From the author: Thank you for reading this text. We really hope that the materials presented will help you when renovating your apartment. Today we will talk about how to lay tiles on the wall yourself and cover other important issues related to this topic.
For beginners in the renovation and construction business, laying tiles is a rather complicated process. But, since laying tiles, like everything else, can be learned, it will not be difficult for you to master this knowledge so that you can then successfully apply it in practice.
So let's get started.
Preparation
It all starts with preparation, and this statement is especially true for the renovation industry. Let’s just say that in order to prepare a wall for laying tiles, you don’t need any specific knowledge and skills. But, nevertheless, this important point must be highlighted in our article.
If we are talking about the bathroom, then it all starts something like this: we eliminate the old plumbing if you intend to change it. And even if you don’t intend to, it should still be dismantled for ease of use.
Now we take a hammer and chisel and begin to mercilessly knock down the old tiles. But if you want to create a real “tile mess”, and also speed up the work several times, use a hammer drill. To learn how to remove tiles from a wall, watch the video below:
By the way, let me give you one piece of advice, but if you don’t need old tiles in good condition, then just skip this paragraph. But if you intend to use it in another place, say, in a country house, on a balcony/loggia, on the veranda of a private house or somewhere else, then you can read an article on how to carefully remove old tiles from a wall, while without damaging it. The text is posted on our website and is available to everyone who wants and needs it.
Well, while working, do not forget about safety precautions, because sharp pieces of broken tiles falling from the wall can cause injury. In general, take care of yourself, because there is still a lot of work to be done.
After the wall is cleared of old tiles, you need to get rid of the remaining mortar/glue that fixes the tiles. To cope with this mission, we use the same tools.
Our goal is for the walls to be perfectly smooth, and the angles (wall-floor; wall-wall; possibly wall-ceiling [if you do not intend to mount a suspended structure]) to be straight, that is, strictly 90°.
How to level the walls? A very pressing construction issue. If there is enough free space in your bathroom/kitchen (or wherever else the action may take place), then you can level the wall. There is also information about this on our website. Here we will only note that for the bathroom and kitchen it is necessary to use exclusively moisture-resistant plasterboard. You can distinguish it from the usual one simply: the color of its coating is green, not gray.
Subsequently, tiles can be glued to the drywall. But our article is not entirely about this now. We won’t talk much about finishing walls with gypsum plasterboard.
So, how can we make the wall surface even if we do not use gypsum board? At the beginning of the work process, we need to determine what quality the wall plaster is; if it falls off in places, then we will again have to use a chisel/hammer/perforator to remove it from the wall. In this case, you will have to remove it all the way to the base so that the brickwork or bare slab is visible. Let's hope our walls are strong enough.
Now let's move on to measurements. First of all, we need a plumb line. This is a rope/cord with a weight attached to it. With its help we determine the degree of slope of the wall. This is quite simple to do: you need to unwind the rope to the height of the room and secure one end of it right under the ceiling. If the slope exceeds 3 mm, you will have to level the walls. Although, it would have to be primed/puttyed in any case (the exception is leveling the walls with gypsum plasterboard - there is a slightly different procedure).
Important! Keep in mind that if you lay the tiles on an uneven surface, after completion of the work this flaw will be very noticeable. Tiles, unlike, say, do not forgive such flaws, so the surface must be leveled without fail.
Now about the corners. Still, in the bathroom the corners should be straight - strictly 90°. Especially in the place where the bath will be located. The fact is that otherwise, later you will have to look for the answer to the question: how to seal the gap between the bathtub and the wall. But, as you know, The best way To solve a problem is to prevent the possibility of its occurrence.
After the corners have been checked, the walls need to be checked again: for convexities and concavities, which are quite often present in old houses. Use a water level to check. By the way, the floor in the bathroom also needs to be checked - it should also be level, leveling the floors is a completely different conversation.
Leveling the work surface
To properly perform the alignment, we will need the following items:
- wide and narrow spatulas;
- drill mixer;
- bucket for mixing plaster composition. It is better if it is metal, because plastic can crack under the blows of the mixer (this has happened in practice);
- water level;
- tool for grouting the surface (construction float).
Now we will look at two popular ways to level the surface of walls (not counting gypsum boards).
Putty
Undoubtedly one of the most effective and inexpensive ways tidy up the walls. Conduct comparative characteristics putty mixtures this article is not necessary. But one of best brands, under which these products are manufactured is considered to be the German company Knauf. It is not our goal to advertise this brand. We only give you the knowledge with which you can go to the hardware store. If you like something else, no problem.
But be prepared for the fact that truly high-quality products cannot be too cheap.
Before you begin to putty the walls, they must (!) be treated with an antifungal compound (antiseptic) and a penetrating primer. The fact is that in a humid environment it is very common, which not only gradually destroys Construction Materials, but also releases microelements harmful to health into the air. By the way, penetrating primer also has antiseptic properties, but its main purpose is that it promotes adhesion (strong adhesion) of the putty to the wall surface.
Now it's time to prepare the putty mixture. The “cooking recipe” can be expressed by a simple formula: 1 kg per 1 m² with a layer thickness of 1 mm, or, in other words, - (1 kg: 1 m²) × 1 mm. And yes, the putty should be prepared in exactly the quantity that you intend to use immediately after mixing. The next day the composition will have hardened, so it will be impossible to work with it.
