The assortment of construction stores pleases with constantly emerging new products designed to perform modern finishes housing. But be that as it may, ceramic tiles do not lose their popularity at all, and remain one of the most popular materials for cladding floors and walls in rooms with specific operating conditions - with high humidity, with direct contact of water on the surface, with a pronounced abrasive load, with the need for frequent wet cleaning using detergents. According to such criteria, this includes bathrooms, toilets and kitchens, hallways and corridors, balconies and loggias, entrance groups and some utility rooms.

In a word, in any house or apartment there will definitely be such a finish. wide application. That’s why the question is so relevant: how difficult is the installation? ceramic tiles with your own hands, is it worth inviting a master, or is it quite possible to get by? on our own? We cannot agree with the opinion of the authors of individual articles who claim that tiling is a very simple task. Such finishing requires strict adherence to technology, knowledge of many nuances, a certain skill and increased accuracy. However, it doesn’t seem impossible either - many homeowners have successfully completed the finishing work themselves. We hope that this article will help the portal visitor understand the basics of ceramic tile laying technology, carefully assess their capabilities and make the right decision.

Extensive selection floor ceramics does not affect the basic rules of its installation. There are many characteristic features and technological nuances, without knowledge of which you may not get what you expect.

Absolutely all ceramics manufacturers insist: it is necessary to start not with testing the base for compliance with standards, but with checking ceramic finishing and developing a plan for its installation.

Your first priority is to choose the right design and caliber of the product. As a rule, in stores, stands are lined with tiles from one collection in the optimal layout, in the opinion of the plant designers. Approximate variations can be viewed in professional catalogs on manufacturers’ websites or in sales areas.

You can change, supplement or completely redesign the proposed design to your taste. To do this, ask to provide you with several samples of the main tiles and their components (borders, decor, panels, etc.) and create a layout suitable for your room.

But keep in mind - upon entering the room, the first thing that catches your eye is the center of the room or the area that is completely free of furniture and equipment (the so-called free patch). IN small kitchens and bathrooms are, as a rule, no more than 1-2 m². Therefore, laying tiles on a concrete floor should be planned in such a way that the center falls exactly on the visible square meters of area. Thanks to this simple technique, solid elements will be glued to the “empty” area, and cut ones will be glued only around the perimeter. This is especially important if there are uneven walls.

Design planning with offset.

The next stage is the choice of installation scheme for floor ceramics. There are several basic types:

Thanks to the wide variety of formats and types of tiles (elongated planks, polygonal, oval products, etc.), installation of floor ceramics can be carried out according to parquet patterns (herringbone, wicker, deck, squares), chaotically or modularly (a combination of different format claddings).

If you intend to use decorative elements or a combination of colors, then don’t be lazy to make a drawing to scale. You can also request the development of similar sketches from ceramics of the same series, thickness or manufacturer from consultants in shopping centers specializing in ceramic cladding. As a rule, factories provide not only the relevant computer programs, but also special devices (outwardly reminiscent of ATMs), on which even an inexperienced user can create his own floor design, and in a two- or three-dimensional version. BUT! If you want to combine tiles from different manufacturers and calibers, be sure to ensure that the thickness matches perfectly, down to the millimeter. Otherwise, you won’t be able to lay the tiles absolutely straight without any flaws.

It is better to think through the layout in advance in order to purchase required amount facing material. The required quadrature is calculated based on:

Surface area

This value must be divided by the area of ​​one element, taking into account the tile joints. If the tile has complex shape or multi-format ceramics are used in one design, it is better to draw a drawing.

Tile sizes

The number of whole and trimmed elements in one row depends on this. To calculate the first value, you can ask consultants to make calculations in special programs (provided to sellers by manufacturers) or use the formula:

If, in accordance with the project, it is necessary to lay a frieze and a trim around the perimeter (a wall section of the main or complementary tiles), then the overall pattern must be designed in such a way that the border strip is laid from whole elements, and full-length or cut tiles can be used on the trim border.

The floor is made of tiles with a border frieze.

When buying ceramic tiles, be sure to take a small supply, that is, you need about 10-15% more than required. Partially finishing material will go into scraps, possible damage, or will be useful in the future for repairing damaged elements.

