Installing tiles on the bathroom floor. Laying tiles on the bathroom floor

October 25, 2016
Specialization: master in construction plasterboard structures, finishing works and laying floor coverings. Installation of door and window units, finishing of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

If you think that only builders can lay tiles, then read this article to the end and watch the video that I made for you. In the review, I very simply and clearly talked about how to do without a tiler and get the perfect result. To lay tiles well, you don’t need experience, you need to be careful, don’t rush and don’t get nervous; if something goes wrong, everything can be corrected during the process.

Workflow Description

Let's figure out what stages the work consists of and in what sequence they are performed. You need to start with proper preparation.

Preparatory stage

First, let's figure out what is needed to work from materials, the list is very simple:

• Ceramic floor tiles, it is better to choose options with an anti-slip surface, since in the bathroom water often gets on the floor, which creates a certain danger if the tiles are smooth;
• Tile adhesive, I always prefer to use compounds with increased fixation; additional strength has never harmed in such work;
• To ensure that all joints between tiles are perfectly even, it is necessary to use spacer crosses, in my case I took the 3 mm option, but you can take more.

You also need a certain set of tools:

Tool	Description
Tile cutter	Since floor tiles are much thicker and larger than wall tiles, we will need a large tile cutter. I have an option that allows you to cut elements up to 600 mm long; the design has a ballerina for cutting holes, which is also convenient, but not necessary
Drill with mixer	To quickly and efficiently mix tile adhesive, we need a drill with a special attachment. With its help, the work will take a matter of minutes, and the composition will be mixed very thoroughly
Level	I use two levels - shorter and longer, but you can get by with one middle option
Spatula and notched grater	This tool is necessary for applying the adhesive composition and its uniform distribution over the surface; for the floor, the teeth on the grater should be 8-10 mm, no less

Concerning preparatory activities, then they are:

• The surface is thoroughly cleaned of debris; if there are protruding parts on it, they need to be knocked down with a hammer. After this, you need to check the plane using a level, place it in different directions throughout the room;
• If the base is uneven, then it is better to level it; the easiest way is to use a self-leveler, but if the differences are large, then you will have to use cement mortar, which is laid and aligned along the beacons. The smoother the surface, the easier it is to lay the tiles, remember this;
• Just before starting work, the surface is swept or vacuumed again, everything is ready for work.

Laying tiles

Now we have come to the main stage, let’s deal with it:

• First you need to prepare adhesive composition, a couple of liters of water are poured into the bucket, after which about 8 kg of dry composition is poured in and mixed using a mixer. If necessary, more mixture is added to achieve the consistency of thick sour cream;

• To determine how the tiles will lie, it is worth laying them out in length and width, starting from the most visible place. This way you will understand how many tiles fit in a row and how many need to be cut from the outermost element. Precise measurements will be taken later, but for now you should outline the installation order;

• After this, the tile is removed and tile adhesive is applied, starting from a visible corner, all visible places should be covered with a whole tile, cut elements are easier to hide. The composition is applied to the floor with a spatula in the area larger size tiles, after which the layer is leveled using a toothed trowel, at the same time excess tile adhesive is removed;

• The ceramics are laid carefully with a small distance from the walls; the joints will still be covered with a plinth. The gap is also needed in order to compensate for the unevenness of the walls, they are present in any case. The element is carefully leveled, after which its position is controlled using a level - lay it in different directions and make sure that the tile lies perfectly level;

• Then the process is repeated: glue is applied to the surface, leveled with a notched trowel and tiles are laid on the surface. It is leveled using a level, and spacer crosses are inserted at the junction of the elements so that the seam is perfectly even. The level is checked both on a separate tile and on two elements at once, everything must be perfectly level;

• When you reach the last row that needs to be cut, you need to take measurements and determine the width of the tiles, taking into account the width of the seam and the distance from the wall (it should be 10 mm). Cutting is done as follows: the surface is marked, after which it is inserted into the tile cutter, the marking line is aligned with the line on the structure. The roller is placed on the edge, after which you need to move it along the surface with strong pressure, after which the element is broken with a tile breaker;

• Further work is carried out in a similar order, the main thing is to constantly monitor the plane with a level. If there is a skew somewhere, it doesn’t matter, the tile can be lifted and removed or you can add glue; the composition allows you to adjust the position of the elements within 10-15 minutes, so you will definitely have time to align everything. Don't forget about the crosses at the joints.