The starting putty of the walls should be done in two layers, and between them, for better adhesion and to prevent microcracks, a painting mesh should be laid. This will not entail large material costs and will not take much time and effort, but it will ensure reliability, and, as we understand, this is fundamentally important for us.
Keep in mind that the wall should be aligned in all directions: not only from top to bottom, but also from left to right. How to do it? - very simple. It is necessary to apply layers of putty perpendicular to each other - that’s all.
Keep in mind that the smaller the angle of inclination of the spatula, the thicker the layer of putty applied. The composition applied to the wall dries in about a day at 18–20°C. To sand the surface and finally prepare it for laying tiles, this surface must be sanded using a construction float.
To clearly demonstrate the process, we have placed a video in our text:
Plastering on beacons
Plastering the surface on beacons is somewhat longer and more difficult than simply puttingty. And it is advisable to resort to this method if the walls are hopelessly crooked, and using gypsum boards for leveling is not possible, since there is already too little space in your bathroom/kitchen.
To get started, we will need:
- spatula/trowel;
- rule;
- drill mixer;
- bucket for mixing.
Here are the stages we have to go through in the process:
- We purchase a ready-made mixture in the store (since preparing it yourself is quite difficult if you are not a pro in this matter). But if the work is done in a bathroom/shower or other room with high humidity, - a cement-sand mixture is suitable for us;
- treat the surface with an antiseptic and primer;
- We install guide beacons. How to install beacons, watch the video;
- Using a spatula, we clean the beacons in the places where they are fixed (until they overflow). This is necessary so that the rule follows the smooth surface of the lighthouse and does not encounter any obstacles on its way, otherwise the surface will be uneven;
- coat the beacons on the sides. The fact is that the space between the lighthouse and the wall may remain unfilled with mortar, and allowing such a development of events is pure hackwork;
- We begin to throw the mortar onto the wall with a spatula. This should be done from below. Thus, we throw the solution to a height of approximately 50 cm;
- We apply the rule to the guide beacons, then with movements ↔/ we begin to tighten the mixture. The mortar that remains on the rule should be removed with a spatula, and then thrown back onto the wall. The ↔/ movements should be performed several times, since the uncured mixture floats a little under the influence of gravity. Those holes that will inevitably remain after you walk through the beacons as a rule for the Nth time, we will safely cover up after the composition has dried;
- in this way we treat the entire surface;
- after about 30 minutes, you need to go through the beacons again, as a rule, to remove the sagging that inevitably forms during the hardening process;
- Now we wait for the mixture to dry (±24 hours) - and at this point the process of plastering on beacons can be considered complete.
Important Generalization
Regardless of which of the presented methods we used to level the walls, before laying the tiles it is necessary to apply a primer to them for better adhesion of the tile adhesive and work surface. About five hours after priming (but not earlier) on surfaces that will be in contact with water, that is, the area near the bathtub, sink, as well as the lower part of the walls, must be covered with waterproofing mastic.
In areas where pipes enter, the surface should be treated especially carefully. To waterproof drains and pipe entries, after applying the first layer of waterproofing, install a sealing collar, and then apply a second layer of waterproofing compound.
To treat corners, use waterproof tape, placing it between two layers of mastic, like a sealing collar. Waterproofing mastic should be applied using a brush. For greater reliability, the mastic should be applied in two layers. In this case, before applying the second layer, you should wait until the first one dries. It won't take more than three hours. Within a day you can begin installation.
The advantages of using tiles as a facing material have been discussed more than once. Ceramic is easy to care for, it is resistant to mechanical stress and can serve well for many years. However, ordering professional tile laying is not a cheap pleasure, which is why many carry out the installation work themselves. The article will discuss how to properly prepare the surface and how to lay tiles on the wall.
How to properly lay tiles on a wall: surface preparation rules
In order to begin preparing the wall for laying tiles, you first need to decide what type of mortar will be used for tiling. There are two options: cement-sand mortar and special adhesive compositions. Depending on which option is preferred, the preparation of walls for tiles will differ.
Many people want to opt for glue, but in this case they will have to work hard to align the walls under the tiles. Typically, plaster is used for this purpose or the surface is covered with plasterboard. The smoother the surface, the better. If the decision was made to use a cement-sand mortar, then less effort will be required to level the wall under the tiles. How to choose the best option? The first method is much simpler and is suitable even for beginners. But the “solution” method requires skills and experience.
When talking about how to prepare walls for tiles in the bathroom, we should not forget about the presence of a large number of communications that may interfere with installation. The simplest solution to this problem is to hide all the pipes before gluing the bathroom tiles to the wall. The easiest way to do this is with plasterboard structures.
Important!Before you start leveling the walls before laying the tiles, you need to make sure that the old covering is completely removed. This also applies to paint. If there are residues that can crumble, the life of the new tile can be significantly reduced.
What tools are needed fortile laying work
Before you begin work on preparing the surface and laying the facing material, you need to make sure that you have all the necessary tools for this:
- trowel and spatulas (regular, serrated and rubber);
- building level;
- and wire cutters;
- grinder and diamond wheel for it;
- special crosses for laying tiles;
- foam sponge.
Additionally, you will need a tape measure, a hammer and other tools that are probably found in every home. In addition, it is worth thinking in advance about how the adhesive solution will be mixed. It is advisable to have a special drill attachment for this purpose, but this can also be done manually.
