Installing Ceramic Floor Tiles
The ceramic floor tiles offer a very attractive and a durable alternative to the other floor finishes. The ceramic floor tiles come in lot of different sizes and colors that match the décor of any room and can provide years of maintenance-free use. In addition to it the ceramic tiles are extremely easy to install.
Here are some tips and tricks for installing ceramic floor tiles counting down from 10:
10The major prerequisite before installing ceramic floor tiles is that you must have a smooth and a rigid sub-floor to support. Ceramic tiles are not at all flexible, and can crack if installed over a rough surface or a thin sub-floor. You might consider putting down ½-inch plywood to provide a better solid surface for the installation.
9. The bigger is not always better, but it definitely is easier. Large tiles are a lot easier to install than the smaller ones. The larger tiles are most commonly used for the bathroom, but are also great for kitchens and all the other rooms.
8. As said before a rigid solid sub-floor is a very important point in installing ceramic floor tiles. The ceramic tiles being brittle can crack easily if not placed over a solid sub-floor. Consider cementing down ½-inch or 1-inch plywood to ensure a quality work.
7. The next step in installing ceramic floor tiles is squaring a room. The best method to square a room is by using a 3-4-5 Triangle. You have to measure 3 feet against one wall, 4 feet towards center of the room and connect these two lines with a 5 foot line to make a triangle.
6. Thin-set not only keeps tiles on the floor, it can also make up for the minor imperfections that are there in the subfloor. For installing ceramic floor tiles latex modified thin-set are perfect. The latex modified thin-set needs only water. Remember, to use it within an hour of mixing it or else it will become very hard.
5. Renting a wet saw is a good idea for you will have to cut the ceramic tiles to fit the floor. Shaping all the tiles perfectly will be paid off immediately when you start setting them.
4. Always keep some time and start to work in a small area to make sure that you do everything right. Even if you work in a small area, don’t rush to lay the tiles down quickly.
3. When working in tight corners or edges of the room, the trowel doesn’t fit inside that small space. The easiest way to reach around those corners is to put the adhesive on the back of the tiles.
2. Even though all the tiles are set on the floor allow them some time to dry.
1. Guard the gaps with plastic spacers. Plastic spacers are available in different sizes.