Lay the tiles so that you can leave the room, do not forget about this. You can walk on the surface within a day; before that you should not touch it.

Conclusion

The work took me two hours, including preparing to clean the surface and taking a coffee break. Of course, the speed is inferior professional tilers, but the quality is definitely not worse. And yes - squatting for a couple of hours is hard, I’m writing an article the next day, and all the muscles in my legs hurt, so you can stock up on special knee pads, this way you can work for a long time and your legs won’t get tired.

And be sure to watch the video - in it I showed and told a lot more.

October 25, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, or ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!

Tile is a material that has been proven over the years. It is durable and does not lose its attractive appearance throughout for long years, is not afraid of water, and therefore most apartment owners use it to finish the floors in the bathroom or kitchen. However, this material is quite difficult to work with - you need to follow a certain algorithm in order to ultimately enjoy the beautiful floors and not regret the money spent. In addition, tile is far from a cheap material. How to lay tiles on the bathroom floor? This is a question that worries novice craftsmen without experience for good reason.

Installing tiles is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Despite high strength coating created from it, this material is quite fragile in operation and is demanding on installation conditions - this is the main difficulty when covering floors with tiles. It is important to remember this if you decide to lay it yourself.

In order to avoid mistakes, you need to study the installation process at least in theory - only in this case will you be able to avoid mistakes and then rejoice at the successful completion of the work and a beautiful floor. Otherwise, the apartment owner who performed the work independently and incorrectly will be disappointed. There is a technology here, which is important to follow even if you want to save a lot on all the tools and materials.

Prices for popular types of bathroom tiles

bathroom tiles

Choosing a method for laying tiles

Before starting work, it is important to decide how the tiles will be laid. That is, you should choose a layout method, since the need to carry out certain additional work. There are four main types of patterns in which tiles can be laid.

Table. Methods of laying tiles.

Layout method	Short description
	In this case, the tiles are laid in regular parallel rows. The first row is located along one of the walls of the room. The simplest and least waste method - in this case the amount of scraps will be small (only 4-6% of the total volume of material).
	The tiles will be laid diagonally relative to the walls in the bathroom. This is a more complex method; as a result of the work, a lot of waste appears (at least 15% of the total volume of material). The method will also require knowledge of how to cut tiles correctly.
	The tiles are laid in such a way that the joints between the individual elements create a peculiar pattern reminiscent of a chessboard. The laying technique is similar to a regular straight one.
	In this case, the tiles are laid so as to form a specific pattern. The method is not suitable for beginners, as it requires quite a lot of experience in installing the material, and also significantly increases the volume of waste generated (up to 40%).

You will have to choose the method of laying the tiles yourself. However, experts strongly recommend choosing the conventional method if a person has not previously encountered laying tiles at all. When using a conventional technique, the chance of making a mistake is not as great as when using artistic or diagonally installation

There are also variations in the methods of laying tiles depending on the starting point of installation. There are three of them.

The center of the room for laying tiles using the third method is quite simple to determine: first of all, the middles of the walls are marked, then thin cords are stretched between them. Where the cords intersect will be the center of the room. This point will be the junction of the four initially laid covering elements.

Making markings on the work surface

To reduce the risk of making mistakes when installing tiles, it is necessary not only to immediately select a laying method, but also to apply a diagram of how the tiles will lie on the rough base.

Important! The procedure must be performed only after the floors (if necessary) have been leveled.

You can also sketch it out on paper first various options layouts. This will allow:

• choose the best way styling;
• decide on the final appearance of the floor;
• outline the places where they will be located decorative elements, If there are any;
• make certain adjustments if necessary.

When drawing up a tile layout project, it is necessary to take into account the actual dimensions of the room and the tiles.

Advice! Before gluing, the tiles are laid out on the dry surface of the rough base in accordance with the selected pattern - this will allow you to evaluate how it will ultimately look and get your bearings the right choice drawing.

The layout of the tiles on the floor must be drawn as accurately as possible; it is advisable to use a ruler and a marker so that nothing is erased and the diagram is depicted accurately. Smooth, sketchy lines are the key to ensuring that the craftsman will be able to avoid skewing the tiles. It is convenient to apply markings using a laser level.

