Tile is deservedly considered one of the best finishing materials. It is relevant on the floor in the kitchen and on the walls in the bathroom. The tile withstands high humidity and high temperatures, is highly durable, looks aesthetically pleasing. Modern manufacturers supply high-quality samples to the market, while imported products are perfect. For laying tiles masters ask for a price comparable to the cost of materials. Therefore, many would like to learn how to lay the tiles correctly in order to save money and do it yourself.
Kitchen
Secrets and methods of laying tiles are available to all masters. You can lay this material on a plastered wall or plasterboard coating. If it is painted in the kitchen with ordinary paint, then the material may not adhere well. Some experts recommend not to clean the paint on such a wall, but to make notches. There are masters who are against such a trip - it is believed that all the paint must be removed, the surface leveled, and then proceed to styling. However, practice shows that even on a painted wall with notches, the tile adheres remarkably. Whether the tile is evenly laid is another matter. Without prior alignment of the walls, there is no guarantee that everything will look aesthetically pleasing.
Some recommend that before starting the laying process, soak the tiles for several hours in a container of water - this is what the masters did in Soviet times. It was believed that in this way adhesion can be improved. But there is no evidence that this approach is effective. Now the market offers a lot of modern solutions that have excellent adhesion without the need for soaking.
As you can see, how many people, so many opinions. But we will look at how to lay tiles in the kitchen. Three laying technologies are used - diagonally, at the seams, in the dressing. The most difficult to lay diagonally. The method implies the need to cut tiles many times. This does not have the best effect on material consumption.
When working in the dressing, the rows that are higher are shifted half the tile horizontally.
Surface preparation
If the wall is completely dry and plastered, then before tiling work the surface is treated with deep penetration soils. On sale you can find a lot of different soil. They practically do not differ in their composition. You can buy anything. When working with soil, it should be remembered that molten, but not completely used liquid cannot be poured back into the canister with the product. After some time, the used soil will smell unpleasant.
After the primer has completely dried, individual grains of sand will no longer separate from the surface, and the glue will more reliably hold the tile.
Tile adhesive
There are a lot of it on the market. Most of those who know how to lay tile correctly recommend using Cerezit materials. It is believed that the best glue simply does not exist. But practice shows that there is no particular difference between imported and domestic glue. But there is a difference in price, and it is quite noticeable. Therefore, do not overpay for the brand. It is better to buy an affordable tile adhesive for interior work.
Necessary tools
For work, in addition to glue, a tile cutter is required. But you can apply a grinder. You also need to prepare a hammer, crosses, building level, ruler, bucket of water, metal profile, dowel-nail fasteners. Two types of spatulas are needed - these are wide toothed and rubber small sizes. For marking you need a pencil.
Spatulas, or rather, their sizes depend on the characteristics of the tile. To lay a large tile, a large notched trowel is used. The width and height of the teeth should be ten millimeters. If smaller tiles are used, the trowel teeth should be eight or six millimeters.
The required number of tiles
How to lay tiles? The very first thing is to correctly calculate the amount of material. To determine the amount, you should measure the size of the wall - you need a surface area. Also add ten percent of the amount in case of possible damage and pruning.
But if you need to save money and the size of the tile is known, you can calculate the required amount up to one element. Then cut out a template from cardboard and apply it to the wall. Then you can make sure exactly how many elements will be in each row, how many will have to be cut. These rules are similar not only for tiles in the kitchen, but also for any tile work.
Cut tiles are placed in places where they will not attract attention. It is placed on those areas that, after repair, will be covered with furniture, curtains or pipes. If the design project requires that each outlet and switch is located exactly in the center of the tile or in the middle of the seam, then a more detailed layout is done. Tiles are bought more high-quality, and with a margin.
We lay the tiles in the kitchen
They usually don’t put it behind cabinets and tables, because this leads to a significant cost overrun. If it is decided to lay out only a working wall, then you need to start with the markup. Experts will reveal secrets on how to lay tiles in the kitchen - you should definitely use these tips.
So, on the wall draw a horizontal line to the place where the table ends. A profile for drywall work is fixed on the line. It is on this profile that the lower row of tiles will rest. The necessary pieces of the profile are cut to size and attached to the wall with dowels, nails. Do not forget about accuracy. To do this, the correct fastening of the profile is checked by the building level.
There are crosses in the list of necessary tools - they are needed to adjust the thickness of the joints between the tiles. Also with the help of them they regulate the position of the tile from each other. If the seam should be two millimeters, respectively, you should purchase a device of this size. If the seam should be wider, then crosspieces are bought to the right size.
