS 2000 (25 kg) Tile adhesive UNIS PLUS / UNIS PLUS (25 kg) Tile adhesive UNIS XXI / UNIS XXI (25 kg) Tile adhesive RUSEAN FIXATOR (25 kg) Leveling tile adhesive OSNOVIT MASTPLIX AC12 T (T -12) (25 kg) Quick-hardening tile adhesive OSNOVIT SCORPLIKS T-15 (25 kg) Tile adhesive OSNOVIT STARPLIX AC11 (T-11) (25 kg) White tile adhesive with enhanced fixation OSNOVIT BELPLIX AC17 W (T-17) (25 kg ) Gray tile adhesive with enhanced fixation OSNOVIT MAXIPLIX AC16 (T-16) (25 kg) Tile adhesive OSNOVIT BAZPLIX T-10 (25 kg) Elastic tile adhesive OSNOVIT GRANIPLIKS AC14 (T-14) (25 kg) Effective tile adhesive OSNOVIT MASTPLIX AC12 (T-12) gray (25 kg) Plaster-adhesive mixture OSNOVIT KAVERPLIX TS117 (T-117) (25 kg) Tile adhesive ECO Basic (25 kg) Adhesive for tiles and porcelain tiles VETONIT EASY FIX / VETONIT EASY FIX (25 kg) Adhesive for tiles and porcelain stoneware VETONIT PROFI PLUS (25 kg) Adhesive for indoor tile work VETONIT OPTIMA (25 kg) Tile adhesive LITOKOL K17 / LITOKOL K17 porcelain stoneware (25 kg) Tile adhesive LITOKOL K47 / LITOKOL K47 (25 kg) Tile adhesive LITOKOL LITOFLEX K80 / LITOKOL LITOFLEX K80 facade (25 kg) Tile adhesive LITOKOL LITOFLEX K81 / LITOKOL LITOFLEX K81 (25 kg) Tile adhesive LITOKOL LITOFLOOR K66 / LITOKOL LITOFLOOR K66 for thick-layer porcelain stoneware (25 kg) Slab adhesive face-to-face LITOKOL LITOPLUS K55 / LITOKOL LITOPLUS K55 white (25 kg) Tile adhesive LITOKOL LITOSTONE K98 / LITOKOL LITOSTONE K98 (25 kg) Tile adhesive LITOKOL LITOSTONE K99 / LITOKOL LITOSTONE K99 white ultra-fast setting (25 kg) Tile adhesive LITOKOL SUPERFLEX K77 / LITOKOL SUPERFLEX K77 for large-format heated floors (25 kg) Tile adhesive LITOKOL X11 / LITOKOL X11 for swimming pools (25 kg) Tile adhesive IVSIL TERMIX / IVSIL TERMIX (25 kg) Tile adhesive VOLMA CERAMIC PLUS (25 kg) Glue for white marble. glass and mosaics PERFEKTA / PERFECTA HARDFIX WHITE (25 kg) Adhesive for ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles PERFEKTA / PERFECTA SMARTFIX (25 kg) Adhesive for ceramic tiles and laying porcelain tiles on the floor PERFEKTA / PERFECTA STARTFIX (25 kg) Adhesive for ceramic tiles. porcelain tiles and stone PERFEKTA / PERFECTA SMARTFIX PLUS (25 kg) Adhesive for ceramic tiles. porcelain tiles and natural stone PERFEKTA / PERFECTA MULTIFIX (25 kg) Adhesive for ceramic tiles. porcelain tiles and natural stone PERFEKTA / PERFECTA MULTIFIX WINTER (25 kg) Adhesive for porcelain tiles. natural stone and clinker tiles PERFEKTA / PERFECTA HARDFIX (25 kg) Adhesive for porcelain tiles. natural stone and clinker tiles PERFEKTA / PERFECTA HARDFIX WINTER (25 kg) Glass adhesive. Mosaic and Stone Perfekta / Perfect multifix white (25 kg) Mounting glue for thermal insulation of Perfekta / Perfect ecotek (25 kg) Glue enhanced for ceramic border and ceramic tiles of Perfecta / Perfect Holder (25 kg) Elastic glue for natural stone and porcelab LINE ECOFLEX (25 kg) Adhesive for all types of tiles on complex substrates BERGAUF Maximum (25 kg) Adhesive for ceramic tiles BERGAUF Keramik (25 kg) Adhesive for large-format and heavy slabs BERGAUF Granit (25 kg) ) Adhesive for expanded polystyrene mineral wool and reinforcing layer BERGAUF Isofix / BERGAUF Isofix (25 kg) White cement adhesive for transparent tiles and mosaics BERGAUF Mosaik (25 kg) Reinforced adhesive for ceramic tiles BERGAUF Keramik Pro / BERGAUF Keramik Pro (25 kg )
Surface area m2
Layer thickness, mm.

