Things You'll Need
Vitrified tiles
Tile saw
Thinset mortar
Trowel
No homeowner likes grout lines. Grout can become dingy-looking quickly, making a tile installation look old. Grout lines, however, are important for a few reasons: They help keep your tiles in straight lines and prevent damage from the tiles rubbing against one another. If your tile project is in a dry area, you can install a specific kind of ceramic tile without grout.
Use vitrified tiles, which are made of compressed clay dust, if you wish to install tiles without grout. Vitrified tiles are straight and square and can be installed butted up against one another without a joint.
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Step 1
Lay out the tiles in the area you wish to install them, or in an area of equal size on a worktable if tiling a wall. The first tile should be laid at the center of the wall furthest from the door if you are tiling a floor, or in the bottom center of a wall being tiled. The next tiles will be laid out evenly to each side for a balanced installation.
Step 2
Butt the tiles right up against one another so that they touch. Cut tiles to fit the edges of the installation on a tile saw and return them to the installation with the cut side facing out to ensure only smooth sides touch one another.
Step 3
Install the tiles in the same pattern determined during the dry-fit by spreading a small amount of thinset mortar over the area to be installed with a trowel. Comb the trowel with the notched edge of the trowel to produce ridges uniform in height and press each tile firmly into the mortar. Allow the mortar to dry for 24 hours.
Tip
Do not install tiles without grout in an area prone to moisture or wetness, such as a bathroom. Grout joints help keep the substrate dry by sealing it in. Without them, you could be allowing water to seep between the tiles.
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