Styling techniques

In what cases are tiles laid with a gap or seamless method, with a straight or zigzag seam? It depends not on your desire, but on the characteristics of the flooring material. Firstly, the monolithic canvas, of course, looks beautiful, but it is made only from rectified porcelain stoneware. That is, the most stable and resistant to temperature changes cladding with edges processed on special machines. It is very difficult to lay this material yourself without solid work experience.

Secondly, almost all ceramic flooring products must be installed with a gap. How larger size products, as well as the load, the wider the seam should be, otherwise in the future various defects (cracks, etc.) will appear due to seasonal deformations. Recommended values:

• For tiles of caliber from 5x5 to 30x30 cm - 1-1.5 mm;
• For ceramics with dimensions from 30x30 to 60x60 cm - 2-5 mm;
• For large format products from 60x60 cm and more - 5-10 mm.

Tile joints: zero, narrow and wide.

The choice of seam option - straight or curved - also depends on the shape of the tiles and design features. Some collections involve laying a base with inserts, joining a pattern in a certain order, etc. Similar information is available on the box.

So, we have come to the finish line. The cladding has been selected, the layout option has been approved, and you can proceed to the last stage - selecting the quality of the flooring material. Please note the following when purchasing:

1. Tiles of the highest grades must have the same thickness, width and length ( maximum deviations, as a rule, do not exceed 0.5 mm), as well as the same shade, without streaks, stripes, foreign inclusions, stains, chips, small cracks, scratches, unevenness and other defects in the design.
2. The glaze should be uniform, without drips or sagging, the surface should be as smooth as possible with a minimum of negative (concave) or positive (convex) deviations from the plane, and the side edges should be free of burrs, irregularities, and chips. This is easy to check - connect two tiles together at the ends and right sides, inspect carefully. Any deviations negatively affect the evenness and aesthetics of the future floor.
3. The purchased set must be from the same batch and the same tone, which guarantees the absolute identity of all elements in color, size and other parameters. This information is indicated on the box.
4. Tiles should be cleaned of packaging and paraffin or wax protective coatings, which are applied to the surface of some collections to protect against scratches during transportation.

Tools and materials

To install the tiles yourself, prepare the necessary kit.

Including tools:

• tape measure and metal ruler;
• rack and moisture meter;
• level and square;
• marker for applying markings to facing elements (main and complementary tiles, decors, borders, etc.);
• marking dye cord;
• electric tile cutter or manual tile cutter, special ceramic saws for creating shaped cutouts or a drill with cup attachments for drilling round holes under pipes;
• a plastic bucket and a construction mixer for mixing glue;
• trowel and notched trowel for applying the solution. The choice of the number of the last tool depends on the dimensions of the tile, and the larger the facing element, the larger the size of the trowel teeth;
• pliers;
• mallet and spatula for grouting;
• sandpaper for processing tile cuts;
• assembly gloves and knee pads;
• bucket, sponge and soft fabric to remove excess adhesive that has emerged.

Materials you will need:

• Ceramic tiles with a full set of shaped elements;
• The adhesive mixture is cement or polymer, corresponding to the specifics of the base (mineral screed, wood, plywood, etc.), as well as the operating conditions of the cladding. That is, it allows you to lay tiles on the floor in a heated or unheated space, on a heated base, in showers or swimming pools;
• Primer emulsion;
• Waterproofing of a suitable type (in wet areas);
• Cement or polymer grout and water-repellent impregnation for seams;
• Silicone sealant. It will be needed to process joints, internal and external corners;
• Crosses for tile joints or tile leveling system (SVP).

Because for interior work Mostly non-frost-resistant ceramics are used; manufacturers recommend installation at a room temperature of at least +5 °C and no more than +30 °C with a humidity of 40-60%. Exterior decoration, including cladding of facades and steps, is carried out only in the warm season.

Step by step instructions

From quality installation work The service life and ease of use of floor ceramics depend. This axiom, unfortunately, is often neglected, and the result is a fragile, unaesthetic or defective coating. Therefore, we recommend that you follow all the rules, from preparing the base to the curing period of the grout.

