Do-it-yourself tile laying - how professional laying is done. Rules for laying tiles and ceramic tiles in the bathroom: the procedure and stages of work when laying on the floor and on the walls We rub the seams in the bathroom

What mistakes are made when laying

The wrong tile

Going to purchase tiles, people are more 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. The ceramic material must be the same along the perimeter, the height of the product.

Purchase of glazed ceramics

The bathroom is a place where there should be increased security. Leaving after a shower, a person should not slide on the floor, as on an ice rink. Because glazed tiles are not suitable, 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 mixtures for fixing the tiles. With the current choice of material, the need for 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 floor coverings. The base of the bathroom and toilet is constantly subjected to heavy loads, therefore it is necessary to lay the tiles on an adhesive of increased fixation.

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

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

Poorly prepared base.

How to lay tiles if the original base is uneven? Many try to solve the problem with a large amount of glue. This is a fatal mistake that guarantees a curved 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 likelihood that the tile will simply “float” reaches almost 100%.

Therefore, before laying, attention must be paid to leveling the surface. Correctly laying tiles on the floor in the bathroom 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 defects 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 tile basics

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

If laying is planned parallel to the walls, then it is better to start 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 tile joints, since the decorative properties of the surface depend on their size.

Adjustment of the sizes of seams is carried out by means of plastic crosses. It is necessary to ensure that air does not form under the tile, which can lead to the destruction of the material. Be sure to check the level. Trimming tiles is done using 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, laying is carried out from a profile nailed to the wall and aligned horizontally. It is fastened at such a height from the floor that only whole tiles are laid under the ceiling.

After the glue dries, the bottom row is reported. To apply glue here, you can use a notched trowel that will allow you to adjust the layer. Too much adhesive can cause 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 tiles on the upper slope, it may fall off. To decorate the joints, external and internal corners for tiles in the bathroom are used.

The final step is grouting the joints 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 is clear that the technology of laying tiles in the bathroom is quite complicated. But with a certain amount of diligence, it is quite feasible on our own

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

Additional Information:

Reasons for the deformation of the tiles in the bathroom on the walls and floor

Bringing tile joints in order when laying tiles on the floor

How to clad aerated concrete with clinker tiles

How to choose the optimal layout

Before choosing a tile, it is worth drawing 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 the bathroom and be sure to display the location of the doorway, window (if any), all niches and ledges;
indicate the location of plumbing fixtures, sockets, switches, pipeline outlets.

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

Diagonal way

The most complex and laborious.

This method has a number of advantages:

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

And also cons:

even slight deviations in the size of the tiles are not allowed;
more waste.

With the "diagonal" method, the first row begins to be laid from the cut tiles diagonally, which increases the percentage of waste.

The tile joints are located 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.

Ways of laying ceramic tiles advantages and disadvantages

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

direct method

The most simple to implement and cost-effective. Tiles are laid in even stripes parallel to the plane of the floor and walls. Suitable for both square and rectangular tiles. The second option, depending on the location, can contribute to a visual increase in space.

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

Off the beaten path

Such a laying scheme is similar to the installation of brickwork, 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 direct layout method, with the difference that there will be more waste.

Laying apart is ideal for rectangular tiles, called "boar", as the result is a surface that mimics real brickwork.

Diagonally

This laying method is characterized by the arrangement of fragments at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the line of junction of the floor and walls. This technique looks very impressive, especially on large-scale surfaces, but is more difficult to work with. An expanded panorama with lines crossing diagonally appears before your eyes. For a limited space, this method is not suitable, as it will optically reduce the area of \u200b\u200bthe room. Among the shortcomings, one can note the increased complexity of the work and the significant labor costs associated with the need to trim the tiles. Diagonal laying is associated with a large level of waste, and therefore is quite expensive.

The performance of work on diagonal laying will require a sufficient level of skill from the worker. For beginner finishers, such a scheme may be too complicated.

Modular

The modular scheme was invented to create an unusual styling. Drawings that are distinguished by originality and modern design can be obtained through the use of tiles of different sizes, but with multiple edges. The main difficulty lies in the correct calculation of the required amount of finishing material. To this end, a schematic layout plan is created to scale. Be sure to take into account the level of thickness of the seams.

The modular scheme is in many ways similar to the 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 tile, you will need to follow a number of recommendations:

It is necessary to start laying tiles on the wall from the second row, the count is from the floor. The first row of tiles at the initial stage remains empty; during installation, it is worth focusing on the markings.
The adhesive is applied to the base, 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 ensure that the seams between the tiles in the bathroom are the same in width, use special crosses. The optimal width is a few millimeters.
Check each new row for horizontality. Even the slightest deviation later can lead to masonry distortions. This can happen due to slightly different sizes of tiles, which periodically happens 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 notches, you can simply gently break them out with pliers until you get a hole of the required size.

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

Seam processing

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

With a sponge, the remaining glue is removed from the tile. The grout solution is prepared in accordance with the instructions. Apply it inside the seams with a rubber spatula. The tile mortar hardens within half an hour. Then it is wiped with a damp sponge.

Processing seams on tiles

In order to avoid the formation of mold and fungus in the future, 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 will protect the seams from cracking, eliminating the need to replace the tile. It also performs a decorative function in the bathroom, the design of which will become unique.

The use 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.

Wall preparation

The preparation of the walls comes down to their plastering and leveling. The tile must be laid absolutely flush with the wall. If the seams 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, even 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 as a rule without sparing.

Proper 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 has been carried out. Laying should be carried out on the wall, cleaned of the old coating. Walls and floors must have a perfectly clean and even surface. Otherwise, the tile will eventually swell, crack, and then completely fall off.

The old tile is beaten off with a chisel and a hammer. You can use a puncher, 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 mixture;
leveling mix.

