How to Lay Porcelain Tile on Concrete
- 1). Rough up the concrete floor. If you are laying the porcelain tile indoors, you can skip this step. It will help the thinset stick to the concrete better. Use the sander and a rough grit to rough up the entire floor. You can use short, brushing motions to do this. Sweep the concrete clean. You should get rid of all the dust from sanding and any other dirt and debris.
- 2). Mix your thinset mortar and your grout. Generally, this will just involve adding water. However, some types of mortar and grout come with a hardening agent, and different manufacturers require different amounts of water. Refer to the packaging for exact measurements. Once the grout is mixed, it can go in the grout bag. The mortar can be left in the plastic tub.
- 3). Lay your tiles. Trowel some of the thinset mortar onto the concrete. Starting in a corner, lay a porcelain tile down so that there is about 1/3 inch between the wall and the tile. Use the grout bag to lay a thin line of grout around the tile. This will seal it to the wall and outline the exterior edges. You can then place two more tiles down with their edges just within the edge of the grout line. Continue laying tile, outlining each subsequent tile with grout and then laying more tile next to it, adding mortar when necessary to the concrete below. Press the tiles into place gently but firmly. You will expand outward from that corner. Wipe down any tiles that get grout on their tops, and use the cleaning rags to also remove any dust or dirt from packaging before you press the tiles into place. Let the floor set. This can take several days. You should not walk on the floor for at least 72 hours.
- 4). Seal the grout. Most grout seal simply sprays onto the grout. If you prefer, though, you can paint it on with a small brush. This will prevent the grout from lifting away from the tiles and causing your floor to crack or shift.