The process can be divided into 6 stages:

Preparing the base

The quality of the subfloor should ensure the possibility of creating a layer under the tile covering from adhesive cement mortar thickness 2-15 mm, for mosaic - up to 20 mm. Therefore, the following actions are necessary:

There must be a basis;

Before the start of work, pipelines and other types of communications laid in the ceilings must have outlets in accordance with the design of the room. Don't forget that on large areas a uniform arrangement of expansion joints is necessary to compensate for temperature and hygroscopic deformations of the base. When laying tiles on concrete or mineral screed indoors, it is recommended to install thermal gaps every 20-25 m² of area, with external cladding– 16 m².

IN small rooms The role of temperature-shrinkage joints is played by a gap of 4-5 mm wide around the perimeter between the ceramic coating and the walls.

Let us remind you once again that the floor must be monolithic. Many craftsmen believe that unevenness is easily leveled tile adhesive- the layer will be thicker than expected. However, they forget that the cement-polymer mortar shrinks, so a perfectly even coating will not work. All recesses, cracks and bumps larger than 5 mm must be eliminated - filled with repair mixtures or chipped away, and dust and debris removed. Treat the surface with primers with the required properties - strengthening, adhesive, etc.

Applying a primer to a concrete base.

If you are thinking of laying tiles in a shower, bathroom or toilet, pay special attention to waterproofing. To create a reliable water barrier, you can use polymer paints, penetrating coatings, impregnations, membranes or any other material available to you. The main thing is to form a layer correctly, extending it onto the walls 10-15 cm in height and carefully sealing the corners.

Marking

When marking, the center lines of the room serve as the basis. Connect the midpoints of the closer walls to obtain the longitudinal axis, and the center points of the farther ones to calculate the transverse line. Make marks on the walls for the level of the future finished floor. This will help correct minor flaws during the tile laying process. It is better to apply the marking drawing with an alcohol marker or using a paint cord.

First, check the correct geometry of the room. This will allow you to adjust the plan for tiling the floor with ceramic tiles and significantly speed up the work.

To make sure that the walls are mutually perpendicular, pull two cords diagonally from opposite corners and measure their length with a tape measure. If the angles do not correspond to the ideal 90°, and the sides have different lengths, then you can use various tricks to visually level the effect. For example, move the pattern or lay friezes around the perimeter, and between it and the wall - background tiles with trim.

The principle of marking formation depends on the chosen design.

Standard seam-to-seam or corner installation

If the room is level rectangular shape, then laying begins from the corner. The first element is mounted in the corner of the room, the rest - in different directions from it.

Corner laying pattern.

In a run-up or with a shift

For tiles produced in the form of elongated planks, it is incorrect to use the simple corner method. Installation should be done from the center of the room. The method is quite labor-intensive and requires care and precision in work.

First, the reference point (central) is calculated, the first row is laid from it, then subsequent lines are formed as shown in the figure below.

Laying pattern with offset or from the center.

Scheme of laying tiles of different calibers from the center.

The displacement coefficient of each subsequent row relative to the previous one depends on your desire - by 1/2, 1/3 or more. Since this is not a laminate or parquet board, no stitching is required here. It's more likely decorative effect, allowing you to create a deck flooring, brick or typical for laminate.

Along two perpendicular rows

To lay tiles in a room with irregular wall geometry (including various projections, bay windows, etc.), this method is used. We mark the center of the room and install the first element from it. With respect to this cladding, we draw two perpendicular central lines, along which we lay flooring. From the finished rows we lay the remaining ceramics. This is very convenient for creating panels and various decorative or accent inserts.

Diagonally

In addition to the finished center lines, you also need to draw diagonal ones from opposite corners. The layout is carried out either from the center or from the far corner of the room. The pattern can be anything.

Scheme diagonal laying tiles

After the necessary marking lines have been drawn, lay the ceramics on a dry floor surface. This is necessary for an accurate fit. general scheme laying out, as well as cutting edge tiles or shaped elements with a tile cutter (including for forming shaped cutouts for various plumbing fixtures, water supply pipes and other communications).

Instructional and technological map for facing works, developed back in 1973 and updated in 2003 by the Design and Technological Institute of Industrial Construction, recommends craftsmen to make landmarks for themselves over large areas: either from a mooring cord stretched between the extreme support points (for example, along a long wall or diagonally ) or install so-called lighthouse tiles. These are singles ceramic elements or a series of facings laid along an extended surface, which allows you to control the level of finish and the correct formation of stripes.

Preparing the adhesive mixture

The solution must be perfectly homogeneous and fluid enough so that it can be easily applied to the surface and distributed. The dry mixture is mixed with water in the proportion recommended by the manufacturer, thoroughly mixed with a mixer until a homogeneous mass without lumps is formed. Remember that ready-made glue can be used for a certain time (20-60 minutes), so for large laying areas it is better to prepare the solution in portions.

Elastic polymer mixtures for ceramics come in one- and two-component types. They should be mixed thoroughly before use and should be applied with a notched trowel.

Installation of the cladding begins from a reference point located in the corner farthest from the entrance, or from the center of the room. It is recommended to finish the floor in strips or small squares, gradually moving towards the doorway. If the design assumes the presence of a frieze and panels, then installation should begin with decorative elements.

Laying from the corner and from the center of the room.

Some types of tiles with a highly porous structure are recommended to be soaked before use. This is done so that the ceramics do not “pull” moisture from the solution before it polymerizes. But most of the products on the market do not require such an operation, so before starting work, carefully study the information on the packaging.

If you are laying floor finishing material with a thickness of more than 12 mm or with a side of more than 50 cm, then carefully follow the manufacturers’ recommendations. The adhesive solution must be applied not only to the base, but also to the back surface of the tile with pre-wetting.

Can't be stacked ceramic cladding on the floor with the heating switched on or with the room heating system running. It should be turned on only after the adhesive solution has completely “set”.

Apply the adhesive mixture to the base with a spatula with an average thickness of 2-5 mm (polymer - in a layer of 2-3 mm) and spread over a surface of 1 m² or in an amount covering one row. Next, lay out the tiles in accordance with the chosen pattern, align them, lightly tap them with a mallet or press them down with your fingers. Clean the seams from excess glue and insert spacer crosses or SVP. Next, apply glue to the surface as needed and install the cladding, periodically checking the evenness with a hydraulic level, as well as the geometric correctness of the installation - horizontal, pattern, installation pattern.

Applying adhesive mixture to the floor and installing tiles.

If required according to the plan, at the end mount a wall plinth from border elements or cut tiles of the main background using dividing crosses.

Grouting joints

Filling gaps can only be done after the covering has been completely laid and adhesive composition hardened. As a rule, 24 hours is enough.

Mix dry cement grout with water in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, apply with a spatula and fill all joints without exception. After 15-30 minutes, remove the remaining color mixture with a damp sponge. After an hour, wash the surface again with a wet cloth, and the next day treat the seams with water-repellent impregnations.

Cleaning the coating

After completion of the troweling work, the ceramic-tiled floor has a whitish coating, which must be removed with a solution of special acid-based ceramic detergents (Pramol Ceracid, Pufas Glutoclean acidic, Italon A-CID), then rinsed clean water until all foreign liquids and dirt are completely removed. In the future, it is recommended to use neutral detergents or a weak soap solution, and to remove stains or heavy dirt, purchase professional concentrates that do not damage the surface and do not leave streaks (Litokol Colored Stain Remover, Bellinzoni Mangia Macchia, etc.).

Do not use abrasive cleaners, which may cause scratches, especially on polished, lapped or high-gloss ceramic surfaces.

The finished coating can be loaded with furniture and other household items within 48-72 hours.

Advice! If you need repairmen, there is a very convenient service for selecting them. Just submit in the form below detailed description work that needs to be done and you will receive offers with prices from construction teams and companies by email. You can see reviews about each of them and photographs with examples of work. It's FREE and there's no obligation.

Ceramic tiles - in use in great demand a type of flooring that is a fireproof and moisture-resistant finishing material made from silica, clay and sand. Ceramic tiles differ from ceramic tiles only in their glossy coating, which gives them shine and effectiveness. It is used as facing material for any surface thanks to its unique qualities: high service life, wear resistance, heat resistance, resistance to pollution and chemicals.

