How to Lay Tiles on a Cement Bed
By installing tile, you can change the look of a concrete bed from a drab, gray expanse to a decorative pattern that you can customize to match any area. Concrete is generally a fairly good surface for tile application, but it does require a few extra steps. Before you begin, you need to make sure that the concrete is perfectly flat, as any bumps or depressions will cause your tile to crack when you walk on it. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Broom
- Level
- Pen
- Leveling compound
- Trowel
- Rubbing stone
- Mop
- Measuring tape
- Chalk line
- Tile
- Spacers
- Sponge
- Thin-set mortar
- Bucket
- Notched trowel
- Mallet
- Tile cutter
- Grout
- Grout float
Instructions
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1
Sweep off the bed to remove any obvious dirt or dust.
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2
Run a level over the cement bed and mark any high or low points with a pen.
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3
Fill any low areas with cement leveling compound. Scrape the top of the compound to make sure it is level. Rub down any high areas with your rubbing stone. Let the compound sit for 24 hours before you continue.
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4
Mop the cement bed, using just water, to remove any remaining dirt or dust. Let the concrete dry.
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5
Measure two parallel edges on the concrete bed and mark the middle point on each. Run the chalk line between them and snap it, creating a line. Repeat the process on the other edges, creating an "X," with the middle of the "X" located in the middle of the bed.
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6
Starting from the middle, add the tiles and spacers without any mortar. If the distance between the end of the last tile and any wall is greater then three-quarters the length of a tile, or less than one-quarter the length of a tile, adjust your center line to correct this spacing. Remove the tiles and spacers.
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Mix the thin-set mortar in a bucket according to the package directions.
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Get your sponge damp and wet the concrete in one quadrant near the middle of the "X" on the concrete. Wet enough of the concrete so you can fit about nine tiles in a square.
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Drop a glob of thin-set onto the wet concrete. Hold your trowel at a 45-degree angle and spread the thin-set over the area.
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Place the first tile in the corner of the "X." It is important that this first tile be aligned exactly with your chalk lines. Tap the tile gently to set it into the thin-set. Place a spacer on both sides of the tile, and then place the next tile into the thin-set. Continue until you have a 3-foot by 3-foot square of tile.
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Repeat the process of creating 3-foot by 3-foot squares until the quadrant is complete, and then move on to the next quadrant.
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12
Measure the space between the end tiles and the wall, subtracting the space for the grout line equal to the size of your spacer. Use this measurement to cut tiles on your tile cutter. Place the tile under the blade of the cutter, and then score the tile with the blade and push down to snap the tile. Set these tiles against the wall in thin-set. Once you have put all of the tiles in place, let the thin-set dry for at least 24 hours before you walk on the tile or start to apply the grout.
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13
Mix the grout and water in a bucket according to the package directions.
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Place a glob of grout on the tiles in the back corner of the area. Spread the grout over the area, using a grout float. Once you have a thin layer of grout, hold your float at a high angle and scrape it diagonally to the grout lines, scraping off the excess grout. Repeat this process for the entire tiled area.
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Wait approximately 20 minutes for the grout to set, and then rub down the tiles with a wet sponge to clean the remaining grout.
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Tips & Warnings
If the area where you are installing the tile has a temperature over 70 degrees Fahrenheit or has high humidity, allow at least 48 hours before you walk on the tile or apply the grout.
References
- Al's Home Improvement Center: Laying Resilient Floor Tile
- Hometime.com: Floor Underlayment
- Floors Transformed: Installing Tile Over Vinyl, Wood and Concrete
- Biblelife.org: How to Lay a Floating Porcelain or Ceramic Tile Floor Over a Concrete Slab That Has Cracks, Contraction Joints or Expansion Joints
- HammerZone.com: Applying Grout to Floor Tiles
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images