How to properly lay tiles on a wall
The first rule you need to know before laying tiles on the wall is that all places that are important for visual perception must be tiled with solid elements. You should try to hide the tiles that had to be cut behind pieces of furniture or in places where they will be least noticeable.
The calculation of the required amount of materials is carried out even before the start of work and, in particular, leveling the base. They do this because it provides the opportunity to make some changes, for example, applying a slightly larger layer of plaster. In this case, the result will be some loss of area, but this is not as problematic as having to look at an imperfectly installed pavement for many years.
Helpful advice! If all corners of the room fall equally within the field of view, then the best option will make the same trimming of all corner elements.
As for vertical cutting, the rule of the whole tile at the top applies here. Although it is important to pay attention to individual data. It is perfectly acceptable to break the rules if it objectively has a positive impact on the situation. It is also worth paying attention to the size of the tile joints. On the surface of a small area, in total they take up quite a lot of space.
The marking technique largely depends on which method of laying the tiles was chosen. The most popular types are: “seam to seam”, staggered and diagonally. The first method is the most popular. Its main difficulty is that in no case should you violate the vertical and horizontal boundaries, as this will be very noticeable. The most difficult method proposed is the third. It requires a certain skill and experience. But the second one is universal. It imitates brickwork and is quite easy to install.
How to lay tiles on a wall: general rules
Typically, you need to lay tiles on the wall starting from the second or third row. This is due to the fact that wall tiles should cover the floor for a number of reasons:
- visually this solution looks better;
- water that will flow down the surface of the wall will not flow into the contour seams;
- Trimming wall ceramics is much easier.
Often you have to deal with situations where the flooring was laid in advance. In this case, you need to start laying wall tiles from the bottom row. But here another difficulty arises - it is not always possible to do without trimming and place a solid tile in the top row.
The first thing you need to do is decide on the beacon row and make marks for the top edge of the first row. It is important to use a level during the work so that the entire tile does not “float” in the future.
Important!At the marking stage, it is very important to pay attention to all the difficult aspects, such as laying tiles around the pipes. Some displacement of the marks is allowed if this avoids the need to make complex cuts.
After this, you need to pull the beacon cord or draw a solid line along the marks. It is better to use the first option, as this will make it possible to more accurately control the horizontal. To maintain vertical lines, use ordinary plumb lines.
Laying tiles correct: step-by-step instructions for work
It is important to understand that the installation procedure may differ significantly depending on what surface and with what composition the installation will be carried out. Therefore, if you know how to glue tiles to the floor, this does not at all guarantee that you can handle wall tiles without problems. Let's look at what the installation procedure looks like when using ordinary white tile adhesive for the job, and what is the order of work in this case:
- Initially, it is necessary to dilute the adhesive composition according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. It is best to use a construction mixer for this, as this allows you to complete the task faster;
- using a spatula, apply a thin layer to the base, as well as to the back side of the tile. The excess is removed using a comb so that even grooves remain on the back side of the tile;
- After making sure that the layer of glue on the tile is evenly distributed, it must be carefully pressed to the surface.
Important! The choice of notched trowel should be based on the size of the tile. The larger the dimensions of the tile, the larger the teeth on the tool should be.
The first tile should be laid along horizontal and vertical marks. At the same time, if a cord was used as a guide during the work, it is better to start from the corner of the second row and only then remove the cord. Fixation is carried out using special wedges, which are inserted between the tile and the support strip.
First you need to lay out all the solid elements, maintaining an equal distance between them. It is to facilitate this task that small crosses are used, which serve as a guide for creating uniform tile joints. Each laid row must be thoroughly checked using a building level.
Helpful advice! If there is a pattern on the tile that is not clear enough to visually easily identify the top and bottom parts, then you should pay attention to the special arrows that the manufacturer places on the back of each element. With their help you can navigate the installation process.
As for laying tiles that require trimming, this task is best left for later. How exactly this procedure should be carried out will be discussed later in the article.
How to lay tiles on drywall
For some time, there was controversy regarding whether plasterboard structures could be used as a base for laying tiles. After all, the material itself is not very strong and is heavy. ceramic tiles may simply be overwhelming.
Practice has shown that if certain rules are followed, drywall can be a complete basis for laying tiles:
- you should not skimp on the adhesive composition, it must be of high quality and suitable for this type of work;
- before installation, the surface must be thoroughly primed and completely dry;
- Laying should be done gradually - no more than 5 rows at a time. After this, you need to take at least an hour break, after which you can continue working.
Related article:
Advantages and disadvantages of the material, design of products from catalogs and photos of interior decoration, prices for products.
Compliance with these simple rules will make the tile covering more durable and reliable, and will also reduce the risk that after a short period of time some tiles will fall off.
How to lay tiles on a wall: tile cutting technologies
Trying to understand in detail the question of how to glue tiles to the wall in the bathtub, many believe that the main difficulty that will have to be faced is the adjustment of the elements. This can indeed be a difficult task, but with the right approach, even a beginner can cope with it.
It is often possible to cope with cutting tiles using a regular tile cutter. A grinder is often required for flooring than for a wall-mounted one, due to the difference in the thickness of the material. But sometimes, for particularly difficult places, you still have to use this tool in the process of laying tiles on the wall.
