Wall cladding technology with ceramic tiles. Laying tiles on tiles - a new renovation on an old one On what the tiles are laid

DIY repair has become a very popular activity today. However, the desire to change the interior of the apartment is not enough. It needs to be backed up by knowledge of the basic theoretical aspects of this rather complex event. Usually, renovation work starts with the bathroom and toilet. Knowing how to lay the tiles on the wall correctly can fundamentally change the look of your bathroom. Competent implementation of all the rules for laying tile material will help save time and reduce the cost of attracting specialist firms.

How to choose the right tile?

Tile is the most common material among its counterparts. The reason for this popularity lies in the availability and relatively low cost. Before you learn how to lay tiles, you need to choose the right one.

First of all, you should pay attention to the packaging. A special sign in the form of a foot or a hand will indicate which tile category the product belongs to - floor or wall. Wear-resistant building material on the packaging is marked with a stroke, frost-resistant - 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 tiles.

In a hardware store, you will definitely see that the tiles are divided into several groups:

first class tiles - designed specifically for bathrooms;
the second class is used in cottages and country houses;
products of the third class - designed for the floor of residential premises.

When choosing a tile, you should pay special attention to the color scheme. Remember that light tones visually enlarge the space, while dark tones do the opposite. On a matte surface, dirt is less noticeable than on a glossy one.

Tile properties

The tile has several main characteristics that determine its purpose:

ease of care;
protection from moisture and dirt;
wide range of;
a large selection of decorative items.

Advantages and disadvantages of tiles

The main advantage of tiles is their durability and strength. Due to the special production technology, it is very difficult to break it. The tile is made from pressed materials, followed by firing and applying a glaze, which ensures the product is waterproof and durable.

Modern dyeing technologies can also be attributed to the advantages of this building material. It is painted not on the surface, but in bulk. That is, having scratched the tile, you do not have to worry - it will not be very noticeable.

The tile is presented in a wide range - everyone can choose the color and design to their liking. Surfaces imitating leather, glass, etc. are especially popular today.

But, unfortunately, the tile also has disadvantages:

The fragility of the glaze. During a fall, it can easily break off or crack.
Due to their high strength, the tiles are difficult to cut.
Glaze becomes slippery on evaporation or water ingress.

Preparation for styling

Before answering the question of how to lay tiles on the wall, let's highlight one more important nuance. It's about preparing for the process. To do this, you need to measure the room being repaired, namely the surface where the tile will be located. Next, you need to schematically draw the wall to be finished with all the grooves and openings, taking into account the dimensions taken. Do not forget about sockets and other elements where there will be no tiles. We calculate the required amount of building material.

Tools for the job

Before we deal with the question "how to put tiles on the wall", you need to prepare everything you need for finishing work. First of all, you need to buy a binder. It can be either a cement mixture or a special glue. In addition, you will need grout, primer, guides, self-tapping screws, trims and plastic crosses. The latter are necessary to maintain the size of the seam. Guides or special profiles will help lay 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 there is no special one, you can use a grinder or glass cutter);

Sandpaper;

Several types of spatulas;

Containers for making glue;

Spirit level.

Wall preparation process

Any builder-finisher admits that the surface must be prepared before laying the tiles on the wall. After all, it is the correct preparatory work that ensures a long service life, an attractive appearance and a strong fastening of the material.

Before laying the tiles, the walls are plastered, leveling the surfaces in parallel. Further, the walls are treated with a primer, which increases the adhesion effect of the finishing materials.

In some cases, tiles can be laid on top of old concrete surfaces, brickwork, moisture-resistant drywall.

Laying tiles on top of old tiles is not recommended. To securely fix the cladding to the previous work surface, you need to use layers that increase the adhesion of materials, and a particularly strong adhesive.

The main stages of laying

How to start laying tiles? The work process is as follows:

1. First, prepare the required amount of soil mixture, and then apply it to the walls. The primer for the walls of the bathroom and toilet must be water-repellent and contain an antiseptic.

2. A small amount of tiles for the initial rows are cut.

3. On the surface, using a level, determine the main points of the horizontal of the lower trimmed area. Usually they put four points in the corners and four around the perimeter.

If you are laying the tiles on the wall, and there is already a covering on the floor, then it is not at all necessary to attach the profile for the bottom row. It can be resting on the floor.

Defining horizontal rows of tiles

If you have a flat floor, it will not be difficult to determine the bottom row of tiles. However, this is not always the case. The question immediately arises: "Where to start laying tiles?" The fact is that often builders-finishers have to build on the second, or even from the third row. This is due to the following:

There are communications along the walls that need to be bypassed;

Only the walls are tiled, and the floor remains intact, moreover, it has an uneven surface;

The planning of the horizontal rows depends entirely on the number of vertical tiles. It so happens that the level of the original support row needs to be lowered or raised in order to fit the whole tile. You need to move from top to bottom, transferring the marks to the next row.

Defining vertical rows of tiles

Each builder-finisher independently decides, Someone approaches this process creatively, some have their own scheme of work. The main problem with laying tiles is the upper rows, which have to be trimmed. And this is not always beautiful. There are a few tricks that can 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 tile size where it will be least noticeable.

How to lay tiles? Step-by-step instruction

Tiling should be started from the corner of the wall opposite the entrance. Then everything needs to be done according to plan:

Cover the back of the tile with glue or special agent.
Smooth the adhesive layer with a spatula so that there are no voids.
The tile must be fixed in the corner and tapped with a rubber mallet.
Glue that has come out on the wall after pressing must be quickly removed.
Tiles are laid out similarly to the opposite corner.
After securing 3-4 rows, it is worth waiting a little for the glue to set better.
To make the joints between the tiles as even as possible, plastic crosses are installed. It is important to remove the crosses before the solution hardens.
After installation, it is imperative to check the vertical and horizontal lines of the tiles. This can be done using a level and plumb lines, sometimes an ordinary bar is applied to the surface of the facing products, and all the flaws become visible.
At the end, the seams must be filled with a hermetic agent, after which it is worth applying the grout.

Builders' note: until the glue hardens completely, the position of the tiles and seams can be adjusted. Therefore, after laying the tiles, you must 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, then keep in mind that this can only be done after the walls have been waterproofed. 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. Tiles can be laid using special tile glue using the same technology as in the bathroom.

