How to Lay Tile

Tools & Materials

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Refer to our convenient installation checklist to make sure you have considered all the tools and materials you may need for each step of your installation. The basic items you will need to install tile are listed below.

• Underlayment is something you put on top of your substrate to prepare it for tiling. The substrate (or subfloor) is the ground, whether it’s made of plywood or cement.
  • Cement board or backer board are the most standard underlayments. They come in various thicknesses for different spaces. You will need to tape the joints for this type of underlayment.
  • Membrane is typically a fiberglass composite material that is used for preventing deflection (bending and flex in floor) and decoupling (separation or sliding of a joint). You will need to tape the joints for this type of underlayment.
  • Waterproof underlayments are necessary for wet areas. Your options are a paint-on application, a membrane or a waterproofing backer board. You will need to tape the joints for this type of underlayment.
  • Self-leveling cement may be needed to help level an uneven floor or protect heating wires. This product uses a primer and a cement.
  • Mudset is a combination of Portland cement and sand.
• Adhesives
  • Epoxy is both an adhesive and a grout. The adhesive is used for stone with resin backing.
  • Thinset can refer to cement mortar or thinset mortar. Cement mortar is a mixture of sand, Portland cement and water. Thinset mortar is a mixture of Portland cement, fine sand and a water-retaining agent or activator. Refer to our thinset recommendation chart to determine the best one for your space.
  • Premixed adhesives eliminate measuring and mixing, so you can start installing faster, but they may have some limitations on how and where they can be used. Make sure to completely read the label before installing your tile.
  • Mastic is a premixed glue that can only be used in dry areas. If it gets wet, it won’t fully cure, and the product will release. This is a good do-it-yourself option because it is easy to use and premixed.
• The grout you will need depends on the type of tile you are using and the space.
  • Epoxy is both an adhesive and a grout. The adhesive is used for stone with resin backing.
  • Sanded grout has small sand particles in it and is a baseline adhesive for many tiles.
  • Unsanded grout does not contain sand particles and is used with glass, polished stone and smaller grout joints.
  • Excel grout contains sand particles but can still be used in smaller grout joints because the aggregate is smaller.
  • Premixed and single-component grouts are also available. These eliminate the step of mixing your own grout.
• A sealer may or may not be applied. Check to see if your tile or grout will need to be sealed.
  • Stone sealers
    • Natural sealers give a dry look.
    • Enhance and seal gives a wet look.
  • Grout sealers
• Tools
  • Trowel: Selecting the right trowel is an important consideration and depends on the size of the tile. Refer to this checklist to determine the best trowel size and shape for your project.
    • Tip: A margin trowel (also known as a tiler’s best friend) is a very useful tool to have. It can be used for mixing, cleaning squeeze out from grout lines and popping a tile out of thinset to check coverage.
  • Float (for grouting)
  • Cutting tool (either a wet saw or scoring snap cutter)
  • Spacers: Depending on your space, choose from wedges, T spacers or leveling spacers.
  • Buckets
  • Sponges
  • Tape
  • Utility knife
  • For full list of tools and supplies and recommendations, talk to your store associate.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens