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  • Ceramic Tile Floors, Part 1
  • From "DIY Home Repair & Remodeling"
    episode DIR-105
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    Figure A

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    Figure B

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    Figure C

    Note: You may want to use knee pads when installing a tile floor.

    Before you install a ceramic tile floor, make sure the floor is smooth and secure. If you feel any movement in the floor when you walk across it, you'll need to install a cement board underlayment (figure A).

    Keep in mind that the floor will be 1/2" higher after the installation. You may need to adjust the toilet, vanity, and other fixtures to compensate.

    1. Find the center point of the room. First, measure across the room and mark the center. Then measure the room in the other direction, and mark the center. Snap a chalk line across both center points; the intersection of the two lines is the center of the room.
    2. Lay out the tiles in a dry run, starting at the center and following both chalk lines. You can reposition the starting point if necessary. After you're satisfied with the placement, trace around the center tile.

    Place the center tile, using the type of adhesive recommended by the manufacturer. Use a notched trowel to apply the adhesive to the floor (figure B). Press the tile in place while twisting it back and forth to secure it into position.

    Use the center tile as a reference point, and install the remaining tiles along straight lines. Install only a few tiles at a time, and don't use too much adhesive. Place spacers between the tiles to establish the grout lines (figure C).


    RESOURCES :
    Esquire Tile
    Tilecera Inc.
    Clarksville, TN 37040
    Phone: 931-645-5100
    Fax: 931-647-5974

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