You can lay tiles on the floor using simple cement-sand mortar. The use of such a composition allows you to eliminate minor floor defects (unevenness, bumps, depressions, etc.) during the installation process. To Work with cement composition more difficult, but with some skill the quality of the masonry will be no worse, and the cost will be significantly lower. The best option considered a combination of sand, adhesive powder and quality cement. This composition is economical, reliable and easy to use.

Grout

Grout for joints between tiles (fugue) is a special composition that fills the remaining voids between laid tiles. She can be the most different colors. Tiled floors with contrasting grout look bright and unusual. The grout composition, similar in tone to the tile, creates the effect of monolithicity of the entire coating. The seam width varies from 2 to 20 mm.

Flow calculator

Solutions density coefficients:
The data in the list is approximate, so please check these coefficients with the manufacturers. The average indicator is automatically indicated in our calculator.
Kerakoll Fugalite Eco - 1.55
Kesto Kiilto - 1.6
Litokol Litochrom - 1.9
Litokol Litochrom Luxury - 1.9
Litokol Starlike - 1.55
Mapei Ultracolor Plus - 1.6
Mapei Kerapoxy Design - 1.6

Cement and epoxy grouts are used in residential premises. For industrial facilities A special grout based on furan resins is used.

How to lay floor tiles?

It is possible to lay tiles in a high-quality manner only if all stages of the existing proven technology are exactly met. If you follow the step-by-step instructions, the laying process will be quick and easy. Before starting work, preparatory measures need to be carried out.

The tile fits well different reasons: on wooden and self-leveling floors, on concrete, as well as on a substrate made of OSB or plywood. But they all require some preparation before facing.

Preparatory work before cladding

Laying floor tiles with your own hands should only be done after preparatory work has been carried out. Furniture, plumbing fixtures, baseboards and all things are removed from the premises. The room should be empty. If necessary, the old covering (tiles, boards, linoleum, laminate, etc.) is dismantled. Before laying a tiled floor, you need to remove debris, dirt and dust.

Preparing the base for finishing

Floor tiles should be glued onto a well-prepared surface, since the final quality of the work and the appearance of the laid coating directly depend on this. The surface of the base must be perfectly flat. Deviations from the horizontal cannot exceed 3 mm per 1 m, otherwise a leveling screed will have to be performed.

The concrete floor is carefully inspected for defects (sagging, bumps, cracks, chips, etc.). The protruding parts are cut off with a grinder or knocked down with a chisel, and all cavities and cracks are filled cement mortar.

In rooms with increased level humidity (bathroom) must be done before installation coating waterproofing bitumen mastic. Then a concrete screed is performed. It is done along the beacons with building cement mortar or using a self-leveling mixture (self-leveling floor). The dried screed is primed to improve the adhesion of the tile adhesive to the subfloor.

Wooden floors are prepared a little differently. First, the boards are thickly covered oil paint, then a layer of waterproofing is laid. The final stage of preparation will be pouring cement screed, which is performed after installing the reinforcing mesh. The base for the tiles can be made of moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of 12 mm. Sheets of plywood are attached to the floor joists with screws or nails. In this case, the organization of a leveling concrete layer will not be necessary.