Glue preparation
Many are interested in how to lay tiles. But styling itself is only part of the process. To get a good result, you must first mix the glue properly. Its consistency significantly affects the final result.
For proper mixing, carefully read the instructions. The glue is mixed manually or with a drill with a nozzle. Apply the composition with a spatula. The latter must be kept in water so that the material on it does not dry out. After mixing, the adhesive should stand for about ten minutes. Then it is mixed again. This is done so that the mass becomes plastic and soft.
How to apply glue on a tile?
The composition on the tile is applied using a flat spatula. It is more convenient to remove excess glue with a notched trowel. Here's how to lay tiles - this is a technology that has been proven over the years. From the notched trowel without any effort, the glue will fall back into the bucket.
The spatula is wet, as it is in the water. On the back side of the tile are even strips of glue. The spatula must be held perpendicularly. This affects the thickness of the layer.
Mounting tiles on the wall
To determine which part of the tile is lower and which is the upper, a special mark will help. She is at the top. The tile, oiled with glue, is applied to the wall and pressed. Then check the horizontal and vertical. If the wall is well prepared, then the tile itself will stand up as it should. It is very problematic to stick the tile with a warp. The second tile is applied similarly next to the first. At the bottom, as well as at the top, crosses are installed. Flatness is checked by the rule. There should be no gaps.
Some experts know how to lay tiles with their own hands, and are sure that it is better to apply glue not on tiles, but on the wall. This method may well be used. But it is believed that this tile is laid unevenly, albeit much faster.
If something went wrong and the tile got crooked, that is 15 minutes to fix the situation. If more has passed, then it is better to remove the tile, clean the wall to perfect condition, re-lay the tile.
Cutting
They process tiles and ceramics using a special tool. This is a tile cutter. If not, then the operation is done with a glass cutter. Further, the tile breaks on the edge of the stool or table.
This operation should be done carefully and accurately. Curly cuts are made with a diamond disc grinder.
Cornering
Many people know how to lay tiles, but are interested in how to properly lay a corner with tiles. Let's see how this is done:
- You can solve the problem simply by using direct docking. Elements are laid perpendicularly so that one section is visible and the second is masked under the top. In this case, with minimal effort, you can close the corner in any area. The disadvantage of this method is the seam at the junction. Of course, it is shut up, but it significantly spoils the appearance.
- For a more accurate result, you will have to attend to the purchase of equipment. The technology is to cut the edges of the tiles at 45 degrees. This can be done as follows. First, grind the edge with a grinder. Then apply tile cutter and emery. Cafelins are cut and glued with a solution so that their edges coincide. They should form a solid material. Specialists who know how to lay tiles correctly do not recommend this method for beginners.
- A special corner tile is also used. This is a corner-shaped tile. This is the best option for beginners.
- How to lay tile? You can apply trims. These are special inserts made of plastic profile. The latter represents the angle of the necessary orientation. The profile is fastened with sealant, glue or liquid nails.
Floor tiles
Tiles and ceramics are the best option not only for walls, but also for the floor. Let's see how to lay the floor tiles. The technology is similar to wall mounting. There are no secrets here. The difference in the size of tiles or ceramics. Floor tiles are thicker and have large dimensions in width and length.
As glue, you can use factory products or make a cement-sand mortar. This is a great alternative to glue. Make it as follows. Mix sand, cement and glue in a ratio of 3: 1: 1. Then the whole mass is filled with water.
The difference between laying on the wall and on the floor is that glue and mortar must be applied to the surface itself. Those who know how to properly lay ceramic tiles are advised to glue a surface of 1 square meter. This is for experienced craftsmen. And for beginners - 0.5 square meters or less.
We put the tiles in the bathroom
All preparatory stages are relevant for the bathroom. Here the tiles will be laid on the floor, on the walls and in the corners. The styling techniques described above should be applied. In the bathroom, it is better to use tiled glue. It is better to moisten a tile with water. This will prevent moisture from being drawn from the cool mixture. Here's how to lay tiles in the bathroom. The main thing is to work slowly and accurately. And then the result will exceed all expectations.
Grouting
When the tile is laid, the seams are filled with special compounds - the so-called grouts. To perform this operation, all the crosses are pulled and the seams are rubbed with a white or any other color trowel mixture. The operation is performed with a rubber spatula. The color of the grout is chosen to match the shade of the tile.
For a tile on the floor, grouting is not always used, especially if it is laid in the corridor, vestibule and other rooms where they often go. In these places the grout will lose its color. Instead, it is better to use a solution of sand and cement.
Conclusion
Here's how to start laying tiles in the bathroom, kitchen, and floor. The complete process is described here from start to finish. This instruction will help many novice masters.