How to Install Bathroom Floor Tile
Replacing an older floor with a new tile floor is a great way to give a bathroom a fresh and updated look. With some planning and preparation, laying a bathroom tile floor can be a fairly simple job and installing it yourself will save money. Be sure to have all the supplies and tools that you will need before you begin.
You will need:
- Ceramic tiles
- Tile adhesive
- Grout
- Caulk
- Straight edge
- Pencil
- Notched trowel
- Tile cutter or wet saw
- Rubber float
- Sponge
- Chisel
- Grease cleaner
- Tape measure
- Remove the old tiles from the floor using a chisel. This will be the hardest part of installing your new tile floor.
- Throughly clean the bathroom floor. Make sure that the surface is smooth. You may need to use a grease cleaner to remove grease from the floor, otherwise the new tiles will not stick.
- Measure your bathroom tile and triple check your measurements. Use a tile cutter (for small tile) or a wet saw (for large tiles) to cut the tiles to the right size.
- Lay out the tiles on the floor to make sure that they will fit correctly and then remove them.
- Apply tile adhesive to the bathroom floor using a notched trowel. Work in three-foot sections and make sure that the adhesive is applied evenly. Allow it to sit for a few minutes before setting the tile on it.
- Start in the middle of the floor and firmly press the tiles into the adhesive. Be sure to place spacers between your tiles.
- Allow the adhesive to set overnight.
- Remove the tile spacers.
- Mix the grout, following the manufacturer's instructions.
- Hold the rubber float at a 45-degree angle and apply grout between the tiles. Use a wet sponge to wipe off any extra grout.
- After an hour, check the tiles to see if they have a grout glaze. If so, wipe them with the wet sponge.
- Use caulk to seal the edges near the bathtub and other bathroom fixtures. Be sure to use mildew resistant caulk.
- Allow the floor tile to cure for at least a week and then use a mop to clean it.
Tips
- Be sure to tell the sales staff that the tile you are purchasing is for a bathroom because the tile you buy will need to be water resistant.
- It is a good idea to purchase some extra tiles in case you measure wrong or cut the tile incorrectly.
- Wear safety goggles when removing old tile and when cutting the new tile.
- Pieces of wood can be used to hold tile in place while it dries.