Helpful advice! If you don’t have a glass cutter, you can get by with even less, using, for example, a tile cutter or a pobedit-tipped scriber. In order to cut off the required part, you need to draw a cutting line, and then run it over the fixed element several times with the available tool as many times as necessary.
In order to achieve the shaped trim that is necessary for laying tiles around pipes, it is better to use a grinder with a diamond wheel. But if it is not available, and there are not too many holes to be made, then it is quite possible to use a cheap alternative - a diamond-coated blade. True, in this case much more time will be spent.
How to grout seams on wall tiles
After all the tiles have been laid, the gaps between the elements must be filled using a special compound, which is called “”. This mixture is designed to fill the voids between the tiles and provide reliable protection from penetration of moisture under the coating. In order for this procedure to be as effective as possible, you must adhere to the following rules:
- You need to mix the grout in stages, usually this is done at the rate of 1-4 m² per approach. This way the mixture will not dry out before it is used;
- all excess must be removed with a foam sponge until the solution has completely dried;
- using the same sponge, the seams can be made smoother by evenly distributing the grout inside the seam;
- During operation, the spatula should be held at an angle of 15-30 degrees to ensure that the space is filled as densely as possible with the mixture.
Figuring out how to grout tile joints is not difficult. If you have any additional questions, you can always watch the video instructions or use them as a guide step by step photos, which demonstrate this process in as much detail as possible.
Another issue that is worthy of attention is the price of grouting tiles. It should be noted here that you can find two options on sale - a ready-made mixture and a dry powder, which you will need to dilute with water to the desired consistency yourself. Their cost will be different, for example, 2 kg ready mixture will cost about 259 rubles, and 2 kg of dry powder – 175 rubles.
What you need to pay attention to beforehow to glue tiles to a wall
Just before laying tiles on the wall with your own hands, you need to once again pay attention to several important aspects:
- All tiles must be carefully inspected for damage, scratches and chips. It is also useful to sort items by size. This will allow you to get the most even seams;
- In order for laying tiles on the wall with your own hands to be of no less quality than if it had been done by a professional, you do not need to spare the primer and time for leveling and preparing the surface;
- If you have to deal with facing external corners, you should use plastic corners.
Often on specialized forums, users discuss interesting questions, for example, whether it is possible to lay tiles on tiles or other old coverings without dismantling them. The answer to all such questions is clear - you shouldn’t do this, and before you start laying new tiles, you need to remove the old tiles from the bathroom walls. How exactly to do this - we will consider further.
How to remove tiles from a bathroom wall: rules and recommendations
How easy it will be to remove old tiles from the wall surface largely depends on the surface on which it was laid. For example, if the surface was previously plastered, then the tiles will be relatively easy to remove along with the plaster. But if it is attached directly to a concrete or brick base, then the task will become somewhat more complicated.
It is very difficult to work with drywall, since it itself does not have sufficient strength and in the process of removing the tiles it will receive so much damage that it will have to be replaced.
You need to start dismantling the coating by soaking it. To do this, you can use a shower or a spray bottle. After the surface is wetted, you need to walk the grinder disc along the tile seams. The better the grout removal is done, the easier it will be to carry out all subsequent work. Water is again poured into the resulting grooves so that the glue softens a little, as a result of which some of the tiles themselves will begin to come off.
The top layer of tile is tapped using a mallet. In those places where a dull knock is heard, it is worth starting the process. Using a chisel or chisel and a hammer, carefully chip off the first tile. After this, water is added again and the dismantling of the following elements continues one by one.
Helpful advice! If there is a need to carefully remove one tile in a row, then this will require a drill with drill bits. Many holes are drilled in the direction from the center to the edges (about 10-20) and then the tile is carefully chipped.
Most quick way to cope with the task - use a hammer drill. However, in this case, one cannot count on the fact that at least some part of the old tile will be preserved. And the sound will probably be loud, so it’s better to warn your neighbors in advance about the upcoming repair work.
Having familiarized yourself with how to properly lay tiles on the walls in the bathroom, and also learned about all the options for dismantling the old coating, you can safely begin your own repairs. As for choosing the right material, the most important thing is that you like the characteristics, color and size of the ceramic tiles for the walls, and that they fit harmoniously into the interior and meet the operating conditions.
Ceramic tiles are the most advantageous option for many areas of the apartment. No matter how diverse spoiled Today's hardware stores, tiled flooring for, for example, a bathroom, kitchen, toilet remains the most popular due to their specific operational features and, at the same time, wide design possibilities.
Before laying tiles on the floor, be sure to carefully read the characteristics of the material and the rules for its selection. Not all ceramic tiles are suitable for these purposes, especially if they are intended to be installed in rooms with high levels of humidity.
So, Firstly, choose tiles for the floor. It is better to consider this using the example of a bathroom or kitchen - it is in these rooms that the floor experiences the most extreme impacts, both in the form of traffic intensity and the influence of humidity and chemical reagents.
- No matter how attractive the tile may seem, you can only buy one that has an icon in the form of a boot print on a dark background on its markings - this is exactly the type intended for floors.
- In both the bathroom and kitchen, the floor can be both wet and slippery due to accidental spills of water, greasy substances or detergents. Therefore, pay special attention to the coefficient of friction of the surface (an icon in the form of a foot on an inclined plane). It would be optimal to purchase rough tiles with a coefficient of at least 0.75.