How to lay tiles on the floor in the bathroom: features of the work

Laying tiles in the bathroom is generally no different from installing them in other rooms. But there are some subtleties here too. For example, the tile pattern may be affected by the presence of a bathtub. As a rule, it is installed against the wall before laying the tiles, but it also happens that this plumbing fixture is installed on a tiled floor. In this case, it is important to prevent adhesive components that can be used to install a bathtub from getting on the tile, and also not to accidentally drop a heavy tool (for example, a hammer) on the floor. But it is best to tidy the floor after installing the bathtub.

On a note! Installing the bathtub for the first time will save on tiles. In this case, the floor covering need not be laid directly under the bathtub itself.

If there is no bath in the bathroom and it is planned to install a shower, then the floors are also tiled last.

Preparation of tools and materials

To lay tiles on the floor you will need a number of tools, the purchase of which is important to think about in advance:

• rubber spatula;
• Cross separators for tiles– necessary for the formation of neat seams (their thickness will depend on the quality of the tile used. How better quality tiles, the thinner the crosses can be);
• construction level;
• small rubber hammer.

You can also purchase the tile itself, tile adhesive, and a means for grouting joints between individual coating elements. The tile should be:

• with a low level of absorption, minimum porosity;
• non-slip;
• resistant to chemicals;
• whole;
• with a high-quality printed pattern.

What tile adhesive should I use?

Depending on how high-quality glue is used for installation, both the result and the quality of the entire work will depend. It is best to buy the adhesive recommended by the tile manufacturer. Typically, such information is given directly on the packaging of the material.

The glue can be produced in the form ready mixture based on polyurethane or in the form of a dry mixture, which is diluted with water to a certain state. In the first case, the glue should be used immediately after preparation. In the second, as much glue as necessary is diluted, and the rest can be well closed and stored.

Important! The glue should be prepared strictly according to the instructions. It must have a certain consistency - it should not spread across the floor, but at the same time it cannot be too thick.

It is useful for anyone who has started renovations in their apartment to know how to lay tiles on the floor in the bathroom - because in this way you will significantly save on hiring professionals, you will be able to lay the tiles correctly, and get a beautiful bathroom that will please the eye every day.

The process of laying tiles on the bathroom floor has its own nuances, and it is important to perform correctly not only the installation process itself, but also preparatory work, and also choose the most suitable material so that the tiles are not only durable, but also beautiful and last you a long time.

About all the nuances of preparing and laying tiles (how long it takes to dry, preparing the surface, how to lay it on wooden floor, how to level the surface, etc.) you will learn in the article.

Videos and photos will help you cope with the work, even if you have not done it before, and do high-quality repairs In bathroom.

Tile is the most common material for laying in the bathroom, both on the walls and on the floor. The explanation for this popularity is quite simple - tiles are noticeably superior to other types of coating.

It is very easy to clean, dirt and dust do not stick to it, and it is resistant to even the most aggressive detergents.

Tiles - environmentally friendly pure material, does not highlight any harmful substances and absolutely safe for humans.

Ceramic floor tiles have a wide range design solutions– you can easily select any material desired color to decorate the interior of your bathroom.

This material has almost zero electrical conductivity, so you can lay it on the floor even in very damp rooms and not worry about damaging the wiring.

Types of tiles can be seen in the photo.

To choose a coating, you need to focus not only on its aesthetic properties, but also know how to determine its quality so that repairs do not have to be done again soon.

In order not to make a mistake and buy tiles specifically for the floor, make sure that the packaging contains a mark with feet on a black background.

Since tiles are often exposed to cleaning agents, it is better to choose a coating marked “AA” - it has the greatest resistance to alkali and acid.

When buying tiles, you can choose from several types. For example, you can purchase porcelain stoneware with a non-slip surface - it has a ribbed or matte rough texture and is very convenient to use.

True, this one will cost a little more than usual. Tiles are commonly used for bathroom walls because... tiled is quite fragile and can quickly be damaged when laid on the floor.

It is better to choose mosaic material for the floor - it is durable, it is not difficult to install, it is quite cheap and has many design options.

The most important thing to pay attention to, besides the type of tile, is its resistance to moisture. The flooring must also be durable and resistant to physical impact.