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 sealing the seams. To prevent moisture from penetrating inside, they are additionally varnished

The primer helps to increase 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 docking of laminate and ceramics can be carried out using the following products:

the use of a flexible PVC profile allows you to connect curvilinear bends;
a flexible metal profile is used to connect curved zones and straight seams;
an aluminum threshold is used to process the mating 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, coatings with a large height difference are finished;
when using a cork compensator, an even mating surface is obtained between the laminate and the tile;
using a T-shaped profile from the array, straight seams are made.

T-profile

Layout types

There are many types of tiling on the floor and walls of the bathroom, from the simplest to the incredibly complex. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. Consider the most popular types of tile layout.

Straight

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

Off the beaten path

Otherwise, a similar design is called brick or masonry. In order for such a decor to look harmonious, it is worth choosing the right proportions of the tile. The ideal ratio of width to length is 1 to 2. How beautifully you can lay tiles in the bathroom, imitating brickwork, is shown in the photo below.

Diagonal

One of the most difficult ways to lay tiles in the bathroom, requiring experience. 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 expended will justify itself, since the diagonal laying of tiles is also one of the most spectacular.

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 monitoring the curvature of the walls - they should be perfectly even without deviations from the perpendicular axis. How to use diagonal 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

Clear lines can significantly 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 a variant with several horizontal stripes of different colors. With this design, a plain tile is most often used.

If you have chosen a finish with patterns, it is better to separate the parts of the masonry with a plain 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 tile layout in the bathroom will look like can be seen in the photo below.

vertical

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

Vertical stripes visually stretch the room up, at the same time slightly narrowing it. It looks good on longitudinal long walls, but not on the ends in narrow rooms. 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 to assemble, since hundreds of small elements are required to be laid out exactly according to the scheme, never making a mistake.

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

Wall decor. A mosaic pattern can be made in one color or be with a full 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 similar decor on the floor will look good even in a small area.
Space zoning. With the help of mosaics, you can divide the bathroom into zones. This finish is especially popular in the shower area or on the wall along the bath.
To attract attention. Mosaic can highlight specific details, such as a sink or hooks for bath towels.
Decoration. Mosaic does not have to occupy 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 finish the most complex surfaces.

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

Tile grouting and processing

Grouting tiles is performed after the entire room is lined with this material. If during the laying of the tiles on the walls gaps were left for subsequent grouting, then grouting without sand in the composition will be required. Grouts with sand are used for floor tiles, which are also laid at wide intervals. To increase the useful properties of the grout, some craftsmen add latex to it, the solution of which is sold in specialized stores. You should not try to save on this solution, since its useful properties are noticeably reduced 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

DIY bathroom tiling

It is convenient to distribute the solution over the surface using a rubber trowel, which must be carefully driven diagonally across the laid tile, holding it slightly at an angle. Proper grouting allows you to fill every single seam with grout, but it is better to check this after the process is completed.

It is recommended to start grouting from the wall near which the bath 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 seams are processed, then an ordinary brush can also be used. In order for the tile to serve as long as possible, it is treated with sealant at least once a year.

A little about the choice of material

As we have already 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:

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

When choosing a material, one should proceed from the quality of ceramics. 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 marriage of about 5%, this series is marked with blue or light blue markings. The lowest grade is marked in green.

Ceramic tiles are distinguished by a resistance class, of which there are five, they are marked with Roman numerals. In a residential area, it is advisable to use a material not higher than the III class of wear resistance, and for the bathroom, the first class is enough. Since laying out tiles in the bathroom is not easy, you should correctly calculate its amount - ideally, you should take the material with a margin of about 15% to allow for 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 thing you need to think about is not how to arrange the tile decor in the bathroom, first you need a room plan with the location of the main interior details - plumbing and furniture

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

Thinking over the drawing, observe all the proportions and scales of the bathroom, but do not make the drawing too small. The scheme should be large enough to place all the elements on it and clearly indicate the dimensions.
For the correct layout of 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, ledges and niches. Sign the obtained values on the diagram.
Mark the location of plumbing and furniture on the drawing.
Be sure to indicate the location of the ventilation shaft, sockets, switches, etc.
Interior details that are mounted on top of the finish are not required to be indicated on the diagram - they do not affect the layout in any way.
Make a control check - compare the real bathroom with the resulting scheme, make sure everything is correct.

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

An accurate diagram is needed in order to correctly calculate the amount of material, the dimensions of the tile and the ornament itself. If you make 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. Design examples that can be found for laying tiles in the bathroom are shown in the photo below.

Bathroom tile layout sketch

The tiling process

Having carefully considered the various options for finishing bathroom tiles, let's move on to studying the laying 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 along 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, 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, prime the surface and dry.
We arrange waterproofing using bituminous pastes or a special mixture for plaster waterproofing.

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

Now the base of the floor is ready.

Above, the options for the bathroom - tiling were considered and you have already chosen the appropriate installation method.

We begin laying the tiles in the direction from the far wall to the doors. We also determine which wall will have a bath, shower, washing machine or furniture, under which the cut edges of the tile 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 fasten them to the alabaster (it dries quickly and can be easily removed in the future);
the wrong side of the tile is well wetted with water (can be lowered into a container of water);
with a special (notched) trowel we apply diluted glue to the entire surface of the tile;

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

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

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

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

As you already understood, the laying process is not difficult, but it requires accuracy and care. A well-chosen technology will ensure a long service life of the tile. 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 determine the size of the tile itself. Tiles range in size from 100x100mm to 600x600mm and are sold per square metre. You need to buy it with a margin, since when laying about 5% can go to marriage. Also, the number of tiles purchased is affected by the way it is laid. There are several such ways:

Direct styling. This is the simplest and most common way.
Diagonal fit. Looks more impressive, suitable for square rooms, will help hide slanting walls.
Laying in a checkerboard pattern. The best way to lay tiles in two or more colors.
Offset padding. 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 laid out of a facing material of different sizes and colors, while creating a certain pattern, pattern.

After the choice and method of laying has been made, you can begin to prepare the walls.

