Laying tiles on the floor by hand. How to lay tiles on the floor: stages of work, how to lay tiles correctly. Laying floor tiles: preparatory process

Laying tiles on the floor can seem like an overwhelming task for an unprepared person. But do not immediately contact the tilers. Subject to all the rules and subtleties, even a person who is far from construction will be able to perform such work.

Surface preparation

The first step is to prepare the floor surface, making it perfectly flat. If you skip this step, the tile will not lay correctly. You will have to level it with tile adhesive, and it costs several times more than leveling mortar.

Many people ask the question: if there are already tiles on the floor, and the surface is perfectly flat, do they lay tiles on top of tiles on the floor? This option is allowed, but only if the previous coating is held firmly, otherwise it should be dismantled and the floor leveled.

For alignment are used:

• solution for rough processing;
• finish coatings.

The first option is suitable if the floor has a slope or there are significant elevation changes. Finishing compositions are applied thin layer for a perfect surface finish.

The floor should be cleaned of dust and primed. If there are cracks and potholes, putty them, and after hardening, remove excess putty with a grout mesh. Further along the perimeter of the room, install beacons on the walls in order to further understand to what level to pour the mixture. The easiest way to determine the location line of the beacons is with a laser level, which should be placed at the highest point of the floor.

Next, you need to prepare the mixture with a drill with a nozzle and proceed to the floor with a wide straight spatula. When the mixture reaches the desired level, you need to walk over the entire surface with a special spiked roller. It will expel air bubbles from the solution, which will give the structure additional strength.

There should be no drafts during leveling, allowable temperature air is at least +5 degrees.

What you need for styling: tools and materials

Before laying tiles on the floor, you need to purchase everything you need for work.

The choice of tiles should be taken carefully. Only floor tiles are suitable, as they have a special structure that prevents slipping.

Tile adhesive

It is a dry mix that is diluted in water. To calculate the amount of glue, look at the consumption rate on the package: knowing the area of ​​​​the room, you can easily determine how much glue you need. As a standard, glue is produced in bags of 25 kg, but smaller packaging can also be found.

Summary table of consumption of the adhesive mixture:

Crosses for tiles. Inserted between stacked tiles to create even seams. It is better to take sufficiently wide crosses (2 mm each) - this will make it possible to adjust the position of the tile if the tile is of unequal size. Instead of crosses, Tile Leveling Systems (Tile Leveling Systems) can be used to achieve a perfectly flat surface and even joint widths.

Level. To check the horizontal of neighboring elements.

Dry mix for grouting. When buying it, it is important to choose a shade to match the tile. To apply it, you will need a rubber spatula.

Other necessary materials and tools:

Laying tiles on the floor

The layout should start from the doorway, the tile should be symmetrical to it. There are two options: in the center of the entrance there should be either a seam or the center of the tile. To choose correct location, keep in mind that there should be a whole tile along the free wall, and under kitchen furniture- cut.

Draw a line perpendicular to the entrance and try to lay tiles from this guide to the nearest wall. If necessary, the symmetry can be broken by 2-3 cm, this will not be evident.

Features of laying tiles

First you should lay out a row of tiles from the door to the opposite wall. So that the row does not “leave” to the left or right, along the line that you already have, you should put a metal profile and attach it to the floor. After that, lay the first row along the profile, from which everything else will be laid.

The installation process looks like this:

1. Apply adhesive to the floor with a metal trowel and level it with a notched trowel. The glue around the edges is superfluous - it should be removed so that it does not crawl out into the seams. After that, lay the tile close to the neighboring ones and press down with your hands (or tapping on it with a rubber mallet), move it a little.

Check that the corners of neighboring elements are opposite each other. If there is a mismatch, move the tile a few millimeters in the right direction. Within 10 minutes after laying, check the seams for the presence of glue. If it is there, move the tile to the next one and the glue will come out. It must be removed and the tile moved back.

2. Insert two crosses into each seam

3. Using a level, check the horizontal with all adjacent tiles, including those located diagonally. Lay the level from center to center: since the tiles may be uneven, this will give a more accurate result.

Almost the entire amount of work in one room can be completed in one day. The next day, all that remains is to lay the cut tiles along the walls.

If the cut fragments of the tile are narrow, then it will be more convenient to apply the adhesive directly to them, and then level them with a notched trowel.

How to cut tiles

It is convenient to use a tile cutter to cut tiles. High-quality devices are easy to use, they do not leave chips on the material and do not generate dust. To cut the tile correctly, you first need to draw a line on it, along which the cutting will be performed.

L- and U-shaped cuts are made using a grinder. She does a good job of this task, but creates a lot of dust.

Before working with the grinder, be sure to put on a respirator and goggles.

When the adhesive has hardened and the floor is walkable, grout the joints. To do this, with a rubber spatula, go along all the seams, driving the grout mixture into them. Press the spatula firmly against the floor so that the seams are smooth. Next, wash the surface, removing excess grout and running a rag along the seams for perfect alignment.

Step by step process grouts:

To choose the right grout mixture, you should focus on the information in the table:

Ideal for rooms with high humidity: kitchens, baths pools. Disadvantages - high price and complexity in work. It will be difficult to fill the seams with this material without experience.

So, you can lay the tiles on the floor yourself, even without having the appropriate experience. In this case, there is no need to rush - do everything consistently and follow the above recommendations, and the result will surely please you.

Ceramic tiles are the most successful solution for flooring in the so-called wet area, in other words, in the kitchen, bathroom or toilet, because there the probability of water getting onto the decorative coating is quite high. In order to competently do the laying of tiles on the floor in an apartment or a private house with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with the construction technology of installation, as well as learn professional secrets experienced craftsmen.

The first thing that the owners of the renovated premises face is the purchase of decorative finishing materials (cladding, grouting) and related products. As for the design of the tile, here everyone relies on their own taste, but its purpose must be clarified, otherwise you risk acquiring material that can be laid exclusively on walls, despite the fact that you need floor tiles. The main differences between these two varieties of ceramic tiles are:

• thickness;
• coating texture;
• strength.

We draw your attention to the fact that products that are laid on the floor are provided with a rough surface in order to avoid injury on contact. wet feet with floor covering due to slip. We also advise you to purchase the required amount of cladding at a time from one batch, otherwise you may encounter a difference in shade, and this will negatively affect the decorative effect.

The grout for the joints is selected according to the same principle. Currently, designers offer a lot of options for processing ceramic coatings, where the grout does not have to match the tone of the cladding - it can be contrasting.

