How to lay bathroom tiles on drywall. Laying tiles on drywall in the bathroom

Wall cladding with tiles is a rather laborious process, and most often the main problems are created by irregularities on the surfaces to be finished. In order for the tiled masonry to be neat, the walls under it must be properly prepared, leveled, and this is something that not every home craftsman can do. Often it is this circumstance that forces us to invite a professional master, to pay him considerable sums.

Nevertheless, there is a way out. Tiles on drywall in the bathroom are ideal for those who have no experience in facing work, since the walls after leveling with sheets of material will delight both evenness and smoothness. Ideal "field of activity" for further tiling! If, of course, you know how ...

Drywall and its benefits

What drywall should you use and why?

To begin with, it makes sense to say a few words about drywall, since some owners of houses or apartments are simply afraid to use it in rooms with high humidity. Fears are caused by mistrust of its strength characteristics and durability.

Drywall (or gypsum plasterboard) in another way is sometimes called dry plaster. Several varieties of this material are produced, differing from each other in their inherent resistance to certain conditions of future operation.

We are talking about a bathroom, that is, a room with high humidity and a high probability of direct ingress of water on the finished surfaces. And for such operating conditions, in order for the finish to last as long as possible without loss of strength and decorativeness, you should choose a moisture-resistant drywall. It is easy to distinguish it by the special greenish shade of the sheets, and the marking indicates its purpose: GLKV - moisture resistant gypsum plasterboard.

The advantages of this material include the following features:

• The material, as the name implies, is resistant to high humidity and fumes, which are inevitable for a bathroom.
• Moisture-resistant drywall is highly durable compared to other varieties of this material.
• GKLV is resistant to the emergence and development of mold.
• The material is easy to cut - for this operation you only need a sharp construction knife and a ruler. Even an inexperienced master can cope with cutting sheets.
• The surface sheathed with plasterboard can be finished with almost any decorative materials - pasted over with moisture-proof wallpaper, lined with ceramic tiles or plastic panels.
• Competently, reliably mounted and tiled with ceramic tiles, drywall used to level the walls in the bathroom will last for more than a dozen years.

All these qualities are acquired by moisture-resistant drywall only if all the requirements of GOST are met during its manufacture. Therefore, you should not purchase materials whose origin is in doubt. GKLV sheets, produced at the factory, undergo the necessary processing with special antifungal impregnations, due to which this type of wall cladding will not become a favorable environment for the formation and development of mold.

GKLV is a "breathing" material. In general, gypsum has a very interesting and useful quality - to absorb and give back excess air humidity. Therefore, in rooms where the walls are finished with gypsum plasterboard, a microclimate favorable for humans is constantly maintained.

Plasterboard is suitable for both wall and ceiling surfaces, which makes the work much easier compared to leveling with conventional "wet" plaster.

The sizes of plasterboard sheets can be different. However, the most popular and used option is GKLV format 2500 × 1200 × 12.5 mm, since it is convenient for both cutting and installation with whole sheets.

Installation of drywall in the bathroom

A few words should be said about the installation of sheets on the surface of the walls. So, there are two main methods of covering rooms with drywall - fixing with self-tapping screws on a pre-prepared frame, and gluing directly to the wall.

• The first option is more labor-intensive and, moreover, is very often not quite suitable for a bathroom with a small area. The problem is that the frame, together with drywall, reduces the size of the room in length and width, and sometimes by 100 ÷ 150mm, which is a lot on the scale of an already cramped bathroom.

In addition, in this case, unwanted space is formed between the drywall and the main walls. If moisture gets into it for any reason, then the formation of mold on the capital surfaces is inevitable. To avoid this trouble, you will have to make high-quality insulation and processing of the walls before moving on to plastering them with plasterboard.

• The second method is more acceptable for craftsmen with little construction experience, since its implementation is much easier and does not take as much time as the frame version. An important condition for its use is the relative evenness of the walls, which should be checked with a building level before starting work.