Before starting repair

Before laying the tiles in the bathroom with your own hands, you will need to check if there is a slope on the walls. This is easily done with a level, the walls must be strictly at an angle of 90 degrees. If you deviate up or down, you will need to first level the surface with plaster. You can see how this is done on the video, without leveling it with high quality, laying tiles in the bathroom will not work - such a repair runs the risk of not holding out for a long time.

If the angle between the wall and the floor deviates from the norm of 90 degrees, there may be ugly gaps 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.

Wall decoration with slabs has been very popular over the past decades. It is an environmentally friendly material that is practical and has a long service life. Wall cladding is performed in a variety of designs and shapes, since among a large assortment of tiles it is easy to choose the best option. The technology of laying tiles on walls was previously available only to experienced craftsmen, but today this work is possible for all users. To do this, you need to purchase the necessary tool, and follow our advice.

Laying tiles on the wall is required in compliance with all technologies, so that the product is guaranteed to serve you for the maximum period, delighting with its beauty and other qualities. Do not skip a single point of the process, strictly adhering to the markings and proportions of the materials used in the work. Self-laying tiles on the wall saves a lot of money, as craftsmen usually charge an amount equal to the cost of the tile for services.

The technology of laying tiles includes several processes, the first of which is marking horizontally and vertically.

In the first option, take a level and use it to find the lowest point of the selected wall.
Next, you need to make a mark at the height of one element.
Before mounting the tiles on the wall, draw a horizontal line along all surfaces at this point, using a level.
From the bottom mark, mark the location of the next horizontal line. The second row is laid down from it. According to the technology of laying tiles with your own hands, it is done first.

Advice! According to the technology, how tiles are laid on the wall correctly, it is required to nail a plank of wood or metal along the bottom line. It serves as an obstacle to sliding elements.

To create a vertical layout:

use a tape measure to find the center of the wall;
from this point on both sides we put a tile and determine whether it fits back to back, or whether the final elements need to be trimmed;
if the second option is obtained, then the central mark must be moved to the left so that the part fits completely on this side;
draw a vertical line along the new central mark using a level;
all four surfaces are marked in this way before laying tiles on the walls.

The classic layout is suitable for beginners, and for professionals, the creation of original patterns is available. When calculating, do not forget to leave a distance for the seam.

Choosing a tile for laying in the bathroom

Wall cladding with ceramic tiles is often used in rooms where moisture-resistant material is needed. When choosing a bathroom tile, you need to pay attention to several criteria, including packaging, as it contains a brief description of the product. The sign in the shape of a hand and foot indicates the purpose of the product - for walls or floors. A dash indicates wear resistance, a snowflake indicates frost resistance. The number of stars will “tell” about the quality of the material - the higher the number, the better the thickness of the ceramic tile and other parameters.

There are three classes of tiles on the Internet and hardware stores:

the first - for the technology of laying ceramic tiles on the bathroom wall;
2 - for country cottages;
3 - for the floor of residential buildings.

In addition to different colors, the type of surface is different - matte or glossy. You can also order any drawings. Since it is possible to glue tiles on the wall without special education, this is a plus of the product. It also has the following features:

resistance to pollution;
ease of care;
strength;
durability, etc.

Preparatory stage

The preparation of the walls must be treated carefully, since the whole procedure and the further service life depend on it. The surface must be flat, without drops, so that the process is as simple as possible. If there are irregularities, they will have to be adjusted by the amount of adhesive applied. Preparatory work includes:

measurement of the total area to calculate the consumption of building materials;
determining the level of the degree of deviation of the walls;
a knock-on strength test to identify poorly adhering layers that need to be removed;
cleaning from grease, stains, paint residues, glue, tiles and wallpaper;
alignment;
padding.

Preparation of the base for laying tiles begins on a dry surface.

To level concrete, stone and brick walls, cement mortar treatment is required.
A layer of roofing material, a metal mesh, and plaster are applied on top of the tree.
Drywall surface preparation consists of pasting with a plastic mesh.
The plaster needs to be chipped with a chisel to improve adhesion. If not, use an axe.

Tile cutting technology

Before gluing the tiles to the wall, you need to cut out the missing elements using a tile cutter. This is often required at corners or when making holes for drain pipes.

To cut ceramic tiles, the product is scratched with a tool. Use a ruler to get an even result.
Then it is placed on the edge of the table so that it coincides with the outlined line. Glazed top.
By pressing on the tile from two sides, break it along the cut.

If you want to cut tiles of irregular shape, then you first need to mark with a felt-tip pen. Excess pieces are broken off with tongs. Next, the edge is processed with a grindstone. This is done in any case, regardless of the thickness of the tiles on the wall.

Round cutouts for pipes are made with a drill. To do this, stick masking tape on which the drilling location is marked. In the process, gradually increase the size of the drills to the desired end result.

To obtain a round cutout, the markup is carried out as follows:

lean the required size of ceramic wall tiles (consider thickness and other parameters in advance) on one side of the pipe, then under or above it;
transfer the markup to the part corresponding to the level of the sides, top and bottom of the pipes;
then draw lines at right angles to the edges of the tiles;
in the middle of the resulting rectangle, mark a circle with a size equal to the diameter of the pipe.

Another method for creating a round cutout is to cut the tile in half. The cut should pass through the center of the circle so that in the future the pipe hides the resulting joint. This is done both vertically and horizontally. After cutting the part, make a semicircle of the required size on each half.

We glue ceramics: process features

Before you put the tiles on the wall, mark the beginning. If the room has an outer corner, then start from it, moving to the inner one. If all corners are internal, then do-it-yourself tile laying should start from a vertically located central mark.

Glue ceramic tiles on the wall from the bottom up. In the process, use a notched trowel, which you want to hold at an angle of 30-45 °,

Apply Litokol tile adhesive to the square of the surface. You can choose another manufacturer.
Immediately glue the tile, while pressing on it. You can also tap with a rubber mallet. While the glue mixture has not dried, move the product to the sides, aligning it in a perfect row.