The cost of tiles

The modern market for building and finishing materials is huge. On store shelves, you can see various variations of tiles. In addition to individual colors, textures and sizes, tiles differ 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 manufacturers produce facing materials on the territory of our country, but using foreign technology. Here the price is slightly higher - 350 rubles / m2, but the model range is much wider. Plants and factories of the near abroad 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 keep up with them. Price for 1 sq.m. tile from Europeans varies 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 bought for 1,100 rubles per square meter.

Tile manufacturers' collections

The variety of shapes, sizes and textures of tiles is simply amazing. Such a large number of options for wall and floor decoration allows even the most intimate desires and projects to come true. It is best to lay the tiles on the wall and floor using materials from the collection of one manufacturer. Such a tile will be in harmony with each other, and you will not notice any striking contrasts.

Modern color solutions of 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. Someone makes colored inserts or borders, others are studying technology, how to lay mosaic tiles, etc. In general, there are a lot of ideas for changing the interior, so trust your flight of imagination, naturally, relying on physical and financial capabilities.

Tile care

Tile is a rather unpretentious material, however, it also needs proper and constant care. Otherwise, limescale will ruin both the tiles in the kitchen (you need to lay them according to the same principle as in the bathroom) and in the bathroom. You should not bring the tile to such a state; it is better to take care of the surfaces constantly.

Suitable products for cleaning surfaces lined with such items can be found at any hardware store. Better to use a creamy or liquid formulation. Powder products often scratch the surface of the tile.

To deal with rust and limescale, chlorine-based preparations can be used. Among other things, chlorine disinfects the surface to be treated.

When you need to wash the tiles, but there is no way to go to the store, try cleaning the tiles with a window cleaner. Ammonia, which is included in its composition, will perfectly wash away dirt and give the surface a shine.

This article will teach you how to properly lay tiles and take care of the tiled surface. Fulfillment of simple installation rules will help to change the interior of a bathroom, toilet or kitchen, even for a beginner.

02-05-2015

Ceramic tiles are one of the most popular and high quality finishing materials. The tile fully meets the established sanitary standards and requirements. on the wall can be successfully applied even in rooms with high humidity levels. The tile will protect the walls from grease, dirt and other contaminants that can be easily removed with an ordinary rag. There is a huge selection of ceramic tiles in a wide variety of shades on the modern market, so you can easily choose the tile that best fits into the interior.

The tiles can be laid on the wall even in rooms with high humidity.

Preparation for laying ceramic tiles on the wall

In order for the tiles to be laid on the wall as quickly as possible, and the finished coating retains its original characteristics as long as possible, you need to properly prepare the work surface and everything you need for laying. First of all, collect the tools and necessary materials with the help of which the cladding is laid on the wall with your own hands:

When laying tiles, you need to use crosses that help maintain the same distance between them.

tile cutter;
plastic crosses;
drill with a diamond crown;
rubber hammer;
level;
spatulas;
axe;
roulette;
mixer;
coarse-grained primer;
tile adhesive;
profile;
pencil;
grout for joints.

Before you start laying ceramic tiles on the wall, you need to level and clean the work surface from dirt. For leveling surfaces, you can use plaster or gypsum fiber moisture resistant sheets. If you are on a budget, use the first method.

The old finish must be removed before tiling on the wall.

Before laying the tiles, the old covering must be removed from the walls.

So, if the wall has been painted, take a small hatchet, apply a lot of notches to the surface and remove the paint. After that, treat the working surface with a coarse-grained primer. Thanks to this, the adhesion of the tile to the wall will be improved.

In the event that the walls were finished with ceramic tiles, it should be dismantled, because you will not be able to lay a new tile on top of the old one - the glue simply will not stick to the existing smooth coating. Remove loose plaster and paint from the surface. Eliminate irregularities with plaster.

Back to the table of contents

Determination of the arrangement of rows of ceramic tiles

Before you start laying tiles on the wall, decide on the location of the horizontal and vertical rows of tiles. This stage of work is very important. Thanks to it, you can reduce the number of pruning to a minimum. Horizontal rows are calculated from top to bottom. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the seams between the tiles. As a rule, they are in the order of 2 mm. This calculation can be completed only after there is free space at the bottom, which would be enough for laying a whole ceramic tile. Row 2 will start here.

The first row, as a rule, is laid out from tile scraps. There are two main reasons for this. First, floors are usually not perfectly flat. Secondly, the trimmed tiles at the bottom will be less conspicuous than at the top.

Vertical rows of tiles are calculated in the same way as horizontal ones. Whole ceramic tiles can be counted from any corner, taking into account the 3 mm seam. If at the end of the row you find that the whole tile will not fit in there, move the entire row so that tiles of the same size are laid on both sides. This will achieve a symmetrical styling.

If symmetry does not really matter to you, do the following: lay a whole tile on one side, and cut off on the other. However, it is better to try to ensure symmetry, such a coating looks more beautiful.

After the optimal arrangement of the rows has been selected, the most interesting stage of the work begins - the laying of ceramic tiles.

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Step-by-step instructions for laying ceramic tiles on the wall

First of all, take a profile and attach it in the places where ceramic tiles will be laid. It will support the second row of tiles. For fixing the profiles, use dowels 6x60 or 6x40. Check the horizontal profiles with a building level. Align if necessary. After all the profiles are in place, proceed to the preparation of the tile adhesive. In doing so, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Instead of tile glue, you can take an ordinary cement-sand mortar. If you decide to do this, then be sure to soak the tiles in water before work. This processing is very important because thanks to her, the tile will not absorb moisture from the solution. In the case of using tile adhesive, the tiles are not soaked.

Apply a layer of the prepared mixture to the wall using a notched trowel. It is not necessary to apply glue for more than 3-4 ceramic tiles at the same time. First of all, the starting support row of tiles is laid.

If you want to maintain symmetry, you need to start laying the row with a whole tile, and only then mount the trim. In case the symmetry does not matter to you, start the installation of the tile from the corner of the wall.

In the process of installing ceramic tiles, you need to constantly check the verticality and horizontalness of the tile using a building level. To ensure the same width of the joints, crosses should be inserted between the tiles. However, do not forget to remove them before the glue dries.

