DIY Guide

TOOLS

We all know the saying 'a workman is only as good as his tools' and if you are going to have a go at tiling it is essential that you plan and prepare, starting with the correct tools.

You will need:

  • A notched trowel or spreader. We recommend 6mm for the walls or 10mm for floor tiles.

  • A tile cutter. Cheaper 'handyman' cutters are available from the tile depot from around $50. High quality cutters are available for hire from The Tile Depot and we also provide a cutting and drilling service for tiles purchased from the Tile Depot, ask each store for further information.

  • A Spirit level.

  • A fine felt tip pen and ruler for marking.

  • A string and straight edge.

  • Tile spacers. We recommend 3mm on the walls and 5mm mm on the floors.

  • A rubber grouter.

  • A sponge, a bucket of water and plenty of old rags - it can get messy!

  • Masking tape.

  • The correct adhesive and grouts.

QUANTITIES

Every day a customer will come in to a Tile Depot store looking for a replacement for a broken tile that was bought some years ago. 9 times out of 10 this is unsuccessful as tiles are batch manufactured, and most lines will not be produced by factories for more than a couple of years.

We therefore stress the importance of ordering enough tiles to cover for breakages, off cuts and spares. As a general rule we recommend adding 10% to your total measurement.

TILE LAYING GUIDE - FLOOR TILES

CONCRETE FLOORS

Apply a diluted hydrochloric acid (Muriatic acid) - dilute 1:2 with water for smooth concrete and 1:3 with water for existing glazed tiles - to the surface to be etched and leave for 15 minutes or until the reaction has ceased and wash down completely with a hard broom and large quantities of water. Let the surface dry before tiling.

TILING DIRECT TO TIMBER

i.e. Structurally sound tongue groove and structural timber flooring Surface Preparation. Ensure that the timber floor is correctly nailed and rigid to eliminate excessive movement, and is free of grease, wax, dust and other contaminants. Sand down painted and contaminated surfaces and prime with Primer and Grout Additive after thoroughly sweeping.

Spread adhesive as for normal floor application with a 10mm notched spreader. Allow adhesive to set for a minimum of 24 hours before grouting. Grout with Kemgrout mixed with Primer and Grout Additive as a substitute to water.
Wet areas must be coated with waterproof membrane (to waterproof timber) prior to applying adhesive.

SETTING OUT

The laying of the tiles should start at the centre of the floor working to the walls. Mark the floor between the centre points of opposite walls and lay the first tile in one of the right angles formed at the centre. Continue the tiling outwards using the lines as guides to keep the tiling square to the walls.

Before commencing the actual laying, place a row of loose tiles along each line from the centre to the nearest full tile to each wall. Tiles will have to be cut to fill the spaces left and is it is seen that a narrow cut is required, it its advisable to adjust each row to give a cut tiles as close as possible to a half tile. This will require new guide lines being drawn relative to the revised positioning of the central tile. Doing this will facilitate the cutting of the tiles.

1.Set out line at right angles to doorway and at right angles across the centre of the room. Tiles should start at the centre of the floor working out to the walls.
2.Place a row of loose tiles along each line. Reposition guide line to avoid small cuts at ends.

FIXING

Spread the adhesive with a 10mm notched trowel. Do not spot fix or soak tiles. Spread only one square metre at a time. Press tiles firmly into the adhesive bed. Do not fix tiles with tight joints. A guide for gapes between tiles is:- Internal tiles 2 to 4 mm; External tiles 4 to 8mm; Quarry tiles 8 to 12mm. The tiles are pressed firmly into the adhesive bed. There must be no voids beneath the tiles. The tiles may be adjusted to maintain true, even joint lines. Complete the section up to the nearest full tile to the walls.

CUTTING THE TILES

Leave all cuts to near end of project and hire a cutter for a professional job.

GROUTING (FILLING THE TILE JOINTS)

Grouting the joints can commence as soon as the tiles are rigid and cannot be disturbed. Kemgrout is recommended for filling the joints. Work the grout into the joints using a squeegee or sponge. Remove the surplus grout from the tiles using a sponge before is dries. Finally, polish with a soft cloth. When grouting over a flexing floor use Primer and Grout Additive in place of water.

TILE LAYING GUIDE - WALL TILES

PREPARATION OF WALLS

Wall surfaces must be level, firm and rigid. Make sure the surface to be tiled is clean, free from dust, oil, grease, etc. `Plasterboard, cement sheets should be primed with Primer and Grout Additive prior to tiling.

1. Level Base: It is most important to elect a level base for tiling. If tiling is to commence at floor level then nail horizontal batten with its straight edge uppermost, one tile width above the lowest point of the wall. Use a spirit level to ensure that the batten is level.

2. True Vertical: At the centre of the wall to be tiled establish a true vertical line with the aid of a plumb line or spirit level and mark it to the wall.  Place a row of tiles against the horizontal batten and then make necessary adjustments so that equal cuts in the tiling are made in the corners. The plumb line is the re-positions at the centre. Tile from the center line outwards ensuring that the tiles are positioned correctly.

FIXING

Using the straight edge of a notched trowel, spread approximately one square metre of adhesive on the wall. In a horizontal direction notch the adhesive with a 6mm notched trowel. Press the dry tiles into the ribs of adhesive ensuring that the whole of the back of the tile is in good contact with the adhesive.

Do not spot fix or soak tiles.  Most tiles have spacer lugs which automatically position the. A 1.5 mm space should be left between tiles (the thickness of a match stick) without spacer lugs.

CUTTING THE TILES

If it is necessary to cut a tile use this simple method. Mark the glazed surface, place a rule or straight edge along the line and firmly score the surface with a glass cutter. Place a match stick under the tile in line with the cut and press down firmly on both sides; a clean break will result. The scored tile can also be broken by pressing down against a table edge.

To cut half circles, scratch the shape on the glaze with a glass cutter then nip off very small pieces with a sharp cutter then nip off very small pieces with a sharp pair of pincers until the correct fit is achieved. Hold the tile as closely as possible to where the cut is being made, smooth off sharp edges with a round file.

GROUTING (FILLING THE TILE JOINTS)

Wait until the adhesive has set (usually the next day) before grouting. Mix the grout with water to a thick paste consistency. Let it stand for 10 minutes and remix, but do not add extra water. Work the mixture thoroughly into all joints with a rubber squeegee or similar material, in diagonal motions rather than horizontal or vertical.  Wash off excessive grout with a minimum amount of water and a soft sponge.
The small amount of grout left on the tiles should be left until the grout in the joint dries and then wiped off with a dry rag. The last process will also polish the tiles to give a gleaming finish to the job.