Do not forget about a small supply of tiles, because in the process of work a marriage may be found or several samples will crack during cutting, which often happens even among experienced craftsmen, not to mention those who carry out repairs with their own hands.

Preparing the floor for finishing

The quality of the work performed directly depends on the condition of the base, which means that the floor must be even and free from all sorts of contaminants. Since the base in the kitchen or toilet can be made of various building materials We propose to consider each option separately.

Cement strainer

In most cases, in a new building, the laying of ceramic cladding is carried out on concrete screed, and here the main thing is to withstand the time after pouring it until the moment when it will be possible to lay a tile, which will take at least 30 days. This period is quite enough for the complete setting and hardening of the cement-sand mixture.

Do not forget that grout hardeners create durable film on the floor, which reduces the degree of adhesion of the base to the cladding. It is also necessary to know that new house gives technological shrinkage, and the bearing bases can become covered with cracks.

To avoid trouble when facing surfaces with your own hands, it is advisable to organize a plastic layer between the floor and the decorative material, then both the tile and the grout will serve you for decades. Are you planning to put decorative cladding in a toilet or shower room in an old house, and the base there is cracked from time to time? We will have to eliminate all existing defects with the help of special repair compounds. Any specialist will tell you with confidence that laying ceramic products on concrete base best of all, the main thing is not to forget to prime the subfloor.

Wooden floors

It is very rare to find perfectly even wooden flooring, so in most cases you will have to put sheets of plywood or plywood on top of it with your own hands. OSB boards. Ideally, the thickness of the pressed chipboard or plywood substrate should be at least 12 mm, as it must safely withstand the pressure of a massive tile without deforming.

In bathrooms and toilets, it is better to give preference to elastic linings, because the tree is subject to intense swelling in a humid environment, which can cause the lining on the floor to crack.

old tiles

Dismantling old tiles

When starting to install a floor covering, you often have to face the problem when it is not possible to remove the old tile without significant damage to the base, then you will have to dismantle it and refill the screed, filling all the voids and irregularities with fresh mortar. Unfortunately, this process will take a lot of time, and this is not suitable for everyone.

You can also solve this problem in another way, namely, by sanding the surface (the grout must be carefully removed) until a rough texture forms.

Required Tool

When planning to put decorative tiled material in the toilet or in the kitchen with your own hands, you need to prepare the necessary devices in advance, with the help of which the main process is carried out and the joints are grouted.

For this you will need:

• goggles to protect the eyes from possible fragments;
• professional tile cutter;
• level;
• notched spatula;
• rubber spatula for seams;
• wide sponge;
• tape measure and slate pencil;
• plastic crosses of the required size;
• hammer;
• clean rag.

At the time of collecting the tool, you need to decide on the pattern, according to which the material will be laid on the floor. you can lay down decorative material with your own hands exactly seam to seam, diagonally, in a run. Whether you want to limit yourself to a single-color tile, combine contrasting shades in a checkerboard pattern or add decor - it's up to you, the main thing is that the result is harmonious and pleases with its beauty.

Usually laying tiles on the floor in the bathroom, toilet or kitchen starts from the wall, which always remains in sight, and it is better to leave trimming in those areas where furniture and plumbing are planned to be installed. Do not forget to control the center lines of the window opening, because when entering the room, the mismatch tile joints and those same lines instantly catches the eye and does not look aesthetically pleasing.

To avoid such mistakes, first lay out a part of the ceramic cladding without gluing and make sure that the desired pattern is achieved. Such a procedure will not take much time, but as practice shows, it will be very useful.

Adhesive selection

There are two types of adhesive base for ceramic tiles on the shelves of hardware stores:

1. Ready glue.
2. Dry mix for making a mortar with your own hands.

The finished mass is poured into plastic buckets, and you can immediately start using it without additional preparation. The only drawback of this material is its high cost. Dry mixes can be considered more popular glue, which, in turn, are divided into several categories:

1. Universal- intended for most cases.
2. Reinforced- used for laying large-sized heavy tiles and porcelain tiles.
3. Basic- applied perfectly flat surfaces without errors.
4. For difficult surfaces- you can put material on them with smooth texture(glass, metal).

A solution is prepared from dry mixes according to the instructions indicated on the package. To do this, dry mass is poured into a container with water in the proportions recommended by the manufacturer. The grout for the joints is prepared in the same way. We do not recommend mixing a large number of glue, as it hardens quickly, and you simply do not have time to work it out.

The main stage of installing tiles on the floor

In order to lay the facing material without problems, it is necessary to ensure the correct temperature in the toilet or bathroom, where the work will be carried out. +20 C is considered the optimal mark. If this parameter is less, the drying time of the glue will increase, and at high rates, the moisture from the solution will evaporate very quickly, which will negatively affect its strength.

Starting to lay floor tiles in the toilet with your own hands, you need to take a spatula with a flat side, draw glue on it and apply the mixture to the floor at an acute angle, while applying some effort. This method will help the glue to penetrate into all the cracks, and it will be evenly distributed over a flat surface.

Next, you need to walk along the glue with the notched side of the spatula, maintaining the same pressure angle, otherwise the grooves will have different heights, which means that the tile will lie unevenly. The optimal adhesive layer should be at least 3 mm.

ceramic cladding laid on the floor, starting from the intended wall. If this is your first time doing such work in the bathroom or toilet on your own, start with solid tiles, and fill the resulting gaps with cut material. Each tile is pressed tightly against the surface smeared with glue so that the grooves are completely filled with mortar, and its excess from the joints is wiped with a rag.

In order for the dimensions of the seams between the decorative segments to be the same, and the grout to lie evenly in them, you need to install plastic crosses at the joints of the tiles. Make sure that the line of joints does not move during the work - it should be straight.

Trimming ceramic facing material performed using a special tile cutter, but in the case of thin samples, you can get by with a glass cutter or a scraper with victorious tip. The edge of the tiles is carefully chipped off with sharp tongs.

After 24 hours, a grout can be applied to fill in the gaps between decorative coating. A multi-colored fugue is sold in hardware stores, and you can easily pick it up for your tile. The procedure for applying the fugue is quite simple and is carried out with a rubber spatula.

After the material has dried, wipe the floor surface with a damp cloth. To make the grout last longer and not lose its color, it can be coated with a special solution. Following our advice, you can independently lay the tiles on the floor in the toilet or shower room.

Ceramic tiles on the floor in the hallway, in the bathroom or in the kitchen are placed quite often. If you have purchased the material, then the logical question arises of how to properly mount it. At first glance, this task is quite difficult. Let's see if that's the case.

