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DIY made easy!
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how to
Tile a Floor
From your toolbox: Electric Drill Grinder Clean Rags Tape Measure Paint Brush
Tiling a bathroom: What you’ll need Adhesive
Screed
90045 ABA Powerstik Powder 20kg 90578 ABA Mixing Bucket
87661 ABA Abascreed
Waterproofing
Grouts
90058 STB Tape 90057 ABA Waterproofer Rapid 15L
ABA Easy Grout 750gm bottle White 90574 Black 90575 Slate Grey 90577
Grout sealer
508304 Aerosol Sameday Grout Sealer 443mL
Tile Leveller
90570 SALS Washer (400 pc bag) 90571 SALS Stems (400 pc bucket) 90572 SALS Caps (400 pc bucket)
Tools
90502 Adhesive Trowel 10mm
90506 Gauging Trowel 200mm
90530 Ardex Rubber Grout Float
110282 Knee Pads
90538 Ardex Marking Pencils
115704 Coscut Tile Cutter 500mm
111301 Straight Edge 2100mm 115706 DTA Professional 3 Vial Level 600mm
90536 Ardex Micro Sponge
DIY made easy Prepare & clean a main floor for tiling
tip:
Don’t take it for granted that your floor is even and level. It’s important to ensure that your floor is even before you start tiling. If it isn’t, we recommend:
90052 ABA LevelFast Self Levelling 20kg
Any tiling job will only be as good as the surface it’s laid on. It’s important to ensure, no matter what floor surface you’re tiling on, that the surface is sound, level and clean of dust and debris. Most floor surfaces are either concrete or timber. Concrete: For best results, the concrete must be allowed to cure for a minimum 28 days before it is tiled over. Steel trowelled concrete must be mechanically roughened (and then thoroughly washed) prior to tiling or there will not be enough adhesion. All concrete release agents and curing compounds must be removed by mechanical means. For cracks larger than 1.5mm consult your local suppliers. Timber flooring: Due to the expansion and contraction of the timber, it is never recommended to adhere ceramic tiles directly onto timber floors. Untreated floors should be primed and allowed to dry prior to tiling. Information on other, less common, floor surfaces can be found on the Tiling Wall and Floor Surfaces page on our website.
Prime the floor Before you begin, scrape the floor to get a nice flat finish and sweep away the residue. Step 1 Prime the surface to ensure the glue will stick. Be liberal with the primer and wait for it to dry before you commence tiling.
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How to cut floor tiles It’s likely some of your tiles will need to be cut to fit the floor, and there may be some that have to be cut into a different shape as well as size. Cutting tiles is not difficult with access to decent equipment and with a little practice. If you’re cutting your own tiles (and especially if you’re doing this for the very first time), it’s a good idea to allow a couple of extra tiles for practice or in case of any slight mishaps that may happen. In this fact sheet we show you how to make a straight cut, cut a shape, cut small shapes, and to cut away small pieces of tile.
When it comes to cutting tiles, there are a few options If you are planning to do a few tiling projects around your home, or are likely to lend specialist tools to friends, neighbours or relatives; a tradesman’s tile cutter is an excellent investment (and will make you popular with anyone else starting their own tiling projects!) If this is a once-only tiling project, then the best option will be to hire a tile cutter from your local Beaumont Tiles store. You might also consider buying a cheaper ‘handyman’ tile cutter. While these can be a good option, they are not built to last a long time. They will, however, do a great job for one or two jobs around the home.
To make a straight cut Step 1 Using a pencil, mark where the tile needs to be cut. Make sure that you cut the tile smaller than the space to allow for even grout joints. Step 2 Place the tile in the tile cutter and run the scorer across the tile (once only!). This creates a break point in the tile. Step 3 Push down the breaker. This will deliver a nice clean and evenly cut tile.
DIY made easy To cut a shape Step 1 Using a pencil, mark where the tile needs to be cut. Make sure that you cut the tile on the inside of the line smaller than the space to allow for even grout joints. Step 2 Cut to the scored lines using an electric grinder. Sides first and then the middle. Cut on the inside of the line.
Remember: Always wear safety glasses and a respirator when cutting tiles with an electric grinder.