Advice! If it is not possible to apply Eunice (or any other) tile adhesive directly to the walls, then it is allowed to cover the tiles with it. Some technologies describe the smearing of each surface.

While gluing tiles to the wall, separate the elements with crosses, placing them on the side of the part, or at the intersection of four elements at once.
Level to check the alignment of products in the horizontal and vertical direction.
After you have correctly glued the tiles on the wall on the entire row, remove the remnants of the adhesive composition from the seams before it has time to harden. Then it will be difficult to do so.
Wait a day for the ceramic to dry.
Then remove the bar.
Now lay the cut pieces.
At the end, the bottom row is placed. Before sticking it, tiles are installed on the floor. Before work, try on each piece, trimming it if necessary.

Seam sealing

Wall tiling is completed with grouting using the following technology.

Remove the exposed adhesive. This may require a knife and solvent.
Mix the Mapei grout (or your choice of grout) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Most often, white is chosen, but you can purchase a brighter one for contrast.
Next, use a spatula to apply it to the seams after laying the tiles on the wall.
Treat the area carefully. Remove the rest of the mixture with a damp sponge.
Remove excess cement grout using a rubber eraser.
Wait for the composition to dry and polish the area with a dry cloth.

Attention! In the gaps between the bathroom and the wall where the tiles were laid, the space is filled not with grout, but with sealant.

List of tools and materials

Professional level tiling is available with the following tool. It can be purchased at any hardware store. You need to have all the components, since laying tiles on the walls is not possible in the absence of any of them.

The adhesive to be chosen based on the characteristics of the coating and the purpose of the room.
Perforator with a nozzle for mixing the composition.
The capacity for this procedure is 10-15 liters.
Notched trowel or steel float for applying the adhesive. You may need a trowel for hard-to-reach places.
Grout and sealant.
Tile cutter or roller glass cutter.
Pencil or chalk.
Plaster and putty.
Trim to create an angle.
Crosses 1.5-2 mm wide for dividing tiles.
Hacksaw for ceramics.
Ruler and tape measure.
Primer, primer to increase the adhesive properties of the coating and provide better adhesion.
Level.
Long profile or wooden lath.
Nails and dowels for attaching them.
Tongs for tiles.
Grinding stone for processing sharp edges of cut ceramic tiles of any thickness.
Rubber spatula or seam trowel.
Masking tape.
Drill for pipes.

What is the difference between laying tiles on the floor

You can lay tiles on the wall and on the floor in the same room, such as a bathroom or kitchen. This is done using almost the same technology. The surface is also prepared, primed, marked. Work begins from the far wall to the exit. We actively use the level, leveling the surface with the amount of glue applied. At the end of the work - finishing the seams.

These methods of laying tiles are do-it-yourself, if you have the required knowledge, skills and tools. If you adhere to the correct technology, then the product will delight you with its beautiful appearance for more than a dozen years of operation.

It is difficult to imagine repair work without the use of tiles. It compares favorably with other types of finishes. And when designing a bathroom and toilet, this material is a 100% leader. How to lay tiles on the wall correctly?

The presence of vertical surfaces makes it necessary to take into account the effect of gravitational forces. It is also necessary to pay attention to the complex geometry of the coating and other parameters that affect the conduct of installation work.

Foundation preparation

Laying ceramic tiles on the wall can be done using cement-sand mortars or tile adhesives.

Other bonding materials are sometimes used. But such situations rarely occur.

The type of solution used affects the conduct of subsequent work. If adhesives are used, the wall surface is plastered or sheathed with drywall. The purpose of pre-treatment is to obtain an even coating.

If a cement-sand mortar is used, a larger amount of building mixture will be required. In this article, we will talk about how to lay tiles on a wall with a flat surface. This technique is more modern. It doesn't take much time to learn. When using the “mortar method”, more refined skills will be needed.

How to lay tiles on the wall in compliance with the technology? Laying tiles on the wall is made on the most leveled surface. Pipes and other connecting devices must first be hidden. When using a flat plane, the minimum amount of glue is used. This speeds up the lining process.

On a flat surface, primer is applied from above. If there is old paint on the wall covering, it must be removed and notches made on the wall.

Before laying the tiles, it is necessary to clean the walls of paint

The surface must have a solid structure.

Required Tool

Before starting the facing work, you should purchase special equipment. Do-it-yourself tile laying is done using:

glass cutter;
two building levels;
roulettes;
solution capacity;
marker
rubber spatula for grouting;
support bar;
special adhesive composition;
water and foam rubber sponges;
electric drill, which provides for the installation of a mixer nozzle.

Carrying out markup

How to put tiles on the wall to make it look good? Before starting laying, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work.

When marking the lining, it is necessary to take into account the rules:

in the most noticeable places there should be a whole tile;
the amount of tiles is calculated before the start of surface treatment;
it is possible that a larger amount of bonding material will have to be used to level the wall covering;
with visual equivalence of angles, trimming is carried out to the edges;
with vertical marking, the whole tile should be left on top;
the height between the floor and the ceiling and the thickness of the tile joints are taken into account.

Installation of facing material

Dealing with the question of how to lay tiles on the wall, you should choose the type of installation. The simplest is a method that simulates bricklaying. The most common laying method is seam to seam. But using it, it is necessary to strictly observe the verticality and horizontality of the butt joints. Any deviations will be immediately evident.

How to lay tiles on the wall correctly so as not to violate the technology? Usually the second or third row is glued first. Ceramics must be properly joined to the flooring.

She covers him. As a result, water does not flow into the butt joints. After the installation of the beacon row of ceramics, marks are “punched” for laying the first row. For this, a water level is used. Marking can be done with a laser device. But the device is relatively expensive. It doesn't make sense to buy it specifically.

How to lay tiles correctly if the flooring is already installed? Facing is glued from the bottom row. In this case, it should be borne in mind that a whole tile must be laid under the ceiling.

