How to Lay a Basic Ceramic Tile Floor
- 1). Measure the tile you are going to set and add in the width of one grout joint. A 4 inch tile is usually 4 1/4 inch with a 1/16 inch grout joint so the total is 4 5/16. For a 12 inch tile, add a 3/8 inch grout joint. Determine how many of these units would be about two feet. This would be six of the small tiles or two of the large ones in this example. This is your starting point.
- 2). Measure and mark two points using the measurement you just calculated at both ends of the longest wall in the room. If the long wall has the door you need to back out from, start from the opposite wall. Pop a chalk line through these two points giving you your starting line to lay tile. To do this, have someone hold one end of your chalk line on one of your points, pull the line taught across the other point. Carefully pull the chalk line straight up and let go of it. You know have straight line parallel to your starting wall.
- 3). Spread glue with a notched trowel between the wall and the line you popped, starting at one end. Place your straight edge outside the line and begin laying your whole tiles against it. Continue down your line using the straight edge to make sure your tiles are straight. Finish laying tiles inside the line using tile spacers if they are not built into the tiles themselves.
- 4). Make your cuts at the end to complete the installation of the area inside your starting line. At this stage, you should have a perfectly straight beginning point to continue your installation. Continue spreading glue in short sections and laying tile using the straight edge as you back out the room. Make cuts at the end as you complete each section. When you no longer have room to back up, you need to turn to the side in either corner and back down the last wall.
- 5). Turn your straight edge 90 degrees at either corner and spread glue between the tile and your back wall. Use the straight edge in the same fashion to spread glue and lay tile down the last section. If the door is in the middle of the wall, once you reach it, turn around and back out from the opposite corner. Once you reach the door, turn to back out the door filling in the last section. Wait at least 24 hours for glue to set.
- 6). Spread grout in small sections, starting at the same wall you started setting tile. Push the grout around and into the joints holding the grout pad at a 45 degree angle. Then, holding it at a 90 degree angle, pull back across the tiles pulling the excess grout with it. Don't spread more than you can wash off in a few minutes. Once it starts to set, it is much harder to wash. Make sure to leave the grout joints full and flush. Wait a few hours, and then wash again with clean water. Buff with a clean dry cloth.