- Water resistance of the material - for floors in rooms with high humidity, the limit value should be no more than 3%.
- As already noted, floors can be inadvertently exposed to quite active chemical compositions. In addition, cleaning of premises is also most often done using detergents with active ingredients. The tile must successfully withstand such exposure. The icon on the label is a chemical flask, and the letter indicator required for such conditions is AA.
- Frost resistance indicators (snowflake sign) and wear resistance (“circular saw”) are not so significant for indoor apartments. Although, for the hallway, especially in a private house, or for closed veranda– this can also be very important.
- The thickness of floor tiles is always greater than that of wall tiles. Typically it is 8 mm and above. This is also necessarily indicated on the packaging with a special pictogram.
- The linear dimensions of the tiles are important. It is optimal to have as few seams on the floor as possible. On the other hand, very large tiles are more difficult to install and a lot of material will end up in the grooves.
To avoid problems directly when laying tiles, you should remember a few more points:
- If complete uniformity of the floor covering is required, then you should not purchase tiles with an icon indicating possible deviations in the shades of the tiles in the box.
- Tiles should be purchased at once for the entire room and always in one batch. You may encounter even slight differences in shade between two different batches, absolutely invisible upon purchase, they will appear on the laid floor.
- The same applies to linear dimensions - calibration at production is carried out specifically by batch. Yes, deviations in dimensions can be very insignificant, but on the scale of the entire floor in a fairly large room they will definitely make themselves felt.
Well, one more important choice parameter is, of course, design decoration, in accordance with own design project, so that the floor is in harmony with all other interior details.
Basic principles laying tiles on a concrete base
The base for laying tiles on the floor must undergo appropriate preparation; more details about this are described in the sections of the site dedicated to floors and furnishings. We can only briefly note:
- The concrete base should not have significant defects in the form of cracks, potholes, peeling, or unstable areas.
- The required horizontalness must be observed (or a slight slope if, for example, the bathroom or bathhouse is equipped with a drainage drain).
- Before laying tiles, the floor surface must be dust-free and primed deep penetration compounds that improve waterproofing and increasing the adhesion of tile adhesive.
The process begins, naturally, with marking the surface.
- Tiles can be laid various options(more about this -). But even with the simplest classic version, it is very important to initially set the correct direction and laying pattern so that errors do not increase from row to row.
Particular attention is paid to markings. It’s better to try laying out 1-2 rows “dry”
- Masters recommend that beginners, before starting to lay tiles with glue, try to lay out at least a couple of rows “dry” in order to clearly see the emerging picture. To facilitate laying the most important, starting row, you can attach a temporary guide made of metal profile or a wooden plank (glazing bead).
- Purely for aesthetic reasons, the installation should be planned so that a row of whole tiles is laid in a visible place along the wall, which emphasize the evenness of the lines. It is advisable to start from the entrance to the room with a whole tile - the cut fragments are “driven” into the far corners, under the future location of furniture or plumbing fixtures.
It hardly makes any sense to experiment with self-production tile adhesive - there are many varieties of it on sale for the most different options laying - open or particularly wet rooms, with or without floor heating, etc.
Beginners should immediately be warned against this common mistake. Having listened to some advice, some of them soak the tiles in water before laying them. This is completely unacceptable. Both modern tiles themselves and tile adhesive are adapted specifically for the installation of dry tiles, and violation water balance will not provide any benefits, but can significantly reduce the performance of the coating.
- When laying tiles on the floor, it is recommended to apply glue both to the surface of the base and to the tile itself. In both cases, the layer of glue is leveled with a notched trowel, and the direction of the stripes of the resulting ridges should be perpendicular - this way reliable adhesion will certainly be achieved without any air cavities under the surface of the tile.
- A gap must be left between the laid tiles, the same width is maintained using special crosses of the required thickness.
- The laying of each tile must be accompanied by careful monitoring of the evenness of the surface so that the required adjustments can be made immediately - add or reduce glue, place wedges, etc.
- Cutting tiles in right size carry out special tile cutter. You can also use a manual glass cutter, but not everyone can do this. Another option is a grinder - a grinder with a diamond or corundum disc. If holes are required, you will have to resort to using an electric drill with a special drill - a crown or an adjustable “ballerina”.
- When laying tiles, do not allow the seams to be completely filled with adhesive. They must be cleaned immediately, while simultaneously removing any remaining adhesive from the front surface of the tile. You should not leave such stains - they will be quite difficult to remove after the composition has completely hardened.
- After installation is complete and the spacer crosses are removed, the floor is given time to harden. The required period will be indicated in the instructions for use of the tile adhesive. But for approximately at least 2 days the floor should not experience mechanical stress.
- The final stage is grouting the joints between the tiles with a special compound - fugue. It is selected taking into account the characteristics of the room (moisture resistance, frost resistance, etc.) and the correspondence of the shade to the overall “picture” of the floor. Grouting is done with a rubber spatula, and the excess remaining on the surface is picked up with a rag.
Features of laying tiles on old tiles
Is it possible to avoid the procedure of dismantling old tiles if there is a need to update the tile covering? Why not - it's completely doable.
- If the previously laid tile covering is durable, then it itself will be a good reliable base with high level waterproofing.
