How to Install Porcelain Tile Over a Concrete Floor
- 1). Make sure that the concrete floor you wish to cover is level, sturdy and clean. There should be no defects in the concrete. If there are defects, patch or level these areas with a floor-leveling compound.
- 2). Measure the dimensions of your floor. Use the dimensions to help you estimate how many tiles you will need.
- 3). Snap chalk lines down the middle of the floor, in both directions, in order to find the center point of the room. This will also divide your floor into four quadrants.
- 4). Plan the tile layout by dry-laying the tiles on the floor. Start in the center of the floor, and work your way to the walls. Use spacers in between the tiles to account for concrete grouting. The ideal space between each tile is 1/16-inch.
- 5). Cut tiles to fit around corners, the perimeter of the room, and other structural elements, such as doorways. Use a wet saw with a diamond blade.
- 6). Lay your tiles starting in the center of the floor and working in one quadrant at a time. Work in small sections and take breaks as you go. Lay tiles using a thin-set mortar or ceramic tile adhesive and a notched trowel. Mix the mortar according the directions on the package. Lay tiles by applying roughened patches of mortar on the floor using the notched trowel. Set in each tile and press down on each tile to anchor it firmly into the mortar. Don't forget to use spacers again. Give the mortar or adhesive 24 hours to cure.
- 7). Use a grout bag, padded grout float or a squeegee to push grout into the spaces between each tile. As you go, wash grout from the surface of the tiles using a damp sponge. Keep the sponge as clean as possible. When done, do a final wash with a damp sponge to remove any grout film that was left behind. Allow the grout up to three days to cure before walking on the floor.
- 8). Allow the grout two weeks to completely cure, then add a silicone or water-based grout sealer to the grout lines using a small sponge brush.