We will not go into the details of the technology for cladding the walls of the gypsum board in this article. This is a slightly different topic, especially since it has already received coverage on the pages of the portal.

How to level the wall yourself with plasterboard?

The result is fast, inexpensive and of high quality. The main thing is to understand the technology and strictly follow the recommendations of experienced craftsmen. About how it is carried out correctly - read in a special publication of our portal.

Facing the plasterboard wall surface with ceramic tiles

Materials for cladding drywall tiles

To ensure high-quality work and the reliability of the wall cladding of the bathroom with ceramic tiles, you should take care of purchasing high-quality materials. This also applies to the tile itself, and the glue for it, and everything necessary to prepare the drywall surface.

Let's take a look at a diagram of how tiled cladding in a bathroom might look roughly.

1. Base of the floor.
2. Plasterboard fixed to the walls.
3. Priming coat.
4. Sealing waterproofing tape for gluing in corner joints of surfaces.
5. Waterproofing layer.
6. Sealing waterproofing pads, glued in the places where the pipes exit from the wall for connecting plumbing fixtures and in the places of the through passage
7. Tile adhesive.
8. Facing tiles.
9. Grouting joints between tiles.
10. Sealant for corner joints of veneered surfaces.

So, first of all, ceramic tiles are needed for cladding. Its amount depends both on the size of the bathroom and on the planned design option. It means that even on the walls, several different models can be used, and this is without taking into account the dividing frieze or other decorative details.

Perhaps the online calculator below will help you calculate the required amount of ceramic tiles.

It is quite easy to use, allows you to separately calculate the number of tiles for the walls and for the floor in the bathroom. We hope the user will be able to easily understand the application interface - everything should be intuitive there.

The most time-consuming and costly moment when decorating a bathroom with tiles is leveling, preparing the walls. Laying ceramic tiles requires a perfectly flat surface, otherwise the result is unlikely to satisfy the owners. To reduce the time and money spent on the preparatory stage, tiles are laid on drywall in the bathroom. This article will help you choose the right materials, prepare the necessary tool, and tell you how to perform the installation yourself.

Drywall properties

Gypsum fiber sheet, hereinafter we will call it abbreviated as GVL, a modern building material, it consists of gypsum and cellulose fiber and special additives. During the production process, the ingredients are mixed and compressed to obtain even, durable sheets. This material is characterized by the following properties:

1. It has a perfectly flat surface that does not need to be further leveled before finishing;
2. High degree of strength. Even such heavy materials as ceramic tiles are mounted on drywall;
3. Plasticity that matches the level of wood. That is, the hammered nail will be reliably held in drywall, without crumbling the material.

However, in the bathroom, you can only use certain brands of drywall, which contains special substances that give moisture-proof properties.

Therefore, when purchasing materials, pay attention to the marking:

Installation of GVLV on the wall

Before gluing ceramic tiles to the wall, you need to fix the sheets of moisture-resistant drywall. It is carried out in the following order:

Some master finishers advise fixing two layers of drywall to ensure greater reliability when installing ceramic tiles, which increases the cost of repairs by 1.5-2 times.

Selection and preparation of glue

Laying tiles on drywall is carried out using a special adhesive, which must ensure reliable fixation. The glue that is suitable for working with GVL can fall into one of three categories:

• Liquid Nails. This is a glue that is packed in plastic containers with a special tip, with which it is convenient to apply the composition over the tile. It is convenient to use liquid nails if you need to glue 1-2 tiles; application on the entire surface of the walls is impractical due to the high cost and high consumption;
• Elastic tile adhesive. It is most convenient to glue tiles with it, it does not dry out for a relatively long time, it has a thick, plastic consistency, which allows you to correct the position of the tile during installation. This is the glue that professional tilers use. Despite the rather high price, this is the best option for inexperienced craftsmen who have to lay tiles with their own hands;
• Cement mortar. This glue is the cheapest, it fixes the tile reliably enough. However, it is inconvenient to work with the solution without experience.