If you do not plan to lay tiles annually, then it is better to immediately choose quality material, which will last at least 5 years, for example, classic Italian coating.

How it looks, look at the photo in the section.

Floor preparation

Before you start laying the flooring in the bathroom, you need to prepare the room for work and level the surface. First, you need to remove all furniture from the room.

The floor needs to be leveled before laying the covering, only then will it lie beautifully. One of the most important stages all work - leveling the surface.

There is also a simpler option - lay the new coating directly on old tiles, then alignment is not needed.

This is simpler, but in this case the adhesion of the materials will be poor, and the coating will begin to move away from the floor over time.

Plus, this will reduce the height of the room, so it is better not to use this method in a small bathroom.

Put away old material you can use a hammer and chisel, and then clean off the solution or old glue, on which it was laid. Then you need to check the evenness of the floor using an optical level.

In order to remove unevenness, you can fill the floor with a leveling mixture. See the packaging for instructions on how to apply it yourself.

The initial layer of the mixture should not exceed 1.5 cm, otherwise it will not dry out and it will be impossible to lay tiles on top.

After drying, the surface is additionally primed to ensure better adhesion to the coating.

Laying tiles on a wooden floor is generally no different from laying on concrete base. However, the wooden floor itself is not durable.

Before laying, the wooden floor must be dismantled - remove the old boards, and then level the surface: fill it with a leveling mixture, or level it with a sheet of plywood and boards, the thickness of which is at least 3 cm.

Most reliable option– make a screed on a wooden floor, then you don’t have to worry that it won’t hold up and the covering will crack or otherwise deform.

You can follow this process in more detail using photos and videos.

Leveling and preparing the floor for laying tiles also requires waterproofing work. You can see the stages of waterproofing in the photo.

Many people are too lazy to do this with their own hands, but professionals are advised not to neglect this process, because tiles are usually laid in the bathroom, where there is running water and there is a real threat of leakage. It is especially important to do waterproofing before laying a water-heated floor.

In addition to the floor, the lower part of the bathroom walls is also treated - a high-quality waterproofing layer should cover 20-30 cm from the height of the room.

After carrying out the waterproofing work (you can learn more about how to do it yourself by watching the video and photo), you need to make a screed, especially on a wooden floor.

Carrying out this process correctly will ensure that the coating will lie flat. After filling the floor with the mixture, 1-2 days must pass before it is possible to lay tiles on top.

Drying time depends on the thickness of the layer; you can find out exactly how long you need to wait by reading the instructions on the package of the mixture.

Laying the material

After the preparation is completed and you have successfully completed the task of “leveling the floor,” you can begin laying tiles in the room. Ceramic tiles are most often used for installation.

The material can be laid only after priming, waterproofing and other preparations have been completed.

A primer will make your DIY installation work much easier, so don’t neglect this process.

Before gluing the tiles, you need to prepare: lay them out on the floor to see how they will lie.

If the material needs to be cut, then it is better to lay such parts from the edges so that they are less conspicuous. Begin gluing the coating from any far corner of the room.

To glue it, you will need special glue; how much to dilute it depends on the size of your room - you can look at the proportions on the packaging.

Before gluing the covering, it is better to mark the floor with chalk or a marker - this way you can immediately fix the tiles evenly.

This should be done at the same time as you try on the tiles and choose the pattern with which it will be laid.

You need to spread the mixture on the floor with a notched trowel, and then press the tile tightly to the treated surface and tap the edges with a hammer to improve adhesion of the material to the floor.

Before you start gluing the material with your own hands, it is better to look at the photos and videos with instructions, especially if you have not done this before.

Make sure that the adhesive is evenly distributed on the floor, otherwise some tiles will be higher or lower and this will have to be corrected.

How much glue is needed is written in the instructions, but, as a rule, it is about 8 kg per square meter.

In order for the tiles to be laid evenly, a cross must be inserted between each piece, along which a seam will be formed.

Do not forget to check the height and horizontality of laying the tiles according to the level, otherwise the coating will be laid unevenly and this will be noticeable.

First of all, you need to lay out solid tiles, and only then can you begin installing the cut parts.

To cut tiles, use special tool– with a tile cutter, or you can do this with a regular hacksaw. The cut tiles are mounted on the sides.