At the initial mark of the horizontal level around the entire perimeter, it is necessary to take into account the possible trimming of the lining near the pipes. In some cases, the marks are shifted in order not to make a complex cut. Next, a cord is pulled along the marked marks and a solid line is drawn along it.

It is better to lay out the laid tile in the first way. In this case, the level of the horizontal and vertical planes is fully controlled. A plumb line is used to control the vertical.

Wall cladding with ceramic tiles

Installation instructions

Laying tiles on the wall with your own hands is carried out in the following order:

2 row is laid out;
the horizontal level is marked;
to fix the lighthouse row, a support bar is used (aluminum profile or a wooden rail);
using a mixer, the adhesive composition is mixed;
a special spatula is used to apply glue to the wall covering and ceramics;
excess adhesive is removed with;
an even coating with several furrows is formed;

To install the first tile, horizontal and vertical marks are used. Do-it-yourself tile laying starts from the corner of the second row. A horizontal cord should be used to control the horizontal plane. The final check uses a water level.

tile cutting

Before laying the tile, it will have to be cut. First of all, you should stock up on a cutting tool. Regular pruning is carried out with a manual tile cutter.

You can also use a glass cutter or a scriber, at the end of which there is a victorious soldering. Cutting is carried out as follows:

cut line is outlined;
the plate should be laid on level ground and fixed;
the marked line is drawn several times with the cutting tool used;
the tile is placed on nails and gently pressed on it.

When using a tile cutter, the cutting roller is carried out only once. Repetitions can lead to jagged edges. For curly cutting, a grinder and a diamond wheel are used.

Grouting

After the tile is laid on the wall, the surface of the joints is cleaned of adhesive residue and rubbed. To do this, use a special building composition. The grout is applied with a rubber spatula.

The mortar used fills the gaps between the tiles. A sponge is used to remove residue.

Foam sponges will help evenly distribute the grout

With it, the grout is evenly distributed along the seams.

When deciding how to lay tiles correctly, you need to pay attention to the following points:

before you lay the tile yourself, you should check its quality and calibration;
the material used is sorted by size to obtain even seams;
at the stage of pre-treatment of the wall surface, do not spare the primer;
periodically check the verticality and horizontality of the masonry;
the adhesive composition must be applied to a dry coating.

Joining tiles and laminate

When using modern design solutions, it is necessary to dock different types of coatings. Quite often, a laminate is used to finish the floor, and tiles are glued to the wall. As a result, money is saved.

Laminate laying technology involves several options for docking with wall ceramics.

The junction area between tiles and flooring can have a different geometric shape. For its processing, building materials are used that can be deformed manually.

Laminate flooring options may vary. The material used to finish the docking zones must have the following properties:

the design contributes to an increase in the service life of coatings;
the service life of the connecting product must not be less than the service life of the floor covering and ceramics;
the connecting coating must be waterproof, sealing unprotected areas;
with the help of a connecting device, fastening details are masked;
installation of the material should be carried out as soon as possible;
the threshold is used as a decorative and reinforcing element.

Threshold has a decorative character

Docking materials

Technological docking of laminate and ceramics can be carried out using the following products:

the use of a flexible PVC profile allows you to connect curvilinear bends;
a flexible metal profile is used to connect curved zones and straight seams;
an aluminum threshold is used to process the mating 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, coatings with a large height difference are finished;
when using a cork compensator, an even mating surface is obtained between the laminate and the tile;
using a T-shaped profile from the array, straight seams are made.

Error correction

If a person lays tiles for the first time, mistakes may be made in the finishing process. With an inaccurate calculation of the thickness of the adhesive composition, the lining may lie unevenly. It is peeled off until the final curing has occurred, the glue is peeled off and the installation is re-installed.

Chips on the edges of the tiles are masked with grout. Tiles are durable building materials. If properly installed, it will serve you for a long time.

Laying tiles with your own hands is not an easy task, but it is quite feasible. If you cannot afford to pay the cost of these works, and a beautiful bathroom and kitchen do not leave your dreams, then with the right approach, you can do everything yourself.

If you take into account all our advice, practice, you will definitely get your hands on it, and you will never be interested in the cost of laying tiles. You yourself can transform your room with the help of this practical, durable, beautiful material.

We calculate the required amount of material

So, for this stage you will need: level (plumb), tape measure, paper and pen. Calculations must be done very carefully.

The intended location of the tile, whether it be a wall or floor, is measured horizontally and vertically. According to the result obtained and the estimated size of the tile, the required number of tiles is calculated. Special attention should be paid to the corners. If the corners are crooked, you will additionally need a few incomplete tiles in order to avoid gaps.

Next, you need to sketch out the layout of the tiles and choose the type of cladding. Possible options for laying tiles are: diagonal laying, "butt-to-butt" and laying in a run. At this stage, you also need to decide on the presence and the required number of decorative elements: friezes, borders, plates with drawings.

In order not to be mistaken in the number of tiles purchased, you can draw up a mini-diagram on paper on an appropriate scale, which will clearly indicate the location of both the tiles themselves and the decor. After that, you can only start buying and laying tiles, the price of which is often quite high. Therefore, an important rule should work: "Measure seven times, and cut one!"

Laying tiles on the floor

The tile keeps within only on ideally equal surface of a floor. Therefore, if the differences are impressive, you should think about floor screed. Under the tile fit all types of screeds. On top of the gypsum-fiber sheets with a dry screed, the tiles are glued with Fliesenkleber glue. Only the completion of all preparatory work proceed directly to laying.

According to the rules for laying tiles on the floor, we first determine the pattern. To do this, lay out two cross rows along the longitudinal and transverse axes. And special plastic crosses inserted between the tiles will help control the thickness of the seam.

There are different ways of laying tiles.

Traditional

Diagonally

Offset (offset)

herringbone

Herringbone with attachment

Modular grid

Depending on what you choose, the first row of tiles is laid. When using the direct (traditional) method in large rooms, laying starts from the middle, and in small rooms - from the second row.