Note! Before laying, the adhesive must be prepared by mixing the dry mixture with water with a drill with a special nozzle in the proportion recommended by the manufacturer, its consistency should be viscous, thick, easy to apply.

Preparation for styling

Before starting to glue the tiles, retreating the height of one tile element, fix the metal strip, adjusted to the building level. This lath will help keep the tiles flat. Once this row has been laid, the plank can be removed, then the bottom row can be glued on. If you do not have the staff at hand, you can draw a horizontal line, the location of which is also checked with a level. To understand where to start gluing, carry out a simple calculation:

1. Measure the length of the wall where you plan to install the tiles;
2. Measure the length of one tile;
3. Divide the length by the length of the tile, it is unlikely that you will be able to do this completely. Remember this number.

It's important to know! If the remainder of the division is more than half of the tile, then you need to start laying from the edge of the row that is more noticeable, and if the remainder is more than half, from the middle of the row, so that it turns out symmetrical.

Before starting work, you can soak the tiles in water for 10-20 minutes, this measure increases the adsorption of the adhesive.

Installation of tiles

In general, the process of installing tiles on drywall is exactly the same as in other rooms, on a different surface. Before starting work, make sure you have all the necessary tools at hand. The technology for laying ceramic tiles on cardboard is as follows:

As you can see, sticking ceramic tiles on drywall is no more difficult than when working with any other surface, so this task can be done with your own hands.

Video instruction

Is moisture resistant drywall used in the bathroom, what are its sizes and varieties? Installation of gypsum plasterboard in the bathroom, as well as the rules for caring for the wall after finishing - further in the article.

Plasterboard wall in a humid environment

Drywall is a versatile building material.

Many interior items are made from it, and also used to hide pipes and communications, align walls and ceilings.

A plasterboard wall in a bathroom will be flat, practical and durable under certain conditions. Compliance with them is mandatory.

Is it possible to use drywall in the bathroom

Drywall is produced in various types. It is distinctive in size, thickness, accessories. There are 3 common and commonly used types:

1. Plain gray gypsum board. The leaf size reaches a maximum of 4.8 m, its width is 1.2 m, and its thickness is from 8 to 24 mm. Can be used as dry plaster for leveling walls, ceilings, creating niches and other objects.
2. Green moisture resistant gypsum plasterboard. Drywall sheets are treated with moisture-proof products. They are used to create niches, align walls, ceilings, and produce boxes for pipes in wet rooms. These are bathrooms, toilet, balcony, attic.
3. Fire-resistant GKLO - drywall that does not burn. Used to decorate fireplaces and walls near stoves. It is also used in rooms with increased fire hazard.

In the bathroom, you need to use gypsum plasterboard. Correctly done installation will allow you to maintain a neat appearance for 15-20 years. Tiles are laid on drywall, covered with paint. Shelves and drawers for bath accessories can be hung on the wall made of gypsum plasterboard.

Which drywall to choose

To level the walls in the bathroom, 2 types of drywall are used:

1. GKLV - green. Sheet thickness 12.5 mm. Height and width depend on the manufacturer. This type is used for leveling walls, hiding pipes, creating a false ceiling.
2. Fire and moisture resistant GKLVO. This type is produced by Knauf. It has the property of both resisting moisture and not burning. It is also used for leveling walls and ceilings. In those places where there is a danger of fire in the wiring (old) or in a private house the wall is a rough stove, then we will apply this type.

It is impossible to use gray gypsum plasterboard in the bathroom. Soon it will swell and deform. The finish will become unusable. The likelihood of a fungus is high.

Under the tiles

Moisture-resistant gypsum board sheets are chosen under the tiles on the floor in the bathroom. It is more dense, durable. For walls, sheets with a thickness of 12.5mm are suitable. There are nuances here:

1. GKLV cannot be glued in the bathroom. They are mounted on a metal frame. The frame base is made with transverse horizontal profiles. This comes as a reinforcement of the backing that can support the weight of the tiles and the adhesive.
2. It is imperative to reinforce the joints. To do this, use a reinforcing tape and putty for joints. The putty should be moisture resistant. Let's say Knauf "Uniflot" is universal, "Fugen" is moisture resistant.
3. All metal elements - profiles, fasteners, connectors must be galvanized or coated with an anti-corrosion compound.
4. Before creating the frame, the rough base is treated with a hydro-barrier.