After laying the material is completed, the finished coating should be left for 2-3 days until it is completely dry.

However, you need to immediately remove the crosses between the seams, because the material dries quickly, and after hardening it will no longer be possible to do this.

After the material between the plates has set and hardened, the seams must be treated with a sealant.

The easiest way to do it with your own hands is classic styling. There are other types - most the hard way– lay the tiles diagonally (this method is also called diamond laying).

This type of installation is more expensive, because... more material will be required, and more complex, but it looks more impressive than standard way styling

If you want to lay the tiles in a diamond shape, then be sure to mark the pattern first and lay out the tiles in accordance with it.

After you have finished gluing the tiles, wait until the material dries and then wipe it with a damp sponge to remove any remaining sealant.

You can look at the video and photo for different installation methods and choose the one that best suits the design of your bathroom.

Put flooring not so difficult, the main thing is to correctly complete all the steps: choosing tiles, preparing the surface and laying the material.

After this, you will receive high-quality and beautiful flooring in your bathroom.

Currently, the most practical type of flooring in the bathroom is ceramic tiles. This floor is easy to care for and continues to for a long time look very good. After appropriate preparation ceramic tiles Can be placed on almost any base. And today, continuing the series of articles on our website, we will talk about how to lay tiles on the floor.

All operations will be done in the following sequence:

1. We prepare the surface.
2. We decide on the floor design and choose ceramic tiles.
3. We are planning to lay tiles on the floor.
4. We do installation.
5. We rub the seams.

Preparing the surface

Since we are doing a DIY renovation in the bathroom, it is initially assumed that we already have some kind of floor. We need to bring this floor into proper shape.

AND the first stage When preparing the surface, it will be necessary to determine how well this floor is laid. In my case it was classic version for bathrooms of the Soviet period, the floor is laid with “brown boar” - the most common floor finish of those times. Basically, since the tiles were laid on cement mortar, they hold up very poorly and are laid very crookedly.

We arm ourselves with a chisel, hammer, sledgehammer and safety glasses - remove all the old tiles. This is not a very difficult matter, the main difficulty is to knock down the cement baseboard around the perimeter of the bathroom and make the surface flat.

Second stage It is necessary to determine how horizontal the surface is.

To do this, place a horizontal mark on the wall at a convenient height. (Since I was completely tiling the bathroom, I combined this procedure with marking the horizontal rows of tiles on the walls). Using a hydraulic level, we transfer the height of this mark to all 4 walls of the room so as to draw a continuous horizon line on the wall along the entire perimeter of the room. We measure the distance to our floor from this line. Ideally, the distances on all 4 walls should be equal, which means the floor is horizontal and nothing needs to be done.

In my case, when checking the floor for horizontality, a height difference across the floor level of 1.5-2 cm was discovered, although the size of the bathroom is very small - 1.45 m. in width and 2.2 m in length. For such small room, I think this is a big difference. Moreover, the most high level was in the opposite corner diagonally from the lowest one. All this needed to be fixed:

At the highest point, we retreat from the floor a distance equal to the thickness of the floor tiles plus the thickness of the seam. This totals approximately 1 cm;

We put a horizontal mark on the wall;

We measure the distance from our mark to the horizon line that we drew earlier;

We transfer this distance from the horizon level along the entire perimeter of the room;

Let's draw our new horizon floor, this will be the finished height of our new floor.

If in your case the height difference is significant (more than 2 cm without taking into account the thickness of the tiles), you will need to first level the surface. This is done using a special floor leveler -, or, if the difference is very large, using cement screed with display of beacons.

In my case, the difference was not very large, and I decided to remove it by changing the thickness of the adhesive layer under the tile.

Third stage We finally prepare the surface. It must be well cleaned, any loose elements, grease and oil stains must be removed, and the dust must be vacuumed up. It is advisable to prime porous surfaces.

Deciding on the floor design and choosing ceramic tiles for the bathroom

There are a huge variety of ways to lay tiles on the floor. It all depends on your room, its size, lighting, furniture arrangement, plumbing fixtures and much more. You can lay tiles in the classic way“seam to seam” with clear rows in the longitudinal and transverse directions parallel to the walls.

