DIY Network

Ceramic Tile Flooring

Older homes have a lot of charm and character, but sometimes after years of renovation that charm and character is lost. A ho-hum bathroom, or kitchen is the problem for many people. Home improvement pro Scott Branscom suggests a ceramic tile floor in a very retro pattern to spruce up a room. Here, Branscom shows you how modern technology has made ceramic tiles so much easier to install.

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Ceramic Tile Floor Installation

Materials:

Replacement tiles
Cement board
Razor knife
Screw gun
Hammer
Wet saw
Tile nippers

1. Remove any vinyl flooring to assess the subfloor. Best way is to pull in strips and pull back. If you run in to OSB or Oriented Strand board underneath, taking a razor or scraping through it is really going to cause more damage than good. Go ahead and lay cement board directly over old vinyl floor. It has to be used as base for the ceramic tile anyway. But, do try and remove the vinyl if at all possible.

2. Cement board is difficult to cut through. To cut, use a razor knife to score one side, then turn the board over to finish the cut. Be careful not to pull the mesh off the board. Once all the pieces are cut, lay them out on the floor to make sure you have a snug fit.

3. Get out a screw gun to set screws. Start the screws by hitting them with a hammer. You’ll need a lot of special cement board screws because they’re placed every 6-8 inches.

4. With the cement boards in place, it’s time to measure to find the center of the room. Mark it by making two chalk lines that cross in the center of the room.

5. Lay out the tile. Try to use as many full sheets as possible. Lay the center section first, then tackle the tricky cuts around the edges of the room.

6. Work in small sections, lifting out the tiles and spreading the adhesive. Spread the adhesive smoothly and evenly with a square-notched trowel. You want the adhesive to be about as thick as the tiles you’re working with.

7. Spread as much adhesive as you can work with before it dries. Set the first sheet of tiles into place and press it firmly into the adhesive. For the second sheet, remember to line up the pattern and check the spacing and then set it into place. Work around the room until the entire center of the floor is covered.

8. To cover the perimeter of the room you need to trim full sheets to fit. Start by the door and work your way around, measuring and cutting tiles and sheets as necessary to fill the area.

9. The easiest way to cut tile is with a wet saw. It uses water to keep the blade from getting too hot. Set the length you want and guide the tile through the blade. Safety Note: Remember to get safety gear as well, you don’t want to get hit in the eye by a flying piece of tile.

10. Install the cut pieces just as you did the full tiles, spread the adhesive then carefully lay the tile into place.

Tip: To cut tile, flip it over using a utility knife to cut the rubber dots and pop out the piece. It’s easy to cut out a piece of tile to fit around the toilet or any plumbing pipes. And if you have any small cuts buy a pair of tile nippers. The key to working with these is to be patient and cut off a little bit at a time.

Tip: When mixing grout, make sure it is creamy and easy to spread. Put grout onto the tiles then spread it with a rubber grout float. Let it set for about 20-minutes then wipe the tiles with a damp sponge. Once the grout is hardened, you’ll need to wipe off the haze and buff the tiles with a dry cloth.

Tip: Make sure to seal the grout to help keep it clean. For new grout, wait a week to 10 days then apply a silicone sealer. Be very careful not to get the sealer on the tiles.