Easy Tile Video

This is a video I found on YouTube.com that gives a very nice overview of installing floor tile.

Hope you enjoy!

Top 10 Mistakes DIY's Make When Installing Tile

How to Lay Tile and Avoid Common Mistakes

Installing tile is one of the most popular home improvement tasks that do-it-yourself homeowners attempt. Many homeowners assume they can do it without much preparation. But, it is essential to pay attention to a number of important issues. Nothing says "do-it-yourselfer" louder or more clearly than a make-do solution when laying tile.

Here are 10 of the most common mistakes homeowners make:

10) Poorly preparing surfaces
It is important to thoroughly clean and smooth the surface where you will be installing the tile. Uneven and instable tiling at this stage is often a byproduct of not cleaning well enough because you're trying to save time. Any wallpaper or other foreign coatings on the surface you wish to tile should be removed prior to beginning your tiling.

9) Grouting unevenly or too quickly
Use a support tool like a squeegee to spread the grout evenly and slowly. If you try to spread it too fast or grout a large area before laying your tile, the grout on far-off spots may dry out before you actually get to it. Distributing grout too quickly is also likely to lead to uneven tiles. And, it is also important to remove any excess grout immediately after the laying tile as it will be much harder to do once it has dried up.

8) Dotting corners with adhesive
Adding dots of adhesive to corners to create a stronger bond is not a good idea, although some schools of thought advocate doing so. You actually increases the chance of cracking the tiles because the adhesive shrinks as it dries. Additionally, the adhesive can be thicker in some areas where the shrinking will add more pressure on the tile.

7) Choosing the wrong adhesive
It is particularly important to use a waterproof adhesive for laying tile in humid rooms like bathrooms and swimming pools - it is a must. Water can even get well-fit tiles and hurt the adhesive, eventually causing crumbling and breaking with non-waterproof adhesives.

6) Not using battens
Ideally, you should use thin rods of wood called battens, (or any other long straight object) both horizontally and vertically so that tiles lay in as straight of lines as possible. Trying to lay tile without such a helper will often result in positioning mistakes that results in a generally bad look of the tiled surface.

5) Not discovering and fixing mistakes quickly enough
It is rare for first-time tilers to get a job done flawlessly. You will likely have a few awkward spots. Have a fresh eye look over your tiling work shortly after you are done, ideally within the first 6-12 hours. The faster problems are noticed, the easier it is to fix them. A misplaced tile 24 hours or more after you are done can be very difficult to fix as the grout will probably already have hardened and you won't be able to move it.

4) Not removing excess grout accurately
One of the most common signs of tile that was laid by an amateur is protruding grout - something that is fairly easy to fix. Be sure to remove any excess completely before it sets.

3) Miscalculating the number of tiles needed
First-time tilers may only buy exactly the number of tiles to cover the area they're tiling. To ensure against breakages, cutting difficulties and any miscalculations, however, you should get 5%-10% more tiles than the minimum you have estimated. This also gives you some extra tiles should you need to replace cracked ones in future.

2) Failing to seal bathtubs properly
If the gap between the bottom row of tiles and the bathtub is not sealed properly, water may leak into it as it runs down the tiles. Therefore, filling the bathtub before using the sealant is recommended. Bathtubs can move significantly when filled with water, causing strain and cracking of the sealant if this is not anticipated.

1) Insufficient or erroneous planning
Bad planning is probably the most important (and often costly) mistake do-it-yourselfers make. Ironically, it's also the easiest to avoid. Instead of improvising, always be sure to measure the surface you will be tiling carefully. Be aware that installing curved tile is significantly more difficult than tiling a flat surface. You should plan for at least 10-15% waste and should also include spare tiles for future replacements. Keep it simple. Cutting tile can be frustrating and expensive. The fewer cuts you make, the less expensive - and less stressful - your project will be.

Be sure to read how-to books and other materials carefully and thoroughly prior to starting your project. If possible, check a local hardware store to see if they're offering any classes or workshops for folks who are doing improvements. Many big-name stores offer such workshops on several weekends yearly.

Consider a brief designer consultation for large projects - an experienced eye can often discern problems that might cost you hundreds to fix afterwards.

By the way, the best info I've found, other than my husbands experience, is Tile Made Easy.

Intro

This website is a simple site about laying tile in your home. My husband, who works in the marble and granite industry, has learned to lay tile and we wanted to share our experience here of laying tile in our new home. From time to time, we'll post about the journey and may include links to resources (free and paid) that we have used and found to be of high quality.

Comments are closed as I won't be checking this blog very often since it's just for hobby purposes. If you really want to comment, please send me an email. You'll find that info in the sidebar.

Hope you enjoy!