When using diagonal laying, the frieze is first marked, then whole tiles are laid around the perimeter, then cut tiles, and then the frieze is laid. Having laid the first trial row, be sure to check its plane with the help of a level.

Special attention should be paid to the corners. Since the tiles may not be concave equally, corners may protrude, therefore, in order to avoid uneven floors, the tiles must be set a little below the level. Be sure to ensure that the seams in perpendicular directions match.

With the help of a level and a corner, we lay lighthouse tiles. If the floor is uneven, they are installed at the highest point. Next, a solution or glue is applied to the place where the tile will lie, the tile is placed on top and gently tapped with a rubber mallet. After that, you can fill in the remaining space in rows, periodically monitoring the level of tile laying.

The tile is perfectly attached to the floor with:

cement mortar;
glue;
cement mortar diluted with plasticizers;
bituminous mastic.

Laying tiles on the wall

Laying methods

Laying tiles on the wall can be done in three ways: traditional "butt-to-butt", in a checkerboard pattern ("ligation") or diagonally.

In the first case, you need to constantly monitor the coincidence of the vertical and horizontal seams, as well as measure the tiles in size.

When using "overlapped" cladding, the middle of the tile from the top row is located above the junction of the tiles in the bottom row. Laying using this method is greatly simplified, because. no need to constantly monitor the coincidence of the size of the tile.

Diagonal styling can often be seen in large rooms. The method is considered quite time-consuming and complicated, so if you decide to use the services of specialists, the prices for laying tiles may not please you. The main points that you need to pay attention to are the perpendicularity of the seams and the correct adjoining of the tiles to the walls.

Surface preparation

To begin with, possible deviations of the surface from the axes are checked: horizontally for the floor and vertically for the walls. The maximum allowable deviation percentage is 0.2%, i.e. it should not exceed 2 mm per meter of length.

Using a plumb or level, we check the vertical deviation for the walls. With proper installation, the plumb error will be less. It is best to hang the plumb line on nails specially driven into the corners of the room. With a long ruler, the deviation is checked over the entire height and width.

A flat surface is the key to success. Possible gaps immediately become visible if you apply an even bar or level. In the presence of large recesses, they must be carefully puttied. Small gaps up to 2 mm can be left unchanged.

Now, by tapping the surface, we check its strength. The presence of a baying sound indicates a fragile fit of the layer. In this case, the surface is cleaned to brickwork or concrete. During tapping, sand shedding is also possible: such a layer is removed or enhanced using specially designed tools.

The technology of laying tiles on a wooden surface involves the use of roofing material and metal mesh. Reiki, roofing felt are stuffed on the wall, a mesh is attached. From above, it is plastered with a 15 mm layer of mortar, after which the tile is laid after drying.

In the picture: 1 - stuffed bars, 2 - wooden base, 3 - roofing felt or roofing material, 4 - mesh, 5 - cement plaster, 6 - tiles

Grease stains, dirt, soap solution residues, paint - none of this should be on the prepared surface, otherwise the tile will not stick firmly enough. Painted walls are especially troublesome. Removing paint is a rather laborious process, but with the help of a perforator with a spatula or a cutting machine with a card brush, it can be greatly simplified and accelerated. The tile will hold better if the surface is primed.

Laying technology

The technology of laying tiles on the wall involves the preliminary laying of lighthouse tiles. To install the beacons evenly, pull the thread, which lags behind the surface by 5 mm. They are guided by it when installing beacons and leveling the plane. In this case, the parameters of the vertical and horizontal are necessarily monitored. For installation, it is best to use alabaster, because. it instantly hardens, and after laying a row, it is quickly and easily peeled off from the lighthouse tile, which is already installed on a permanent basis.

To clad the wall start from the center of the wall towards the corner. The center of the wall must be marked by drawing a vertical line to the floor with a pencil. From this place, laying begins. If, with a checkerboard pattern in the first row, the central line will pass along the junction of two tiles, then in the second row it will fall on a whole tile.

Now we mark the rows horizontally and carefully lay the tiles, starting from the bottom. If you are sure that the floors are even, then the tiles can be installed directly on them.

If during the laying process you notice that you have deviated from a straight line, you can slightly lift the already laid tile. This is done using wedges that are driven under the tile.

The tile can also be installed on a screwed rail, in the corners of which plumb rails with an attached cord are placed. All this is done in order to evenly lay the tiles both horizontally and vertically. After the tile is laid, all fixtures are removed and the voids are filled with mortar.

We directly lay as follows: on the reverse side of the tile, using a trowel, we apply a solution (cement, glue), distribute it with a comb, press it firmly against the surface, and tap it. To do this, use a rubber mallet. The level of the tile should match the level of the previously stretched rope. The entire space between the tile and the wall must be filled with mortar, otherwise adhesion will decrease over time and the tile may fall off. The applied layer of the solution should be from 7 to 15 mm. The remains of the solution that appeared on the seams are removed with a trowel.

We insert special crosses between the tiles, which will allow you to control the thickness of the seam. After the laying process is completed, carefully clean the seams from the remnants of the solution and dust, take out the crosses.

Tile cutting

In some cases, if the size of the room requires it, you need to cut the tiles. For floor use a tile cutter, for wall - roller glass cutter or carbide cutter.

Before cutting, the tiles are marked. Then, along the attached metal ruler, a cutter is pressed with pressure, after which the tile itself is broken, placing a wooden block under it, or with special tongs.

Grouting

The last step is grouting. Their width for tiles, the size of which is 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 60 cm, should average 3 mm. The surface will look more aesthetically pleasing if colored grout is applied to the seams. But even the usual white grout will give the wall with the laid tiles a neat and finished look.

The grout is applied either with a special scraper, grater, or using a bag with a nozzle resembling a confectionery. After application, the grout is evenly distributed to fill all the seams. Then dry excess is removed with a grater, the seams are treated with a sponge soaked in water.

If the tile is glazed, then grouting can be done immediately after the mortar has dried. If the tile is matte, then it is moistened with a sprayer before grouting.