After preparing the surface, it is recommended to pre-lay out the floor. To do this, tiles are laid without using mortar. This procedure allows you to detect possible flaws in time (discrepancy in the pattern, lack of tiles, etc.).

Making the markings

It is extremely important to correctly mark the surface so that the coating lies evenly and neatly over the entire area.

The most commonly used methods for laying floor tiles are:

Installation of ceramic cladding begins from the farthest corner. In this case, you need to gradually move towards the doorway. This option is considered the simplest and fastest, so it is often used by amateurs or beginner, inexperienced tilers. The masonry technique is suitable for rooms with small area or with complex geometric shape(presence of bevels, protrusions, niches, etc.).
More difficult option is laying from the center of the room to the walls. Most often used for covering surfaces in large spaces. Laying rectangular tiles begins from the central point determined when marking the floor. Draw 2 lines coming from the middles of the opposite walls; they divide the area into 4 rectangles. Any of the central angles is taken as the starting point. The tile material laid using this method will have to be trimmed around the entire perimeter. This work is carried out with some experience.

There are the following tile laying schemes:

Seam to seam. The easiest, simplest and most understandable method. The tiles are laid sequentially in straight rows one after another. The rows run parallel to the walls of the room. There are identical seams between them. Most often used for large-sized ceramics.
Diagonally. The rows of cladding are laid out at an angle of 45° to the walls, and not parallel. This one is more complex circuit allows you to visually mask the unevenness of the base. The consumption of tiles is higher because you have to cut them diagonally a lot. But the room looks more spacious and attractive.
Take a running start. The coating laid out according to this scheme looks like brickwork when the seam lines at the joints do not match. Each subsequent row is shifted by half a fragment.

There are more complicated types of tile laying:

herringbone;
network;
loft;
labyrinth;
carpet;
parquet.

With any type of installation, the coating must look aesthetically pleasing, so it is important to place the tile material so that the tiles are solid in the most visible places. All cut pieces should be hidden in less visible areas of the room or under furniture and plumbing fixtures.

Laying it down

Experienced tilers recommend following the rule: lay the tiles on the floor when the room temperature is about +20°C and the humidity level is not lower than 60%. Otherwise, the drying process may take a long time. First you need to prepare the adhesive composition. The dry mixture is diluted with water in the proportions indicated on the package. You can use ready-made glue. You need to decide in advance where to start laying the floor.

All options for laying floor tiles include next technology carrying out work:

Glue is applied to the selected location. Don't grab too much large area, about 1 m² is enough. It is necessary to ensure that there are no voids left that are not covered with a layer of glue.
The mixture is applied to the back of the tile with a trowel and evenly distributed over it with a notched trowel.
The ceramic product is turned over and gently pressed to the floor in the right place. Use a level to check that the laying is horizontal; if necessary, the corners of the tiles are lightly tapped with a rubber hammer. Excess glue is immediately removed.
According to the figure, the following elements are laid out. All tiles should be located on the same level, without height differences. This is controlled by a rule, ruler or building level. Sometimes it is advised to use a nylon thread stretched strictly horizontally.

The protruding parts are carefully pressed down with a mallet. If the corner has dropped below general level, then the tile is removed and under it in Right place glue is added.
Plastic stops are immediately inserted between adjacent products so that the seams are the same. After 24 hours, the crosses must be removed.

We rub the seams

After complete polymerization and drying of the adhesive composition, the joints are grouted at the joints of the tiles. The mixture is pressed into the space between the tiled elements using rubber spatula which does not leave scratches. Excess fugue is immediately removed. The gaps near the walls are not filled with grout. After about half an hour, when the grout has dried a little, wipe the tiles with a wet sponge to remove small residues.