If you do not follow these rules, moisture will get on the rough base, the fungus will begin to multiply. The topcoat will become unusable.

For painting

Green drywall is chosen for painting in the bathroom. Installation is carried out on a frame base. The sequence of work will make it possible to make high-quality repairs with a shelf life of up to 15 years.

Several rules must be followed to ensure the duration of the repair:

1. Drywall and its components must be of the same company.
2. It is imperative to cover the rough surface with a hydro-barrier before creating the frame.
3. All joints are reinforced. All fasteners are covered with a moisture-resistant joint filler.

Prior to painting, coat the surface with a wet room primer. This will protect against moisture and give a beautiful appearance to further finishing.

For alignment on the frame

To level the walls with moisture-resistant plasterboard, you need to create a frame base. But before that, carry out work with a rough base. The entire surface is dried. After that, cover with waterproofing material and allow to dry.

The frame base is made of galvanized profiles. And also it is necessary to install necessarily transverse strips, which will give strength and rigidity to the entire structure.

Fasteners must be treated with an anti-corrosion agent. They are mostly sold in black.

Drywall is fixed with a chamfer and gaps of 2-3 mm. The joints are covered with a reinforcing tape with a moisture-resistant filler. Also cover the places of fasteners.

You cannot fix drywall sheets with glue in the bathroom. This will shorten the service life.

What thickness of gypsum board should be

Moisture-resistant drywall, like other types, is produced in various thicknesses. To level the walls, choose sheets with a thickness of 12.5 mm. Thin gypsum plasterboard is used to create suspended ceilings, arches, decorative elements (shelves, niches). Thicker GK sheets are used for the floor.

How to sheathe

The wall is leveled with plasterboard, which is fixed to a frame made of galvanized profiles. To do this, perform a strict phased work:

1. The surface must be prepared. Dry, clean, cover with waterproofing material.
2. After that, accurate measurements are made to calculate the number of required elements.
3. The next step is markup. To do this, use a laser level, plumb lines, an upholstery cord or a marker. It is important to monitor the evenness of the intended stripes.
4. Profiles are fixed according to the markup. The guides are attached to the floor and ceiling with dowel-nails. Suspensions are attached to the wall according to the markings in increments of 40 cm. The rack-mount profile PS (CW) is fixed on them.
5. Between the rack profiles horizontally, with a pitch of 40 cm, transverse are fixed. They are cut from the rack-mount profile. Crabs are used for fixation.

Each attached element must be checked with a level for evenness.

1. The entire frame is tested for strength and rigidity.
2. Plasterboard sheets are fixed on a metal base. First, whole, and then close the remaining windows. The sheets must be fastened in a staggered manner so that the horizontal joints do not coincide.
3. After the plasterboard wall is covered with a primer and allowed to dry.
4. The joints are reinforced, the fasteners are covered with a putty for joints.
5. Further, the entire surface must be putty and once again covered with a primer.

The wall is ready for finishing. If everything is done correctly, the surface will be flat, solid, capable of withstanding a certain load.

Care

The plasterboard wall does not require much maintenance.

A tiled wall should be wiped away from water droplets and should not be allowed to collect on the floor. Acid-free detergents can be used as they will corrode the grout between the tiles.

If the wall is painted, water should be avoided. Otherwise, wipe it off immediately. Do not use acid and alkali detergents.

A moisture-resistant green plasterboard is installed in the bathroom. It is fixed on a frame base made of galvanized profiles and the frameless method is not used.

Correctly done installation of the lathing and gypsum plasterboard will make it possible to cover the wall with tiles, hang shelves or drawers for bath accessories on it.