Glue the support row and check it with a building level. To do this, take a long level, turn it upside down and lay it to the surface of the covering. There should be no gaps between the edge of the level and the tiles. If they are present, the protruding parts of the tile must be carefully knocked out with a rubber mallet.

Glue the next row of ceramic tiles using the same pattern. Don't forget to insert crosses. Check the verticality and horizontalness of this row. Make sure all tiles are in the same plane.

Continuing to work on the same technology, reach the ceiling. If you do not have time to complete all the work in one day, then before completing the work, remove the excess glue mixture from the wall and remove the crosses. If there are pipes, rosettes or other obstructions on the wall, you will need to cut corresponding holes in the tiles using a tubular drill or diamond core bit. The bottom row is laid last. Trim the tiles to the required size.

In the course of work, you can find various typical defects. So, if any tile is issued against the background of neighboring ones, it must be tapped with a rubber mallet. If the tile "sinks", it is necessary to remove it and apply more adhesive mixture.

If, while laying ceramic tiles, you see that the seams are not joining, correct this defect with a grout. It allows you to correct deviations up to 1-2 mm. If the deviations exceed these values, you will have to reposition the tiles.

One of the biggest drawbacks is the presence of voids under the tiles. It is better to immediately remove such a tile and fill the voids with an adhesive mixture, otherwise the tile will fall off after a while.

What mistakes are made when laying

Incorrectly selected tiles

Heading for the purchase of tiles, people are often guided by two factors that affect the final choice - design and pricing. But having decided on the purchase, they do not check the tiles for identity. This is a gross mistake that can result in uneven joints between tiles, tiles of different sizes and shades. Before buying, you need to check the dimensions of the tiles. It is better to take several tiles of the same batch from different boxes and compare them with each other. Ceramic material should be the same along the perimeter, the height of the product.

Buying glazed ceramics

The bathroom is where increased security needs to be. When leaving after a shower, a person should not slide on the floor, like on an ice rink. Therefore, glazed tiles will not work, it is worth buying non-glazed material. Safety must be paramount, because a fall on a ceramic floor can result in serious injury to a person.

Choosing the wrong tile mix

Laying tiles on the bathroom floor requires the correct selection of mixes to fix the tiles. With the current choice of material, the need for a cement mortar for laying has disappeared, manufacturers offer good mixtures that will facilitate the process of laying tiles on the floor. For the bathroom and toilet, they buy a primer, glue and grout exclusively for flooring. The base of the bathroom and toilet is constantly exposed to heavy loads, therefore, the tiles must be laid on glue with increased fixation.

Particular attention is paid to the preparation of the mixture. You cannot deviate from the instructions on the package of the mixture, the proportions must be strictly observed when preparing the adhesive emulsion

To do this, you need to carefully study all the manufacturers' advice. The glue should be homogeneous, without lumps.

Poorly prepared base.

How to install tiles if the original subfloor is uneven? Many people try to fix the problem with a lot of glue. This is a fatal mistake that guarantees a crooked floor with height differences. The fact is that leveling the surface by laying tiles with a large amount of glue will entail landslides of the adhesive base and the probability that the tile will simply "float" reaches almost 100%.

Therefore, before laying, you need to pay attention to leveling the surface. Correctly laying the tiles on the bathroom floor is possible only on a well-prepared plane.

Measurement error made

Trying to lay tiles without careful measurements is to find all the work to fail. Without a corner, a rubber mallet and a water, or better than a laser level, it is impossible to lay a tiled floor evenly.

The laid row of tiles must be checked with a level, the imperfections are leveled with a rubber mallet. Why a rubber mallet, and not an ordinary one? The ceramic coating can simply burst or chip when using an ordinary hammer, so a rubber hammer should always be at hand.

Leveling tiles with a rubber mallet

Bathroom Tiling Basics

In order for the tile to last as long as possible, it is necessary to follow a certain order of laying the tiles in the bathroom. It is easier to lay tiles on the floor. Therefore, if you have little experience, then it is better to start with the floor.

If laying parallel to the walls is planned, then it is better to start it from a visible angle for more decorative qualities of the finished surface. Diagonal laying is usually done from the middle of the room.

Particular attention should be paid to the inter-tile seams, since the decorative properties of the surface depend on their size.

Adjustment of the size of the seams is carried out using plastic crosses. It is necessary to ensure that air does not form under the tiles, which can lead to the destruction of the material. The level is checked without fail. Trimming is done with a tile cutter or grinder.

Consider the sequence of laying tiles in the bathroom on the walls. Here the situation is more complicated, since you have to work on a vertical surface. In this case, there are also certain rules for laying tiles in the bathroom.

First, you need to start laying from a visible angle. Secondly, the installation is carried out from the profile nailed to the wall and aligned horizontally. It is fastened at such a height from the floor that only whole tiles are laid out under the ceiling.

After the glue dries, the bottom row is reported. To apply the glue, you can use a notched trowel here, which will allow you to adjust the layer. Too much adhesive can cause the tiles to slip or fall off.

Sometimes you have to make slopes of tiles in the bathroom, for example, for niches for sewer pipes. In this case, you should come up with spacers, since when gluing the tiles to the upper slope, it may fall off. To decorate the joints, external and internal corners for tiles in the bathroom are used.

The final stage is grouting with a mixture of the appropriate color. The excess mixture is removed with a sponge, and then the entire tile is wiped clean.

Thus, it can be seen that the technology for laying tiles in the bathroom is rather complicated. But with a certain amount of diligence, it is quite feasible on its own

It is very important to strictly follow the installation rules and use only high-quality building materials.

Additional Information:

Causes of deformation of tiles in the bathroom on the walls and floor

Tidying up tile joints when laying tiles on the floor

How to veneer aerated concrete using clinker tiles

How to find the optimal layout

Before choosing a tile, you should draw a sketch by hand to determine the type of cladding. To do this, you need to draw a detailed plan of the room with all sizes and furnishings:

carefully measure the floor and walls, openings, indicate the parameters on paper;
draw up a drawing of a bathroom and necessarily display the location of the doorway, windows (if any), all niches and protrusions;
indicate the location of plumbing fixtures, sockets, switches, pipe exits.

