How correctly to put a tile in the bathroom: where to start, types of laying tiles

Probably everyone faces many problems before proceeding with repairs in the bathroom. For example, how to prepare a room for repair, what materials to use, what are the ways of laying, etc. To help you solve all these issues, we will consider each of these points in detail.

Many prefer to use ceramic tiles as facing material, which still remains the leader among the finishing materials for the bathroom to date. Let's first consider all its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

• Hygienic( the surface is easy to clean, if it is heavily soiled, chemicals containing acid can be used, without fear that they will damage the tile);
• Strength( with the skillful use of a sufficiently strong material, resistant to moisture and temperature changes);
• Longevity( putting a tile in the bathroom, you can be sure that it will bother you more for dozens of years rather than become worthless);
• Huge variety of colors and patterns;
• A wide range of prices( you can choose a tile made by a domestic manufacturer with a simpler pattern at an acceptable price or an expensive original tile of western manufacturers).

Disadvantages:

• Long styling process;
• Costly installation.

The main factor in the process of tile laying is professionalism, because without the special skills of working with tiles you risk to spoil all the material or, in the end, get a result that, to put it mildly, you will not be happy. Therefore, most people prefer to give a lot of money to a specialist, in order to avoid additional costs for correcting their mistakes or additional purchase of materials, thereby making their lives easier.

If you still decide to put the tiles yourself, our tips will help you to cope with this task.

With the help of different ways of laying tiles, you can not only transform, but also visually hide the shortcomings of your bathroom.

So, you can put the tiles in several ways:

• Straight styling. Perhaps, the easiest way, which will be able even for beginners. If you have a low ceiling, the rectangular tile laid out in this way will help to "lift" it.
• Stacking with a chess pattern. Tile laying in two colors, which allows you to visually expand the space.
• Diagonal styling. This method of laying requires special skills and additional calculations. Putting tiles on the floor in this way, you can disguise uneven walls.
• Stacking with offset. Each next row tile is placed with offset from the previous row. It is best to use a rectangular tile, which is twice as long as the width.
• Mosaic. Only a professional can lay out such a mosaic. However, if you are a purposeful and creative person, you have every chance to master this craft. In addition, the bathroom, made using the author's patterns and ornaments from ceramics, will look original and creative.

Now that we have decided on the shape of the tile and the way of laying, we need to make some calculations.

First you need to measure all the walls taking into account the location of the toilet, bath and washbasin. Then draw on the sheet the outline of your bathroom in view of the scale. After that, you can select a suitable tile in the store, having previously recorded its dimensions and the direction of the drawing.

Then draw the tile arrangement on the plan.

Place entire tiles from top to bottom so that it is less noticeable. Draw a series of tile arrangements on the walls, taking into account the seams. Count how many tiles you need in pieces. Now you can safely buy a tile.

We also need glue for tiles. Some use cement instead of glue, but for beginners it will not work, because it is very difficult to prepare such a solution, and it will be impossible to correct mistakes made during the laying process. There are many brands and manufacturers of glue for tiles, but, perhaps, the best option is a mixture of CM11, which is in no way inferior to glue for tiles and is also sold at a bargain price.

After the purchase of the tile, we will start preparing the room. To begin, we block all the water supply valves. All furniture and plumbing must be carefully dismantled and taken out. Get rid of the old tiles you can with a perforator or manually using a hammer and chisel.

In most cases, the old tiles are easily separated from the walls, so dismantling will not take much time and will not require additional effort. Before starting work, wear protective goggles and a respirator so that small fragments do not damage the eye mucosa, and dust does not get into the lungs.

Another important point is the curvature of the walls. The plumb line will help to determine the deviation of the walls vertically, the square will check the corners. Flat walls are quite rare, so if the deviation is more than 5 cm, they will have to be leveled.

For leveling the walls we will need: plastering beacons, mortar for plaster and a container for its preparation, spatula, perforator or drill with a special nozzle.

First we attach beacons. We apply glue, we apply a beacon and expose it on a level. So all in turn. The rule will help keep the beacons at the required level. Then it is necessary to fill the space between them with a special solution. Acting should be carefully so as not to hurt the beacons, periodically checking the level by rule. When the solution has dried, begin tiling.

The floor should also be leveled before embarking. To do this, again use beacons or a self-leveling liquid( mixture).Such a liquid will facilitate your task, but it is worth the pleasure is quite expensive.

So, first check to see if you need to level the floor or not.

Professionals often use the laser level, however, you can do it manually. First, draw a horizontal line from the highest corner in the room with a pencil, and then draw it along the entire perimeter with the help of a level. From the corners, drag to the center of the diagonal using the thread. The thread should not touch the floor, and the distance from the floor to the highest point should not exceed 3 cm. If the thread reaches the floor, raise it slightly and draw a line along the perimeter of the bathroom again. This will be the level of the new sex. Next, we work on the already known algorithm.

After leveling, we recommend covering the surface with a moisture resistant primer, this will help a good adhesion of the tile with the glue. It is undesirable to put pieces of tile in the corners and near the doorways, it will not hold properly. It should be postponed all work for a couple of weeks after the preparation of the surface, so that the solution is well dried.

Finally, we turn to the laying process. Before you dilute the glue for the tiles, you should carefully read the instructions. Do not need to prepare too much solution, you may not have time to use it, and it will simply wither. Since it is very difficult to stir the solution by hand, it is very difficult to use a drill or perforator.

Then draw a smooth horizontal line from which the masonry will go.

If you plan to put a tile behind the bathroom, we'll start from the second row. Special retention bars help avoid tile slipping. Glue the adhesive with a spatula on the tile and apply it to the wall. Slightly pressing, check the level and, if necessary, correct errors. The rubber hammer will help evenly arrange the tile, without damaging it at the same time.

If the tile is too deep, you need to poke it and repeat the process again. You may have used too little glue or a strong pressure on the stove. Special plastic crosses, mounted on the joints of the plates, will help to keep the distance and form a beautiful seam.

We have already mentioned that it is not possible to lay out the bathroom with whole tiles, so they will have to be cut. To do this, we will use a tile cutter( manual or automatic) or Bulgarian. For curly cuts it is better to use pliers.

After the end of the laying, remove the adhesive residue from the tile, otherwise after drying it will be necessary to grind the seams for a long time. It is advisable to allow the tile to dry for a couple of days and only then to start trowelling. For this, there is a special mixture, which can be of different colors( for the color of tiles).It is applied with a rubber spatula or brush. After complete drying, the tile should be washed with water and wiped with a dry cloth.

At this stage, the renovation in the bathroom ends. If you succeed, we congratulate you! Now your bathroom will please not only you, but also your guests.