General information

The question of how to lay tiles on the floor correctly and without difficulties will not arise from professional builder. Also, it will not appear if there are friends or acquaintances who are good at doing this. However, in most cases, beginners will have to deal with tiling for the first time, and there will be no one around to help. In this case, do not give up, it is better to learn more about it and do everything yourself.

Base leveling features

Calculation of ingredients for a mixture

The floor should dry for about an hour. After that, you can start filling it. The mixture must be prepared in accordance with the volume of the available container. An example is a bucket with a capacity of 30 liters. To prepare a solution in such a container, one bag of the Osnovit T-45 mixture and approximately 8 liters of water will be required. In this case, proportions are very important. Do not add less than 8 liters of water per bag.

Features of the preparation of the mixture

A large bucket should contain 8 liters of water. There you need to pour two-thirds of the bag of the mixture. Then everything is mixed with a perforator with a special nozzle. The result should be a homogeneous solution. If you drive the perforator in a circle while stirring, it will be much faster. After that, the powder remaining in the bag is poured into the solution. Then everything is mixed again. Then the solution is poured into the lowest place. This must be done very smoothly. The puddle should be slightly rolled out with a special spiked roller. The floor should dry in about an hour. After that, you can step on it, but only very carefully. Next, the slope of the floor must be checked with a level. Then the filling procedure is repeated. The lowest place is determined anew. A small kitchen will need about 6 bags of mix. In this case, the area and curvature of the floor play an important role. After the alignment is completed, you must wait a few days. Do not immediately start laying tiles.

Important Points

The floor must be level. Otherwise, the tiles on it will look ugly. In addition, the installation process will be much more complicated. The fact is that the tile will have to be leveled by adjusting the amount of glue under it.

Mounting Features

In fact, laying tiles on the floor is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. Of course, for fast and high-quality tile laying, special tools will be required.

• Plastic crosses.
• Sponge.
• Roulette.
• Pencil.
• Ruler.
• Bulgarian.
• Tile cutter.
• Notched trowel.
• Bucket for glue.
• Rubber spatula.
• Glue for tiles.

Technology Choice

Want to learn how to lay tiles on the floor? First you need to decide on the installation option. For example, diagonally, with or without a border, and so on. After that, it is required to determine the main guidelines for the location of the first tile and subsequent rows. This stage should be given Special attention. It is required to have a clear idea of ​​​​how the future floor will look like. Otherwise, all the work will be in vain. It is worth noting that the cropped elements do not look very aesthetically pleasing. For this reason, laying tiles on the floor begins along the wall that will be in full view. If the elements are placed diagonally, then there is no escape from the cut pieces. When mounting the tiles on the floor with your own hands, you need to ensure that the line of rows is parallel to the window. Most of all, at the entrance to the premises, non-compliance with this particular criterion is noticeable. For safety net, you can lay out several rows of tiles along the wall. It is necessary that they do not go to the side. But the wall can also be curved. Focusing on it, you can incorrectly lay the tile. Consider all points.

Preparation of the adhesive solution

To do this, water and a dry mixture are combined (2.5 kg is needed per 10 liters). It is best to make small portions of glue, as it hardens quite quickly. To prepare the solution, you need a small bucket. Tile adhesive is kneaded with a perforator with a special nozzle. You can use the simple drilling mode. It is necessary to check the instructions, which are usually found on the bag. The consistency of the finished glue is similar to thick sour cream. It should be smeared on the floor in the place where four tiles will be placed. This is done with a notched trowel. The solution is taken from the bucket with a narrow spatula or scoop. Glue is laid out in the middle of the outlined square. It is not necessary to reach the limits of the next square. The recommended adhesive application area is at least 70% of the tile surface. The solution should not be saved. Its layer should be at least 5 mm.

Installation nuances

Before laying the tiles on the floor, you should determine the starting point. As a rule, it is one of the corners of the room. The solution is applied to the tile with a notched trowel. You need to press it to the floor with your hands. Then the second tile is taken and the operation is repeated. It is necessary to press it against the one that is already glued to the base. Extruded adhesive should be wiped off. With the help of plastic crosses, an equal distance between the elements is formed. The first row is carefully laid, and then the subsequent ones. It is recommended to check the evenness of the masonry with a level. At the gaps, the tile should not "walk".

Sometimes, during the laying of tiles, the passage to the room, which will need to be entered, may be blocked. For example, in the corridor. In this case, it is better to leave a small passage. The glue will dry the next day, and it will be possible to report the remaining elements. When laying underfloor heating, you must use special solution, for example "Lux". Tiles on a wooden floor are laid according to the above technology. However, there are some peculiarities here. In order to lay tiles on a wooden floor, the adhesive must be mixed with PVA. In this case, you can do without water. For this technology, one glue is not enough. First, the solution is placed on the tile, then directly on the floor. In this case, the spatula must be held at a different angle. Thus, the maximum possible adhesion to the floor will be ensured, and the tile will last in its place for a very long time.

additional information

During work, you need to use a tile cutter. In case of its absence, you can take a glass cutter. However, if ceramic tile not thin, but thick will be laid on the floor, then it will be difficult to use it. In order to cut off a thin or small piece, nippers or pliers are enough. In some cases, a grinder may be required.

Grouting

It should be started after the solution has dried. This happens in about a day. This process requires special care. The overall appearance of the tile depends on the application of the grout. It can be purchased at most hardware stores. Sold as a dry mix, and ready-to-use grout. It must be diluted to a homogeneous mass. The grout should be applied with a rubber spatula. Rub it into the seams should be evenly. After the grout dries, the tile is wiped with a damp sponge. Next you need a piece plastic cable. They need to go over the seams and press the grout evenly. The floor is then washed with a damp cloth. Here's how to lay tiles on the floor. Following the recommendations, you can quickly carry out installation.

Tile on the floor in the bathroom

In this case, the level of the base must be ideal. Before laying tiles on the floor, it is necessary to cover the surface with waterproofing. It should be noted that there is no plinth in the described room. Accordingly, the gap between the elements of the coating and the walls should not exceed 1 cm. In the process of work, there is a high probability of chipping the tile. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to cover the floor with something. For example, hardboard or cardboard. IN last resort you can use an old carpet that you no longer need.

Material calculation

Many begin to wonder how many tiles will be needed. It is necessary to measure outlets, ledges and the entire room.

You will need some tools to get the job done.

• Cardboard template.
• Rubber (wooden) mallet.
• Pencil.
• Wooden bars.
• Hacksaw.
• Notched spatulas.
• Rubber roller.
• Roulette.

