How to Install Floor Tiles

Installing floor tiles is easy.

Installing floor tiles is an easy home improvement project that anyone can do. Tile floors are not only attractive, they are also a durable solution to any high traffic area in a home. Floor tiles come in many styles, sizes, and colors, so it's easy to match any room's decor. Of course you could hire a tile installer to do the work for you, but it's much more inexpensive to just do it yourself. Here's how to install floor tiles:

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• floor tiles of your choice
• tile spacers
• straight edge
• chalk
• pencil
• tile adhesive
• notched trowel
• tile cutter and/or wet saw
• grout
• rubber float
• sponge
• silicone grout sealer
• safety glasses
• knee pads

1. Remove old floor tiles and baseboards.

   Carefully remove baseboards and any old floor tiles from the floor. Preparing the floor surface can easily be the hardest part of tile installation!

2. Clean and smooth the floor before tiling.

   After removing the old tile flooring, clean the floor and make sure it's smooth and grease free.

3. Position the floor tiles without adhesive.

   Lay the floor tiles down as a 'dry run' without adhesive. Start in the center of the room and lay tile from that point (draw two perpendicular lines in the room to find the center point). Use tile spacers and chalk to mark reference lines as needed. The goal is to have full tiles in the center of the floor and evenly cut tiles on the outside edges.

4. Measure and cut the floor tiles.

   Measure and cut the floor tiles to fit. You can rent a wet saw (for large tiles) and/or a tile cutter (for smaller tiles) from a local home improvement store. Make sure you double and triple check your measurements before cutting the floor tiles.

5. Apply floor tile adhesive.

   Using a notched trowel, evenly apply tile adhesive to a two foot square area on the floor. Let the adhesive sit for a few minutes before setting floor tiles. Continue applying adhesive and laying floor tiles in small areas until you finish the entire room. Don't forget to use tile spacers between the tiles and use a level to make sure the tiles lay flat.

6. Let the tiles set in the adhesive overnight.

   Once you finish installing tiles over the entire floor, let the tiles set in the adhesive overnight.

7. Mix the grout.

   Remove the floor tile spacers and mix the grout according to the manufacturer's directions.

8. Apply grout with a rubber float.

   Using the rubber float, apply grout in-between the floor tiles at a 45 degree angle. Wipe off excess tile grout with a wet sponge.

9. Wipe off grout haze.

   After about an hour, check the floor tiles for grout haze and wipe them clean as necessary.

10. Let the tiles cure, then brush with a grout sealer.

    Let the floor tiles cure for a week and then brush the grout with a silicon sealer.

11. See the Resources listed below for more tiling ideas.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are laying floor tiles in an area that will get wet (a bathroom for example), be sure to purchase water resistant tile, grout and adhesive.

• Sometimes homeowners decide to install floor tiles right on top of the old tiles. This sometimes works, but is not generally recommended if you want your tile to stay in place for the long-term.

• Buy extra floor tiles just in case you cut them incorrectly.

• When laying floor tiles in an area that will get wet (like a bathroom or kitchen), make sure you caulk the area where tile and objects like toilets and bathtubs meet.

• Put on safety glasses before removing old floor tiles - tile shards can fly everywhere.

• Wear safety glasses when cutting floor tiles with the tile saw or tile cutter.

• Use knee pads to prevent knee injuries.

Resources

• Black & Decker Guide to Decorating with Ceramic Tile: Innovative Techniques & Patterns for Floors, Walls, Backsplashes & Accents
• Ultimate Guide to Ceramic & Stone Tile: Select, Install, Maintain
• Tiling Floors With Michael Byrne (Homebuilding DVD Workshop)
• More Tile Idea Books!
• Dap Floor Tile Adhesive
• Grout Float
• Notched Trowel
• Grout Cleaning System
• Bosch Tile Set
• Silicone Grout Sealer
• How to Regrout Shower Tile
• How to Install Bathroom Tiles
• How to Lay Bathroom Floor Tile
• How to Pick Bathroom Tile
• How to Lay a Tile Backsplash
• How to Install Wall Tiles
• How to Buy and Install Glass Tile
• How to Install Ceramic Wall Tiles
• How to Cut Granite Tops
• How to Stop a Linoleum Floor From Being Slippery
• How to Install Marble Tile on a Fireplace
• How to Install Tile for a Fireplace Surround
• How to Finish Wood Floors
• How to Lay Tiles on Cement
• How to Install Ceramic Tile on New Concrete
• How to Tile a Concrete Floor
• How to Clean a Wood Laminate Floor
• How to Install A Wood Laminate Floor