Installing Floor Tile - Carolinas Home Stone

If you find that you like to work with your hands, I am sure that you will love tile installation. It's not rocket Science but you will need, some knowledge on how to install floor tiles, don't you worry I will give you some information and you'll be installing floor tiles before you even know it.

The most important tile is the first one you lay. Remember that all the tiles are going to come off that one tile. Make sure that you take measurements before you start; you can start by just putting dry tiles and lay out some lines, this way you'll have an idea of how it's going to look Make sure the surface is clean and level so that your tiling can be simple. - Have the tools you're going to need for the job on hand. Level, Goggles, Tile cutter, Carpenter's square, Sponge, Clean rags etc...

Remember the preparation is a very important part of achieving a professional result. Any small rocks, dust, moisture etc. will cause your tile to either have a lump in it or another kind of defect. Take in consideration the kind of pattern you choose this will be an important factors. You will need to find a pattern that you like but also fit your tiling area. Next, you will need to mark the place for your first tile. You will not be starting at a corner since you will want partial tiles to land on all walls. Locate the exact center on each wall and mark that center spot Hold a chalk line at the center position on facing walls, snap a straight line to a wall. The exact center will be marked at the point where the two lines cross.

To check for accuracy, measure 3' in one direction and 4' in the opposite (90°) direction. When measured from true center, the distance from the 3' marking to the 4' point will be exactly 5'. If this is not the case, remeasure and rechalk each wall to find the true center. This is essential for a quality finish. These marks will give you your first 4 tiles. Now you're ready to start laying out the tiles. Remember it's best to do a test run before you start cementing and cutting the tiles. Now start at the center point and lay loose tiles along marked lines from center.

Doing this will provide an opportunity to make adjustments if the center is not correctly marked. Next measure the remaining distance between the edge of the last tile and the wall on each run If the distance between the last tile and the wall is less than two inches or more than eight inches, you will end up with an extremely narrow cut of tile To correct, adjust the center line that is parallel to the wall by 4-1/2" (half a tile) closer to the wall and remark. Floor tile installation can be a fun project, this is something you can do by yourself, just make sure you follow the instructions mention above.