The results are gorgeous with superior performance for years to come.
With these aids, most do-it-yourselfers should be able to tile a bathroom floor.
Check with your localpermit office for information.
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When in doubt, consult or hire a professional.
Always install tile before installing the toilet.
Hardwood floors can be tricky.
Original wood floor boards may have warped over time, and tile requires a level surface.
Backer board may be used underneath the tile if minimal leveling is needed.
Prepare the Subfloor
The bathroom subfloor should be flat, level, and free of damage.
When remodeling an old bathroom, you may find water damage near the shower/tub, toilet, and sink.
Replace any damaged subfloor with like material.
If replacing the entire subfloor, use 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove plywood.
Tile membrane also waterproofs your bathroom floor under the tile to protect the subfloor.
Prepare the subfloor by skimming out unmodified thinset grout, then press the membrane into the still-wet thinset.
Press firmly to seat the membrane.
Let the membrane and thinset bond for 24 hours.
Tip
A tile membrane isn’t always necessary to achieve a water-resistant underlayment.
Use the tape measure to determine the center point.
Having trouble choosing tile?
When in doubt, stick with the color palette of your bathroom or go neutral.
Experiment with different positions.
Ideally, the most visible sections should receivefull-size, uncut tiles.
Mark the door jambs with a pencil.
Remove the tile and spacer, then cut the door jambs with the multi-tool.
The cardboard spacer accounts for the height of the thinset mortar.
With the straight, un-notched side of the trowel, fill the tile membrane cavities with thinset mortar.
Butter the back of a tile with the thinset, as well.
Press the tile firmly onto the floor.
As you progress to adjacent tiles, insert tile spacers.
Watch for lippagewhere one tile edge is higher or lower than its neighboras this is a safety hazard.
Cutouts for field tiles around cabinets, doors, and the shower can be cut with a tile nipper.
Pull the float firmly toward you, diagonally across the tiles.
Clean the grout haze from the tile surface with the tile sponge.
Seal the Grout
After the tile has dried, apply grout sealer.
This will prevent water from percolating through the tile seams and under the tiles.
Most importantly, they need to be water- and slip-resistant to ensure safety andprevent water damage.
Tile should be left to dry for 24 to 48 hours before grout is applied.
Safe Operating Procedures.University of Memphis.