They use the method of laying tiles staggered; for example, only the longitudinal seams match, and the transverse seams are offset.

You can use the diagonal laying method, i.e. the seams in the longitudinal and transverse directions will be parallel to the diagonals of the room.

Having a large room, it would be advisable to lay out some kind of design on the floor. This will decorate the floor very well and add a certain unique flair.

At this stage, you need to think about what size tiles you want to see. If the bathroom is not very good big size It would be advisable to choose small tiles.

A product catalog from a trusted online store will help you with your choice, for example: http://nashaplitka.com.ua/catalog/plitka/

If you want to save on the cost of materials, then you need to correlate the size of the tiles and the size of the room. For example, if the room is 3 meters wide and 3 meters long, it would be more advisable to choose tiles measuring 30 cm * 30 cm. When laying it, there will be no waste at all, all the tiles will be intact, and accordingly the floor will look very impressive. And vice versa, if you choose a tile 33 cm * 33 cm, then there will be a lot of trimming, and accordingly there will be a lot of waste.

We are planning to lay tiles

We bought the tiles, now we begin the installation process itself. Most of the tiles produced have square section, or at least are rectangles with angles of 90˚. Most rooms, however, are far from square shape. Most walls have deviations, both from the straightness of the walls and from verticality, internal corners very rarely they are 90˚. And there can be many such construction flaws. This doesn't mean your home was built terribly, it's quite normal.

It is necessary to mark the laying of tiles so that:

In the most visible place (for example, at the entrance to a room or a place where the eye immediately falls), the tile lay parallel to the wall and was not cut;

Regardless of the position of the walls (walls can also form an irregular rhombus), the laid tiles formed a regular square (or rectangle);

The tiles were cut in the most inconspicuous place (for example, under the bathroom);

After laying the main surface at the junction of the floor and the walls, narrow strips for insertion were not obtained, because cutting a very narrow strip from a tile is problematic. It’s better to move the entire picture a little towards another wall.

Based on these principles, in my bathroom I first laid out one row along and one row across the room. I oriented the rows into the correct rectangle relative to the wall with the entrance. The goal was: at the entrance, place a whole tile at the floor level of the entire room of the apartment, make trimming to the right of the entrance (under the bathroom) and place whole (uncut) tiles to the left of the entrance.

For the correct orientation of the rows in the longitudinal direction, we measure the distance from the wall to our row at the beginning of the row and at the end. The distances must be equal. If necessary, slightly adjust the row by shifting it. We achieve parallelism of the row to the wall.

We draw out the position of the longitudinal and transverse rows and remove the tiles.

On this preparatory stage ends. We decided on the rows, the arrangement of tiles, and the height of the floor. In my bathroom, I started laying with a whole tile of a whole (not cut) outermost row, which is located opposite the entrance - to accurately match the floor level in the bathroom with the floor level of the entire apartment.

We carry out installation

To lay tiles, we need the following tools: a hammer with a rubber striking part, 2 levels (long and short), a tool for cutting tiles, a marking pencil, a ruler, a notched trowel, an ordinary trowel, a container for preparing glue, crosshairs for seams.

The tiles can be laid using ready-made glue (sold in buckets, already diluted and ready for use) or you can prepare the adhesive solution yourself by purchasing it in dry form. I used dry powder.

It is easy to dilute according to the instructions written on the package. Until you have the skills to work, don’t cheat a large number of, it’s better to add a little later.

We lay the first tiles according to our markings, checking their horizontalness in the longitudinal and transverse directions.

To accurately match the floor level in the bathroom and the floor level in the entire apartment, I laid the next tile adjacent to the entrance. We check the floor level according to our drawn marks for the height of the finished floor on the wall and, if necessary, slightly adjust our three tiles in height.

Setting up the first guide tiles is the most difficult and time-consuming step. After its completion, we lay the tiles in a row up to the wall in one direction.

And up to the wall in the other direction. We orient the horizontality of the row according to our three exposed tiles and the finished floor height marks on the wall.

We lay the first outermost, but always whole, tile of the next row.

We align it along our existing row, applying a level in the longitudinal and transverse directions. We achieve a uniform floor plane and insert a seam cross to maintain the identity of the seams. We leave all the tiles that will be trimmed for the end.

