What You Need To Lay Ceramic Tile

For more on prepping the floor read prep a tile floor.

What you need to lay ceramic tile. For larger tile cuts set the tile in a tile cutter mesh side up and score the face. For smaller tile cuts use nippers. Gather all of the supplies needed before you start the tile installation process so you don t have to make an unexpected trip to the store. A portable tile cutter works with most ceramic tile but you may need to use a wet saw if working with marble or granite tile.

Installing ceramic tile can be tricky. The number of tiles you will need will depend on the size of the tile you wish to lay as well as the tile pattern you will like on the floor. First make sure you have prepared the subfloor properly before you begin laying tile. The tile tools you ll need including a tile cutter will total 60 to 80.

Installing over wood. Successful tiling jobs are a direct result of good planning and a methodical approach. You may need to cut tiles to properly fill your backsplash area. Using a tape measure or digital laser tape measure the room from one wall to the opposite wall and note the distance.

Take the time to do the right amount of prep work before you begin. Chipboard cushioned vinyl flooring particle boards of any type oriented strand board osb interior grade plywood tongue and groove planking and hardwood floors are unsuitable substrates for direct installation of ceramic tile. If you have a concrete subfloor this isn t an issue. For most installations you need a tile cutter which you can rent.

Then snap the tile along the scored line. Break each piece along the line. Use a tile cutter for porcelain or ceramic tile and a tile nipper for any circular incisions. If you need to make a cut mark the tile.

Before beginning remove tiles from the different boxes and randomly mix them to ensure that minor color differences don t form an unwanted pattern in your new floor. When it comes to installing a tile floor you will need a rubber mallet spacers a level a tile trowel and thin set or another type of mortar. You can lay tile directly over the existing vinyl as long as it s well. To make a straight cut with a tile cutter simply place the tile face up in the cutter adjust the cutter to the proper width and score the tile by pulling the cutting wheel across the tile s face.

Working in small sections repeat the procedure with additional pieces using spacers to ensure even spacing. Let s say the measure of this distance is 12 feet 3 7 m. To install ceramic tile over wood the wood surface must be structurally sound enough to support the weight of the tile.