Installation of tile tiles. Method of laying ceramic tiles on the wall

Before laying a new tile, knocking down the old one is a matter of course.

In fact, this time-consuming step is not necessary at all.

It is quite possible to lay tiles on tiles, and further we will tell you how this is done.

On untreated ceramic tiles, the facing does not adhere well due to low adhesion.

The latter is due to the following surface properties:

smoothness;
lack of pores (does not absorb glue).

To fix the lining on such a base, you will have to tinker with its preparation. But this process is less laborious than dismantling the old cladding, followed by garbage disposal and leveling the wall, so this decision is fully justified.

Its only drawback is that double cladding will “eat up” a large amount of space, which is unacceptable for small spaces.

Surface preparation for laying

First you need to make sure that the old tile is holding firmly. If this is not the case, the material will fall off under the weight of the new cladding. Proceed as follows:

Tiles are inspected for chips and cracked spots. When found, they are marked with a marker.
The coating is tapped and places with a booming sound, indicating the presence of voids, are also marked.
With the help of a hammer and a chisel, cracked and exfoliated areas are knocked down and empty cells are laid cement-sand mortar. If it is intended to use cement-based tile adhesive, then it itself can act as a leveling mixture. The maximum layer thickness of such an adhesive is 30 mm, the package should be marked "thick-layer".

completely remove the gloss;
make notches;
primed the surface with special compounds.

Work on dismantling tiles is carried out in goggles: there is a risk of splinters getting into the eyes.

Removing the glossy layer

The glaze covering the tile is cleaned off with a grinder armed with a circle for working on stone or concrete. The exposed base material of the tile is rough and porous, which is required for good adhesion. This operation is also performed in protective glasses, as it happened that the circle was torn apart by centrifugal forces and its fragments injured the eyes of the master.

A drill armed with a grinding nozzle is also suitable for stripping.

Processing tiles with abrasive tools is accompanied by the formation of a large amount of dust, so you should wear a respirator and cover appliances and furniture with plastic wrap.

After processing with an abrasive tool, the surface of the cladding is cleaned of dust and degreased.

Laying tiles on the floor

Creating notches on tiles

If the new facing material is small and thick, and therefore light, the glaze can be peeled off and partially - in the form of strips with a step of 2 cm. With such a notch, the adhesive force will be sufficient, and labor costs and Supplies (abrasive wheels and nozzles) will require much less than with continuous stripping. The total area of the notches should be at least 60% of total area grounds.

Perforation

Instead of removing the glossy layer, many holes can be drilled into the old coating.

A similar method is used in the manufacture of bricks - round recesses are squeezed out in it.

The advantage of the method is the absence of dust.

Disadvantages:

laboriousness;
low strength: also only suitable for light tiles.

After the holes in the tile are drilled, it is cleaned of dust and degreased.

primer

The concrete-contact primer, which consists of the following components, helps to make a smooth surface rough:

acrylic (base);
cement;
sand;
modifiers.

The old lining is washed, degreased, dried and a layer of thoroughly mixed primer is applied with a roller or brush.

Protective equipment required: goggles and gloves.

After 2-4 hours, the primer dries and hardens, turning into a rough crust.

The disadvantage of this method is the cost of buying a primer. In the absence of "Concrete-contact", it is replaced with a quartz primer.

It is recommended to cover furniture and equipment near the place of work with a cloth or plastic wrap: the primer "Concrete-contact" is difficult to wash off.

Technology for laying new tiles

For laying tiles on tiles, glue with increased adhesive strength (adhesion) is used.

The latter is measured in MPa, its value is indicated on the package.

For adhesives of different brands, this indicator varies from 0.2 to 1 MPa.

According to the strength of adhesion, they are in the following order (from weak to strong):

cement;
dispersion;
epoxy.

The latter variety is expensive and is used in special conditions: for flooring in places with high traffic, and structures subject to constant direct exposure to water. There are more polyurethane adhesives- for "heat-insulated floors" and the designs inclined to deformations and vibrations. Under normal conditions, a dispersion adhesive is sufficient. It is supplied only in finished form, has a pasty consistency.

For cladding with glass mosaics or tiles made of marble or other light stone, white glue is used. In other cases, the color does not matter.

To work, you will need tools:

metal spatulas: straight and notched;
rubber spatulas: ;
tile cutter or glass cutter;
bubble level.

Notched spatulas differ in tooth height - from 6 to 12 mm. This parameter determines the thickness of the adhesive layer. Since the spatula is held at an angle when leveling the composition, followed by pressure on it with a tile, its thickness as a result is 0.3-0.5% of the height of the spatula tooth. Accordingly, a spatula No. 8 is used to apply a layer with a thickness of 2.4-4 mm.

On a flat base, the adhesive layer varies from 2 to 6 mm and depends on the mass of the tile: the larger and thicker it is, the greater the adhesive layer. For convenience, adhesive manufacturers do not indicate the thickness of the layer, but the number of the spatula recommended for laying tiles of one size or another.

Stages of laying tiles:

When facing the wall from below, a starting rail is strictly horizontally attached to it with dowels, which prevents the facing material from slipping. The position of the rail during installation is controlled by the level.
Wall cladding starts from the far bottom corner. There are no unequivocal recommendations for the floor: they start from the walls, from the corner or from the center.
A layer of glue is applied to a small area of \u200b\u200bthe wall or floor with a straight metal spatula. Large facing products are also recommended to be coated with a 1 mm layer of adhesive mixture.
Use a notched trowel to level the surface and give the desired thickness.
Glue the tile, pressing it down, and controlling the position with a level. Tiles are positioned so that the seams in the new and old facings do not match.
Remove excess glue with a rag: this is done immediately, until the composition has hardened.
The next tile is glued in the same way, placing a plastic cross between it and the previous one to give the seams an equal width. The position of the lining elements is constantly controlled by the level. Optimal Width seams - 2-3 mm. With a larger width, grout crumbles from the joints, with a smaller one, the coating looks unattractive, since it is difficult to fill such gaps with a fugue.

If the starting rail was not installed, when pasting the wall, the tiles are laid in no more than 3-4 rows, and then they are interrupted for an hour while waiting for the glue to set. With more rows, the coating will slide under its own weight.

For laying at the end of the row, the tiles are cut. The procedure is as follows:

measure the width of the remaining gap;
measure this size on the tile and mark with a marker;
having attached an even rail to the drawn line, they are drawn along it with a tile cutter or glass cutter, pressing the tool;
lightly hit the tile flat on the floor - it will crack along the cut line.

Having completed the wall cladding, the starting rail is dismantled and the trimmed tile is glued in its place.

After the glue dries, start grouting the seams. Base from ceramic tiles does not absorb water well and the glue on it dries longer than usual, therefore it is recommended to start grouting no earlier than 3-4 days after finishing work.

The joints are filled with a rubber spatula. Such tools with different widths are usually sold in a set, more often the widest one is used.

After 15-20 min. after the start of work, they return to the first seam and erase traces of grout from the tile with a rag or damp sponge. By this time, the solution will dry enough so as not to fall out of the seam with careless manipulations with rags, and at the same time it will not harden so much that it cannot be washed off.

How to lay tiles on tiles in the bathroom?

In the bathroom, the tiled flooring is mounted according to the same technology, only glue and grout are used moisture resistant and with the addition of an antiseptic. Such compounds are also called fungicidal. Their use is due to high humidity: colonies of mold and fungus develop on ordinary grout.

Cement based adhesives are moisture resistant by mixing with liquid latex instead of water. Moisture resistance is inherent in dispersion, polyurethane and epoxy adhesives.

Moisture resistant grouts are also divided into:

cement with latex mixing;
epoxy.

The latter are highly reliable, but extremely difficult to install. In everyday life, they are usually used only with expensive tiles: they are added to epoxy resin silver or gold powder, which gives the cladding a spectacular look.

Finished Finish

Silicone and acrylic sealants are not used as grouts: they are poorly washed off the tiles and often turn yellow over time. They fill the gaps between the cladding and plumbing fixtures (bathroom, washbasin, etc.).

In places where splashes hit the jointed joints, it is advisable to apply a special sealant for grouting.

Since moisture-resistant tile adhesive is expensive, they prefer to limit themselves to using moisture-resistant fungicidal grout. With high-quality filling of the joints, moisture will not penetrate under the tile.

When not to tile on tile

The use of old tiles as a base is not allowed in the following cases:

The room is small: a thick two-layer finish will steal a lot of scarce space.
The old coating does not hold well, as evidenced by a booming sound when tapped.
The surface of the old cladding is uneven, with bulges and depressions.
When finishing the floor: if with a new layer of tiled flooring it will be above the threshold. This is especially true for the bathroom: here the floor should be lower than the floor in the corridor, so that when flooded, water does not spill out of the room.
Pipelines are laid under the old lining and access to them is not provided. Old pipes will soon require replacement, for which new tiles will have to be knocked down. It is more correct to knock down the old cladding, replace communications and lay new tiles on a clean base.