When laying tiles on the floor with your own hands, you need to pay attention to the center lines of the window in the room, because sun rays The discrepancy between the tile seams is clearly visible. It looks unaesthetic and is very noticeable. If after placing the last tile in the row there remains a gap of 1-2 cm, then it is better to trim the first and last product, and move the entire row a little. This eliminates the need to cut too narrow strips.

If the quality masonry work not too high, then it is preferable to grout the seams to match the tiled covering, since dark stripes will only highlight the imperfections. It is not recommended for inexperienced tilers to use epoxy compounds, because such grouts require extremely careful and careful application. It is then quite difficult to remove excess composition from the surface of the tile.

Laying tiles yourself is not an easy task, and therefore many people trust it to professionals. But such a solution is quite expensive, and therefore doing the work yourself is far from uncommon. This is exactly what helps step by step installation tiles

An important factor in in this case there is strict adherence to work technology. In total, the entire process can be divided into 7 stages. More specifically, laying ceramic tiles on the floor is carried out in the following sequence:

First of all, materials are calculated, purchased and tools are prepared.
Next, you need to prepare the surface; in this case, the base is leveled and primed.
The next step is marking, which involves rough laying out the tiles and making marks, in some cases, support stops.
The next step begins laying, in particular the first row.
Next, the entire area is laid with solid tiles.
The next step is cutting the tiles and laying them.
And finally the joints are grouted.

Thus, for correct execution laying tiles on the floor with your own hands detailed instructions simply necessary. And then we will look in more detail at each of the stages of work.

Preparation of tools and materials

If you are laying tiles yourself, you will need the following tool:

Master OK.
Several spatulas, in particular, serrated, regular and rubber.
You should also arm yourself with several levels, small, up to 50 centimeters in size, and medium, up to 1 meter.
Next up is a rubber mallet.
One more necessary tool becomes a grinder or, since in most cases it is simply necessary to cut tiles. Here it can also be noted additional accessories such as wire cutters, sandpaper and needle files.
And the last device will be a container for glue mixture.

We've sorted out the tools, now we should pay attention to the materials, or more precisely to their calculation and purchase.

In particular for correct calculation It is not enough to simply measure the surface area; factors such as:

Tile size.
Thickness of the adhesive mixture layer.
Tile type.
Base material.
Presence of obstacles.

All these factors simply need to be taken into account. In addition, if it is necessary to cut tiles, you should also pay attention to the size of the pieces. Because if they are more than half the size of the tile, then for one such row you will need to purchase twice as many tiles.

Usually, when making calculations, 10-15% is added to the resulting number, which is mostly enough to cover cutting costs, as well as cases of defects (damage to tiles, incorrect cutting, etc.).

Speaking of the adhesive mixture, here the calculation is carried out based on the type of tile, the type of the mixture itself, the size, and the required layer thickness, which is usually indicated on the packaging.

For calculation required quantity grout and glue, you can use the calculators on our website:

This issue has been sorted out, now you can move directly to the technological process.

Preparing the surface for installation

The first issue is preparing the foundation. It is very important to ensure that the surface is as smooth as possible, otherwise ideal installation will not work. The main mistake is the myth that a slightly larger layer of glue can hide unevenness, which is not true. High-quality installation is only possible on a flat base, and nothing else.

Before laying, it is first necessary to dismantle the old coating, if any, down to the very base. The next step is to form and.

The method of leveling the floor does not play a role here. This could be either the installation of a “warm floor” system, etc. The main factor is full compliance with the technology of work.

Also, all thresholds, baseboards and other obstacles that may interfere with laying the tiles flush against the wall must be dismantled.

In some cases, it is possible to lay tiles on the floor without dismantling the old covering (in particular, provided that it is also tile).

Surface marking

And the next step is marking the floor surface, which is especially important when laying uneven tiles. It is carried out as follows:

Mark the straight line of the first row of tiles. Since the installation is carried out starting from the far corner of the room, the markings are accordingly done as well.
Next, markings for the location of the material are made. In cases where tiles are laid without seams with a pattern, a complete drawing of the arrangement of elements is necessary.
An important factor is the placement at the entrance; in this case, the marking should be carried out in such a way that solid fragments lie at the door; accordingly, it may be necessary to make an indentation from the far wall.
An important factor when marking is taking into account which also plays a role.
You can also pre-lay out the tiles on the surface for more accurate marking.