Now that the plan is ready, you can choose the optimal layout scheme using sketches with colored pencils. Such a sketch will help to determine the best arrangement of decorative elements, places for cutting tiles, problem areas. Be sure to consider the degree of complexity of the work if you plan to do the cladding yourself.

Diagonal way

The most difficult and time consuming.

This method has several advantages:

visually expands the area;
if mistakes are made in the layout and the walls are non-perpendicular or non-parallel, it hides this flaw;
gives a beautiful and original drawing.

And also cons:

even minor deviations in the dimensions of the tiles are not allowed;
more waste.

With the "diagonal" method, the first row starts with the cut tiles diagonally, which increases the percentage of waste.

Tile joints are perpendicular to each other and at an angle of 45 degrees to the walls. Checking the accuracy of laying tiles in the bathroom is carried out with a level and a square.

The following options for laying tiles in the bathroom are a two-color combination of already known methods.

Methods for laying ceramic tiles advantages and disadvantages

Laying of tiles in the bathroom is carried out according to different schemes, each of which can emphasize the advantages of a ceramic coating and will allow you to make the most of the features of the geometry of the room. Below are the most popular styling models with an assessment of their practicality.

Direct method

The most simple in execution and cost effective. The tiles are laid in even strips parallel to the plane of the floor and walls. Both square and rectangular tiles will do. The second option, depending on the location, can help to visually increase the space.

This order of laying tiles in the bathroom is often used among beginners in the field.

Scattered

Such a laying scheme is similar to the installation of brick masonry, when the tiles are laid in a checkerboard pattern with a shift of subsequent rows relative to the previous ones by 1/2 of the length. This option looks especially advantageous when laying tiles in the shape of a rectangle, the sides of which are in a ratio of 2 to 1. The advantages are similar to the method of direct layout, with the difference that there will be more waste.

Spreading is ideal for rectangular tiles called "hogs" as the result is a surface that looks like real brickwork.

Diagonally

This method of laying is characterized by the location of the fragments at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the line where the floor and walls meet. This technique looks very impressive, especially on large-scale surfaces, but it is more difficult to work with. An expanded panorama with the intersection of lines diagonally appears before the eyes. For limited space, this method is not suitable, as it will optically reduce the area of the room. Among the shortcomings, one can note the increased complexity of the work and significant labor costs associated with the need to trim the tiles. Diagonal installation is associated with a high level of waste and is therefore quite expensive.

The production of work on diagonal laying will require a sufficient level of skill from the worker. For novice finishers, such a scheme can be overly complicated.

Modular

The modular layout was invented to create an unusual styling. Drawings that are distinguished by originality and modern design can be obtained by using tiles of different sizes, but with multiple edges. The main difficulty lies in the correct calculation of the required amount of finishing material. For this purpose, a schematic layout plan is created to scale. It is imperative to consider the level of seam thickness.

The modular scheme is in many ways similar to the staggered stacking method, but the calculations for its creation must be as accurate as possible.

How to lay tiles in the bathroom

To properly lay the tiles, you will need to follow a number of recommendations:

It is necessary to start laying tiles on the wall from the second row, the countdown is from the floor. The first row of tiles at the initial stage remains empty, during installation it is worth focusing on the markup.
The adhesive is applied to the substrate, not to the tiles. For convenience, use a notched trowel, it will create the desired texture.
Do not press too hard on the tile during installation, if you overdo it, the ceramics may not withstand and crack or break.
Excess glue is removed with a foam sponge.
To make the seams between the tiles in the bathroom the same width, use special crosses. The optimal width is a few millimeters.
Check each new row for horizontalness. Even the slightest deviation later can lead to distortions of the masonry. This can happen due to slightly different tile sizes, which happens periodically with domestic ceramics.
When facing corners and ledges in the bathroom, you will need to cut the tiles using a grinder or tile cutter.
If you need to make recesses, you can just gently break them off with pliers until you get a hole of the required size.

You can see how to lay tiles on the bathroom walls with your own hands in more detail in the training video.

Seam processing

Having figured out how to properly lay the tiles in the bathroom, you can proceed to consider the next most important stage - grouting the tile joints. How to process ceramic products yourself? You need to start the grouting process one day after laying the last tile.

The glue residues are removed from the tile with a sponge. The grout is prepared in accordance with the instructions. Apply it inside the seams with a rubber spatula. The inter-tile mortar hardens within half an hour. Then it is wiped with a damp sponge.

Tile seams

In order to further avoid the formation of mold and mildew, the finished seams are treated with a special mixture. Wide seams are rubbed with a mixture of sand, to which it is recommended to add latex. Latex protects the seams from cracking, eliminating the need to replace tiles. It also serves as a decorative function in the bathroom, the design of which will acquire uniqueness.

Application of latex does not require dilution of the dry mixture with water. It is enough to mix them and leave for a while. The finished grout is applied with a brush or cloth. After drying, the seams are washed again with a dampened sponge.

Preparing the walls

Wall preparation comes down to plastering and leveling them. The tiles must be laid absolutely level with the wall. If the joints between the bricks are deep, they are sealed with mortar. First you need to decide on the verticality of the walls. If the wall has a deviation from the vertical of more than four centimeters, it does not make sense to level it with plaster. Such walls are sheathed with plasterboard sheets.

Plaster leveling

First you need to remove the plaster that has lagged behind the wall and plaster all the cracks. The only tool that can do this job, smooth out all the flaws, is a rule that is at least two meters long. It is the rule that all excess solution is cut off. If there is no rule, then you can use a flat metal corner or a square pipe of a suitable length instead. The applied solution must be removed without regretting the rule.

Correct preparation of the base

The success of the event depends not only on the quality of the purchased materials, but also on how thoroughly the preparatory work is carried out. Laying should be done on a wall that has been cleaned from the old coating. Walls and floors should be perfectly clean and level. Otherwise, the tile will swell over time, crack, and then completely fall off.

The old tile is beaten off with a chisel and hammer. You can use a punch, but it makes a lot of noise. The paint is peeled off with a spatula or drill.

The floor is leveled in two ways:

concrete mix;
leveling compound.

Leveling the floor under the tiles in the bathroom

The latter option is more expensive, easier to perform and allows you to get a perfectly flat surface.

If there are significant irregularities on the walls, they are eliminated with a concrete mixture or putty. However, it is easier to close them with moisture-resistant drywall.