The coating is divided into several types, depending on the location of use. Floor tiles are available for:

• low traffic areas;
• residential areas;
• kitchens, bathrooms and bathrooms;
• shopping and office spaces;
• crowded areas.

Ceramic tiles have a classification, huge color palette And maximum amount invoices This allows you to choose a product that preserves the integrity of any interior.

Advantages of tiles compared to others flooring materials very significant:

• higher resistance to mechanical damage;
• durability;
• preservation of its original appearance for a long time;
• moisture resistance;
• resistance to deformation;
• resistance to low and high temperatures;
• environmentally friendly material;
• safety for allergy sufferers.

Along with the advantages, the product has a number of disadvantages that should be taken into account:

• quite high cost of material;
• the need to purchase related materials;
• the desirability of providing underfloor heating;
• The coating is not impact resistant.

Laying floor tiles Doing it yourself is a labor-intensive task and requires special knowledge and skills. But thanks modern technologies Doing this work yourself is quite a feasible task. Let's look at how to lay floor tiles step by step.

Tile selection

Ceramic (or tile) tiles can be single-color, multi-color, regular and shaped. By quality characteristics divided into three varieties.

Ordinary products are square and rectangular. Square ones have dimensions of 150x150 and 100x100 mm, and rectangular ones - 150x100 and 150x75 mm.

Corner elements having different shapes and purpose are called shaped. The scope of their application is the angular layout of cornices and baseboards.

You can learn a lot from the pictograms on the packaging. additional information: a foot drawn on a black background means that the material lying in the box is intended for the floor, a brush means walls, a snowflake means frost resistance, and a foot on a shaded background indicates the high strength of the coating.

The most important indicator for flooring is wear resistance. The abrasion class must be at least 1 or 2. Marking AA - best indicator resistance to aggressive environments.

Drawing a scheme for laying the coating

It is necessary to select tiles so that their dimensions are in perfect harmony with the size of the room. In a narrow and long room It is better to install the coating across the width. This will hide the length a little and visually expand the room.

For clarity, it is better to draw on paper a diagram of how ceramic tiles will be laid on the floor. This will make it easier to see whether the ornament should be supplemented with borders and decorations. It is necessary to calculate the connection of the ceramics to existing plumbing or communication elements. And also know how and how the final row of finishing will end.

Materials and tools

To install floor tiles, you need to purchase some tools and materials. Since there are many ways to level surfaces and lay flooring, this list can be considered approximate.

Tools:

• hammers;
• chisel for dismantling old tiles;
• trowel (plaster spatula) and rubber spatula;
• plumb lines and level;
• triangle;
• wire cutters and pliers;
• polyethylene film;
• brushes;
• bucket and rule;
• grinder and tile cutter;
• floor heating;
• plastic crosses for precise placement.

Materials:

• ceramic (tile) tiles;
• bitumen mastic;
• polyethylene film;
• self-leveling composition for floors;
• anti-mold primer and antifungal solution;
• adhesive composition for tiles;
• grout for joints, preferably epoxy.

The quality of tile adhesive and grout often depends on the brand of the coating manufacturer. Often on the packaging with glue and grout there is a recommendation about which company’s products are best to use in a particular case.

When selecting a grout for tile joints, you should remember that it becomes lighter after drying.

Preparing the subfloor for finishing

After the tools and materials have been prepared, the coating diagram with all the additions has been drawn, you can begin preparing the surface of the subfloor. It must be clean and dry.

The wooden floor is leveled by scraping: the smallest cracks are puttied, uneven areas are covered and sanded. Or you can simply put moisture-resistant plywood, the thickness of which is 12 mm or more.

Laying floor tiles on a concrete floor should be done after correcting the surface with self-leveling mixtures. Before this, the surface must be dried and cleaned. In addition, a number of conditions must be met:

• the difference in unevenness and roughness is no more than 2 cm;
• complete absence of cracks;
• the surface must be treated with a primer;
• the mixture should not leak into adjacent rooms.

After leveling the surface, you should waterproofing works and priming the floor.