Also, the old floor cladding is knocked down if necessary to change the slope of the floor.

Installing tile on tile saves a lot of work and time, so if conditions allow, this solution is quite reasonable. It is only necessary to properly prepare the base, strictly adhering to the recommendations of experts, and then the new cladding will be strong and durable.

The tile is considered a standard finishing material for places where there is high humidity. Most people give it more preference when it comes to renovating a bathroom, toilet or kitchen. The latter, by the way, can be finished with other necessarily moisture-resistant materials, but the tile, nevertheless, is always present. For example, in the form of an apron (screen on the wall) in the area of \u200b\u200bthe sink

The work of a tiler is highly valued. Professional tile makers know what types of tile adhesive to use, how to put tiles on walls to look nice, and how to calculate the material so you can buy everything you need without spending too much.

Mastering the skills of such a profession is both useful and interesting. Many people have long appreciated this fact, and if it is necessary to carry out tile work in their home, they are in no hurry to invite craftsmen using their own resources.

Tile installation on floors and walls

Before laying out the tiles on the floor, it is necessary to prepare the base so that later you do not have to deal with alterations. A perfectly flat floor surface is considered to be of high quality. Any gaps must be corrected.

The best way get a perfect surface - arrange a leveling screed. The calculation of the thickness of the screed layer must take into account the thickness of the tile. As a result, after completion of work, opening and closing of interior and entrance doors must be free and unobstructed.

Do-it-yourself tile laying on the floor is a work carried out in several stages. Newbies have to use various benefits and information on the Internet. Later, having stuffed their hand, as they say, they can do without prompts, and before that, construction guides and materials from construction sites become assistants for them.

Particular interest is shown in the visual form of narration. Are popular various videos and a photo of laying tiles with your own hands. Such materials are viewed not only if you want to finish the floors, but also the walls.

As for the choice of wall surfaces as areas for cladding, the preparation process for the main tiled floor looks similar to the floor.

The walls are cleared of old coatings and plastered to get an even layer under the tiles. Sometimes plaster seems useless and to obtain a smooth surface, the walls are sheathed with sheets of drywall.

Laying tiles on drywall

Indeed, if the area of \u200b\u200bthe room is large enough, and the holding plastering works seems too time-consuming, resort to other, less complex preparatory techniques. For example, to sheathing with GKL sheets. The process is all the more attractive when you consider that the tiles can be fixed to the surface using a special liquid adhesive.

Line up starts from the bottom. The properties of the adhesive allow the tile to quickly and firmly grasp the surface. If a tile falls out on any part of the wall, this place can be easily restored to its original form.

Tiling in bathrooms

When work is carried out independently and, moreover, for the first time, it is best not just to look for any information on the Internet or directories, but to strive to obtain specific information. The best information would be step-by-step instruction laying tiles in relation to a certain type of base surface.

The most common substrates are concrete, block, brick and wood. Each of them has its own instruction, somewhat similar to the others, but along the way having certain differences.

Of particular difficulty is laying tiles in the bathroom. When repairing such a room, it is necessary to take into account the increased number of pipes on the walls and floor, as well as plumbing equipment (bath, shower, and so on). The same must be stated when repairing the toilet.

Sometimes people do not resort to tiling the back wall so as not to dismantle the toilet. The tiles are replaced with imitating screens. The same technique is used in the bathroom.

To create beautiful appearance and to do without the removal of the bath itself, they arrange a sheathing made of moisture-resistant plasterboard under it, followed by painting or tiling, or special roller screens are installed.

In addition to laying out the rows evenly and avoiding the pressure of the next row on the previous one, plastic crosses are used, which are installed along the lines of vertical and horizontal seams.

For floors and walls are selected different types crosses. Thinner types are used for vertical laying of tiles. On the floor are more thickened. The use of such elements contributes to the creation of a clear geometric lines. In addition, after grouting, the tile has a really finished look.

Photo of the process of laying tiles with your own hands

It is unrealistic to simply take and start gluing ceramic tiles on the wall. Firstly, laying always starts with at least 2 horizontal rows. Secondly, the very surface of the wall must first be prepared, leveled, strengthened and removed various debris.