Before laying tiles on the floor, you should decide on the adhesive composition. The installation option for small areas depends on it. Tiles on the floor in the bathroom on solutions of synthetic or rubber resins are mounted from the door. When using dispersion adhesive, which is based on bituminous mastic, you should start working from the wall opposite the entrance. It should be noted that in the first case it is possible to step on the glued elements, but not in the second case. It is allowed to walk on the "black floor", while laying is carried out on oneself. Before laying tiles on the floor, experts recommend heating it to 40 degrees. It will become softer and begin to interact better with the base.

Technology

For example, coumarone-sodium mastics are used. Before laying the tiles on the floor, the base is smeared with a plastic or rubber spatula. Dry should be "until tacky". This means that the finger should stick to the mastic a little. Wait 15 minutes at room temperature. During this time, the adhesive must be applied to the back of the tile. Elements should be taken by the edges. The tile is lowered into place and pressed by hand. Then you need to smooth it out. This can be done with a rubber roller or by hand. To deposit a tile, you need to lightly hit it with a mallet. Rolling with a rubber roller is carried out along the entire laid row. Thus, air is forced out of it. Mastic may be squeezed out of the seams. It is removed with a rag, which is pre-soaked in a solvent. They can serve as gasoline or turpentine. The solvent should not get into the seam, it is recommended to follow this. If this happens, then the strength of the adhesive will decrease.

Mounting errors

Cracking and sticking of tiles are disadvantages that are inherent in the flooring. There can be many reasons for this. For example, a thin layer of glue or improper preparation of the base. The tile will need to be removed in both cases. In addition, you need to remove the old adhesive layer, and then apply a new one. Cracks can form due to too hot tiles and large temperature differences.

Ceramic tiles have been used for flooring for a long time. It is durable, wear-resistant, practical and beautiful material. Of course, only professionals can afford exclusive finishing. But the floor in the toilet, bathroom or kitchen is quite possible to do it yourself. Be persistent and everything will work out. Even if you break a few tiles, the savings will still be many times greater.

What are the characteristics of ceramic products?

• composition of raw materials: from red, white, colored clay;
• manufacturing method: pressed, extruded;
• firing: single, double;
• material structure: porous, dense;
• type of coating: glazed, unglazed.

For deviations of up to 10 cm, a leveling cement-sand mixture is first applied, and after drying, a self-leveling one.

The wrong choice of mixture will cause the surface to crack or be poorly leveled, which will lead to additional costs and loss of time to correct the work.

If you plan to lay tiles on top of the old tiled base, no leveling compounds are needed.

Finally, ceramics can be laid on a wooden floor, having previously strengthened it. For pre-cladding, cement-fiber boards will be required.

Step 3. Purchasing everything you need

So, the layout pattern is selected, the method of preparing the base is outlined. What will be required from the materials:

Main:

• ceramics;
• glue;
• grouting (on the lexicon of builders - fugue);
• impregnation;
• plastic spacers.

Auxiliary (base preparation):

• self-leveling mixture (or cement fiber boards);
• primer-primer;
• roll or coating waterproofing;
• quartz sand;
• degreasing agents.

What tools will be needed:

• container for glue;
• electric drill with mixer nozzle;
• Master OK;
• spatulas: serrated metal for applying glue and narrow rubber for grouting;
• manual roller or electric tile cutter, as an option - tile cutter-nippers, glass cutter;
• tungsten string with diamond coating;
• a hacksaw blade for metal or a jigsaw for sawing (for attaching a string);
• an annular crown for drilling holes, or a ballerina drill;
• roulette;
• marking cord;
• pencil;
• square;
• short (up to 300 mm) building level;
• metal rule or level 1.5 m long;
• rubber mallet.
• protective glasses.

Step 4. Preparing the floor

In order for the coating to hold securely on the base, not fall off and crunch underfoot, the base should not be loose, non-rigid (unsteady). After the revision, determine whether something needs to be done with the base, if yes, then what exactly. Based on the results of the audit (step 2), a decision is made on how to strengthen the base.

Concrete base:

Loose, flaking places are scraped off manually (with a chisel) or with a perforator with a flat nozzle. Clean the surface of dust, dirt and grease with the help of chemicals. Align the base using a solution based on one or another leveling mixture.

Apply a layer of liquid priming primer. Glue roll or coating waterproofing. Sprinkle a thin layer of quartz sand on top (for better adhesion of the adhesive to the base).

In order to lay a new coating on an old tile, sand the base using a rotary or surface grinder (round metal brush, abrasive wheel, abrasive belt).

For wooden floor:

The base is covered with gypsum-fiber sheets (GVL) 20 mm thick (for dry rooms) or cement-bonded particle boards (DSP) 10-15 mm thick (in rooms with high humidity). Joints should not be located between the boards; for GVL they are filled with special glue, for DSP - with elastic polyurethane mastic.

Step 5. Markup

The outline of a room is rarely perfectly rectangular. With a plain floor finish, this is not striking. Perpendicular tile joints emphasize the unevenness of the walls. How to reduce this illusion? Procedure:

If the walls are straight enough (diagonal difference is not more than 1 cm), draw one of the marking lines parallel to the long side of the room.

Step 6. Glue preparation

Dry mix for tile adhesive is sold in 25 kg bags. To close it, take an open container with a volume of 5 - 10 liters (empty plastic cans from paint, putty and other materials are suitable). The main thing is that the inside is dry, clean and fat-free.

Pour a certain amount of water into the container, then add the appropriate amount of dry mix (the ratio is indicated on the package).

Make the first batch small until you feel how much solution you can use during its viability.

Take electric drill with a mixer attachment and mix the contents until the solution acquires the consistency of sour cream, and there are no unmixed lumps left in it.

To avoid stratification of the solution, do not set the mixer speed too high.

Let the mixture stand for 10-15 minutes and mix again. The glue is ready to use.

Step 7. Styling

How to lay floor tiles can be seen in this video:

We dance from the stove. The first tile is laid according to the markup (step 5) according to the selected layout option. If work is started from the center of the room, a quarter of the marking is chosen, opposite to the entrance, so as not to walk on the newly laid tile.

With a trowel spread on the floor the amount of mortar based on 2 - 3 tiles. Use a notched trowel with a notch width of 6 to 8 mm to smooth out the adhesive. Lay the first tile in the marking corner, lightly press it from above with your hands or with a level, checking its horizontalness with a short level. If necessary, adjust the horizon by sinking one edge of the tile with a rubber mallet or placing an additional portion of glue under it.