Laying tiles diagonally

Beginning of laying and filling the area with solid fragments.

After the markings are completed, you can begin laying ceramic tiles with your own hands. To begin with, we will directly analyze the arrangement of the first row and the further laying of solid fragments, after which we will move on to cutting and final laying.

So, let's look at how tiles are laid, step-by-step instruction in this case it will be the best helper:

First of all, you need to prepare the adhesive mixture. There shouldn't be any difficulties here. We do everything according to the instructions on the package. In this case, the amount of kneading should not exceed that required for an area measuring 1 square meter.
Now, armed with a notched trowel, apply a layer of glue to the floor surface. For greater reliability, you can also apply a layer to the tile itself; in this case, the grooves of the mixture on the surfaces should be perpendicular to each other.
We place the first tile on the glue, and then press it down, lowering it to the required level. Next, you need to level it to an ideal horizontal position, which is checked using a building level.
For leveling, a rubber hammer is used, with the help of which, with light tapping, the tile is pressed more tightly to the surface.
It is important to do everything quickly and carefully. After installation, it is highly undesirable to remove the tiles from the surface.
So, the first tile is laid and leveled. Now you can start laying the next ones.
In the same way as in the first case, glue is applied and the tiles are laid on the floor. Next, alignment is carried out at the level of the first element. If necessary, you can add a little glue.
After the final shrinkage of the tiles, the excess mixture is removed.
It is important not to forget about or special ones to form identical seams over the entire surface.
It should be placed either in the corners, at the intersection, or with an indentation of 2-3 centimeters from the edge of the tile.
All gaps between the tiles should be immediately cleaned of excess adhesive, since once it dries, cleaning will be almost impossible.
Large tiles are laid in the same way.
Next, the base area is completely covered with whole fragments.

At this point, this phase is completed, and you can move on. Before that, you need to let the glue set and harden to such an extent that you can walk on the coating. It is advisable to leave the masonry for a day, and then continue working.

Cutting tiles and laying the remaining fragments

The next step is to cut the missing pieces of the coating. Several tools can be used to cut tiles, depending on the type and thickness of the tile. In some cases, it is permissible to use a glass cutter, in others you can only cope with it using a grinder. And for porcelain tiles you will need already.

Having chosen a tool, you must first take all the necessary measurements and make marks on the tile. All marks are drawn from the back. Having marked the tiles, you can start cutting. Since the process is quite dusty, it is advisable to carry it out outdoors.

If it is necessary to cut uneven fragments, for example, arched ones, use a machine with a diamond wheel or a special tile cutter-nippers.

The cutting process itself is carried out as follows:

The tile must be firmly fixed so that it does not wobble or vibrate when cutting.
After which, following the applied marks, cutting is performed.

In the case of using a special tile cutter, it includes a special platform for fixation and limiters, with the help of which you can indicate the direction of cutting.

Grouting tiles

And the last stage is grouting the joints. It cannot be carried out only in the case of seamless laying of tiles.

To start, you need to wait until the adhesive mixture has completely dried, and then completely remove crosses and other crosses from the surface. auxiliary materials, if any were used.

Before we begin, we thoroughly clean the surface, which can be done with a vacuum cleaner, and then proceed. The process itself is carried out as follows:

We glue the edges of the tiles masking tape. This is done if the tiles are matte and the pores are large and to avoid contamination and reduce the amount of work required to clean the tiles when using epoxy grout.
The next step is to dilute the grout and apply it using a rubber spatula.
Movements are performed perpendicular to the seam, with pressure in order to completely fill the seam with the composition.
After which the excess mortar is removed, the seam at the same time is slightly deepened and leveled.
After complete drying, the tape is removed and the surface of the tile is wiped with a damp sponge.