We lay out the entire second row, and lay out the last whole tile of the third row, similar to the previous procedure.

The procedure for laying tiles in a row is as follows:

We lay the tiles close to the two already laid. Align the tile relative to these two tiles in the horizontal plane.

We apply a level in the transverse direction of the row and achieve a plane, similarly in the longitudinal direction of the row. We check the horizontalness diagonally so that the free corner of the tile does not lift up. We insert seam crosses and set the straightness of the seams.

We check that the junction of the four tiles is at the same level and that no corner is sticking out.

After these operations, it is advisable to see how the laid tiles look in the general background and whether the seams are straight. In this way we lay out all the intact (that are not trimmed) floor tiles.

AND the last stage there will be a laying of the outer tiles joining the walls. We will all be trimming them in a certain way, so it would be advisable to first cut them all and number them, and then put them in place. When marking, it is necessary to take into account the width of the seam between the tiles.

It is convenient to do this entire procedure after the bulk laid tiles will finally stand up and the glue underneath will harden. This will make it possible to walk freely on the floor and mark all the tiles to be cut. and I wrote in detail in the following articles. This is not a very complicated matter, but it is impossible to do without it.

We rub the seams

The last step in laying tiles on the floor will be grouting the joints. For your bathroom, it is imperative to choose a moisture-resistant grout that can withstand repeated wetness. How to choose it, what colors to choose and how to fill the seams correctly is a separate and very multifaceted topic. I plan to cover it in the next article.

Having laid all the tiles around the perimeter of the room and filled the seams, we get this picture of the finished floor.

Laying tiles on the floor - difficult task, but with proper planning and good preparation, it becomes much easier and will no longer seem impossible. By working carefully, slowly and enjoying the work, you are guaranteed a great result.

When approaching such serious types of work as laying tiles, I always tell myself: “I don’t need to follow the plan and lay twenty in one day. square meters. I do not receive a salary from production here. I get the satisfaction of doing the work with my own hands here.”

Approach complex repairs in the same way, and everything will work out and move forward very, very quickly.

In the article, I tried to describe in as much detail as possible the process of how to lay tiles on the floor in my small bathroom. You may have some of your own nuances and features. Don't be afraid, approach difficulties creatively, apply creative solutions.

Good luck with the renovation work.

Renovating a bathroom is not a cheap pleasure. Moreover lion's share expenses account for the wages of craftsmen. If you do some of the work yourself, you can significantly reduce the cost of repairs, and at the same time acquire useful skills. We will talk about how to properly lay tiles on the bathroom floor with your own hands in this article.

Tile selection

Often a person, when starting a renovation project on his own for the first time, is faced with the difficulty of choosing tiles. And it's not even about large assortment, but in the characteristics of the tiles. After all universal tiles does not exist, each has its own purpose. Most important characteristic One thing you should pay attention to when choosing is wear resistance. There are 5 wear resistance classes: from the lowest, used in bathrooms and other areas where outdoor shoes are not worn, to the highest, which can be used in any high-traffic areas.

In addition to wear resistance classes, there are a number of pictograms on the packaging that indicate additional characteristics.

1. The fact that this tile is suitable for laying on the floor will be indicated by the pattern of the foot on a black background. If such a foot is depicted on a shaded field, it means that the tile has high wear resistance.
2. The hand will indicate to you that this tile is only suitable for wall cladding, and the snowflake will indicate its frost resistance. In addition, it is worth paying attention to the tile thickness indicator and its quantity in the package.
3. Chemical resistance is indicated by letters. The highest indicator is marked with the letters AA, and then in descending order A, B, C, D.

Tile characteristics

How to calculate the number of tiles

Once the choice of tiles has been made, it is important to correctly calculate the quantity. This can be done by drawing a plan and schematically marking the contours of the tiles on it. To do this, do not forget to check the dimensions of the tile you have chosen. In this way, you can count the number of tiles needed and determine in which places the cut tile will be least noticeable, because the length and width of the floor are rarely a multiple of the number of tiles.

In addition, you can use specialized tile calculators.

Advice. When purchasing tiles, always take a small reserve, at least 5%, in case of defects or damage.