Waterproofing under tiles is carried out:

• roll materials, the advantage of which is low cost, but the disadvantages are: pungent odor, the need to use a burner, difficulty in installation, raising the floor level;
• bitumen mastics, which are easy to use, especially in difficult rooms, but have a pungent odor and cannot be used in a heated floor system;
• cement-polymer mixtures, easy to apply and firmly adhere to the surface, but they dry very quickly (small volumes can be diluted).

The primer is applied in several layers until it stops being absorbed immediately.

We do the laying of tiles with our own hands

• To lay the tiles evenly and neatly, you should mark the prepared floor surface:
• remove skirting boards and thresholds;
• measure the middle of the walls and draw center lines;
• draw diagonal lines for diagonal laying.
• After this, you can begin laying along the outlined lines, according to the drawn sketch. You can try laying the material on the floor without glue to find the best placement.

• Glue is applied to one square meter surfaces in any selected corner that are formed at the intersection of marking lines. For this work you should use a spatula or spatula.
• We press the tile firmly to the floor, pressing on the adhesive base. Marking lines are used as a guide for movement. Laying is carried out over the entire surface on which the glue is applied. If you need to maintain a special distance between the tiles, then you should use plastic crosses prepared in advance.
• Following the direction created by the lines, we lay the covering, heading towards the center of the room. Carefully close one half of the room, only then move on to the second part.

Note! The same level must be maintained; in some cases, a little more adhesive base can be applied.

• Next, you need to fill the empty space between the floor and walls, where the solid tiles did not fit. To do this, the material is cut with a special cutter with an adjustable size for uniform cutting.

A product that is cut on all sides may look bad after installation.

• After installation, the glue must dry and harden. After this, if the tile is porous and not previously coated with primer solutions (see the instructions for the tile), it should be coated with a primer.

Tiled flooring is not subject to periodic cosmetic repairs in room. High quality material with correct installation will ensure long-term operation of the tiled floor. He's very practical. When carrying out renovations yourself, laying tiles with your own hands not only captures the excitement of creativity, but also significantly reduces the financial costs of furnishing the premises. An excellent result will be achieved provided that the work is carried out consistently with the obligatory completion of all stages.

Work prior to laying tiles

With this type of finishing work, the proverb is more relevant than ever: “Measure seven times...”, so special attention is paid to the selection of tools.

To install tiles, you need to have the following tools on hand:

Important! Carefully executed preliminary work guarantee high-quality styling tiles.

The preparatory stage of installation is given to great importance. Briefly speaking, the following work is performed:

• inspecting floors using a long rod or ruler, identifying irregularities and eliminating roughness if necessary;
• final adjustment with minimal deviations using a level.

There is another, more expensive way. Use special mortars, by filling which, the floor surface is leveled;

Methods for laying tiles on the floor

Work performed when laying tiles on the floor

The markings show the location of each coating unit, so it's time to apply the adhesive base. Special glue on cement based for tiled coating in powder form, dilute in small parts with water, according to the instructions, to the desired consistency.

The most convenient tool is a spatula. Its working serrated surface, set at an angle of 45˚, allows you to apply the base of the same thickness evenly to the tile. The grooves formed in this way distribute the glue evenly over the surface, creating a stronger adhesion of the tiles to the floor.

Work should start from the corner of the room opposite the door. Treat a small area up to 1 m2. Quick drying glue mixture on a cement base is applied in even stripes, elements of the tile covering are laid on it along pre-marked boundaries. Carefully press down from above, tap, slightly turning around the axis, to the sides for more complete adhesion with adhesive solution.

Attention! The tile with adhesive mortar can be slightly rotated without moving from its place. Otherwise, the seams of the connections will become clogged. Their further processing is not possible.

This is how the entire pre-treated area of ​​the floor is filled one by one. The adhesive consumption depends on the type of tile used: the more massive the laying material, the more adhesive mass is required to fix it.

A level should always be at hand to check the thickness of the masonry, the horizontal position of each laid element, as well as maintaining the level along all diagonals. The height of the flooring is adjusted by applying a smaller or larger layer of mortar under constant instrumental control. When half the room is ready, work continues on the remaining area.

There is a rule: first, the floor area is filled with whole tiles, and then specially cut pieces are laid against the walls, forming corners and thresholds, etc.