- Sometimes this approach even seems to be the only possible one if there are any engineering or electrical communications, a heating system, etc. running under the layer of old tiles. - everything that can be damaged when dismantling the old coating.
However, factors that can make such installation impossible should also be taken into account:
- When the old tile “plays”, falls out of its place, traces of decomposition of the old cement are visible - nothing can be done, you will have to start dismantling it. Laying tiles on an unstable base will simply ruin it.
- In a room, for example, a bathroom, the floor level should be slightly lower than in other rooms. Thus, sometimes laying new tiles on old ones is impossible precisely for this reason. This situation should be assessed in advance.
- At home old building often do not have strictly horizontal floors. Quite often this occurs in “bathroom-bathroom” blocks. Once laid in them on cement mortar the so-called metlakh tiles usually sit very firmly, but the floor surface can have quite large deviations from the horizontal. In any case, this will require leveling with a screed.
How it's done
The desire to avoid tedious dismantling procedures is not enough. It is imperative to carefully check and prepare the old tiled surface.
- All old masonry tiles need to be tapped. If the sound raises suspicions about the presence of a void, or the tile “plays” even a little, it should simply be removed. The resulting opening is sealed with repair concrete composition or tile adhesive, comparing with the general floor surface. It would probably be redundant to say that such repairs are possible if they are not of an extensive nature.
- Old tiles may be covered with a thin layer of grease that has accumulated during use. This means that the floor must be thoroughly degreased either using an organic solvent or by repeated washing. hot water with diluted caustic.
- When carrying out such cleaning, the tile seams must be cleaned of dirt. Particular attention should be paid to the condition of the old grout (fugue). If it crumbles, it should be removed as much as possible, the seams should be washed as indicated above, and after drying, sealed with diluted tile adhesive.
- Now - about covering the old tiles. Ideally, you would need to run a grinder with a diamond wheel to remove the glazed layer and get to clean ceramics. However, you can limit yourself to applying frequent notches or even drilling holes.
- After all “dirty” work has been completed, the entire floor surface is thoroughly cleaned of debris and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
- Surface required primed special compounds. So, for these purposes, “Betonkontakt” soil is widely used, and , Judging by According to some craftsmen, sometimes this is even enough to prepare the surface, without making notches. The compositions have similar qualities “
This primer will give even smooth tiles the required roughness.
- To improve the effect, some experts also recommend applying a 2-mm layer of tile adhesive, the one that will be used later in the installation process. Only after it hardens do they move on to further work.
- A few words about optimal choice glue just for such cases. Again, it is worth listening to the recommendations of experienced finishing professionals. They speak very highly of the “Ivsil Profit” composition, which was developed primarily for styling porcelain stoneware tiles, but even more so with ordinary tiles. No less reliable is considered " СerezitSM 17", perfect for the most difficult operating conditions and the most “problematic” floor surfaces. And the highest plasticity and ability to adhere to any base of Vetonit Renovation tile adhesive allow, according to the assurances of the craftsmen, to do without even roughening the old tile covering.
The installation process itself is not particularly different from the usual work. concrete base. If you strictly follow all recommended technological methods, the floor will be in no way inferior in strength to any other type of tile covering.
Video - Laying tiles over an old floor
Video - How to lay tiles on the floor yourself
Tiling walls and floors has become almost mandatory element when arranging a home. Particularly demanding in this regard are auxiliary premises, such as a bathroom, toilet, kitchen. And the point is not only in the ease of maintenance of surfaces, but also in the ability to arrange decorative finishing using different patterns of paintings or mosaic panels. This design is always presentable and beautiful. In this article we will tell you in detail how to lay tiles with your own hands.
Preparatory work
Even having thoroughly mastered the cladding technology, you can ruin any plan by choosing the wrong cladding material.
In this article we will try to draw attention to a number of features of this process in order to avoid such a situation.
Like any construction operation, installing a finishing coating on walls and floors requires a certain sequence of actions, the precise execution of which determines the final result. A technology describing how to lay tiles may look like this:
Preparing the walls
Before laying tiles on the wall you must:
- remove the old wall covering, if it is the same material - it is pryed off one by one with a spatula and torn off, the remnants of the old adhesive must be carefully removed. old paint it needs to be treated with a special solution, after a few hours it will swell and can be removed with a scraper. If the paint still remains on the walls, you need to heat it up construction hairdryer(up to 600 degrees) and remove;
- make an audit of the quality of the coating, cut out the cracks, cover them with putty, along with the dents. When plaster mortar Once it hardens, sand the repair areas with emery cloth;
- Apply a layer of primer to the surface. It can be prepared from tile adhesive by diluting a glass of the mixture in 8 - 10 liters of water. Particular attention should be paid to removing oil and grease stains from the surface, if any;
- measure deviations of angles from the vertical, and, if possible, eliminate their curvature and deviations. To do this, you can use plaster; a popular method is to install waterproof plasterboard.
Removing old tiles can be a serious problem due to the labor-intensive process. Therefore, many are considering the question, is it possible to lay tiles on tiles? In relation to wall decoration, we can say unequivocally that this method of cladding is not used. The reason for this is low adhesion adhesive compositions to the glossy front surface of the old coating. Of course, you can choose glue for such a case, but there is no guarantee that the tightening forces of such adhesives will not break the old adhesive layer and both layers will not fall off.