Preparing the floor for tiling

Before you start laying tiles, you need to carry out several important steps for the preparation of:

Dismantling the old coating

1. Remove all furniture from the bathroom.
2. Turn off all water supply taps.
3. Remove the bathtub, washbasin and toilet. If you do not plan to replace, then try not to damage the plumbing during dismantling.
4. Remove old tiles.

At the same stage, it is necessary to install a heated floor system, if one is planned. To do this, the floor is completely dismantled, right up to the ceiling. Afterwards it is necessary to make waterproofing and lay a layer of polystyrene or foam. A heat-reflecting screen is placed on top on which the pipes are placed.

Leveling the floor surface and installing a heating system

After laying the pipes, before pouring the floor, the system is completely pressure tested, and only after that the system is filled with a reinforced screed, the thickness of which must be at least 5 cm.

If a heated floor system is not included in your renovation, then in order for the tiles to lie flat, you just need to level the floor before laying. This can be done using a self-leveling mixture or beacons. Sometimes it happens that the floors are quite flat and the deviation does not exceed 5 mm. In such cases, you can not perform preliminary work, but immediately proceed to laying the tiles.

Laying tiles

Before laying tiles, it is best to pre-prime the surface. Many people consider this step optional when laying tiles on the floor, but the primer increases the adhesion of the tiles to the floor and the adhesive, and this, in turn, will make your renovation more durable.

The process of laying tiles on the floor

You need to start by laying out the tiles. This way you can once again make sure that the tiles will lie correctly, and place the cut pieces in the least visible area.

A special adhesive is used to lay tiles. If you don’t know which one you need, consult the salesperson in the store.

The glue is applied with a special notched trowel, popularly known as a “comb”. It is best to apply glue in one direction. The level is your main assistant in styling. The tiles are tapped with a special rubber hammer for good adhesion to the floor. If the tile has sunk below the required level, it must be removed and reinstalled. The thickness of the glue should be the same everywhere. Most often it corresponds to the size of the teeth on the spatula.

Apply tile adhesive with a special spatula

Almost all tiles with back side Manufacturers print an arrow that indicates the direction of laying the tiles. If these recommendations are not followed, this may lead to the expansion or contraction of the seam, especially when it comes to large area. It is better to lay the tiles in one direction.

To form the seams, special crosses are laid. Usually, solid tiles are laid out first, and only then proceed to those places where it is necessary to lay out the cut pieces.

Tile cutting

Cutting tiles can be done either with a special tile cutter or with a regular hacksaw for metal.

Tile cutting

The tile cutter is suitable for cutting straight pieces. In order to make rounded cutting of tiles, you can use this method:

• It is necessary to stick adhesive tape on the surface (this will avoid notching);
• draw the required line;
• drill holes along the line using a carbide drill;
• break off the desired part with special tile tongs or wire cutters;
• Use a file to smooth the edges of the tiles.

When all the tiles are in place, you need to let the floor dry for several days.

Jointing

Grouting of joints is carried out a few days after laying the tiles. This seemingly small thing can radically change appearance premises. Therefore, experts recommend not saving on grout. The usual grout that is used for walls will not work.

Seam processing

For the floor you need to purchase a special one made on the basis sand-cement mixture. This grout can withstand heavier loads and is resistant to abrasion. Before you start jointing, you need to remove the crosses that were used when laying the tiles and clean the glue from the seams. Only after this the seams are rubbed using rubber spatula. Wipe off any excess with a damp sponge, being careful not to touch the seams.

Attention. Try to remove excess grout immediately after jointing, because sometimes dried grout is very difficult to wipe off the tiles.

1. If the end tile does not reach the wall by 1–2 cm, then some experts recommend moving the row so that wider pieces are placed on both sides. This will save you from having to cut narrow strips, which in itself is a complex and time-consuming process.
2. If the installation involves a figured construction, the inclusion of decor or tiles of a different color, then it is best to mark such places in advance on the floor markings.
3. Be sure to read the instructions that come with the tile adhesive. Different types require glue different technologies styling

Make accurate measurements and calculations in advance

If you follow these simple tips and follow the instructions, laying tiles on your bathroom floor yourself will not be an impossible task for you. Armed necessary tool and a positive attitude, you will not only save a considerable amount of money, but also gain useful skills that will most likely be useful to you in the future.

How to properly lay tiles on the bathroom floor: video

Bathroom floor tiles: photo