Useful video

The use of drywall in construction makes it possible greatly simplify the solution of most problems in the field of repair... This also applies to laying tiles on drywall in the bathroom. Tiles on such material are placed without additional manipulation, in the form of alignment. Its surface has excellent adhesion, which allows the tiles to be firmly and securely attached to it.

Pros and cons of tiles

Laying tiles on this material has a huge number of positive aspects, as it is the most versatile finishing material. The main ones are:

• No need to align walls, due to the initially flat surface;
• Possibility to put an additional layer of insulation under the surface of the drywall;
• Easy to obtain material of the correct size and shape, for installation in corners or at joints;
• Very simple tiling process, which can be carried out even by a person who does not have construction experience;
• Minimal waste of time for all events.

The main and, probably, the only disadvantage of laying tiles on drywall is reduction in area premises due to the lathing.

Finishing features

The drywall itself in the bathroom must be mounted exclusively for metal profiles... The fact is that if wooden planks are installed, they will rot over time, a fungus will form on them, and as a result, a complete re-laying of the entire surface will be required. So that the material itself is protected from moisture, the edges of the gypsum board need to be smeared with mastic... Also, you can make a membrane from a thin layer of waterproofing.

For use in the bathroom, try to choose slabs that have a special hydrophobic impregnation. Otherwise, you can get the material swelling from moisture getting on it and falling off the tiles that will be on it.

Of course, any type of finish can be applied to the surface of drywall, but it is tile is the best option for rooms with high humidity... But due to the porous structure of the material, before installing the plates, you need to treat the surface with a primer. It must have a function to penetrate deep into the opening of the pore and have antifungal properties. It can be applied either with a regular brush or with a universal roller.

Adhesive selection

Apart from its basic properties, glue must be extremely elastic... This is necessary so that during the deformation of drywall and boards, it can withstand the resulting stress. Otherwise, the materials will crack and peel off. In total, when laying tiles in the bathroom, several types of glue are used, such as:

Drywall surface preparation

Before laying the tiles, using ordinary PVA glue, you need to put on drywall sheets plaster mesh made of polypropylene. Despite the brand or manufacturer, the gypsum board must be treated with a primer. This will increase the strength of the fixing of the tile to the surface. The mixture is applied using a notched trowel. Need to apply multiple layers, each of which is allowed to dry for at least an hour.

Gluing tiles on the surface of the gypsum board

To carry out this type of work, you will need the following tools:

• several spatulas, some should be with a flat surface, and the second with a ribbed;
• building mixer or a drill with a suitable attachment;
• tile cutter;
• the container in which the glue solution will be located;
• building level;
• plastic crosses that will be placed on the seams.

The entire technology of laying tiles on drywall is divided into several stages:

Initially held counting the number of resulting rows of tiles horizontally... To do this, taking into account the gaps, roughly divide the wall by the width of the tiles to be installed. In the case when, when dividing, the remainder of the space is less than half of the length of one tile, installation must be carried out starting from the center... If it is more than 1/2 of the tile, then it is worth starting to fix the tile from the more visible side. This will make sure that the divided tile is in the least accessible place for the eyes;

Further stir the glue solution in a small container. This procedure must be carried out in accordance with the instructions from the manufacturer. It is not necessary to cook a large amount at once so that it does not freeze. For one preparation you need prepare the composition for about 1 square meter... Using a drill or a construction mixer, we prepare the glue so that its consistency is similar to sour cream. Before you start laying the tiles, below you need attach the rail which will be the same width as the tile. Fastening must be done with dowels, I control the level, the correctness of its position;

Tile installation will start from the second row or from the center, or from one of the sides. The mortar is applied to the tile from the back side, no more than 1 cm thick. This can be done using a prepared notched trowel with the height of the teeth of the appropriate size. After fixing the first tile, first a vertical, then a horizontal row is made. Each seam formed between the tiles is sealed with mortar and special plastic crosses are inserted between them, which allow you to maintain the desired thickness;

When the glue hardens and the tile gains stability, it is necessary to clean its surface from the remnants of the glue mass and remove the crosses. After the surface is completely paved, it is carried out return of seams with a special moisture-resistant compound... Having completed all the connections, we remove the resulting excess.