The final result of wall cladding with decor from the collection
The surface for laying tiles can be leveled or prepared as follows:

Plaster the surface along the beacons with a cement-sand mortar, if the walls are generally curved or not finished in any way.
Putty the walls with putty if the old plaster is of normal strength, but there are slight irregularities on its surface.
If the surface is drywall, then a fiberglass mesh is mounted on it and the entire wall area along the mesh is puttied with cement putty or tile adhesive.
If the wall is puttied with gypsum putty, then to increase adhesion with tile adhesive, the entire surface is swept with a brush or broom, after which a penetrating primer, betogrunt, betokontakt or their equivalent is applied to the entire wall area with a roller.

Attention! If priming is planned with a penetrating primer, it is imperative to sweep the surface from dust. If this is not done, the wet dust will curl up and roll over the surface with a roller, as a result, crystallization will occur - a thin film that does not increase adhesion, but, on the contrary, can make the adhesive not adhere to the wall at all.

After all the necessary actions to level the surface, it is necessary to accurately determine the future location of the tile on the wall itself. To do this, you first need to find the highest point of the floor at the bottom of the wall. If the floor is not yet tiled, a long bubble level is passed along the perimeter of the room at the base of the wall and, thus, the area where the screed is most elevated is determined. In this place, 1 mark is made on the surface of the wall. Further, from 1 mark, about 10-15 mm are measured up the wall and a second mark is made - this will be the future zero.

Leveling the surface of the wall on which it is planned to lay the tiles
At the second stage, the height of the facing material, which is planned to be laid on the wall, is precisely measured with a tape measure. For example, the height of the tile is 30 cm, which means that this distance is measured from the previously found zero point up the wall surface and a mark is made. After that, a long bubble level is applied to the obtained mark, it is set to a flat horizontal position and a straight line is drawn along the entire length of the wall along the level.

All ceramic wall tiling will be done from the line described above. However, so that the tile does not slide down under its own weight, it is necessary to temporarily mount the stop along a solid line to the wall. As an emphasis, you can use a flat edged board, the remaining unnecessary metal profile or lining panel. Temporary mounting of the stop to the wall is carried out with ordinary metal dowels.

Determine the location of the future vertical cutting row

The wall is prepared, the tile stop is mounted, however, before you start laying the tiles on the wall, you must also decide where the vertical row of not a whole tile will be located. To do this, you need to measure the width of the tile and the total length of the wall. The length of the wall is divided by the width of the tile and determine how many full vertical rows tiles will fit on the wall. As a result, there will be a small distance. If this distance is less than half the width of 1 tile, then such a narrow wedge on the wall will look ugly. In this case, two vertical wedges are made on the wall at each corner. If the distance described above exceeds half the width of 1 tile, then such a vertical row of cut tiles is placed in the corner that is least accessible to the eye.

Advice! The area on the wall surface, which is the least noticeable, is located behind the door to the room or on the side of the entrance in the opposite corner.

To lay tiles on the wall, you need the following tools:

Deep bucket or similar container for making glue;
Perforator with mixing nozzle;
Comb spatula and flat small spatula;
Level and square;
Rubber mallet;
Tile cutter or angle grinder (grinder) for cutting, depending on the thickness and strength of the facing material.

Production of working glue

Pour 3 liters of water into a bucket or other container;
Pour powder of dry tile glue into the water so that it forms a small hill above the water;
Mix the entire substance with a perforator with a mixing nozzle in the drilling mode until a homogeneous thick mass is obtained;
Leave the resulting adhesive mass for 10 minutes at rest, then mix the entire substance again.

The process of laying tiles on tile adhesive on the wall

First of all, the wall cladding is made with solid tiles, and cutting is done towards the end of the work. The prepared working tile adhesive is applied to the wall with a spatula or trowel and distributed to create a layer of equal thickness using a comb. Then the adhesive composition is applied to the reverse side of the tile and distributed in the same way. The tile is applied to the wall, resting on the mounted stop, and slightly pressed. In a similar way, several more ceramic tiles are laid nearby. After that, a level is set vertically on 1 first glued tile and with the blows of a rubber mallet it is given an even vertical position. Next, the level is applied to the entire row of 3-4 tiles horizontally, and the rest of the tile is adjusted according to the first 1 tile set according to the level. After leveling a small row of tiles, PVC crosses are placed in the tile joints.

On the first day, it is desirable to lay out the maximum area of solid parts of the facing material. On the second day, first of all, a vertical row of cut tiles is laid out on the glue. After that, bring the entire lining to the ceiling. On the third day, you can safely dismantle the stop nailed to the wall and proceed to finish the lowest horizontal row. Before gluing the lowest row of tiles, it is first necessary to cut and prepare a dozen small strips of masking tape in length and chop more chips of different sizes from a wooden block.

The sequence of work when finishing the bottom row is similar. The adhesive is applied and distributed on the wall and reverse side tiles, tiles are applied to the wall and leveled using a level and a mallet. However, under the lowest horizontal edge of the tile, you will need to pick up and insert wood chips, while crosses are pre-installed in the upper section of the tile. In principle, wooden chips are enough to temporarily fix the tiles on the wall until the glue hardens, but to be sure, the glued and exposed tiles of the lower row are additionally fixed with the tiles from the upper row with strips of wide adhesive tape.

Aligning rows of tiles with PVC crosses

Grouting

A few days after the wall is completely finished, using a knife and pliers, PVC crosses are removed from all tile joints. Also, fixing tape and bottom wood chips are removed from the bottom tile. All the seams between the tiles are passed with a sharp knife blade to remove excess glue and, if possible, deepen the seams.

The next step is to pour about one and a half glasses of water into a small bucket and pour dry grout for the joints. The entire resulting mass is mixed with a spatula until total absence lumps. Next, the prepared grout is applied sequentially to all cleaned and prepared tile joints with a rubber or silicone spatula. After filling the joints, wait about 30 minutes for the grout to harden a little, after which a dry cloth and sponge are passed over the entire surface of the tiles.

Attention! It has been described above how to work with cement-based grout. If the cladding is done in a bathroom or any other room with high humidity, it is recommended to use a grout based on epoxy or furan resin. In this case, it is necessary to specifically study the manufacturer's instructions indicated on the container with grout.

The last step is the most important!

We call all our acquaintances, friends and relatives, show them our new finish in the bathroom and boldly declare to everyone: - I did it all myself!

Repair in the bathroom is rarely complete without replacing the tiles, especially if it has already served for 10-20 years. But, as usual, the question arises: hire a master or do everything yourself. If you have a proven, tried and tested tiler in mind and a certain amount (usually they ask for the same amount of work as the materials cost), you can hire. Otherwise, try laying the tiles yourself. If the walls are at least relatively even, everything should do without much difficulty. But just before laying the tiles on the wall, carefully study the technology.

It starts, as usual, with the choice of tiles. Just pay attention not only to her external data. You will definitely need to check its geometry, otherwise it will be difficult to work with it. If you are laying tiles for the first time, any curvature will greatly complicate the task. So let's check:

From experience it is worth saying that the ideal parameters are extremely difficult to find. If you like it externally, there are no cobwebs of cracks or glaze defects on the surface, the edges are even, the dimensions are the same, you can take it despite some non-linearity (first point). Otherwise, you'll be tired of running around the shops. What you should not do is to take a tile “to order”. How can you control its quality if you already pay for it. Take only what you hold in your hands.

What is the tile on?

Previously, tiles were laid on a cement-sand mixture, to which PVA glue or Bustilat was added. You can, of course, do this, but it will be more difficult to work. For more comfortable work, use ready-made compositions, they are also called “tile glue” for the fact that the composition contains adhesive components, therefore it is sometimes said that tiles are “glued” to the walls. Compositions are of two types:

in buckets - mastics, ready for use;
in bags - dry mixes that require dilution with water.

Professionals mainly use dry mixes. If necessary, they can correct an imperfect wall by making the layer a little thicker or thinner. Another plus: they retain plasticity longer, which allows you to make adjustments some more time later. They work with mastic on an ideal wall and there can be no deviations here: the layer is too thin.

When choosing a tile adhesive, you can choose it for specific tasks. So there are compositions in which there are additives that increase the water-repellent properties of a wall or floor. This is important in the kitchen and bathroom. There are frost-resistant, it will come in handy if you put it in an unheated room or on the street. You can find glue that has bactericidal properties: it will not allow fungi and mold to develop, which is in demand in wet rooms.

Preparatory work

Before laying the tiles on the wall, a number of preparatory activities are carried out. This is a long and unpleasant process, but it is highly undesirable to skip it: not every master, not to mention beginners, can normally lay tiles on uneven unprepared walls.

Leveling the surface

First of all, the old coating is removed from the walls and what can fall off. If there are greasy stains, they are removed, or they simply cut off part of the plaster along with the absorbed oil. The walls are rattling wooden mallet, by sound determining whether there are voids. They occur if the plaster has peeled off, but has not yet blown out. If you stick a tile on such an area, everything will collapse under its weight. Therefore, you cover all such places yourself.

A flat bar is applied to the cleaned base and it is estimated how smooth or curved the walls are. If the surface of the wall is strongly convex or curved, it is better to correct everything with plaster to the level. Then laying tiles on the wall will be very simple. If the walls are relatively even, only too large indents are leveled: irregularities (protrusions or pits) that are more than 5 mm. The protrusions need to be cut off, the pits should be filled with a plaster mixture, the cracks should be widened, moistened and also covered with plaster.

We prime

It is desirable to treat the prepared wall with a primer. Best suited for these purposes is "Betonokontakt" or another composition with similar characteristics. It penetrates a sufficiently large thickness deep into the wall, binding all the particles. After drying, the surface becomes rough, tile adhesive is very well “molded” to it.

How to start

There are several possible starting points. If it’s quite simple, you can lay out the first row immediately from the corner, I’m guided along the floor line. But the first row will become even and without problems only if the floor is perfectly flat, without any deviations. Otherwise, you will cut the tiles to somehow get vertical seams. As a result of these trimmings, the second and all subsequent rows can “walk”. The work will be very hard and unpleasant. Therefore, it is better to spend time and mark the wall by finding the "start" points.

Wall marking

If you don't really care about the small pieces of tile that you have to put in the corners and at the top, under the ceiling, you can skip this step. But if you want the whole tile to lie symmetrically, before laying the tiles on the wall, you will have to do the layout:

If it turned out that only narrow strips remain at both ends, it is advisable to redo the layout. If the middle was located in the center of the wall, try to expand from the seam, and vice versa. Should come out better.

With the placement of tiles in height, the situation is slightly different. In some cases, the seam is made at a certain level. In a bathroom, this is often the edge of an installed bathtub. If there are no such requirements, you can do the same: find the center, position (draw on the wall) the position of the tiles relative to it. Thus, you will find how you will need to cut the tiles of the upper and lower rows.

Vertically, you can arrange in another way: mark the first tile from the ceiling, and so on to the bottom. In this case, only the bottom row will have to be cut. This is not entirely correct, but the consumption of tiles is slightly less.

In any case, when calculating how to lay the tiles on the wall, mark the level where the first row ends. It usually serves as a starting point. This is where the tiling begins.

start line

According to the results of the layout, you have a line where the first row ends. Here at this height they nail a flat bar. Leaning a tile on it, they put up the starting row, and all subsequent ones on it. The first row is installed last, in which the tile will have to be cut.

Profiles for working with drywall are usually used as a support bar, but a flat dry bar can also be used. At a given height, it is attached to the wall with self-tapping screws or dowels (depending on the wall material). In order for laying tiles on the wall with your own hands without problems, you need to fasten it often enough: so that there is no sagging. Be sure to check the horizontal position of its installation. Even the slightest deviation should not be.

How to tile on a wall

The technology of laying tiles on the wall is simple. It consists of several simple steps:

A few points about the whole process. First, in the marked places on the installed plank, the extreme whole tiles (those that do not need to be cut) are glued. When laying out, you marked their position. It is very important to set them correctly. To do this, each is checked by a level in the vertical and horizontal planes. If the tile geometry is perfect, you can also check the verticality / horizontality at the edges. Then they take a long level or a flat bar with more short level and check how exactly one beacon bar is set relative to the other. They must be in the same plane. Then, with the help of this bar, they control whether each next tile is correctly set.

Description is one thing, but seeing everything with your own eyes is another. The video demonstrates the technology, after watching, you will understand exactly how to lay tiles on the wall.

The thickness of the adhesive on the wall

For those who are laying tiles on a wall for the first time, there may be questions about how thick a layer of glue is needed. This value depends on how smooth walls. If they are perfect, you can apply the minimum layer allowed in the instructions for the composition. If the walls are only relatively even, the "starting" layer can be 3-4 mm. Further, as necessary, it can slightly decrease or increase, correcting the unevenness of the wall.

There are several techniques for laying ceramic tiles. Not always glue is applied to both the tile and the wall. Some masters apply the composition only to the wall, others only to the tile, someone recommends dipping it in water before applying the glue, others do not. Choose the option that seems more correct to you. But it is more convenient for beginner tilers when the solution is both on the wall and on the tile: it is easier to move and level it.

Tile adhesive manufacturers advise applying it to the wall, removing excess with a notched trowel, but this means a perfectly even base. Based on these recommendations, the cost of laying one square is calculated.

With another technique, the consumption increases by 50% or even 100%, since the wall has to be adjusted. But it is definitely worth listening to the prescribed dimensions of the spatula teeth.

How to cut tiles

There are several ways. For small volumes and not very thick tiles, a manual tile cutter is suitable. This is a device consisting of a platform on which tiles are laid. Overlays are attached to the platform, along which the cutter moves. The cutting torch moves with the help of the handle, ripping up a strong covering. On the same handle, a stop is usually installed, with which the tile is broken along the line drawn by the cutter.

Another way is with a grinder, but it is very noisy and dusty. In addition, it will not work to make a perfectly even cut, but it will go in an emergency.

If necessary, round holes cut out with a crown of a suitable diameter, which is put on a drill. During drilling, so that there is as little dust as possible, the place of work is constantly watered. The result is a perfect hole, everything looks decent.

If you need to cut a strip that is too thin, you won’t be able to do it on a tile cutter: it simply won’t break off. Then, after drawing a line with a cutting disc or rod (for some firms, the cutting element is made in the form of a rod), the thin edge is broken off. In general, there are special tongs for this, but it works well with pliers.

If at the same time the edge turns out to be very uneven, it can be leveled a little with a file or sandpaper fixed on a bar.

Corner decoration

If the tile is laid evenly, the inner corners do not cause problems. Difficulties may arise only with the installation of crosses. Just turn them so that they do not interfere or break off the protruding parts. In general, they are joined neatly in the corners, and the seam is finally formed using grout.

There are also profiles for internal corners. They are selected to match the grout, installed in a corner, leveled, and then attached to self-tapping screws or dowels. When laying tiles in a corner, tiles are supported on them. It turns out a finished corner seam.

Outer corners are more difficult. If you just join the tiles by overlapping the edges, it turns out ugly. To properly form the outer corner, you have to cut the edge at 45 °.

This can be done on a professional tile cutter. But not everyone has such equipment. Then you will have to work as a grinder. The first cut, approximately at the desired angle, is made with a smooth diamond disc. It should not have slots and holes, the spraying should also be even.

It turns out not very smoothly, and the outer edge has a rather large thickness. But this is only preliminary processing. We cut the cut to the desired parameters with a grinding nozzle with the same disk. See the video for more details.

If you don’t want to mess around with such a pruning, there is another possibility - to decorate the corner with a special plastic corner.

Another video on how you can arrange adjunctions and seams when laying tiles.

To make laying wall tiles with your own hands completely clear, watch another video tutorial.

When finishing a kitchen apron with ceramic tiles, the technology is practically no different from that described above. There is simply no need to calculate the number of vertical rows. The place of "start" is determined by the height of the countertop: it should start 5-10 cm above the edge of the tile. Fasten the bar at the required level, align it exactly to the horizon, and you can start.

An apron in the kitchen is usually made on a work wall. If this is not one wall, but two or three, you can start from one of the corners.

If it is laid out from a small tile, the undercuts may not be very conspicuous. If you want everything to be symmetrical, repeat the layout and start from the center, as described above.

What is the best material for interior decoration? Ceramic tiles. Today you can choose a tile for any interior and for any author's idea - if there were financial opportunities, but there would be material. Most often, people make styling in kitchens and bathrooms. This ensures cleanliness, simplicity and ease of cleaning, allows you to create a neat appearance of the room. High quality ceramic tiles will have high cost(respectively, the cost of laying ceramic tiles by professional workers too), and the only way to get beautiful apartment, use quality materials and at the same time not spending a lot of money - this is a do-it-yourself repair. In particular, the installation of tiles. And today we will look at how ceramic tiles are laid on vertical surfaces, what materials need to be purchased, how to prepare the surface, etc. In general, everything related to the process of qualitative changes in your premises.

Preparing for laying tiles

All installation work begins with the selection of materials, the selection of their optimal price-quality ratio and the selection of tools. And the most important component of this process is the choice of ceramic tiles.

Before installation work it is necessary to choose the material most suitable for facing the surface. All tiles can classify across several categories. by color(monochrome, color), in form(shaped or ordinary), by quality(there are three grades of materials). We will not go into the details of the selection, but only note a few important points:

Buy a tile with 10-15% margin. This will prevent possible moments of shortage of materials for cladding.
Please note that all tiles must be from the same batch. This is easy to determine by the inscriptions and markings on the packages.
It is worth paying attention to the pictograms on the packaging - they give basic information about the material. A foot on a black background means that the tiles are for laying on the floor, hand - for laying on the walls, a snowflake speaks of frost resistance, etc.
Decide what methods of laying ceramic tiles you will use. Traditionally, count five ways- classic, diagonal, brick paving, herringbone paving and modular paving (arbitrary pattern).

Tools and building materials

Before choosing tools, you need to prepare Construction Materials. To carry out the installation of ceramic tiles on the walls, you need to use special glue and leveling compound. The latter is almost a necessity - unfortunately, the walls in many houses are far from ideal, and in order for the tile to lie flat on the surface, it is necessary to first prepare it for work. Alternatively, you can use sheets of moisture-resistant drywall.

Necessary tools for work:

Hammer and chisel for beating old materials from the walls;
Spatula and plaster spatula;
Measuring instruments - body kit, level of required length;
Bulgarian, tile cutter (so you don’t have to look for how to cut ceramic tiles), pliers and brushes.

Preparing the room and surface before laying

First of all, you need to properly prepare the room for the upcoming installation. This is done as follows:

Get rid of glue and old tiles on the walls with a puncher or hammer.
Check the wall surface. If there are cracks, chips or depressions, it is advisable to get rid of them. If the surface is solid, then only surface cleaning can be carried out.
Check the surface evenness. To do this, use a body kit or a level, if it turns out that there are deviations even within 2-3 mm, then it is necessary to level the wall.

Next step is the leveling of the surface. For this process, you can use traditional cement with sand, but you need to have some skills in plastering the surface. It is much easier to purchase modern special mixtures - you just need to apply the mixture to the wall, evenly distribute it with a spatula on the wall and check how leveled the wall is.

To simplify the process of leveling large walls, you can use wooden or metal beacons. Depending on the degree of unevenness of the walls, choose the type of beacon (the more irregularities, the thicker the rail you need). Prepare the beacons, measure their length and fix them on the corners of the room with mortar. Don't forget to use the level. Screw a few self-tapping screws into the installed rails, then stretch a thread between them and fasten other beacons along this thread. When everything is ready, the screws and threads can be removed and the direct process of leveling the walls can begin. Along the lighthouses small areas the solution is thrown, and the excess is removed with a corner or spatula, while the work is carried out from the bottom up. We remind you once again that before using the solution, it is advisable to review all instructions for its use.

Do-it-yourself tile laying

Process self-assembly wall tiles:

The adhesive mixture is prepared in accordance with the instructions that are indicated on the package. Glue must be prepared in small portions to prevent freezing.
Laying work is carried out from the bottom up. For the evenness of the rows of tiles, a rail is installed on the floor, strictly along which the installation of the first row is carried out. In order for subsequent rows to be as even as possible, you need to attach vertical slats to the wall and align them with a plumb line. At the level of the next rows, a thread is pulled, along which visual inspection of the surface can be carried out.
A tile is taken, a pre-prepared adhesive mixture is applied to it using a notched trowel, after which it is attached to the wall.
In order for the width of the seam between the tiles to be the same, you need to use plastic spacers, which are installed at the intersection of the seams.
It rarely happens that the whole tile is used - often it has to be cut. What is the best way to cut ceramic tiles? The best option- this is a tile cutter, but in the absence of one, you can also use a grinder. A special tool will prevent the appearance of possible chips and cracks on the surface.
If it is necessary to drill holes in ceramic tiles, then either conventional drill, or a screwdriver with a low number of revolutions. A special diamond drill with a peaked shape is used - it will allow you to accurately and quickly make holes.

Laying ceramic tiles on plywood is carried out in the same way as on a regular surface. But at the same time, you need to use special moisture-resistant solutions (for example, Wuqing MK-92, Stauf-440, Kiilto Slim). The glue itself is resistant to moisture, so there is no need to additionally process the plywood before gluing. When choosing an adhesive, you can ask the sellers for the presence of a mixture with a modified silane, which has the level of elasticity necessary for gluing wood and ceramics.

Laying ceramic tiles on drywall provides the same rules, but additional recommendations appear. To prevent deformation of the drywall surface, before laying it is recommended to fix a special polypropylene mesh. You need to lay tiles on drywall in small rows, while after installing each row you need to wait at least an hour.

After you have mounted the material on the walls, you may want to further decorate it. How is ceramic tile painting done by hand? Simple enough: you just need to purchase acrylic paints(they are reliable, moisture resistant, do not lose color) and apply patterns to the surface.