BestBathrooms.com shares its tips on how to tile like an expert.
Products you need for tiling
- Spirit Level
- Tile cutter
- Tile cutting jig
- Tile spacers
- Grout
- Ground spreader
- Adhesive
- Adhesive spreader
- Gauge stick
How to prepare your bathroom for tiling
The first thing you need to do before laying any tiles is to prepare the surface to be tiled on. Make sure the area in question is thoroughly cleaned and then allowed to dry. Next, create a gauge stick using a piece of wood. Lay your tiles next to the homemade gauge stick, placing tile spacers in between each. Mark the position of the tiles against the stick.
Creating tile guidelines
Horizontal Guides
Hold your gauge stick upright against the wall from where you plan to lay your first tile.
Tip: Leave a few millimeters of space at the bottom of where the first row of tiles will be for sealant.
Using a pencil mark your wall where the bottom row of tiles will be. After you have marked this line use a Spirit Level to ensure it’s straight.
Vertical Guides
To mark out a vertical tile guide you need to use the same method as seen above but this time use the gauge to determine where the first column of tiles will begin.
If you find you are left with a small strip of space once you get to the other end of the wall move the gauge back about half a tile space so that the tiles will be as central as possible.
Having worked out the correct position where the tiles will be you now need to attach a batten at the outer edges of the guides to help hold the tiles in place as they are laid and while the adhesive dries.
How to lay bathroom tiles
To apply the adhesive follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Using an adhesive spreader apply the adhesive and then place the tiles individually onto the wall. Slide the tile gently to position it and then place a spacer next to it to create an even gap between it and your next tile. Repeat this procedure until the required space is covered.
To ensure a tidy finish, wipe the tiles with a damp cloth. Now wait for the adhesive to dry.
Border tiles
Border tiles are used to complete a tiling project and need to be cut to size. To get the right measurements in order to fit the space, hold the tile flat against the wall and pencil on where the cut off point is. Now use the tile cutting jig and tile cutter to adapt the size of the tile. Place border tiles on the wall as you would with ordinary tile adhesive.
Final stages
Following the manufacturer’s instructions use grout and a grout spreader to fill in the spaces between the tiles. Just remember to remove the tile spacers first!
Author: Laura Davis