DIY made easy
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Lay main floor tiles These 8 steps will take you through how to lay your tiles once your floor is clean and primed. Step 1 Measure out a full tile from the wall to establish a square line and a starting point. Simply, 3 units (anything) out and 4 units across will give a result of 5 units from point to point if both measurements are at 90 degrees (square). Mark the area where you will start tiling. (There is a helpful video tutorial on how to do this on our website). Step 2 Once you’ve got your guidlines ready, its time to do a “dry lay” with your tiles. Pre-cuts make the job a lot easier. Step 3 Mix the adhesive (follow the manufacturer’s instructions). An electric glue mixer will come in handy for larger jobs. You should be looking for the consistency of toothpaste. Spread about one square metre of adhesive on the floor where you are going to start tiling. Start along the straight line you drew earlier. For floor tiles, we use a 12mm notched trowel to spread adhesive. By using a notched trowel, the adhesive is applied leaving little tracks on the floor. Once the tile is bedded into place these notches will flatten out to leave a bed of adhesive 6mm thick.
DIY made easy Lay main floor tiles Step 4 Place each tile in position with a firm push and bed it into place with a slight up and down wiggle across the notches of the adhesive. Every now and then, lift a tile to check that it has complete coverage of the adhesive. Step 5 As you lay the tiles, use spacers to set the grout joints and to make small adjustments to the tile placement. This keeps all grout joints level and even. We reccomend the SALS tile levelling system by Ardex to ensure there is no lipping on the surface, which doubles as a spacer. Position at the corner of each tile, and screw down the caps. This will give you a more professional finish. Step 6 With a squeezed sponge, clean off all of the excess glue as you go. Step 7 Once the tiles are laid and the glue is dry, knock out the caps. It is important to knock them out in the same direction of the grout line. Step 8 You may see excess glue residue between the grout lines. Dont forget
DIY made easy Grout main floor tiles While grouting is not a difficult process, a well-grouted job can make all the difference to the finished project. Step 1 When mixing the grout, add the water first then the powder to ensure a thorough mix with no lumps. Follow the instructions on the packet and mix to a thick paste-like consistency. Apply the grout. Push it into the joints and compress by wiping over at an angle across the joints. Do not apply grout to the corners where walls meet floors and where two walls meet. Silicone will need to be applied here. Step 2 Allow the grout to dry and for a film to set on the face of the tiles (this will take about an hour) and then remove all the excess grout. Clean up with a damp (but not too wet) sponge. Do not wash the floor or overly wet the surface. The trick is to lift the film without wetting the actual grouted joint. Make sure that you keep rinsing the sponge as you work. Step 3 After most of the grout is removed from the primary wash repeat the process with a damp sponge. Then buff over it with clean cloths and a doodle bug. After the tiles are completely clean, use a grout sealer like AquaMix Sameday Grout Sealer.
tip:
The size of your tiles will determine the size of your trowel. For tiles smaller than 300x300, you can use an 8mm trowel, otherwise you’ll need a 10 or 12mm trowel.
90501 Ardex Stainless Steel Adhesive Trowel 8mm
90502 Ardex Stainless Steel Adhesive Trowel 10mm
DIY made easy Clean your main floor after tiling Once your tiles have been laid and grouted, they will need to be cleaned thoroughly to remove all residue cement and grout smears, silicone leaching and dirt. This cleaning is best done about a week after laying the tiles, as the grout will require 5-7 days to properly dry and age. Step 1 Begin by sweeping the floor to remove all loose debris. Then saturate the grout joints with cool, clean water. Step 3 Dilute phosphoric acid cleaner in warm water and apply the solution to the section of floor to be cleaned. Note: Once the solution has been applied to the floor, it cannot be allowed to dry until it is thoroughly rinsed. Add more water as necessary. Step 4 Once the solution has been left for 5-6 minutes (to break down the excess grout, dirt, and grease), scrub the tiles with a brush to lift the dirt, and remove with a wet vacuum cleaner. Repeat steps 3 and 4 if necessary. Note: Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using cleaning products on your tiles.
Keeping your floor tiles clean Step 1 Vacuum or sweep the area. This will remove most of the dirt and grit from the area. As well as making the next step much easier, getting rid of these little abrasive particles will protect your tiles from becoming scratched. Step 2 Dilute Concentrated Stone & Tile Cleaner (refer to the manufacturer’s instructions) and apply to tiles with a mop or sponge. Agitate solution with a brush or scrub pad and mop up the dirty solution before it dries.
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508005 Concentrated Stone & Tile Cleaner