When using it, you will have to pay special attention to the sealing of the seams. To prevent moisture from penetrating inside, they are additionally varnished.

A primer helps to improve the moisture-resistant qualities of the material and increase adhesion. She is recommended to cover not only drywall, but also a concrete or brick base.

Docking materials

Technological joining of laminate and ceramics can be done using the following products:

the use of a flexible PVC profile allows you to connect curved bends;
flexible metal profile is used to connect curved zones and straight seams;
aluminum sill is used to process the joining surfaces under the door leaf;
the use of a box threshold increases sound insulation and seals the joints;
with the help of a transitional PVC profile, coverings are finished with a large difference in height;
when using a cork expansion joint, a flat joint surface is obtained between the laminate and the tile;
with the help of the T-shaped profile, straight seams are made from the solid wood.

T-shaped profile

Layout types

There are many types of laying tiles on the floor and walls of the bathroom, from the simplest to the incredibly complex. Each of the options has its own advantages and characteristics. Let's consider the most popular types of tile layouts.

Straight

The easiest and most popular option for laying tiles in the bathroom. The tiles are located strictly parallel to the floor and walls in a row. For such a layout, a simple rectangular or square shape is suitable.

Scattered

Otherwise, a similar design is called brick or masonry. To make such a decor look harmonious, you should choose the right tile proportions. The ideal option for the ratio of width to length is 1 to 2. How beautiful you can lay out tiles in the bathroom, imitating brickwork, is shown in the photo below.

Diagonal

One of the most challenging and skillful bathroom tiling techniques. When choosing such a masonry, it must be borne in mind that due to the constant cutting of the tile, the material consumption will be much higher compared to other options. However, the effort and money spent will pay off, since the diagonal laying of the tiles is also one of the most effective.

Despite the showiness, the diagonal design is not suitable for every bathroom. If the area is small, it is better to use simpler options, since the diagonal will only make all the imperfections of the room visible. It is better to choose a similar layout for a spacious room, however, it is worth watching the curvature of the walls - they should be perfectly flat without deviations from the perpendicular axis. How to use diagonally laid tiles in bathroom design can be seen in the photo.

Modular

An effective choice for bathroom design. In this case, tiles of different sizes are used, it can be laid out in any combination, which gives room for imagination. There are a lot of options for combining different tiles in the bathroom, the most interesting can be found in the photo.

Horizontal

Sharp lines can dramatically change the proportions of a room. The horizontal layout of the tile is most often a dark bottom combined with a light top. There may also be an option with several horizontal stripes of different colors. With this design, plain tiles are most often used.

If you have chosen a finish with patterns, it is better to separate the parts of the masonry with a monochromatic border. To make the design more harmonious, the border is used not only at the bottom of the walls, but also under the ceiling. How the horizontal layout of the tiles in the bathroom will look like can be seen in the photo below.

Vertical

With the vertical version of the layout of the tiles in the bathroom, brighter stripes are clearly distinguished against a monochromatic background. The width of the stripes can be different, the same or interlaced. However, it should be borne in mind that too frequent a strip looks too bright and is not suitable for decorating all the walls of the bathroom. In this way, it is better to select only one wall, a separate area or niche.

Vertical stripes visually pull the room up, at the same time slightly narrowing it. It looks good on longitudinal walls, but not at the ends in narrow spaces. With the help of stripes, you can highlight different areas of the bathroom, if it is combined with a toilet, as well as the most significant design elements.

Mosaic layout

The combination of ordinary tiles and mosaics in the bathroom looks very impressive. A real mosaic is more difficult for installation, since it is required to lay out hundreds of small elements exactly according to the scheme, without ever making a mistake.

However, there are simpler options - ready-made mosaics on a grid or imitation. Mosaic can be used in different ways:

Wall decor. The mosaic pattern can be performed in one color or be with a full-fledged pattern. The choice of ornaments, colors or plot of images depends on the style of the interior and the personal wishes of the household.
Flooring. If the bathroom is small, colorful mosaics on the walls may look too bright, but such decor on the floor will look good even in a small area.
Space zoning. Using mosaics, you can divide the bathroom into zones. This finish is especially popular in the shower area or on the wall along the bathtub.
To attract attention. Mosaics can highlight specific details, such as a sink or bath towel hooks.
Decoration. The mosaic does not have to cover the entire bathroom, it can be a border, individual stripes or patterns.
Hard to reach places. The tiny details of the mosaic allow it to be used to decorate the most complex surfaces.

How beautiful to combine tiles with mosaics in the bathroom can be seen in the photo.

Tile grouting and processing

Tile grouting is performed after the entire room is lined with this material. If, during the laying of the tiles, gaps were left on the walls for subsequent grouting, then grouting without sand in the composition will be required. Sand grouting is used for floor tiles that are also laid with wide gaps. To increase the useful properties of the grout, some craftsmen add latex to it, a solution of which is sold in specialized stores. You should not try to save money on this solution, since its beneficial properties noticeably decrease along with a decrease in its concentration. The latex solution increases the elasticity of the grout and the quality of its adhesion.

We rub the seams in the bathroom

Do-it-yourself bathroom tiling

It is convenient to distribute the solution over the surface using a rubber trowel, which must be carefully driven diagonally along the laid tiles, keeping it slightly at an angle. Correct grouting allows you to fill every joint with grout, but it is better to check this after the end of the process.

It is recommended to start grouting from the wall near which the bathtub is located, and when it is finished, it will be possible to clean the place from which the repair was started. After grouting, ceramic tiles are treated with a sealant to protect against harmful effects, which is applied using a paint roller, but if only the seams will be processed, then an ordinary brush can also be used. In order for the tile to serve as long as possible, it is treated with a sealant at least once a year.

A little about the choice of material

As we said, ceramic bathroom tiles are the most popular type of finishing material. Certain requirements are imposed on this room, respectively, and the materials for its decoration should be chosen correctly, namely, taking into account their technical characteristics:

minimum moisture absorption;
increased resistance to cleaning chemicals;
resistance to mechanical stress;
resistance to high temperatures and steam;
bathroom floor tiles must be abrasion resistant; resist bending and abrasives.

