Easy Steps On Tiling Your Kitchen Floor
Tiling is one job that most people would rather
not learn how to do since it can be scary that you make
some mistakes in the process. However, it is actually a lot easier
than what many might think. In fact, it
can save you a whole lot of money contrast to hiring a professional
for the job. As long as you know the do’s and don’ts, then this task
is a no-brainer for you.
Choosing Your Tiles
To start off, you have to choose the tiles that you want to use. You
may get surprised with the number of
variety choices when doing this. Tiles may come in different sizes,
colors, textures, materials and finishes. There are times that you
may encounter tiles with odd sizes. This is done on purpose by
companies so that you would have to buy extra.
Choosing a tile highly depends on you. It can also depend on how you
want the room to be and the over all design and feel of the room.
Measurements And Computations
You also need to measure out your floor area. You also have to
deliberate on whether you want the tiles to go under any kind of
fittings and units. Generally, it is better if you tile under the
fittings. This is because if you would have to move appliances in
the future, like a fridge, then you do not have to lift it up over
the edge of your new tiles.
When you have chosen what kind of tile you want to use, you need to
do some computations. You have to get your floor’s width and divide
it by the width of one tile. This is to know the number of complete
rows that you’ll have. Also, this can help you decide the optimal
wall edge to place your cut tiles against.
Application
After doing the math, you can now start applying tiles on your
floor. Be sure that you have an even coverage of adhesive placed on
your sub-floor. The type of adhesive to use would depend on your
sub-floor or the surface you are tiling. If it is a concrete floor,
then you can use a rapid setting adhesive. However, be sure that you
do not spread too much of the mixture at once, since it can set as
fast as 30 minutes.
If it is a wooden sub-floor, then you need a flexible adhesive. You
can know if an adhesive if flexible if
it is written on the bag or the tub. If you have slate, then you
need to use gray adhesive. If you’ll be having marble, then you need
a white adhesive. This is so that no color coming from the underside
would
bleed and ruin your design.
Grouting
When you are done fixing your tiles on the floor, and after you have
allowed enough time for it to dry, then
you would have to do some grouting. If you have natural tiles, like
marble, slate, limestone, granite,
travertine, and porcelain, you need to seal them first before you
can grout them. You have to use a
specialized impregnating sealer so that they will be waterproof and
can be more resistant to dirt and
staining.
Mix up the grout and apply it using a grout float to your tiles. Try
to work over the gaps until they’re all filled. If you have white
marble tiles, then you need to use a white grout instead of gray
since the gray kind can stain the marble.
To finish off, wipe out the excess grouts that are bulging from your
tiles using a sponge. Also, use a
grout finisher or your finger to smooth out the grout lines. After
this, stand back, relax and chill while
you wait for your work to dry up!
About the Author: D. Benjamin is the owner of
iapsales.com LLC - a family business specializing in HVAC products. We
are distributors of
Qmark Heaters,
electric tankless water heaters,
bathroom heaters,
patio heaters, electric heaters,
portable air
conditioners & electric towel warmers. Shop on line at
www.heateroutlet.com for these great home improvement products.
Iapsales.com LLC was established in 2003 and is the sister company to
Innovative Air Products located in historical Exeter, NH. We are a 2nd
generation manufacturers’ rep firm dedicated to providing residential &
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