The next tile is installed close to the first, dividing crosses are placed in the corners, some prefer to put them upright on the sides of the tile. Check the horizontal position and relative position with a long level. After the smeared surface is laid out, the next portion of the solution is laid and smoothed.

Putting in a few more. After a while, it will be clear: how many tiles you have time to put on one portion of the solution, after which the work will go faster. When the time comes to lay additional elements (non-whole), they are cut off to right size. Curly cuts are made for the passage of various pipes. Laying is carried out, starting from the far corners of the room and ending at the front door.

Step 8: Grouting

The grout mixture is diluted to a thick paste, after which it is applied to the tile gaps, trying to fill them to the full depth. Only then can you be sure that after some time cavities will not appear on the seams, where moisture will penetrate.

The joints are filled with paste using a hard rubber spatula, making cross movements with it.
along the seam from left to right and vice versa, while holding at an angle of 45 ° to the floor. Excess fugue is removed with the same rubber spatula, leading it along the seam perpendicular to the coating.

After about 20 minutes, the floor is finally wiped with a damp sponge, which is periodically rinsed from adhering grout particles. After complete hardening, the surface of the fugue is covered with a sealant or impregnation for joints to protect it from moisture.

The subtleties of styling

We offer you to watch a video on laying tiles:

Some tips from the experience of tilers:

• For laying on the floor, it is better to choose ceramics with a matte surface;
• If possible, choose a tile without chamfers (roundings) at the ends. They visually increase the thickness of the seam, that is, if the seam is chosen equal to 3 mm, then it will look like 5 - 6 mm;
• When choosing a notched trowel, it is assumed that the thicker the ceramic product, the wider the cutouts should be;
• For stronger bonding, sometimes the back side of the tile is also smeared: a layer of glue is applied with a notched trowel, and it is removed with a flat one (coating “on the strip”);
• In this way, it is also more reliable to glue large format products;
• To remove improperly laid tiles (especially if it is not located on the edge), special suction cups are used;
• The crosses are taken out without waiting for the glue to seize completely;
• Before grouting ceramic products with a rough surface, in order to avoid contamination, they are pre-coated with a protective liquid;
• Tile seams should be slightly recessed relative to the tiles. To do this, after grouting, the seams are ironed with the end of a metal tube, the diameter of which is slightly larger than the width of the seam;
• Choose the right time after which the coating can be wiped from the fugue. If you start too early, the grout will smear on the tile, and if you delay it, the putty will harden and you have to scrape it off, at the risk of scratching the surface.

So, the technology of finishing the floor with ceramics does not present any particular difficulties. The main thing is to follow all the tips and recommendations for tile work. More self-confidence, and the new floor will delight you for years to come.

No matter how diverse the assortment of available finishing materials pleases today, ceramic tiles, although they belong to the respectable “veterans” of the construction market, are by no means in a hurry to give up their leading positions in popularity. It occupies a very specific "niche" - this material, due to its unique performance characteristics, is used for external and outdoor work, for residential and technical premises, for finishing floors and walls, facades and hydraulic structures, adjoining buildings and even garden design elements.

The tile has practically no competitors in the field of interior decoration with a pronounced high level humidity - bathrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, etc. The strength of ceramics allows it to withstand high loads, therefore, when facing floors in such rooms, preference is most often given to it, since with all its positive qualities it is also very affordable. And one more important advantage is the relative ease of installation: if you thoroughly understand the intricacies of how to lay tiles on the floor, fill your hand a little, show diligence, then you can easily cope with such work on your own.

But before taking on styling issues, it would be logical to consider the problems of its proper selection.

Going to the store for selection and purchase required material, the landlord should "arm" basic knowledge about which tiles are usually on sale.

Choose a tile for the floor with an eye solely on it decorative qualities is an extremely frivolous approach. In a good salon-shop, trained sales assistants can be of great help, who will tell you which tile model is intended for which purpose. But it’s better to be able to navigate in icons and pictograms, which can tell a lot by themselves. Most common characters that may occur are shown in the table:

1 - This is a tile with pronounced frost-resistant qualities. It is suitable for the floor of the porch, veranda, balcony or loggia. It makes no sense to spend money on the purchase of such a tile for further flooring in a heated room.

2 - Foot on an inclined plane - a symbol of the anti-slip qualities of the tile. For rooms with high humidity (bathroom, kitchen) or for hallways, where moisture from the street is often brought on shoes - very important criterion. Often such an icon is accompanied by a digital indicator - this is the coefficient of friction. For the mentioned premises the best choice will slightly rough tiles with a specified coefficient of at least 0.75.

3 - A sign in the form of a diamond (sometimes found with the image of a drill) - the tile has increased characteristics of surface strength, resistance to accented impacts. Good quality for the floor in the kitchen - accidentally dropped dishes will not cause serious damage to the coating.

4 - Such a pictogram is always accompanied by a numerical value - this is the thickness of the ceramic tile. For laying on the floor, a material with a thickness of about 7 - 8 mm is usually purchased.

5 - Bending strength of a single tile. This parameter is determined according to the results of bench tests, and the higher it is, the better the material (for example, for porcelain stoneware, this indicator is much higher than for ordinary tiles). However, tiles on the floor should be laid so that the bending load is minimal - tightly and evenly to the surface, without air bubbles, shells, etc. .

6 - The palm-shaped icon indicates that this ceramic tile is intended exclusively for walls. No matter how beautiful and durable it may seem, it is impossible to purchase it for laying on the floor.

7 - But the image of the footprint from the boot speaks for itself - this tile is designed specifically for the floor.

8 or 16 are indicators of the resistance of ceramic tiles to abrasive, abrasive loads. According to the international standard PE1 (EN ISO 105645.7), there are 5 wear classes:

9 - This pictogram indicates that the ceramic tile has undergone a double firing procedure. Such material usually has a glossy glazed surface, and is more suitable for laying on walls. In addition, the technology of double firing implies an increased porosity of ceramics - and this is a decrease in its mechanical strength and increased water absorption.

10 - The icon in the form of a chemical flask indicates the increased resistance of the tile surface to acids, alkalis, and other aggressive substances, including any type of household chemicals. The letter indicator of this property of the material is "AA".

11 - If you come across such an icon, then you need to be careful in choosing a tile - in one box there can be tiles of various shades.

12 – Notwhich expensive types of ceramic tiles can be produced with the inclusion of precious metals in their composition: silver (Ag), gold (Au) or even platinum (Pt).

Pictograms 13 ÷ 15 inform about the parameters of the factory packaging of ceramic tiles. So, in the example above, symbol 13 indicates that the gross weight of the box is 19.00 kilograms, symbol 14 indicates that one package is enough for 1.42 m² of floor space, and symbol 16 indicates that 24 tiles are packed in a box.

