abolos Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Installation Guide
- June 9, 2024
- ABOLOS
Table of Contents
Ceramic and Porcelain Tile
Installation Guide
Ceramic and Porcelain Tile
Always consult a professional before starting.
Step 1: Check & Clean Subfloor Ensure subfloor is flat and structurally sound,
the quality of your installation will depend on this. Take your time to
repair, patch, and level any damaged or uneven areas.
Also for best results, make sure your subfloors are clean, smooth, dry and
properly adhered to the substrate.
Step 2: Layout & Chalk lines Plan your layout to ensure you’ve dealt with all
layout challenges beforehand, sketch and dry lay your tile. For an efficient
layout, start by marking the center point in the room. Next, snap chalk lines
between the center points to pinpoint the center of the room. Starting at the
center point, lay a row of loose tiles along the center lines in both
directions, using tile spacers as you go to for even, uniform joints. Once you
reach the walls, you’ll need to cut tiles for a proper fit. If the cuts needed
are smaller than half of a tile, you can adjust the center line by snapping a
new line a half-tile size closer to the wall. If necessary, repeat this step
along the intersecting or perpendicular center line for a precise design. You
may need to adjust your starting point in order to ensure at least one half of
a tile is present on the outside edge of the room (this will give a more
professional appearance). To do this, simply adjust your starting point after
dry-laying your tile in all four directions.
To make a large room more manageable, divide each section into smaller 2’ x
3’ grids by snapping additional lines parallel to the centerlines. For
rectangular sized tiles, we recommend installation with staggered joints (1/3
of the tile size) to minimize lippage or a bowing effect.
Step 3: Cutting the Tile Start by marking carefully measured cuts-to-be with a
pencil or felt-tip pen on the tile surface. You can use a tile cutter or wet-
saw to achieve pinpoint straight or diagonal cuts. Make curved cuts with a
nipper or micro-cutter. Chipping away small pieces for best results. After
your cuts are made, smooth out any sharp edges with a carborundum stone to
give a soft finish to your tile. Step 4: Mix & Apply Mortar Only mix enough of
the mortar to be used within 30 minutes. Thoroughly mix the appropriate thin
set for your project to a toothpaste consistency. Pay special attention to the
thin-set being used, as larger tiles should be installed with a “large format
thin- set”. Using the appropriately notched trowel for your tile and your
installation, apply your thin-set working out from your intersecting lines.
After doing so, hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle and use the notched side
to comb the mortar into standing ridges. When you remove the excess mortar,
you leave behind a uniform, ridged setting bed for your tile. As another rule
of thumb, do not spread a larger area of your mortar than can be set in 15
minutes. Note: If the mortar has slaked over, please discard and start over
as the tile may not properly adhere. Using the flat side of the trowel, apply
a scratch coat to the back of the tile in order to ensure getting a proper
bond
Step 5: Set Tile Now that you’ve primed the surface, created the layout, cut
the tile and applied the mortar, you are fully prepared for the actual
installation of your tile. Begin by installing tiles in the center of the
room, one grid at a time, finishing each grid before moving to the next.
Within each grid, it will help to start with the first tile in the corner and
work outward. Using a slight twisting motion, set tiles one at a time and
avoid sliding them into place. Be sure to either insert spacers as each tile
is set or leave equal joints between tiles. Save the perimeter tiles in each
grid for last, leaving a ¼” gap between the tile and wall. Note: Periodically
pull up the tile in order to ensure that 95% or greater coverage is being
attained. Once a grid is completely installed, tap in all tiles with a rubber
mallet or hammer and wood block to ensure a solid bond and level plane. Remove
excess adhesive from joints with a putty knife and from tile with a damp
sponge to prevent an uneven appearance. Note: Use a 36” or longer level in
order to try and maintain a level floor. You can lift a tile up and apply
additional thin-set mortar to try and achieve your level floor. Tip: Do not
attempt to set tile into mortar which has dried. Set tile that must be cut
last. Tip: Sprinkle dry grout over the newly grouted area, as this will cause
the grout to get a more uniform appearance. Dry grout also operates as an
abrasive that can aid in the removal of grout haze
Step 6: Dry for at least 24 hours Keep all traffic off of your hard work for at least 24 hours, allowing the thin-set mortar time to securely adhere the tile to the subfloor. Avoid high traffic for 72 hours.
Step 7: Grout & Polish After reading and following all instructions and precautions on the grout package, make only enough to use in a 30-minute period. As you remove the tile spacers and spread grout on the tile surface, use a rubber grout float to force it down into the joints. Tilt the float at a 45-degree angle and with the edge of the float, pack the grout into each of the joints using a diagonal motion along the tiles, scraping away un-needed grout as you go. Once you’ve let the grout set to manufacture’s instructed time, use a damp sponge in a circular motion to clean any residue from the surface. Once the majority of the grout has been removed, take the dampened sponge to do a finish cleanup, lightly dragging the sponge along the tile in a horizontal fashion. Note: your sponge should be rinsed after every pass, and remain damp (not wet).