By The bathroom tiles give a fresh and clean look and they last for several years. To choose the right bathroom tiles, make sure that the color matches the rest of your decoration or redecorate everything based on the color you have chosen for the bathroom tiles.
If you want to change the floor tiles of your bathroom, there are a number of materials that you should have on hand at all times. Putting tiles is not as difficult as it sounds, and you can save a lot of money by doing it on your own. In case you choose a professional to do the job, make sure that he is really a professional with verified certifications and permissions, as many people pose as qualified workers to do the job and then do not do it in the correct manner or with the specifications that you tell them.
To do this job, you will need old rags, a roller, a chalk, a putty knife, odorless mineral thinners, a heat gun, adhesive to cover the floor and the tiles or of your choice.
Removing the Old Floor
Start by heating the tiles with the heat gun. Heat one tile at a time to loosen the glue, and use the knife to remove. Since this process releases toxins into the air, use a chinstrap to protect against harmful fumes. If the old tiles are asphalt and asbestos, you better hire a professional to remove them as they causes damage to health.
Another option is to put the new tiles on top of the old ones. The only problem with this method is that the floor will be a little higher, so before doing something hurried, put a tile on top of the old one and see if it is of good height. To remove the remaining adhesives from the floor, use mineral solutions and knife to remove adhesive residue from the floor.
Drawing the Guide Lines
Before drawing the guide lines, be sure to measure exposed surface to see if it’s level. If it isn’t, you should throw a cement mortar on the floor to make it leveled. Use guide lines and apply the mortar according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Divide the room into four equal perpendicular squares. Look at each midpoint between the walls and use the chalk between each parallel wall. Be sure to have a 90° angle in the center of the room. As an alternative method instead of using parallel lines, use diagonals, which will give you the same result. Use dry tiles to see how many you will need and make small marks between the marks you have already made.
Leaving the Glue
You can use tile cement. Dissect it until it reaches the height specified by the manufacturer. Use the trowel to disperse the cement. If the floor is nearly level, you can use more cement to level instead of using mortar.
Apply the adhesive to the back of each tile and let it stand. Start in the center of the area where the chalk lines touch. Put the leveler on the tile when placing it and ensure it’s straight. Do the same procedure with each tile. Use the lines to monitor the longitudinal alignment of tiles. Make same space between tiles and use the first line of tiles as a reference to put the next one. Don’t slip the tiles once you have them on as adhesive will start to run. If a tile was badly placed, gently lift it from the tips and put it back properly. As you begin working on next quadrant, you can sit in installed quadrant which can cause problems if adhesive isn’t yet dry.
When tiles reach the wall, you will surely have to trim some to fit them. It’s important you measure each wall tile, as your bathroom may not be symmetrical. Cut the tile using a suitable cutting tool. The use of a piece of cardboard is recommended for those who do this for the first time, especially for corner tiles. They can also be pushed against the wall to put in desired place. It may require practice since cutting tiles requires a lot of depth. If you are lucky with measurements, you can simply cut them in half and use the other half for the next time you need a tile.
Using the Roller
Having finished, you need a roller to ensure the floor is tight and tiles adhere perfectly. You will need to use a roller in both directions. Be sure to remove excessive adhesive between tiles with an old cloth. If some of the adhesive was on top, use old cloth to clean.
Now that you know everything to start putting bathroom tiles, you can finally go and buy the perfect ones. Filling in colorful tiles on bathroom floor will save you money and give you pride and satisfaction of having done something yourself.