An option is possible when you can lay tiles on top of tiles on the floor, but in this case the SNiP requirement must be observed, indicating that the floor level in the bathroom should be 10 - 15 mm lower than in the adjacent rooms. And the thickness of porcelain stoneware or tiled floor tiles of the 4th strength category, together with the adhesive layer, will be about 20 mm.
Selection of tools and accessories
To tiling the walls you will need:
- glue container;
- a nozzle and a drill for stirring it;
- glass cutter and grinder - cutting tiles;
- trowel - for applying glue to the wall, cladding;
- serrated spatulas - for leveling the composition on surfaces;
- construction level;
- a set of crosses and wedges for positioning the tiles at the installation site;
- rubber mallet - for leveling parts on a plane;
- rubber spatula - for leveling and removing excess grout;
- foam sponge - for cleaning tiles from glue and grout residues as work progresses;
- roulette;
- ruler and marker for marking parts before cutting;
- flat and round file (semicircular) - for processing broken surfaces and holes for communications;
- core drills for making holes.
You may also need other tools, in particular wire cutters or pliers for breaking off thin sections.
Calculator for the required number of tiles
Do-it-yourself repairs have become a very popular activity today. However, just the desire to change the interior of the apartment is not enough. It must be supported by knowledge of the basic theoretical aspects of this rather complex event. Typically, renovation work begins with the bathroom and toilet. Knowing how to lay tiles on a wall correctly, you can radically change your usual appearance bathroom. Competent implementation of all installation rules tile material will help save time and reduce costs of attracting specialist firms.
How to choose the right tile?
Tile is the most common material among its analogues. The reason for this popularity lies in its availability and relatively low cost. Before you learn how to lay tiles, you need to choose them correctly.
First of all, you should pay attention to the packaging. A special sign in the form of a foot or hand will indicate which category of tile the product belongs to - floor or wall. Wear-resistant building materials are marked with a dash on the packaging, frost-resistant ones are marked with snowflakes. In addition, if you want to purchase a quality product, then pay attention to the number of stars on the box. The more there are, the better the tile.
In a hardware store, you will definitely see that tiles are divided into several groups:
- first class tiles - designed specifically for bathrooms;
- second class - used in cottages and country houses;
- third class products - designed for residential floors.
When choosing tiles, you should pay special attention to the color scheme. remember, that bright hues visually increase the space, dark ones do the opposite. On matte surface dirt is less noticeable than on glossy.
Tile properties
The tile has several main characteristics that determine its purpose:
- ease of care;
- protection from moisture and pollution;
- a wide range of;
- large selection of decorative elements.
Advantages and disadvantages of tiles
The main advantage of tiles is their durability and strength. Thanks to special technology production, it is very difficult to break it. The tiles are made from pressed materials, followed by firing and application of glaze, which ensures the product is waterproof and durable.
Modern painting technologies can also be attributed to the advantages of this building material. It is painted not on the surface, but in the mass. That is, if you scratch the tile, you don’t have to worry - it won’t be very noticeable.
Ceramic tiles come in a wide range - everyone can choose the color and design to suit their taste. Especially popular today are surfaces that imitate leather, glass, etc.
But, unfortunately, tiles also have disadvantages:
- The fragility of the glaze. When dropped, it can easily break off or crack.
- Due to their high strength, tiles are difficult to cut.
- When water evaporates or gets in, the glaze becomes slippery.
Preparation for installation
Before answering the question of how to lay tiles on a wall, let’s highlight another important nuance. It's about preparing for the process. To do this, you need to measure the room being repaired, namely the surface where the tiles will be located. Next, you need to schematically draw the wall being finished with all the recesses and openings, taking into account the taken dimensions. Do not forget about sockets and other elements where there will be no tiles. We calculate the required amount of building materials.
Tools for work
Before we figure out the question “how to lay tiles on a wall,” you need to prepare everything you need for finishing works. First of all, you need to buy binding material. It can be either a cement mixture or a special glue. In addition, you will need grout, primer, guides, screws, trims and plastic crosses. The latter are necessary to maintain the size of the seam. Guides or special profiles will help you lay out the bottom row of tiles horizontally and evenly; trims are needed to create the correct angle.
You will also need a special set of tools:
Drill with drills and various attachments;
Tile cutter (if you don’t have a special one, you can use a grinder or glass cutter);
Sandpaper;
Several types of spatulas;
Containers for preparing glue;
Spirit level.
Wall preparation process
Any builder-finisher admits that before laying tiles on the wall, the surface needs to be prepared. After all, they are the right ones preparatory work provide long service life, attractive appearance and strong fastening of the material.
Before laying the tiles, the walls are plastered, simultaneously leveling the surfaces. Next, the walls are treated with a primer, which increases the adhesive effect. finishing materials.
In some cases, tiles can be laid over old concrete surfaces, brickwork, and moisture-resistant drywall.
Laying tiles over old tiles is not recommended. To reliably fix the cladding on the previous working surface, you need to use interlayers that increase the adhesion of materials and especially strong glue.
Basic installation steps
How to start laying tiles? The work process is as follows:
1. First, prepare the required amount of soil mixture, and then apply it to the walls. The primer for the walls of the bathroom and toilet must have water-repellent properties and contain an antiseptic.