Processing cut parts of tiles at home

Attention: floor tiles are more durable than wall tiles. Its thickness exceeds its wall counterpart by almost a quarter and is 8 mm or more. Therefore it is processed worse.

Almost always for masonry it is used not only whole material, but also its fragments in the form of trimmed strips. You can create smooth edges and give the fragment the required shape at home using a glass cutter. This is a simple, affordable and popular processing method. Its modification is oil glass cutter. A mixture of kerosene and machine or spindle oil when cutting improves the performance of the work. You can cut tiles with a grinder, on stone cutting machine etc. The wet cutting machine not only performs processing efficiently and at high speed, but also smoothly cuts corners.

By the way: if there is a need to create a gap between the elements of the covering being laid, you can use plastic crosses.

Once installed, they are removed and ready for use elsewhere. If you are laying tiles on the floor with your own hands for the first time, and such a separator is not available, then ordinary matches, rods, cardboard strips, etc. are quite suitable for these purposes. And then the entire coating will look equally “lined” with such gaps.

Final stage: the joints are filled with paste-like polymer grout of the required color using a small rubber spatula. The composition of the jointing material is complex polymer composition, having different properties depending on the purpose of the room. The jointing is performed with plastic, silicone or moisture-repellent compounds. Excess is removed using a damp sponge immediately after drying, and the floor covering itself is washed.

Although laying tiles requires certain skills, patience, accuracy and precision, this technology can be mastered by anyone who is familiar with technology, does household work with their own hands, and has carefully studied the technology of performing the work. Own apartment it will become more comfortable and elegant, and, at first glance, unsightly packs of tiles in skillful hands will be transformed into a skillful panel and will delight the eye with their unique ornament. We tried to clearly and simply describe the process of laying tiles, and in order to “reinforce” the material, we suggest watching a training video.

Ceramic tile flooring is quite popular. This material is often used to decorate floors in the bathroom, toilet or other utility rooms(for example, a boiler room). Laying floor tiles with your own hands is a rather labor-intensive process. It requires care and accuracy. And we will tell you how this is done in this article.

Preparatory work

Ceramic tile laying work requires preparation. The first thing you need to do is stock up necessary tool. You will need:

• trowel, notched and wide spatula;
• building level and ruler;
• marker or pencil;
• tile cutter;
• hammer (simple and rubber), pliers, drill or hammer drill;
• plastic crosses for aligning seams;
• primer, grout, adhesive;
• ceramic tile.

To calculate the required number of tiles, you should resort to simple mathematics. Knowing the area of ​​the room, divide it by the area of ​​one tile. In this case, it is worth taking into account the width of the seams, 2–5 mm. As a result, you will receive the required amount of material. Add 10-15% to this value. This reserve is necessary; the tile may crack during operation, or you may cut a piece incorrectly.

It is imperative to make a reserve. The fact is that the shades of tiles can vary even in the same batch. Therefore, if you are missing just one square, it will be very difficult to find the right color.

Now you need to prepare the surface. Remove all items from the room (furniture, plumbing fixtures, etc.). If there were old tiles on the floor, you need to get rid of them. You also need to do the same with the old adhesive mass. A hammer drill with a special attachment in the form of a spatula or a chisel with a hammer will help you with this.

When performing dismantling work, do not forget about own safety. Put on your glasses, mask, and gloves on your hands.

The next step is to clean the entire surface. Remove large and small debris, sweep away dust and sand (or vacuum). Then start leveling the base. If dismantling results in large depressions or bulges, then leveling should begin with them. The bulges are knocked down with a chisel, and the depressions are sealed with cement-sand mortar. Then a sand-cement screed is laid on the concrete floor and leveled. At each stage, check the levelness using a level. Unevenness is allowed in the range from 0.5 to 1 cm.

If the room has wooden floors, then the leveling technology is different. First of all, the boards must be impregnated with a special oil-based paint. When the surface is dry, a layer of waterproofing is laid. Then a reinforcing mesh is mounted to a height of 4-5 cm (for this you can use nails that are not completely driven into the floors). And only after that the entire area is filled with a leveling mixture (sand-cement mortar).

