How to lay tiles on the wall correctly master class on facing the bathroom. Do-it-yourself tile laying: step-by-step instructions from surface preparation to grouting Wall cladding: laying the bottom row of wall tiles

What is the best material for interior decoration? Ceramic tiles. Today you can choose a tile for any interior and for any author's idea - if there were financial opportunities, but there would be material. Most often, people make styling in kitchens and bathrooms. This ensures cleanliness, simplicity and ease of cleaning, allows you to create a neat appearance rooms. High quality ceramic tiles will have high cost(respectively, the cost of laying ceramic tiles professional workers too), and the only way to get beautiful apartment, use quality materials and at the same time not spending a lot of money - this is a do-it-yourself repair. In particular, the installation of tiles. And today we will look at how ceramic tiles are laid on vertical surfaces, what materials need to be purchased, how to prepare the surface, etc. In general, everything related to the process of qualitative changes in your premises.

Preparing for laying tiles

All installation work begins with the selection of materials, the selection of their optimal price-quality ratio and the selection of tools. And the most important part this process is the choice of ceramic tiles.

Before installation work it is necessary to choose the material most suitable for facing the surface. All tiles can classify across several categories. by color(monochrome, color), in form(shaped or ordinary), by quality(there are three grades of materials). We will not go into the details of the selection, but only note a few important points:

• Buy a tile with 10-15% margin. This will prevent possible moments of shortage of materials for cladding.
• Please note that all tiles must be from the same batch. This is easy to determine by the inscriptions and markings on the packages.
• It is worth paying attention to the pictograms on the packaging - they give basic information about the material. A foot on a black background means that the tiles are for laying on the floor, hand - for laying on the walls, a snowflake speaks of frost resistance, etc.
• Decide what methods of laying ceramic tiles you will use. Traditionally, count five ways- classic, diagonal, brick paving, herringbone paving and modular paving (arbitrary pattern).

Tools and building materials

Before choosing tools, you need to prepare Construction Materials. To carry out the installation of ceramic tiles on the walls, you need to use special glue and leveling compound. The latter is almost a necessity - unfortunately, the walls in many houses are far from ideal, and in order for the tile to lie flat on the surface, it is necessary to first prepare it for work. Alternatively, you can use sheets of moisture-resistant drywall.

Necessary tools for work:

1. Hammer and chisel for beating old materials from the walls;
2. Spatula and plaster spatula;
3. Measuring instruments - body kit, level of required length;
4. Bulgarian, tile cutter (so you don’t have to look for how to cut ceramic tiles), pliers and brushes.

Preparing the room and surface before laying

First of all, you need to properly prepare the room for the upcoming installation. This is done as follows:

1. Get rid of glue and old tiles on the walls with a puncher or hammer.
2. Check the wall surface. If there are cracks, chips or depressions, it is advisable to get rid of them. If the surface is solid, then only surface cleaning can be carried out.
3. Check the surface evenness. To do this, use a body kit or a level, if it turns out that there are deviations even within 2-3 mm, then it is necessary to level the wall.

The next step is the leveling of the surface. For this process, you can use traditional cement with sand, but you need to have some skills in plastering the surface. It is much easier to purchase modern special mixtures - you just need to apply the mixture to the wall, evenly distribute it with a spatula on the wall and check how leveled the wall is.

To simplify the process of leveling large walls, you can use wooden or metal beacons. Depending on the degree of unevenness of the walls, choose the type of beacon (the more irregularities, the thicker the rail you need). Prepare the beacons, measure their length and fix them on the corners of the room with mortar. Don't forget to use the level. Screw a few self-tapping screws into the installed rails, then stretch a thread between them and fasten other beacons along this thread. When everything is ready, the screws and threads can be removed and the direct process of leveling the walls can begin. Along the lighthouses, a solution is thrown in small sections, and the excess is removed with a corner or spatula, while the work is carried out from the bottom up. We remind you once again that before using the solution, it is advisable to review all instructions for its use.

Do-it-yourself tile laying

Process self-assembly wall tiles:

• The adhesive mixture is prepared in accordance with the instructions that are indicated on the package. Glue must be prepared in small portions to prevent freezing.
• Laying work is carried out from the bottom up. For the evenness of the rows of tiles, a rail is installed on the floor, strictly along which the installation of the first row is carried out. In order for subsequent rows to be as even as possible, you need to attach vertical slats to the wall and align them with a plumb line. At the level of the next rows, a thread is pulled, along which visual inspection of the surface can be carried out.
• A tile is taken, a pre-prepared adhesive mixture is applied to it using a notched trowel, after which it is attached to the wall.
• In order for the width of the seam between the tiles to be the same, you need to use plastic spacers, which are installed at the intersection of the seams.
• It rarely happens that the whole tile is used - often it has to be cut. What is the best way to cut ceramic tiles? The best option- this is a tile cutter, but in the absence of one, you can also use a grinder. A special tool will prevent the appearance of possible chips and cracks on the surface.
• If you need to drill holes in ceramic tiles, then either a regular drill or a low-speed screwdriver should be used. A special diamond drill with a peaked shape is used - it will allow you to accurately and quickly make holes.