The pictograms indicated in the table under numbers from 17 to 21 will tell you about some specific properties of the material. Such ceramic tiles are designed for special operating conditions. It could be train stations. And while airports, medical facilities, industrial plants, hotels, athletic facilities. It makes no sense to purchase such tiles for flooring in a private house or apartment.

Other points not to be overlooked:

• If the tiles are planned to be laid on the floor of a bathroom, shower room, kitchen or other room with high humidity, then a material with a minimum (not higher than 3%) water absorption coefficient is required.
• The linear dimensions (length and width) of the tile also matter. Of course, the larger the tile, the faster it can be laid. However, for rooms with a small area and complex floor shapes, tiles that are too large will not work - there will be a lot of waste. Yes, and large tiles in such little rooms will look somewhat ridiculous. In addition, we must not forget that carefully laying large tiles is much more difficult.
• If you purchase several packs of ceramic tiles, you must definitely select the goods of one batch.

This is necessary for two reasons:

- Firstly, even a completely identical tile model, but from different batches, may have slight deviations in shade. In the conditions of the store, it is quite possible that it will not even be noticeable. However, after laying such a coating on the floor and under normal lighting, such a difference can greatly spoil the intended interior appearance of the room.

Different batches may also differ in calibration - the linear dimensions of the tile

- Secondly, fluctuations in the linear dimensions of the tiles are not excluded. It is clear that the cutting of material in production is carried out under the control of precise electronics. But it still remains ceramics, and there may be small errors, so the finished products must be calibrated. There must always be tiles of the same size in one batch, and the difference between different batches can even be a few millimeters. When laying such tiles on the floor, especially in rooms large area, there may be inconsistencies visible to the naked eye.

• Be sure to check the packages for broken, cracked tiles or chips on the surface. Salespeople may argue that marriage is inevitable and must be accepted. No, you don't, you pay your money for a quality product.
• It is generally accepted that a certain reserve should be purchased, 10% more than the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe premises. This will be spent on “cuts” and in cases of compensation for some unfortunate misunderstandings. It must be remembered that it will not always be possible to buy additional tiles later to make up for the missing quantity - this has already been mentioned when talking about batches.

By the way, if laying is planned tiles, then the reserve can even be slightly increased - up to 15%. With this technology, it is more difficult to fit the material along the walls, there is more waste and, in addition, the probability of making some mistakes, but inexperience, is much higher.

Prices for ceramic tiles

Ceramic tile

How to lay tiles on a concrete floor

The process of facing the floor with ceramic tiles can be divided into four main stages:

• Surface preparation for laying.
• Carrying out the necessary markup, drawing up a scheme of work.
• Laying ceramic tiles on adhesive mortar.
• and finishing work.

Preparing the floor surface for tiling

The requirements for the base for laying tiles, in principle, are simple - it must be strong, stable, provide good adhesion with adhesive. How is this achieved?

If we are talking about a concrete base, then first it is necessary to make a thorough revision of the old screed, on which it is planned to lay the tiles. No need to be lazy - you should tap every centimeter of the floor to make sure there are no unstable areas.

• First of all, its horizontalness is checked - if this condition is not met, then pouring a new screed simply cannot be avoided. If the evenness is satisfactory (differences are not more than 2-3 mm), then the old coating can still serve, provided, of course, it is stable.
• If, during the control inspection, places of screed peeling, concrete crumbling, deep oiling are revealed, they must be removed up to the “healthy” surface, both in width and in depth. Wide cracks and crevices need to be cut to a width of up to 10 - 15 mm.
• There should be no traces of paint, oil products, fats, remnants of the old coating on the surface - everything is scraped off to clean concrete.
• All protrusions are necessarily cut down - if you can sometimes look at a slight recess “through your fingers”, since it will still be filled with glue during the masonry process, then even the smallest tubercle will make even laying simply impossible.
• After that, a thorough cleaning with dedusting of the surface is carried out. In order for the repair suction to lie well, it is necessary to prime all the places to be repaired and allow the primer to dry completely.
• A repair composition is being prepared - it can be a “classic” cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1:3, but it will dry for a long time.

The finished and completely frozen screed is also primed twice, after which you can proceed to further work.

Prices for various types of screeds and self-leveling floors

Screeds and self-leveling floors

Floor marking for laying ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles should become a decoration of the room, and this will be possible only if its location on the floor is planned correctly. Carelessly, obliquely laid tiles can completely complete the interior

There are many methods and methods for placing ceramic tiles on the floor - it is impossible to consider all of them on the scale of this article - this is a topic for a separate publication. But even the simplest, "classic" method requires precision and accuracy.

Starting to plan laying from the wall is very risky, since the slightest flaw will grow with each successive row, and it will be very difficult to eliminate it. Therefore, the reference lines and the first rows of tiles are usually located approximately in the center of the room.

The first reference line is usually drawn along the room. To do this, in two places, at the beginning and at the end, the distance between opposite walls is carefully measured and midpoints are applied. They are connected straight (usually done with a coated cord), and receive a longitudinal baseline.

Now you need to draw the second, perpendicular to the first, also approximately in the middle of the room. It is very important that the strictest perpendicularity be observed. In order to avoid mistakes, and this is quite possible when using a square and a ruler, you should definitely check the right angle using the formula of the famous "Egyptian triangle": 3² + 4² = 5². According to the Pythagorean theorem, this is a triangle with legs that are multiples of 3 and 4, and a hypotenuse that is a multiple of 5.

For example, we measure from the point of intersection of the leg 900 and 1200 mm. We connect the marked points with a segment, and its length should be exactly 1500 mm - no more no less.

When the lines are drawn and their perpendicularity is checked, you can think about how to place the rows of tiles and where to start laying out. We remember that the drawn reference lines are not at all a “dogma” for the beginning of masonry - it will not be difficult for them to make a parallel transfer in any direction.

For example, if Entrance door in a spacious room is located exactly in the center, then you can lay out the first rows of tiles in this way - along the laid reference lines. The principle is as follows - so that when entering the room, a flat area is presented to the eye, without cuts and fitting. (see pos. "a" in the figure).

But in a small room, with an offset to the edge (pos. "b"), and even possibly having a complex shape or stationary obstacles, the beginning of masonry can be smstyle to a free "patch" - from here it will be much more convenient to work in all directions, but it will be the entrance that will turn out to be the "front door".

In any case, you should never be lazy - you should carry out the control laying of the central longitudinal and transverse rows of ceramic tiles "dry", without using mortar, but leaving the planned gap between adjacent tiles.