When choosing a material, one should proceed from the quality of the ceramics. The tiles that meet European standards can be of three varieties, each of which is marked with a specific color. The first grade is a tile with a red marking, which is of high quality and durability. The second grade is a material that can have a defect of about 5%, this series is marked with blue or blue markings. The lowest grade is marked in green.

Ceramic tiles are distinguished by a class of resistance, of which there are five, they are marked with Roman numerals. In a residential area, it is advisable to use a material of no higher than III class of wear resistance, and for a bathroom, the first class is sufficient. Since it is not easy to lay out tiles in the bathroom, you should correctly calculate its quantity - ideally, you should take the material with a margin of about 15% to take into account the fit. Well, the design of the material plays an important role in the choice - after all, everyone wants the bathroom to be not only functional and comfortable, but also beautiful. And the variety of tiles is a guarantee that you can easily find your own way of finishing.

Where to start

The first step is not to think about how to arrange the decor of the tiles in the bathroom, first you need a floor plan with the location of the main interior details - plumbing and furniture

What you need to pay attention to when creating a schema:

When thinking over a drawing, observe all the proportions and scales of the bathroom, but you should not make the drawing too small. The diagram must be large enough to fit all the elements on it and clearly prescribe the dimensions.
To correctly lay out the tiles in the bathroom, you need to know the exact dimensions, so measure all the walls of the room, taking into account the doorway, protrusions and niches. Sign the obtained values on the diagram.
Mark the location of the plumbing and furniture on the drawing.
Be sure to indicate the location of the ventilation shaft, sockets, switches, etc.
Interior details that are attached over the finish do not need to be indicated on the diagram - they do not affect the layout in any way.
Do a proof-of-concept - compare the real bathroom with the resulting circuit, make sure everything is correct.

This is how a bathroom should look like with the correct tile layout.

An exact diagram is needed in order to correctly calculate the amount of material, the size of the tile and the ornament itself. If we allow even a small miscalculation, it may turn out that the most beautiful elements of the layout will be behind the plumbing or in the corners, otherwise the effect that was conceived from such a decor will be completely lost. Examples of designs that can be found for laying tiles in the bathroom are shown in the photo below.

Sketch of the layout of the tiles in the bathroom

Tiling process

Having carefully considered the various options for finishing the bathroom tiles, let's move on to studying the installation process itself using the example of flooring in the bathroom.

To do this, imagine that the tile has already been selected, all materials have been purchased, and the necessary measurements have been made.

We clean the surface: we remove the old coating from the floors: linoleum, parquet, tiles together with glue or mortar. Having tapped the surface and heard a dull sound, we also remove the old screed (which means that there are cavities under it and the base is not strong).
Next, we prepare the surface for laying tiles.

If there are large differences relative to the horizon, it is necessary to level the surface. We do this with a cement-sand mortar.
After the screed has dried, we prime the surface and dry it.
We arrange waterproofing using bitumen pastes or a special mixture for plaster waterproofing.

Primer again to increase the adhesion of the base to the future surface.
If the differences in the horizontal level of the floor are small, you can use a special self-leveling mixture (level-mass), which can remove the difference from 3 to 15 mm. In the case of using a leveling compound, a surface primer is not required.

The sub-floor is now ready.

Above, we have considered the options for the bathroom - decoration with tiles, and you have already chosen the appropriate method of installation.

We begin laying the tiles in the direction from the far wall towards the doors. We also determine on which wall the bathtub, shower stall, washing machine or furniture will be located, under which the trimmed edges of the tiles will hide. We carry out work from the direction of the open corner (whole tile) to the wall with plumbing (cut tiles).

For this:

we set two tiles in the corners to the desired height and attach them to alabaster (it dries quickly and can be easily removed later);
the seamy side of the tile is well moistened with water (you can lower it into a container with water);
with a special (notched) trowel, apply the diluted glue to the entire surface of the tile;

we put in place, joining with the lighthouse tiles, and leaving a gap between them using special identical crosses;
we put the laid tiles in place, tapping on it with the handle of a trowel;
we check the correctness of the draft with a rule, a rail or a nylon thread, attaching it on top of the lighthouse tiles, or with a short level we check the horizon;

the excess glue that has come out after settling is removed with a trowel;
we clean the seam between the tiles with a spatula;
check the horizon again;
repeat the entire cycle to the end of the row, then remove the beacons and install them with glue.

After all the tiles are laid and the glue has dried, we proceed to grouting:

with a dry cloth, it is necessary to remove the remnants of glue from the surface of the tiles;
fill the joints with diluted grout with a rubber spatula;
let dry and remove excess.

As you already understood, the installation process is not complicated, but it requires accuracy and care. A well-chosen technology will ensure a long service life of the tile covering. Good luck!

Tile selection and installation

In order to correctly calculate the amount of facing material, it is necessary to measure the surface area on which it will lie, and also to determine the size of the tile itself. Tile sizes range from 100x100mm to 600x600mm and are sold per square meter. You need to buy it with a margin, since when laying, about 5% can go to waste. Also, the number of purchased tiles is influenced by the way they are laid. There are several such ways:

Direct styling. This is the simplest and most common way.
Diagonal styling. Looks more impressive, suitable for square rooms, will help to hide oblique walls.
Laying in a checkerboard pattern. The best way to install tiles in two or more colors.
Offset laying. In this case, the tile of the next row is placed with an offset to the tile of the previous row. This option is more suitable for rectangular rooms.
Mosaic. This method is made from facing material of different sizes and colors, while creating a certain pattern, pattern.

After the choice and method of installation have been made, you can start preparing the walls.

Before starting repairs

Before putting the tiles in the bathroom with your own hands, you need to check if there is a slope on the walls. This is easily done with a level, the walls should be strictly at a 90 degree angle. If you deviate up or down, you will need to pre-level the surface with plaster. How this is done can be seen in the video, without leveling it with high quality it will not work to put the tiles in the bathroom - such a repair runs the risk of not lasting for a long time.

If the angle between the wall and the floor deviates from the norm of 90 degrees, ugly gaps may appear in the masonry between the tiles, difficulties with installing a bathtub or shower tray (the appearance of large gaps that will have to be sealed with sealant), etc.

Probably, no renovation is complete without tiles. Ceramics have many advantages over other finishing materials in many situations. And when it comes to bathroom decoration, tiles are the absolute leader. However, tiling is not cheap, and it's 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 make the article give an idea of how to lay tiles on the wall.

