• Laying tile can be a big job, but the results are worth it.blue tile background image by Galina Barskaya from Fotolia.com
  
  Installing tile on your walls and floors in kitchens and bathrooms might not be the cheapest of your options, but properly laid tile will make for a high-quality, long-lasting surface. Unfortunately, making mistakes along the way can make your tile unstable and easily broken. While it's tempting to skip some of the more time-consuming steps, doing so can cause problems and cost money.
  
  

The Correct Foundation

• When installing tile on the walls or floor of a bathroom or kitchen, it's important to have the correct substrate. Because the moisture level in these rooms climbs higher than in other rooms, the walls must be constructed of greenboard, the more water-resistant version of drywall. When it comes to wall tile, however, moisture can make its way through the grout, so cement board, attached with heavy duty nails or screws, is the way to go.
  
  

Cutting Tile

• If your tile job will involve making a lot of cuts or a significant amount of specialty cuts, consider renting or buying a wet saw. A regular saw can cause tile to splinter, shatter and chip, and a wet tile saw uses a diamond blade to grind the tile instead of teeth to cut into it. When using a wet saw, make sure there is plenty of water, which cools the blade and makes clean cuts, flowing onto the tile and the blade before making contact.
  
  

Choosing Grout

• Tile grout comes unsanded or sanded, and the choice depends not on the tile type, but the joint size. Joints that are 1/8 inch or less can be grouted with the unsanded variety, but anything larger (up to 1 1/4 inches) should be grouted with the sanded mix, which is less likely to shrink.
  
  

Sealing

• Although grouts have improved in quality in the last few decades, they're still susceptible to staining and crumbling because of their porous nature. To prevent this, apply a sealer after the grout has dried and cured for a few days. Membrane-forming sealers can peel from contact with moisture from underneath, and penetrating sealers, which can breathe, are the preferred type.