Home Improvement

Tile installation can make a considerable improvement to the look of your home. Tiles provide your home a clean and beautiful appearance that is easy to maintain. Furthermore, tiles will make your home look timeless.

When installing tiles, you would need materials including a hammer, sponges, tile nippers, cement backer board if applicable, eye protection, ceramic tile, tuber float, tile saw or cutter, grout, buckets, square, notched trowel and tape measure. Below are steps when installing tiles in your home.

1. Measure width and height of the area to be covered with tiles, then divide the area by the tile size. It is necessary to purchase extra tiles because they can break during installation and if you have to replace them in the future, you might find it hard to find the right tiles that match the ones you have.

2. Clean the surface where tiles will be installed and let it dry completely. If you will be installing tiles around electrical outlets, make sure the power is off to the outlet and remove the cover plate.

3. Lay out the tile patterns and maximize the number of full tiles you will need so you will not be spending a lot of time cutting half and partial tiles.

4. Apply the recommended adhesive using a notched trowel to a small area then set the first tile in place by pressing firmly to the adhesive. Make sure it is level and insert spaces at corners then apply the second tile. Work from the first row them move up to the second row and continue until the whole area is covered.

5. Use a tile cutter of saw to cut partial tiles and cut them into shape by using a tile nipper to cut off small tile pieces.

6. Clean off excess adhesive when you finish installing all the tiles and let the adhesive dry overnight or based on manufacturer’s recommendations.

7. After the adhesive has dried, remove spacers and mix grout according to the directions of the manufacturer. Apply grout using a rubber float and push down into the cracks between the tiles. Wipe away excess grout by passing the float over the tiles.

8. When the grout has dried, wipe away any remaining haze by using a damp sponge and clean water.

Installing tiles in your home is pretty straightforward as long as you have all the materials you will need and if you follow closely the manufacturer’s directions. Tile installation can be done by a professional or you can do it yourself. If you think that it would be more effective if a professional will do the job and you have the budget, then you can hire a contractor instead. Nevertheless, if you have enough skills and determination to do it on your own, you can opt to install tiles by yourself and one helper perhaps. Keep in mind that installing tiles does not only make your home more beautiful but also boosts the value of your home if you decide to sell it later on.