Do not neglect the initial "dry" laying of tiles - this will allow you to evaluate the options for its location

Such a simple procedure will allow you to visually assess the future picture, measure the distances, and finally decide on the laying scheme, that is, stop at one of the principles:

1 - in a small room, for example, in the bathroom or in the kitchen, you can take two walls from the entrance (green arrows) as the "starting line", provided that they are exactly perpendicular. In this case, the entire visible part of the room will be lined with whole tiles, and the cut edges will be hidden under furniture or plumbing fixtures.

2 - masonry is carried out from the center in such a way as to place the maximum possible number of whole tiles on the floor, leaving narrow sections for supplementing with fragments (brown arrows). Beneficial in terms of material savings. However, for reasons of masonry quality, it is advisable to leave sections not narrower than ⅓ of the tile width near the walls.

3 - the layout looks a little more impressive with a minimum number of whole tiles in a row, but with extended fragments along the walls (blue arrows). Such a coating looks more complete, and from an operational point of view, it is more reliable than No. 2.

4 - laying diagonally - will help hide the curvature of the room. Among the disadvantages is a more complex execution, especially in terms of preliminary marking and fitting of tile fragments, more material goes to waste.

If you have decided on this, then you should immediately outline what scheme will work is being done- from the far corner to the entrance, or by dividing the space into several areas in straight stacked rows, with their subsequent filling.

“Filling” the space can also be done in different ways. So, some masters are laying in order. Others prefer the "ladder" scheme with a consistent increase in the number of rows being laid at the same time.

"Filling" the space can be performed linearly, or, as shown in the figure, stepwise

By the way, there are supporters of laying ceramic tiles on the floor “in a run” or even randomly - sometimes this is part of the design plan for decorating the room. But under conditions ordinary house nevertheless, they prefer to be limited to a direct laying pattern, “seam to seam”.

Laying tiles on the floor

• So let's get ready to install. essential tool and materials.

- For work, you will need spatulas, ordinary, from 100 to 250 mm wide, and notched, with a furrow height of 8 - 10 mm. For grouting, it’s a good idea to get an elastic rubber spatula.

- You will need a construction mixer or a drill with a nozzle for mixing tiles with an appropriate container for the same purpose.

- Always have a building level at hand.

- In some cases, it will be necessary to apply force to lay the tile in place. It is convenient to use a rubber mallet for this purpose.

- You should immediately think about how the tiles will be cut (more on this below).

- It is necessary to create a supply of calibration crosses of the required thickness, plastic wedges for height alignment.

- In order not to carry dirt, you need to have a supply of clean rags, a sponge for wiping the solution from the front surface of the tile.

• Probably, in our time, no one is already thinking about making tile adhesive on their own - you can always buy it in a store. When choosing, you need to control the purpose of the composition - in addition to the usual, intended for majority interior spaces, There is specialized blends, intended for rooms with high humidity conditions, for the street, especially resistant or for so-called "complex surfaces", for the "warm floor" system, etc.

The glue is diluted by gradually adding a dry mixture to the amount of water specified in the instructions, with constant stirring with the help of a mixer or drill. The composition should turn out to be absolutely homogeneous, without lumps, of a sufficiently dense consistency - so that the ridges created by a notched trowel do not spread.

After obtaining the consistency of the composition necessary for work, it is left to “ripen” for 5 minutes, then mixed again for 2 ÷ 3 minutes - and you can start laying.

Too much mortar should not be prepared at once, especially if there is no experience in laying ceramic tiles. The term of his "life" is limited - this must be indicated in his instructions. If the glue begins to noticeably thicken during operation, then you will have to throw it away - you cannot dilute it with water again - it will lose its qualities.

• Beginning masters, apparently having heard a lot of old, irrelevant advice or having read about it somewhere, soak the tile in water before laying it on the floor. In doing so, they are committing a grave mistake.

A similar approach is possible if the tile is laid on a regular cement-sand mortar, and even then - not in all cases. And all modern building mixtures - adhesives for ceramic tiles, are designed for application precisely on a dry surface. Excess water will significantly reduce the performance of the adhesive, and the tile will begin to “dance” and fall off over time.

Therefore, before laying the first tile, carefully read the instructions for use of the purchased tile adhesive again - everything is probably indicated there.

• Where to apply glue - on the floor, or on the tiles? There is no unanimity of opinion on this issue. Someone likes to apply on the tile - the marking lines on the floor remain intact.

On the other hand, it is more convenient to immediately smear a significant area of ​​​​the floor, and then concentrate on laying the tiles evenly (of course, if you have some experience, otherwise you may not have time).

Another option is to pre-glue the floor surface with glue.

There is a third tip - to coat both here and there, but lay the tiles in such a way that the direction of the ridges made with a notched trowel on the floor and on the tile is perpendicular - this way all cavities are guaranteed to be filled, maximum adhesion is ensured.

• The tile after smearing with glue is laid on the surface in right place, is pressed tightly against the floor, its location relative to the reference lines is controlled, as well as the horizontalness of its upper plane in the longitudinal and transverse directions.
• Work continues in the same order, with the obligatory installation of calibration crosses - they will clearly maintain the required gap between the tiles.

When fitting each tile, its horizontalness must be checked using the building level. The necessary adjustments are immediately made - adding or removing mortar, inserting a small wedge, etc.

• It is necessary to ensure that there is no excess glue left in the tile gap - this space will be needed to fill the joints. So it is better to remove the glue immediately, as it will be very difficult to do later. Together so, from the front surface of the tile, immediately remove stains of the solution with a rag or sponge, preventing them from drying out.
• Distance crosses are left between the tiles until the initial setting of the mortar. Then, when the tile has already acquired immobility, the crosses must be removed - it is impossible to leave them in the seams until the glue has completely solidified, since then there will be difficulties with extraction.

Video: a visual lesson on laying tiles on the floor

• Very convenient to use are modern devices for quickly laying out tiles - the so-called leveling systems. The kit includes stand clamps (disposable elements) and wedges (can be reused).

- After the first tile is laid on the glue, well pressed and inserted in level, two clamps are installed on each of its sides, so that they go under the tile with their heel. The thickness of the leg of the clamp will determine the size of the seam. Clamps are installed at a distance of approximately 50 mm from the corner.

Clamps installed...

Then another tile is laid. The wide heel of the clip is also under it.

... then the next tile is laid ...

A wedge is inserted and threaded to the limit into the clamp, where it will be fixed by a ribbed surface on the hooks. Very important - the wedges are always inserted from the side of the previously laid and leveled tiles.