In rooms with wooden floors It is allowed to use thick plywood as a substrate (thickness of at least 12 mm). But the sheets must be laid on a surface without significant unevenness. Otherwise, under the weight of the tiles and the adhesive mass, the plywood may bend and break.

We carry out the markings

Laying ceramic tiles on the floor begins with markings. The first step (especially if you are installing for the first time) is to do a dry layout. The tiles are placed in place without adhesive. This way you can calculate everything (where you need to cut, where difficult angles are formed, etc.). When laying out, do not forget about future seams between the tiles.

There are two main ways to lay out slabs.

The easiest one is to start from one far corner of the room. This method is considered the fastest. This is how all novice tilers lay, or if they have to work in small narrow rooms, or rooms with complex geometry.

The second method is more complex - laying from the middle of the room to the sides. This is how tiles are laid in large and free rooms. In this case, the room is divided into four equal parts. The first line is drawn from the middle of one wall to the opposite, the second is also in the middle, perpendicular to the first. Laying begins from any corner formed in the center of the room. In this case, you will have to cut the tiles around the perimeter of the room. When using this method of installation, a more attractive pattern is formed.

You can also choose the direction of laying the tiles. Can be laid diagonally or in the usual straight way. The first one looks much more beautiful, but to create it you need to have experience in such work. That is why the second installation method is much more common.

Whatever method you use, you will still have to cut the tiles. It is important to remember one recommendation here. Try not to cut strips that are too narrow, they will look bad. Of the full tile, at least 20 percent of the area should remain. Also make sure that the most visible area is made of whole tiles.

Laying ceramic tiles

Now let's take a closer look at how to lay floor tiles. First of all, prepare the glue. If you purchased a ready-made mass, then carefully read the instructions. If you like dry glue, then you need to dilute it with water (also according to the manufacturer’s recommendations).

Since the process of laying tiles is quite long, it is necessary to dilute the adhesive mass in small portions. Otherwise, it will simply dry out and increase your financial costs.

Work is carried out squarely. That is, areas of a square meter are marked and an adhesive mass is prepared for this area. After finishing one area, we move on to the next.

First you need to cover the entire area with primer. This will prevent the formation of mold and make the surface more suitable for high-quality bonding. Depending on the level of humidity in the room, the primer is made from one to three passes. Only after her completely dry You can start laying floor tiles.

The surface is slightly moistened, and a layer of adhesive mass is applied to it. Using a notched trowel, the glue is leveled. In this case, you need to ensure that voids and air bags do not form.

A layer of glue is also applied to the back of the tile. This is done using the same notched spatula. You need to cover the entire surface with a thin layer. The tile is then turned over and neatly placed in its place. In this case, you need to apply even pressure over the entire surface.

The tiles are leveled by gently moving from side to side. Horizontal evenness is checked using a building level or using a simple stretched thread. If the tile lies below the desired level, then a little adhesive is added; if it is higher, the excess glue is removed.

To level the tiles on a plane, use rubber hammer. With its help, accurate blows are delivered. This way you can move the tile to the desired place.

An even gap must be left between the tiles. Its accuracy is achieved by using special plastic crosses. They fit into the resulting seam. If the tiles are aligned along the crosses, the gap will be smooth and neat. Such a seam (2-5 mm wide) is needed to prevent the coating from swelling.

Near the walls you will have to cut the tiles. This is done using a tile cutter. A line is carefully drawn along the ruler, and then the tile is simply broken. But this must be done carefully.

Final stage

While working, you need to periodically wipe the already completed area of ​​masonry with a rag. This is necessary to wipe off any remaining adhesive before it hardens. And after laying the entire flooring, you cannot walk on it for at least two days.

After the glue has hardened, you can begin grouting the joints. For this, a special moisture-resistant putty is used. This work can be done using a rubber spatula. But first you need to clean the seams from construction waste and dust.

After all the seams have been rubbed, you need to clean the entire floor of debris with a rag. Then the grout is given a day to dry and you can begin wet cleaning.

This completes the tile laying work. You can learn some tricks and installation techniques by watching videos and photos.

Video

Video material about the features of laying tiles on the floor:

Photo