For grouting, use a cement mixture or epoxy resin. Unglazed tiles are additionally treated with a sealant. This will prevent the appearance of stains both on the tile itself and in the seams.

A master class on laying tiles (video) is easy to find on the Internet. Are you now wondering how much it costs to lay tiles? We are sure you can do everything yourself!

In places such as the kitchen, toilet and bathroom, ceramic tiles are often used for wall decoration. Tile is one of the most popular building materials, and for good reason. It is easy to clean and performs well in wet environments. But when using ceramic tiles, there is a drawback - the cost of its installation is high, and can reach (and sometimes exceed) the cost of the tile itself. There is a way out of this problem - laying tiles on the wall with your own hands. In this article, we will talk about how to lay tiles on the wall, as well as all the necessary preparatory activities.

Preparing the wall for tiling

Regardless of whether expensive or cheap tiles are laid on the wall, the quality of the finished surface will largely depend on how well the rough base is prepared. With a perfectly even base, the process of gluing tiles on walls is many times faster, which is why hired craftsmen often increase the price for their work if there are large irregularities on the walls. To save time and nerves, pay special attention to all the stages preceding the installation of tiles.

So, preparing the wall for laying tiles begins with checking its evenness and, if necessary, leveling it. With a long rule and a water level, the walls in several places are checked for large gaps, blockages and drops. Small irregularities on the wall surface (up to 1-2 cm) can be leveled with tile adhesive directly during installation, but you need to understand that this requires some experience. In addition, the time for tile work with this approach increases significantly. Therefore, for a beginner, the best option would be high-quality preparation of the base, since it is much easier to do it yourself.

As a rule, leveling is carried out using plastering, but a method is also common in which walls are leveled by erecting plasterboard structures, on which tiles are installed on a perfectly flat surface.

We dismantled the process of self-plastering the wall along the lighthouses in, which is required to read before finishing. One has only to note that in wet rooms it is not recommended to use gypsum-based compositions for plastering. This is due to the ability of gypsum to absorb water, which is fraught with the formation of fungus on the walls.

If the surface of the wall is sufficiently even and does not require plaster, it must be cleaned. To do this, clean the wall with a spatula to the plaster layer, while completely removing the remnants of old paint, whitewash, loose pieces of plaster, embroidering all the chips and cracks. All these shortcomings are covered with ordinary tile adhesive until a smooth surface is obtained. The presence of crumbling areas or areas with old paint or whitewash significantly impairs the contact of the tile adhesive with the wall.

After leveling the wall, it is primed. The primer, being absorbed into the plaster layer, improves the adhesion of the tile adhesive to the base, binds all the dust, and also prevents the appearance of fungus on the wall surface. The primer is applied to the wall with an ordinary roller or a wide brush in several layers, allowing it to completely soak into the plaster.

For better contact of the tile with the wall, special compositions are often used with the addition of coarse river sand or granite chips. Such a composition - concrete contact - creates a rough structure on a flat wall surface, which contributes to better adhesion of the coating to the base. If it is impossible to purchase concrete contact, it is necessary to make notches on the plaster in order for the adhesive composition to be better fixed on the wall.

The choice of ceramic tiles for walls

The selection of tiles is an important step not only in terms of design approach. It so happened that the lower the price of a tile, the worse its geometric shape, which in turn leads to difficulties in laying it. When laying irregularly shaped tiles, it is difficult to get the same seams and a smooth surface without drops. This also leads to the fact that when using such a material it is difficult to achieve a thin seam at the joints of the tiles. Therefore, if the size of the joints is of great importance to you, choose either foreign samples or domestic tiles in the above-average price range. The photo below shows the differences in the shape of tiles from one pack:

Close attention should be paid to the format of the tiles. Laying out large-format tiles alone will be quite problematic. In addition, with a lack of experience, you may encounter material overruns, which, at the high cost of such a tile, will lead to unjustified costs. For beginner tilers, it will be most convenient to work with small and medium format tiles.

In addition to size, the shape of ceramics is also important. When choosing its type, you need to rely on the design project of the future premises and on the need for trimming. For example, when using wide rectangular tiles in a narrow room, you may either need to glue small fragments in the corner, or you may need to double the number of tiles to finish a given wall.

All these nuances are individual for each specific room and project, so there is no universal solution for all rooms.

When choosing a tile, it often happens that the option you like is intended for laying on the floor. It is not forbidden to lay floor tiles on the wall, however, such tiles are often made of porcelain stoneware, which is several times stronger than ordinary ceramic tiles and is more difficult to cut and drill. This must be taken into account, since when laying wall tiles, much more cuts are made than with.

The last tip when choosing a tile is that when buying, you need to check the batch numbers on each pack of material and purchase tiles of only one article and batch number, as this will save you from differences in the color scheme of a particular batch.

Tile layout

An important point in laying any ceramic tile is its layout. In modern renovation, it is important to prevent the formation of narrow undercuts and tile residues along the edges. To do this, precise marking and layout are made in advance either on paper or in a computer program. The bottom line is that equal parts of the tiles remain along the edges on all sides, and the whole elements are in the center. This layout is considered the only correct one.

Tools and materials for laying tiles

The main tool required for working with tiles is a tile cutter. The lack of a tile cutter is a barrier for many craftsmen who want to lay out tiles with their own hands. A quality tool, as a rule, is expensive, but today there are many services and stores that offer all the necessary tools for rent.

For laying tiles on the wall, you can use both manual and electric tile cutters. An electric tile cutter is convenient because it does not require special skills to use it - it works like a regular circular saw, only it has a diamond wheel instead of a saw blade. Dust in such a device settles in a water bath. The advantage of an electric tile cutter is the speed and quality of cutting even small pieces of tiles, as well as the ability to cut tiles at 45 degrees. The disadvantage is the need for maintenance, cleaning and washing after each working day.

