Laying Porcelain Tiles for Walls and Floors – Follow These Six Steps

Laying Porcelain Tiles for Walls and Floors – Follow These Six Steps

Installing porcelain tiles is a challenging task as it requires careful preparation and step-by-step guidance. This blog lists the six important steps for laying porcelain tiles.

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Thinking of laying porcelain tiles for the walls and floors in your office space? Offering unmatched design versatility and clean-lined appearance, porcelain tiles are a popular choice among builders. Made from compressed ceramic dust, these tiles are not only flexible, but also extremely durable and naturally water-resistant. This exceptional resilience makes porcelain tiles a top choice for walls and floors in commercial buildings, particularly in the hallways and bathrooms.

Laying porcelain tile floors is often considered a challenging task. However, with careful planning and adequate preparation, this task can be completed easily and with minimum cost. Here discussed are some important steps for laying porcelain wall and floor tiles –

Prepare the surface Before laying porcelain wall tiles, make sure that all surfaces are smooth, flat and dry for the best results. Take time to repair, patch and level any damaged or uneven areas and check whether the surfaces are secure enough to handle the weight of the tiles. Remove any moldings, trim, or other appliances that may potentially interfere with tile application and check the door jambs to make sure the tile has clearance when installed below.

Plan your layout Sketch out your favorite layout and plan in advance where the grout lines and cuts will fall. Start by correctly measuring the floor and then snap a chalk line down the middle of the floor’s longest dimension. Mark a second line across the middle of the floor’s shortest dimension. Begin tiling from the center point using your lines as a guide. Before installing tiles, do a dry run to check your layout and make any necessary adjustments. Arrange enough tiles along your lines to reach the walls in each direction. Use plastic spacers between the tiles. In some cases, the rows will end with full tiles close to the walls and this can be easily avoided by making cuts by adjusting the spacing slightly. On the other hand, if the end tiles have to be cut to fit, do not use pieces that are too short. Instead, cut the tiles at each end of the row by an equal amount.

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Apply the adhesive

Be careful to mix only the required amount of adhesive to be applied within 30 minutes. By using the flat side of the trowel type, spread a 1/4" coat on the surface of one grid area without covering the guidelines. Hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle and use the notched side to spread adhesive into standing ridges. Once the excess adhesive is removed, the result will be a uniform, ridged setting bed for tiles.

Make the tile cuts

Carefully measure and mark the cuts-to-be made with a pencil or felt-tip pen on the tile surface. Porcelain ceramic tiles can be cut with a manual snap cutter or with a power wet saw. Make curved cuts with a nipper, cutting away small pieces for the best results. For full-length curved cuts, a rod saw is suitable. Once, all tile cuts are made, you can smooth out sharp edges (if any) with a carborundum stone which will give a soft finish to your tiles.

Lay/set the tiles

Once, you have primed the surface, created the layout, applied the adhesive and made the tile cuts – then you can begin the porcelain tile flooring installation.

Start from the center of the layout lines out toward the walls, one grid at a time by each grid before moving on to the next. Use a rubber mallet, or hammer and wood block, to gently but firmly tap and bed each tile into the mastic. However, be sure not to press or shift the tiles around to avoid having the mastic squeeze up into the grout lines between the tiles. Remove excess adhesive from joints with a putty knife and from tile with a damp sponge to prevent an uneven appearance. If a tile cracks when tapped, remove the pieces and apply a small amount of mastic at the back side of the new tile before setting it in place. Leave the tiles undisturbed for at least 24 hours before grouting.

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Grouting joints

Once, the porcelain tiles are fully set, the last step is to "grout" or fill the joints and join your floor into one mass. Use unsanded grout with glazed porcelain tiles to avoid scratching the tile’s finish. Carefully read all the manufacturer instructions on the grout package.

Use a rubber grout float or a squeegee to remove the tile spacers and spread grout on the tile surface. Tilt the float at a 45-degree angle with the edge of the float remove the excess grout from the surface immediately. Again, tilt the float at a 90-degree angle and scrape it diagonally across the tiles. Allow the grout to dry for 24 hours before walking on the tiles or exposing the tiles to moisture. Unsealed porcelain tile is susceptible to grout haze.

Remove the haze with a little mild detergent mixed with water and a soft bristle brush nylon pad. When the grout gets dried completely, polish with a soft cloth. Once the installation is complete, you can seal the unglazed porcelain tiles to give them a glossy sheen. Use only sealers made for porcelain tiles. Leave the newly grouted floor for at least 72 hours before any heavy use and at least three weeks before applying sealers or polishes.

Make sure to purchase porcelain tiles from a reliable and reputable porcelain tile distributor in New York. Reputable dealers would offer a wide range of tile collections like – Casalgrande, FAP, Florida Tile, Mosaico+, Metropolitan, and more that suit specific building style patterns. Also, ensure that you have the right tools and equipment for perfectly installing the tiles.

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888.773.2845