We do not consider floor cladding here, but we assure you that if you master the laying of tiles on the wall, the floor will seem to be an easy base. Vertical surfaces involve fighting gravity, handling complex geometries, and taking many more parameters into account. However, it is not the gods who burn the tiles, and it is not the inhabitants of Olympus who are engaged in the decoration of tiles either ...

Fast navigation through the article

Surface preparation

You can lay ceramics on 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. The preparation of the base depends on the type of mortar. Having given preference to glue (and this is the most popular solution today), the walls are plastered or sheathed with plasterboard. In any case, the plane of the base should tend to the ideal.

Knauf Goltband gypsum plaster Beacon profiles are leveled into a flat plane and fixed to the mortar. The plaster is applied to the wall and smoothed using the lighthouse rule.

The use of a cement-sand mortar involves large layers of the mixture and a smaller degree of pre-leveling with your own hands. We will describe how to glue the tile 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 flat as possible. The pipes must be hidden, save yourself the need to be distracted when laying ceramic tiles on the wall. The plane allows you to get by with a minimum of glue and speeds up the facing several times. Prime the leveled base, especially carefully if the walls are plastered.

We cut channels for pipes.
We bring the pipes for the bath and hide them in the wall.

If the base has previously been prepared and painted, remove the paint coat or make frequent notches. Nothing should flake off and crumble. This is important as negligence will result in extremely short-lived styling.

Tool

Wall cladding requires a special tool. Make sure that before starting work you already have:

trowel or spatula;
comb (notched trowel);
bubble level;
hydro level or laser;
nippers;
tile cutter;
rule of 1.5 m;
grinder with a diamond wheel;
tile crosses / wedges;
foam sponge;
rubber spatula.

Roulettes and other hammers were not included in the list, it is understood that they are already in every household. When mixing glue, it is difficult to do without a drill with a nozzle, therefore, its presence is also desirable. You can knead with your own hands, but correctly - with the help of a tool.

Markup

The basic rule of cladding: visually important places need to be given a whole tile. The area of the trimmed tile is located where it will be less visible or hidden. Calculate the number of slabs before leveling the base. It may be necessary to level with a slightly larger layer if the geometry requires too small a piece of tile in the corner. Better to lose a little in the square than to admire a two-centimeter "stub" for many years. If the corners are visually equal, it may be worth reducing the crop to the edges, and the same. Although there are certain design rules here, in reality the taste of the owner puts the end to the question.

The vertical layout is based on the whole tile rule at the top. 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 tile joints. On a large area, with their seeming insignificance, the latter play a large role, accumulating in total up to several centimeters.

The layout also depends on the type of ceramic layout. The most common are:

Seam to seam;
scattered;
diagonally;

It is unlikely that you will start with the latter method, it is the most difficult. The second imitates brickwork; it is the easiest way to glue the tiles in this way. The most popular type is the first, it requires careful observance of vertical and horizontal, any deviation will be noticeable.
Good video about the correct layout:

As a rule, you should start gluing from the second or third row. This is due to the fact that it is correct to cover the floor wall tiles:

it looks better;
water flowing from the walls does not flow into the contour seams;
it is much easier to cut wall ceramics;

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 lighthouse row, "pierce" the marks of the upper edge of the first row using a water level. The presence of a laser will facilitate the work, but the tool is specific, and there is no point in buying it on purpose. Plastic tubing is much cheaper, and if you don't have to lay tiles over a large area, forget about the laser. Surely you know about the principle of communicating vessels, so we will not dwell on the work of the hydro level.

Mark the horizon immediately around the perimeter, make sure that there is no trouble with possible trimming around the pipes. Sometimes you need to offset the marks to avoid a difficult cut. Further, according to the marks, you can:

pull the lighthouse cord;
draw a solid line;

The first option is still preferable, since it gives the possibility of complete control over the horizon and plane. Let's make a reservation that wall cladding with mortar assumes only this point. Plumb lines will help to control the vertical, or, much more often, when tiling with glue, the same line, but already along the Y axis.

The use of glue requires a support bar that fixes the lighthouse row. Usually they use an aluminum profile or a wooden lath.

To prevent the tiles from sliding down, we attach a 27x28 mm profile along the marks. In this bath, an even layout is chosen from the center so that 2 identical cuts are obtained along the edges.

Laying tiles

You need to glue on a tile adhesive that suits the task. Do-it-yourself kneading does not allow you to quickly bring the mixture to the desired consistency, so use a mixer. Apply the compound to the substrate or tiles with 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 with the horizontal and vertical markings. If using a cord, start at the second row from the corner; after you remove the thread, you need to put the rest of the tile. Fix with wedges between the ceramic and the support bar. Lay out the row, excluding trimming. Leave space between the slabs for evenness with crosses (the popular size is 2 mm).

After a day, the support strip is dismantled and the bottom row of tiles is laid.

Control the plane along the cord or, if you are not using a thread, by rule. The edges of the tiles must be aligned with the lighthouse string. Check each row for verticality with a bubble level. Thus, the walls are cladding with their own hands. Pruning can be done immediately, but it is more convenient at the end of the stage. Do not forget to follow the given pattern and remember that ceramics can have an expressionless pattern. On the reverse side of the tile 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 the walls in the bathroom:

Tile cutting

When tiling with your own hands, you can do without an expensive cutting tool. If you have a tile cutter - good, no - use a glass cutter or a scraper with a victorious solder. Mark the cutting line, fix the slab on a flat surface and draw along the line several times with the tool. Next, you need to put the tile with cutting marks on a couple of nails and gently press down - you have a ready cut. If using a tile cutter, roll the roller once, repetitions will result in scrap.

Thus, they cut in a straight line, but the wall cladding with tiles also implies a figured cut. Cut the holes for the pipes using a grinder with a diamond wheel. If there are few holes, but there are no angle grinders, you can use a cheap diamond-coated blade. But this business is laborious and long, and is justified only economically.

Grouting

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 workmanship, 1-4 square meters are processed in one approach. The remains are removed with a foam sponge. With it, the filler is brought 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 even seams.
Prepare the surface carefully, do not spare primers and observe right angles.
Use on outside corners. Although not so beautiful, it is safe.
You need to glue the tiles on a dry surface.