There are a lot of ways and schemes on how to glue tiles on drywall, in each specific version there are a lot of its own characteristics and nuances. It is not always possible to glue tiles on drywall just like that, without preparing the walls and choosing the right material, first of all, the grade of the sheet and the adhesive base. But if you do it right, you can achieve the best possible results, especially in a situation where curved walls in the bathroom and kitchen simply leave no other way.

How to choose drywall for tiles

With the use of drywall for laying tiles, not everything is as smooth as it might seem at first glance, often the owners of the apartment do not know whether it is possible to glue ceramic tiles on drywall, or they doubt the choice, and there are more than enough reasons for doubts:

• A sheet of drywall of standard thickness is not designed to hold heavy tile ceramics, the weight of which can exceed 15-20 kg per square;
• The paper coating does not look strong enough, it is almost impossible to glue tiles on paper using conventional cement adhesives;
• Drywall "does not like" moisture, which is always abundant, both in the glue mass and in the bathroom or kitchen.

Most of the difficulties associated with the process of laying tiles on drywall, both invented and real, can be eliminated or circumvented. There are more than enough ways to do this. For example, choose a high-strength tile adhesive before gluing the tiles to drywall in the bathroom, use waterproofing, and assemble a reinforced supporting frame.

Important! The main thing is that as a result of laying drywall, the walls, floor and ceiling should be perfectly flat. Such precise geometry cannot be achieved with plastering work, even after 20 years of practice.

Two options for drywall

The industry produces several brands of gypsum board GVL and GVLV. The first option is litho-pressed gypsum, pasted over with paper. According to the conditions of SNiP No. II-3-79, GVL can be used for wall cladding in the absence of contact with water. Drywall is ideal for the kitchen, corridor, veranda, any room where condensation does not fall on the walls and there are no sudden changes in temperature.

The second type of gypsum board GVLV is waterproof, according to the operating conditions it can be used for wall cladding in bathrooms and bathrooms. Such material is much more expensive than ordinary drywall, so amateurs often get by with ordinary gypsum fiber board impregnated with a waterproof acrylic primer.

If a fairly heavy ceramic tile is to be glued, then the sheet thickness is chosen at least 20 mm; for plastic cladding, you can use a cheaper sheet with a thickness of 12-15 mm. It is believed that gluing tiles on a paper base is no more difficult than on a waterproof layer of GVLV.

How to choose a tile adhesive for drywall

The most important step is the correct selection of the brand of glue. The characteristics and type of glue must be selected based on the weight of the tile material, the operating conditions of the tile and the price. You can, of course, not look for easy ways, but buy the most reliable option - branded epoxy glue, which can be used to glue tiles not only to drywall, but also to plastic, wood, natural stone, metal and even paint.

If the financial possibilities allow, then the choice in favor of epoxy glue will be the most optimal solution, regardless of whether it is a tile on drywall in the kitchen or in the bathroom. In addition to obtaining an incredibly strong adhesive seam that is not afraid of open water, acids, alkalis, detergents, the epoxy mass significantly impregnates and strengthens the drywall sheet itself. If you properly glue the board material onto a plasterboard base, you get a very strong and solid panel that can easily hold the weight of ceramic tiles without deformation and subsidence.

The only difficulty is the high cost of the epoxy compound, if you plan to glue ceramics or porcelain stoneware, you will have to pay at least 15 euros for tile adhesive per kilogram of a two-component compound. For a bathroom of 20 m 2, the cost of glue will be at least 600 euros.

Elastic and dispersion adhesives

For rooms in which there is no constant heating, and the temperature can fluctuate within two tens of degrees, experts recommend using special elastic brands of adhesives. In this case, the thermal expansion of walls, drywall sheets and tile material will in no way affect the strength of the adhesive joint.