2. A small amount of tiles for the initial rows are cut.
3. On the surface, using a level, determine the main horizontal points of the lower area to be finished. Usually they put four points in the corners and four around the perimeter.
If you are laying tiles on the wall, and there is already a covering on the floor, then it is not at all necessary to attach a profile for the bottom row. It can be rested on the floor.
Defining horizontal rows of tiles
If you have a flat floor, determining the bottom row of tiles will not be difficult. However, this is not always the case. The question immediately arises: “Where should I start laying tiles?” The fact is that often builders and finishers have to start from the second, or even the third row. This is due to this:
There are communications along the walls that need to be bypassed;
Only the walls are tiled, and the floor remains untouched; moreover, it has an uneven surface;
The planning of horizontal rows depends entirely on the number of vertical tiles. It happens that the level of the original supporting row needs to be lowered or raised to accommodate a whole tile. You need to move from top to bottom, transferring marks to the next row.
Defining vertical rows of tiles
Each builder-finisher decides independently. Some approach this process creatively, some have their own scheme of work. The main problem with laying tiles is the top rows, which have to be trimmed. And this is not always beautiful. There are several tricks that will help you avoid these troubles:
You can move all the rows and trim only the tiles in the corner so that they look symmetrical;
Reduce the size of the tile in the place where it will be least noticeable.
How to lay tiles? Step-by-step instruction
Laying the tiles should begin from the corner of the wall, which is located opposite the entrance. Next, everything needs to be done according to plan:
- Cover by reverse side tiles with glue or a special product.
- Use a spatula to smooth out the glue layer so that there are no voids.
- The tile must be fixed in the corner and tapped with a rubber hammer.
- The glue that appears on the wall after pressing must be quickly removed.
- Lay tiles in the same way to the opposite corner.
- After fixing 3-4 rows, you should wait a little for the glue to set better.
- To ensure that the joints between the tiles are as smooth as possible, plastic crosses are installed. It is important to remove the crosses before the solution hardens.
- After laying, be sure to check the verticals and horizontals of the tiles. This can be done using a level and plumb lines; sometimes an ordinary block is applied to the surface of the facing products, and all the flaws become visible.
- Finally, the seams need to be filled with a sealant, after which grout should be applied.
Note to builders: before the glue completely hardens, you can adjust the position of the tiles and seams. Therefore, after laying the tiles, you need to carefully check the entire surface for defects and flaws.
This instruction is also the answer to the question of how to lay tiles on the wall in the kitchen. The principle is the same everywhere.
If you are planning to lay tiles on plasterboard surfaces, keep in mind that this can only be done after the walls have been treated with waterproofing. Before laying tiles on drywall, you need to pay special attention to the cut edges. They also need to be treated with a waterproofing mixture. You can lay tiles using a special tile adhesive using the same technology as in the bathroom.
Cost of tiles
The modern market for construction and finishing materials is huge. On store shelves you can see various variations of tiles. In addition to individual color range, texture and size, tiles vary in cost. The most profitable option is to purchase finishing materials of domestic or Belarusian production. The absence of customs duties and transportation costs significantly affects the price. Russian tiles can be purchased for 130 rubles/m2. Some domestic manufacturers produce facing materials on the territory of our country, but using foreign technology. Here the price is slightly higher - 350 rubles / m 2, but the lineup much wider. Plants and factories from neighboring countries occupy an honorable third place in terms of the cost of tiles. Ukrainian tile collections are presented in the price range of 400-700 rubles per sq.m. Polish, Lithuanian and Czech manufacturers are not far behind them. Price per 1 sq.m. European tiles range from 600 to 1000 rubles. Of course, the leaders in the quality of building materials are Germany and Italy. Products from German and Portuguese factories can be purchased for 1,100 rubles per 1 m2.
Manufacturers' tile collections
The variety of shapes, sizes and textures of tiles is simply amazing. Such a large number of options for finishing walls and floors allows you to realize even your most secret desires and projects. It is best to lay tiles on the wall and floor using materials from the collection of one manufacturer. Such tiles will be in harmony with each other, and you will not notice any striking contrasts.
Modern color solutions finishing materials allow you to combine the most different shades, for example, pink and blue, white and turquoise, etc. In addition, there are hundreds more options for tile laying techniques. Some people make colored inserts or borders, others study technology, how to lay mosaic tiles, etc. In general, there are a lot of ideas for changing the interior, so trust your flight of fancy, naturally, based on your physical and financial capabilities.
Tile care
Tile is a fairly unpretentious material, however, it also requires the right and ongoing care. Otherwise, limescale will ruin both the tiles in the kitchen (they should be laid according to the same principle as in the bathroom) and in the bathroom. The tiles should not be brought to this state; it is better to take care of the surfaces constantly.
Suitable products for cleaning surfaces lined with such products can be found at any hardware store. It is better to use a creamy or liquid composition. Powder products often scratch the surface of the tile.
To deal with rust and limescale, you can use chlorine-containing preparations. Among other things, chlorine disinfects the surface being treated.
When you need to wash the tiles, but you don’t have the opportunity to go to the store, try cleaning the tiles with window cleaner. Ammonia, which is included in its composition, will perfectly wash away dirt and give the surface shine.
This article will teach you how to properly lay tiles and care for the tiled surface. Following simple installation rules will help even a beginner change the interior of a bathroom, toilet or kitchen.