Expenses

Costs for cladding a 3.5 m² bathroom:

2 profile guides 27x28 mm - 90 rubles.
(25 kg x 3 pcs) - 717 rubles.
Strengthening soil Plitonite 1 l. - 98 rubles.
300 pcs of plastic crosses 2 mm - 60 rubles.
Kiilto grout 3 kg - 320 rubles.
Self-tapping screws, dowels - 20 rubles.

Total installation cost us 1305 rubles + the cost of tiles and preparatory work (plaster). If you are making wall cladding with your own hands, you will need to spend money on the missing tools. For wall cladding in a bathroom of such an area, the tiler will take at least 13-15 thousand rubles along with grout. Buy a tool that will stay with you forever and do everything yourself, or pay for the work of the master and calmly sip tea while laying - everyone decides for himself.

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Laying the tiles on your own is not an easy task, and therefore, many people trust its professionals. But such a solution is quite costly, and therefore, do-it-yourself work is far from uncommon. This is where the step-by-step tile laying helps.

Strict adherence to the work technology becomes an important factor in this case. In total, the whole process can be broken down into 7 stages. More specifically, the laying of ceramic tiles on the floor is carried out in the following sequence:

First of all, the calculation of materials, their purchase and preparation of the tool are performed.
Next, you need to prepare the surface, in this case, the base is leveled and primed.
The next step is the markup, which involves roughly laying out the tiles and making markings, in some cases support stops.
The next step is to start laying, in particular the first row.
Further, the entire area is laid with solid tiles.
The next step is tile cutting and laying.
And in the end, grouting is carried out.

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

Preparation of tools and materials

In the case when the tiles are laid with their own hands, you will need the following tool:

Master OK.
Several spatulas, in particular notched, regular and rubber.
You should also arm yourself with several levels, small, up to 50 centimeters in size, and medium, up to 1 meter.
The next one is the rubber mallet.
Another necessary tool is a grinder or, since in most cases it is simply necessary to cut tiles. Here you can also note additional devices, such as wire cutters, sandpaper and file.
And the last fixture will be the container for the glue mixture.

With the tool sorted out, now you should pay attention to the materials, or rather to their calculation and purchase.

In particular, for a correct calculation, it is not enough just to measure the surface area; factors such as are also important here:

Tile size.
The thickness of the layer of adhesive mixture.
Tile type.
Base material.
The presence of obstacles.

All these factors just need to be considered. In addition, if you need to cut tiles, you should also pay attention to the size of the segments. Since, if they make up more than half the size of the tiles, then for one such row, you will need to purchase twice as many tiles.

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

Speaking about 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 package.

To calculate the required amount of grout and glue, you can use the calculators on our website:

With this issue sorted out, now you can go directly to the technological process.

Surface preparation for laying

The first question is precisely the preparation of the foundation. It is very important to ensure that the surface is as flat as possible, otherwise the perfect styling will not work. The main mistake is the myth that a slightly larger layer of glue can hide irregularities, which is not true. High-quality installation is possible only on a flat surface, and nothing else.

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

The method of leveling the floor does not play a role here. It can be either, or, arrangement of the "warm floor" system, etc. The main factor is full compliance with the technology of work.

Also, all sills, baseboards and other obstacles that may interfere with putting the tiles right next to the wall are subject to dismantling.

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

Surface marking

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

An even line of the first row of tiles is marked. Since the laying is carried out starting from the far corner of the room, accordingly, the markup is also.
Next, the material location marks are drawn. In cases where tiles are laid without seams with a pattern, a complete drawing of the location of the elements is necessary.
Laying at the entrance becomes an important factor, in this case, the markings should be carried out in such a way that solid fragments lie at the doors, respectively, it may be necessary to indent from the far wall.
An important factor in the layout is the consideration of which also plays a role.
You can also carry out a preliminary layout of the tiles on the surface, for more accurate marking.

Laying tiles diagonally

Start laying and filling the area with solid pieces.

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

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

First of all, you need to prepare the glue mixture. Difficulties should not arise here. We do everything in accordance with the instructions on the package. In this case, the amount of mixing should not exceed the required for a plot of 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 on the tile itself, in this case, the grooves of the mixture on the surfaces should be perpendicular to each other.
We put the first tile on the glue, after which we press it down, lowering it to the required level. Next, you need to align 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 taps, the tile is pressed more tightly to the surface.
It is important to do everything quickly and accurately. After laying, 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 subsequent 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 to the level of the first element. You can add a little glue if necessary.
After the final shrinkage of the tiles, the excess mixture is removed.
It is important not to forget about or special, to form the same seams over the entire surface.
It should be placed either in the corners, at the intersection, or with an indent of 2-3 centimeters from the edge of the tile.
All gaps between tiles should be immediately cleaned of excess adhesive, as once it dries, cleaning will be almost impossible.
The laying of large tiles is carried out in the same way.
Further, the area of the base is completely covered with whole fragments.

This completes this phase, and you can move on. Before, it is necessary to allow the glue to set and harden to such an extent that it is possible to walk on the coating. It is advisable to leave the masonry for a day, and then continue to work.

Cutting tiles and laying the remaining fragments

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

Having chosen a tool, it is necessary to initially carry out 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, a machine with a diamond wheel or a special tile cutter is used.

The cutting process itself is carried out as follows:

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

In the case of using a special tile cutter, it includes a special fixing platform and stops with which you can indicate the direction of cutting.

Grouting tiles

And the last stage is grouting. It can not be carried out only in the case of seamless tile laying.

To start it, you need to wait until the glue mixture is completely dry, and then completely remove crosses and other auxiliary materials from the surface, if any.

Before starting, we carry out a complete cleaning of the surface, which can be done with a vacuum cleaner, and proceed. The process itself is carried out as follows:

We glue the edges of the tiles with masking tape. This is done if the tile is matte and the pores are large and to avoid contamination and reduce tile cleaning when using epoxy grouts.
The next step is to dilute the grout, and apply it with a rubber spatula.
Movements are performed perpendicular to the seam, while with pressure, in order to completely fill the seam with the compound.
After that, the excess mortar is removed, the seam at the same time deepens and levels out a little.
After complete drying, the adhesive tape is removed and the surface of the tile is wiped with a damp sponge.