For the bathroom, universal brands of slab glue are used, almost any adhesive for ceramic tiles on a non-cement basis provides high strength and water resistance of the seam. The walls and floor of shower cabins, tiled aprons of the kitchen interior are made on the basis of drywall using special waterproof brands of glue.

For the most expensive brands of tiles, for example, glass mosaics, enamels, porcelain stoneware and glass, dispersion board adhesives are used, which have excellent adhesion, increased strength and excellent appearance. The cost of dispersion material is about twice as high as universal brands of adhesives.

How to choose a tile for drywall

Plastic tiles for wall cladding in the bathroom and kitchen are used quite rarely, with the exception of the bathroom or separate sections of the kitchen walls. Plastic tiles adhere perfectly to any type of glue, but craftsmen prefer polyurethane grades and adhesives such as "liquid nails".

Choosing ceramic tiles for laying on drywall is more difficult, several important factors must be taken into account:

• You need to buy tiles at the same time for the entire area of ​​drywall with a small margin of 5%;
• Each pack of tiles must be opened and the dimensions of each must be checked, even in branded and exclusive collections, up to 20% of the material has dimensional deviations;
• The tile is chosen no thicker than 8 mm, if glued with universal glue, for dispersed and epoxy grades, board material up to 10 mm thick can be used.

Some craftsmen use special lapping wheels with an emery cloth glued on. Before gluing the tiles to drywall in the bathroom, the edges and ends of each are carefully sanded off on emery to make all the material the same size. Tile fitting must be done on waterproof sandpaper with low pressure. When adjusting the tiles, you need to be as careful as possible so as not to overheat or chip off the edge of the glaze.

Since there is practically no shrinkage on good board adhesives, experienced tilers before laying the front part of the tile with adhesive tape, and grind the back side so that the thickness decreases to 5 mm.

Laying tiles on drywall

The process of laying board material consists of several stages. The most important are the assembly of the frame and the installation of drywall. It is not so difficult to glue the tiles on a plasterboard base that is level, like a table, even a beginner can handle it, provided that all preparatory assembly operations are performed in good faith.

If the frame is assembled correctly, then the main load from the weight of the drywall and cladding is directed strictly vertically. In this case, drywall sheets can withstand even very heavy tiles. If the plane of the plasterboard base deviates from the vertical, it will be much more difficult to glue the tiles, the material will move away from the base at a negative angle of "obstruction" or squeeze the frame into the wall at a positive value of the angle.

Preparation of the base

The first step is to remove the paint, old tiles or remaining cladding in the room. This is necessary in order to clean and repair cracks or chips on the walls and to avoid peeling off the supporting structure after it is the turn to glue the tiles. The surface is primed and plastered.

If possible, it is necessary to level and cut off part of the brick or concrete so that the strips of the metal profile laid on the wall are in the same plane. The profile is fastened according to the standard scheme. Initially, the marking of the line of the starting horizontal strip is carried out, along which the upper perimeter is sewn and the bearing profiles are laid on the walls in increments of 40-50 cm.

The work is responsible, you have to use a long building level or a laser to align all the strips of the supporting frame in one vertical plane. So that the drywall does not fall down under the weight of the tile, an enlarged profile of 60 mm and 80 mm is used to assemble the frame.

Installation of drywall on the crate

Drywall sheets are attached to the frame in two ways at once. The slabs are cut out in advance, preferably along the height of the walls, applied to the planks, and using a bubble level, the deviation from the vertical is determined. If necessary, a lining of elastic material is glued to the profile under the drywall sheet.

To simplify the alignment process, you can attach a plumb line with a weight to the upper row of the profile, along which you can control the position of the drywall on the frame. Then, when you need to glue the tiles, the plumb line will still come in handy. It is clear that it is easier to install a profile and glue tiles at a laser level or a pointer, but often it is possible to achieve high-quality laying of the material with the help of the simplest tools.

After fitting the sheet, the profile is coated with glue, the drywall is set in place and fastened to the metal with self-tapping screws. Seams and joints are rubbed with a tile adhesive putty and rubbed with a fine abrasive mesh for finishing.