In addition to the tile cutter, the main hand tool of the tiler is a notched trowel - a smoother, with which the adhesive is applied to the tiles and walls, and also distributed over its surface. The convenience lies in the fact that with the help of the teeth on the spatula a uniform thickness of the tile adhesive seam is achieved. The teeth come in different sizes, so a different size is chosen for each specific case. For convenience, we have compiled a table to help you quickly determine the size of a notched trowel for your needs:

In addition to the spatula, you will need the following tools:

Before the direct laying of the tiles, they are sorted in order to determine the marriage, tiles of an uneven shape, different from others in size and color shades. This procedure is carried out for both cheap and expensive tiles. High-quality flat tiles are used in places that are in plain sight. Tiles with flaws or minor defects are allowed for trimming, or used in hidden places.

Cutting and cutting tiles

If there are even walls and the correct sizes in the room, experienced craftsmen cut tiles on all walls at once in accordance with a pre-designed layout. This is done in order to save time and not to cut the tiles after gluing each subsequent row.

If you are not sure that you will be able to get into the dimensions, taking into account all the errors and the thickness of the seams, we recommend trimming in place to avoid mistakes.

Laying ceramic tiles on the wall

The process begins with the layout of the room. As for the horizontal layout, it is determined by a pre-prepared layout scheme. All that remains for you to do is to accurately cut the tiles in accordance with the dimensions. When marking vertically, there may be several options.

As a rule, the laying of wall tiles does not start from the floor itself, but from the second row, this is done to obtain a perfectly even row, which cannot be done when laying out from an uneven floor. But often the layout is done so that the beginning of the tile is on the same level as the top edge of the bathtub, in which case the starting row is measured out taking into account the size of the bathtub.

There can be many options for tile layouts, therefore, in the simplest version, the layout of the second row is done as follows: a distance equal to the thickness of the floor tiles and the adhesive layer (6-8 mm in the presence of a flat floor) is set aside from the floor and this point is taken as the level of the future finishing floor. A distance equal to the sum of the heights of the wall tiles and the seam between the floor and wall tiles is set aside from the level of the finished floor. At the received point, a line is drawn around the entire perimeter of the room. It will correspond to the bottom border of the seam between the tiles of the first and second row.

The first row of tiles will be applied last after all wall and floor tiles have been laid. In case of an error in the calculations, this row can be trimmed without compromising the appearance, since the joint below is filled with sealant and will not be noticeable.

Along the border of the marked line, a metal profile is mounted on the wall, on which the first working row of tiles will be installed, and which will prevent them from sliding down. After the glue hardens, the profile can be dismantled.

After marking and preparation, they begin to knead the tile adhesive. Here you need to pay attention to two points - consistency and quantity. The consistency of the adhesive is chosen such that the ridges, after spreading with a notched trowel, do not spread, but are not too thick. The composition should be flexible and easy to apply to the wall. The amount of the solution is chosen in such a way that its lifetime does not end before its full use. The solution life is indicated on the package, after this time the adhesive loses its elasticity and dries. If you do not have much experience in laying out tiles, we advise you to mix a small amount of glue first, then the required amount will come with experience.

The tile is laid, starting from the corner of the wall, on an even layer of adhesive, which is applied to the wall with a notched trowel. In the presence of even walls, the adhesive must be applied only to the wall. In the presence of irregularities, the glue is applied both to the wall and to the tile itself with a conventional spatula and leveled with a notched trowel. Modern technology for the production of ceramic tiles does not require that it be wetted before laying. On the contrary, this may lead to a violation of the correct adjunction of it to the wall.

In order to maintain the parallelism of the planes of the tile and the wall in the horizontal direction (in the vertical direction, this parameter is controlled by a bubble level) in the first row, you need to mount the so-called beacon tile. To do this, a whole tile or any cut is temporarily mounted on the opposite side of the wall. After that, a long rule is applied to the first and beacon tiles. If there are gaps between the rule and the plane of the tiles, then their position is adjusted until the gaps are completely eliminated. In parallel with these, the verticality of the installation of tiles should be controlled.

After gluing the first ceramic element, the second one is mounted according to the same principle, checking the correctness of its installation with a rule and level, not forgetting, in addition to parallelism, to control the horizontal level of gluing. After that, the beacon tile can be dismantled, and the control can be carried out on two already installed tiles.

At the junction between two tiles, it is necessary to install plastic crosses to adjust the gap between them. Crosses must also be installed under the tiles to simulate a seam between the current row and the first row, which will be mounted at the very end. In addition to the seams, crosses are installed in the crosshairs between the tiles to form the correct adjunctions. It is worth removing them immediately after the tile adhesive begins to set and dry. If you wait until the glue is completely dry, removing the plastic from the seams can be a problem.

The entire further laying process is repeated similarly. It is important at each stage to control the verticality and horizontality of the tile installation and adjust its position if necessary.

After laying all the wall tiles and drying the glue, they proceed to cleaning the joints and filling them with grout. To do this, it is convenient to use a small spatula. The grout is rubbed into the cavity of the seam, evenly distributed and allowed to dry a little. After a few minutes, the grout is gently rubbed with a moistened sponge until a smooth, even seam is formed. After that, it is left to dry completely for about a day. After a day, all excess grout is wiped off the tile with a wet cloth. It is important not to leave the grout on the tile for several days, as it will become more and more difficult to wipe it off every day.

The seam between the floor tiles and the wall, as a rule, is filled not with grout, but with sealant. To do this, choose either a white sanitary sealant or a sealant in the color of the grout. This is done in order to compensate for the thermal expansion of the tiles and to avoid cracking of the grout in the joints. This is especially true in the presence of a screed. The video below shows how easy it is to make a neat seam between the wall and the floor using sealant.

As a rule, after laying the tiles with their own hands, many admit that their fears were in vain, because the whole process is not particularly difficult. A good help in this matter will be the use of high-quality tools and good preparation of the rough surface.

Finally, we invite you to watch a video in which the master describes in detail the process of laying ceramic wall tiles: