The content of this article is a general guideline for the basic process of fixing stone tiles and should not be considered a definitive guide to laying natural stone and porcelain tiles. The information in this document is compiled from several different sources and our own experiences. If it is your first experience in laying such materials I highly recommend you seek professional advice before you start your project.
Things you will need –
- Tiles
- Tile adhesive
- A notched trowel
- Diamond tipped saw or grinder
- Diamond hole saw for any radiator pipes or other holes
- Grout
- Sealant
- Rubber float
- Tape measure
- Bucket and warm water
- Sponge
- Level
- Chalk line
- Pencil
- Tile spacers (depending on what kind of tile you are using)
Process –
1) preparing the surface
2) choosing and using adhesives
3) laying the tiles
4) sealing the tiles
5) grouting the tiles
6) aftercare and maintenance
1) Preparing the surface – It is very important that your surface is perfectly flat and as smooth as possible. You may need to use some floor levelling compound to sort out any divots, holes and differences in sub-flooring heights. Not doing this may result in a cracked tile further down the line. Your surface should also be clean and free from dust, dirt or grease.
When tiling onto plaster if the plaster is new it should be left for 4 weeks and thoroughly dry before tiling. It is ok to tile onto old plaster, provided that it is sound. Plasterboard is suitable for tiling as long as it is at least 12.5mm thick and well supported.
When tiling onto concrete the surface should be thoroughly dry and new concrete should be left for at least six weeks.
2) Choosing and using adhesives – The adhesive you use will depend on the type of floor you are tiling onto and the tone of the stone you wish to lay. If you are laying onto a wooden floor or plan to have under floor heating you will require a flexible grout and adhesive. If you are laying a light coloured stone you should always use a white adhesive, if the stone is dark then you should consider grey.
You will need a notched trowel to spread the adhesive evenly across your surface. Do small sections at a time, using the notched edge of the trowel to make a rake motion once the adhesive is spread.
3) Laying the tiles – When laying the tiles start from the exact centre of the room, do not twist a tile, simply press down on each tile firmly yet softly. Once you have finished laying all your tiles check the manufacturers guidelines on your adhesive and make sure that you leave the surface for the recommended length of time for the adhesive to dry, or cure. Use a notched trowel to apply the adhesive to your surface. When applying the adhesive it is best to work in small areas of around one square metre in order to ensure that the tiles are fixed before the adhesive forms a skin.
4) Sealing the tiles – Sealing the tiles will prevent any un-wanted stains or blemishes and will make future maintenance much easier. The best way to do this is to seal the tiles before grouting and then add a final coat after grouting to seal the grout and totally saturate the stone.
5) Grouting the tiles – When grouting apply only enough grout as you can effectively work with, press the grout into the joints to an even level with the tile. Skim excess from tile with a rubber float. Similar to adhesives, the type of surface you are tiling onto will dictate the type of grout you choose to purchase.
6) Aftercare and maintenance – As long as the material has been properly and effectively sealed the aftercare of natural stone tiles is minimal. Clean with a damp cloth and luke warm water. Use this same method to clean porcelain tiles also. Your natural stone may require resealing at later intervals eg once every three or five years, this will depend on the kind of stone you purchase and you should also be aware of the guidelines layed out by the sealants manufacturer. For regular cleaning of grout use a grout and tile neutral cleaner.
Hints and tips
Check your stone tiles are sealed properly – You can do this by pouring an egg cup full of water onto the floor, it should form a small pool on the surface, leave it for about ten minutes. When you go back to the pool it should still be there, if the water has absorbed into the stone leaving a dark stain patch then the stone requires more sealant. You can check your wall tiles by throwing a mug full of water at the surface, the water should trickle down the surface like rain drops on a window pain.
Kitchen tiles, what comes first the units or the tiles? – When laying tiles into a new kitchen area you will need to consider whether you wish to lay the tiles or install the units first. This will be dictated by your timescale and what’s easiest and most efficient for your builder. We recommend tiling the whole of the floor before installing the units, this way appliances are easier to take in or out if they need to be replaced or repaired. This also means that if you want to change your kitchen further down the line you won’t have to retile your floor.
Cleaning grout – At the end of the laying process you may need to clean excess grout from the surface, to do this use grout haze and latex film remover. Never clean up grout with any kind of acidic solution. This will remove your sealant.
Laying Slate – If you are laying slate tiles it is a very good idea to go through them and group them together by thickness and give them a quick wipe-down before you start laying.