Alternative drywall fixing

In many cases, the masters suggest not using a supporting frame, but mounting drywall sheets directly on the surface of the walls. This option is allowed for a concrete wall with a perfectly vertical surface position. In this case, you can glue drywall directly onto the concrete.

In this way, it is possible to significantly reduce the loss of usable space in the bathroom, but problems with overspending of expensive glue and leveling the walls made the method not particularly popular.

Plaster and drywall primer

In some cases, craftsmen are advised not to rush to grout and sand the joints between the sheets. Within a day after laying the drywall, the base frame gives a slight draft, so the plane of the sheets has to be overwritten again.

2-3 hours after grinding, the drywall surface is lightly rubbed with a coarse sandpaper and primed with high-quality waterproofing, for example, Knauf Flechendicht, and treated with a weak solution of tile glue. You can use an expensive primer specially designed for gluing tiles, but you can get by with a folk recipe.

Sometimes craftsmen roll chaotic risks or grooves on drywall with a roller, with the help of which tiles are easier and faster to glue onto sheets. This is an old trick used by tilers twenty years ago to tile painted walls. There is no particular need for this technique today. If high-quality glue is used for laying, the grooves will only interfere, the strength of the glue seam will be more than enough.

Laying tiles on drywall

After the final adjustment, priming and drying of the drywall, you can start gluing the tiles. By tradition, the first row of tiles has to be glued last, the installation of the cladding always starts from the second row.

First of all, at the height of the second row, it is necessary to fix the starting bar, it can be a wooden block or a U-shaped galvanized profile. In order not to damage the drywall, the plank is installed on self-tapping screws and vertical supports.

Start gluing the tiles from the far wall. Initially, the contents of several packs are laid out at once and mixed in order to avoid the formation of color and tonal spots on the wall.

Preliminarily, according to the size of the tiles, the number of pieces of material in one row is calculated. It makes no sense to bring more tiles into the bath room, it will only interfere with gluing the material onto the sheets.

How to glue tiles correctly

When working with modern tile adhesives, there is a rather strict time limit. With a freshly prepared mortar, you can glue it for 20 minutes, another 15-20 minutes. the tile will be amenable to adjustment. The glue is expensive, so kneading more than you can stick in 20 minutes will be wrong.

In addition, the viscosity and ability of the adhesive to adhere to the drywall for the first 10 minutes. and after 20 minutes. are noticeably different, so it is better not to take risks and glue the cladding in small portions. The first batch is carried out strictly according to the recipe and exactly one or two tiles, this will allow you to check the quality and adjust the composition of the adhesive mass.

In theory, it is necessary to glue the tiles with laying the glue mass on the wall, this allows you to perfectly align the position of the tile in the row. In practice, most of the adhesive is rubbed against the wall with a comb, and only a small amount is applied to the back. Further, mounting crosses are placed on the edge of the lower row or starting strip, ceramics are placed on them and gently pressed against the wall.

If the plane has fallen below the general level, the tile must be removed, the glue should be shifted and tried to re-glue. In one session, you can lay out no more than four rows. If you work with quick-drying glue, the next rows can be glued in an hour. In other cases, the difference between sessions must be at least 3 hours.

Grouting

No earlier than a day later, you can start grouting. It will be necessary to clean the seams 4-5 hours after the last row has been glued. It is necessary to remove the remnants of the adhesive mass and stains on the tiles.

You can glue and grind the seams with one composition; it will be enough to use a color tint to select the desired seam color. If we are talking about a shower stall or floor tiles, then you will need to buy a special elastic epoxy grout. All other brands of grouting material will crumble in two weeks.

Conclusion

How to glue tiles on drywall is clearly understood by everyone who at least once in their life has had to deal with tiled wall cladding. In practice, everything is more complicated, if only because the frame and sheets of drywall have less rigidity than a brick or concrete wall, so you have to glue it with the utmost care and accuracy in work.