... wedges are inserted all the way and fully fixed.

- Thus, the lower, even edge of the wedge "pulls" the surface of the next tile ideally into the plane of the already laid one. True, no one cancels control with the help of a level.

- The wedges should remain in this position until the glue has completely dried. Then they are removed with light side impacts using a rubber mallet. The design of the polymer clamps is such that they can withstand tensile stress, but immediately break off when exposed to a fracture. Below, under the tiles, remain only broken heels.

- Wedges, as already mentioned, can be used further, and broken hooks are disposed of.

Video: laying tiles with a tile leveling system

Tile cutting

Previously, it was only about laying a whole tile, but in practice there are never cases where everything is limited to this. So, now it's time to consider the problem of cutting tiles.

• Installation of fragments is recommended not immediately, but a day after the main part of the floor. During this time, the glue will already grab well, and it will be possible to accurately measure the required dimensions.
• When marking the tile poses, cutting should not be forgotten about the spacing between the seams - it should definitely be corrected for.
• There are several ways to cut ceramic tiles:

1. The most convenient way is with a tile cutter, a desktop tool that gives a smooth and accurate cut. It is enough to lay the tile with a marking line along the central ledge, draw the roller away from you with force along the surface of the tile, and then, resting the paws on the surface of the tile on both sides of the drawn line, press the lever down.

The most convenient tool is a tile cutter

With even a small experience of the master, there is practically no marriage in such cutting.

2. A manual tile cutter is a fairly convenient tool, but it already requires more dexterity from the worker.

First, the roller is drawn along the intended line of risk. Then the tile is clamped so that the tile cutter is exactly on top along the axis of the line cutting. Hand movement - and the tile should be divided into two parts.

Similarly, cutting is carried out using a conventional glass cutter, with the only difference being that the breaking is carried out on the edge of the workbench, or with the help of a line placed on the bottom of the workbench. cutting metal rod (nail or wire).

With all the advantages of manual and desktop tile cutters, they allow cutting tiles exclusively in a straight line.

3. grinder with a diamond disc - this approach is especially good when cutting tiles at an angle or creating complex shapes is required. The main difficulty here is to ensure that the tile is securely fixed when working with a grinder so that it does not fly out or crack.

Tiles can be precisely cut to size with a diamond grinder

The tile can be cut right through - when details of a complex configuration are required. If straight long sections are cut off, then you can only violate the integrity of the upper enamel layer - then it will not be difficult to break the tile along the intended line.

Particular attention to safety precautions - be sure to cover your eyes and face with a mask, so how not excluded scattering of small hot fragments of ceramics.

4. small plots tiles can be removed with pliers.

In this case, in the area to be removed, it is advisable to apply a fine mesh with a glass cutter roller. Then, with tongs, very small fragments are carefully broken out, gradually bringing the tile to the desired size.

If necessary, any minor unevenness left after cutting can be removed with a block wrapped with coarse (80) sandpaper. With large teeth, they can be “corrected” with pliers. If a pronounced sharp edge remains, then it is better to process it with a round file first.

The process of laying cut fragments, in fact, is no different from what was described above.

When performing work on cutting tiles and when laying its fragments, special care should be taken. Ceramics can crack and not along the intended line, which means that there is a high probability of getting a cut hand injury when pressed. In addition, broken edges can have extremely sharp edges that can cause very deep cuts. All work should only be done with protective gloves.

Seam sealing

After the entire floor area is covered with ceramic tiles, you can proceed to grouting.

• First of all, it is necessary to check the condition of the seams again - they must be cleaned to the full depth and width.
• getting ready jointing solution - grout. It can be cement-based or a two-component epoxy.

1. More commonly used in the home cement grouts(so-called class WITHG 2 according to EN 13888).

Cement grout for joints

They are sold in stores in the form of hermetically packed dry mixes, they can have different tints - there is always the opportunity to choose the color that is most suitable for the overall design. They are closed to the desired consistency most often with water. But for rooms with high humidity or for floors with a high level of load, it is still recommended to use a special latex additive to dilute the composition - the floor surface will only benefit from this.

2. IN Lately Epoxy-based grouts (class RG according to EN 13888) are rapidly gaining popularity. These are two-component compounds that are prepared immediately before the start of work on filling the joints.

The “life” of such a composition is short, so it is prepared in small portions in order to be guaranteed to work out before hardening.

Epoxy grouts are more durable, resistant to chemicals, they are much more ductile and will not crack over time. These compositions have a much wider range of shades (including bright, saturated colors), and besides, many similar grouts are sold with special effects - sparkles, fluorescent glow, etc.

The only one significant disadvantage epoxy grouts (except for a certain difficulty with proper preparation working composition) - this is still a very high price, very limiting the scope of their use.

• The finished composition is typed on a rubber spatula or rubber grater and applied with force to the seam area, usually in the direction of 45 degrees from the seam line. Such a trajectory will provide the most complete and dense filling of the inter-seam space.

• After the joints are filled, it is necessary to immediately remove the excess mixture from the surface of the tile - later this will be much more difficult to do. Usually this is started when a white coating appeared on the grout remaining on the surface of the tile - it began to dry out (usually after 20 - 30 minutes).

To do this, take a foam sponge, well washed and wrung out, and remove the remains of the fugue with it. The movements are usually the same as when grouting - 45 degrees to the seam line. At the same time, one should try not to touch the seams so as not to wash the puffer out of there. The sponge should be thoroughly rinsed as often as possible, with a constant change of water. By the way, water plays a dual role here - it washes away dirt and participates in the hydration of the cement composition of the grout.

After 3 — 4 hours, you can rinse the surface again with a foam sponge. Then, when the floor dries after washing, the remaining light cement coating is easy to remove by wiping the tiles with a dry, clean, soft cloth.

After that, the ceramic tile will already take on its “ceremonial” appearance, and it will be possible to say that the process of laying it is completed.

Prices for grout for seams

Grout for joints

Video: option for grouting on a tiled floor

However, if the lining was carried out in a room with high humidity or with intense loads on the surface, then it is recommended to carry out one more simple operation - to coat the seams water repellent.

This is done very simply - the composition is abundantly applied to the seams with a thin brush. Such processing will give the composition of the fugue water repellency, which will significantly increase the service life of the ceramic coating, prevent dampness from accumulating in these places, and facilitate cleaning.

When the water repellent is absorbed and dries, you can restore the final order. It is necessary to thoroughly rinse the floor with clean water - and we can assume that the entire multi-stage process of laying tiles on the floor is over!