How to Lay Brick Tiles
Brick tiles are ceramic tiles made to look like authentic brick. Brick tiles are easier to install and cost less than installing actual bricks, and many people use them to add an industrial, rustic appeal to the inside of their homes. They may be laid on floors, walls, counters, steps and even ceilings. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Brick tiles
- Tile adhesive that looks like grout or cement
- Trowel
- Metal putty knife
- Level
- Chalk line
- Tape measure
- Damp rag
- Ceramic tile cutter
- Gloves
- Safety goggles
Instructions
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Prepare your work area. If you are tiling a wall, begin along the center of the wall. If you follow a baseboard or the ceiling you might end up with uneven pieces that are not easy to cover up. Use the chalk line and level to make sure you're starting point at the middle of the wall is level. If you are tiling a counter you should start at the edge and work backwards; this will make it easier to cover uneven spots later, as corners may be done with an even line of grout. For ceilings and floors, start in the direct center of the installment area, using your tape measure to determine the center spot.
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2
Follow the instructions on the tile adhesive container; directions are typically specific to each adhesive type. Any type of tile adhesive will work for this job. Using the putty knife and trowel, apply the adhesive to your starting area. Apply just enough for a few tiles. Scratch lines into the applied adhesive with the edge of the putty knife; these lines will help to hold the tiles in place.
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Press the tiles into place; check often to make sure they are level with the starting point so that you can move them before they dry completely. Stagger the tiles so that they look like authentic bricklaying.
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Use the trowel to smooth the adhesive between the tiles and make it look like authentic brick grout, or cement. Keep a damp rag handy to wipe away tile adhesive that gets onto the face of the brick tiles before the adhesive has a chance to dry.
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Continue until you reach a corner or other obstacle. At this point you will need to measure and cut the tiles to fit into the remaining area. Remember to wear gloves and safety goggles while cutting the tiles to prevent cuts and damage to your eyes. Put the cut pieces into place on the surface in the same way as the other tiles.
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Tips & Warnings
Uneven spots along edges can be covered up using a straight line of tile adhesive along the entire edge or covered by baseboard or other border pieces.