Laying ceramic tiles on plywood is carried out in the same way as on a regular surface. But at the same time, you need to use special moisture-resistant solutions (for example, Wuqing MK-92, Stauf-440, Kiilto Slim). The glue itself is resistant to moisture, so there is no need to additionally process the plywood before gluing. When choosing an adhesive, you can ask the sellers for the presence of a mixture with a modified silane, which has the level of elasticity necessary for gluing wood and ceramics.

Laying ceramic tiles on drywall provides the same rules, but additional recommendations appear. To prevent deformation of the drywall surface, before laying it is recommended to fix a special polypropylene mesh. You need to lay tiles on drywall in small rows, while after installing each row you need to wait at least an hour.

After you have mounted the material on the walls, you may want to further decorate it. How is ceramic tile painting done by hand? Simple enough: you just need to purchase acrylic paints (they are reliable, moisture resistant, do not lose color) and apply patterns to the surface.

The assortment of construction stores pleases with constantly emerging new products designed to fulfill modern finishes housing. But be that as it may, ceramic tiles do not lose their popularity at all, and remain one of the most popular materials for flooring and wall cladding in rooms with specific operating conditions - with high humidity, with direct contact with water on the surface, with a pronounced abrasive load, with the need for frequent wet cleaning using detergents. According to such criteria, this includes bathrooms, bathrooms and kitchens, hallways and corridors, balconies and loggias, entrance groups and some utility rooms.

In a word, in any house or apartment, such a finish will definitely find wide application. Therefore, the question is so relevant - how difficult is laying ceramic tiles with your own hands, is it worth inviting a master, or is it quite possible to manage on your own? We cannot agree with the opinion of the authors of individual articles who claim that tiling is a very simple task. Such a finish requires precise adherence to technology, knowledge of many nuances, a certain skill and increased accuracy. However, it does not seem impossible either - so many homeowners have successfully completed Finishing work on one's own. We hope that this article will help the portal visitor to understand the basics of ceramic tile laying technology, to carefully assess their capabilities and make the right decision.

Facing with ceramic tiles today has become a necessary, albeit quite expensive element of interior design. Wherein wall tiling technology It is quite simple and allows a non-professional to take on the job. If you follow tile laying rules, you can do the work yourself so that its result is pleasing to the eye. It is only important not to rush, perform all actions carefully and constantly monitor the accuracy of laying.

Before how to lay tiles on a wall yourself, without using the services of masters, you need to get acquainted with the main stages.

What is this article about

Surface preparation

Before how to glue tiles on the wall, it is necessary to prepare its surface. Often, dismantling is required first. plumbing equipment, because it will interfere with the quality laying wall tiles and may be damaged in the course of work. You will probably also have to remove the old tile. When it breaks off, dust and sharp small fragments will scatter, so you should wear safety glasses and gloves.

Laying tiles on the wall will not cause difficulties only under the condition of high-quality surface preparation. Even small irregularities can significantly complicate installation. DIY tiles and worsen its appearance, therefore, maximum attention should be paid to checking and eliminating the detected shortcomings.

The technology of laying ceramic tiles on the wall provides that irregularities should not exceed 2-3 mm per meter of surface. If the old plaster is loose and crumbling, it will have to be replaced. Lay tiles on the wall covered with fragile plaster is impossible, as it can fall off along with the base. Check the verticality of the walls. If the slope of one of them exceeds a few millimeters, then on the adjacent exactly lay ceramic tiles would be very difficult or even impossible. If the walls have such defects, it is necessary to eliminate them with plaster. It is applied in a layer of no more than 2 cm. If this is not enough, the second layer can be applied only after the first has completely hardened.

Facing wooden walls possible after giving them additional rigidity. To do this, use a metal mesh. If the surface of the walls is too smooth, small notches are made with a hammer and chisel to improve the adhesion of the adhesive to it. You can also fix a special grid on the wall, which ensures reliable adhesion of the tile. The prepared surface is primed and covered with mastic to improve the adhesion of the adhesive to the base.

Material selection

Before buying tiles, you should measure the walls. Laying tiles on the wall almost always requires trimming the extreme rows vertically and horizontally. It is better if you have to cut wide enough strips, since narrow ones are much more difficult to chip off. It is often advised to “hide” the cropped row in the far corners, behind cabinets and other equipment. However, modern wall tiling technology has another solution to this problem: using trims.

Trim is a plastic or metal profile into which the last row of tiles is inserted. The rear part of the profile is pressed against the wall, and the narrow front and, possibly, the side remain in sight. Trim not only hides small defects, but is also able to decorate the wall itself. Therefore, it is possible to border them not only with cut tiles, but also with all corners of the room, as well as niches and masonry edges, if only part of the wall is to be finished. The joint with the ceiling is better to close ceiling plinth, since it will be difficult to insert the top row into the trim.

When choosing a tile, consider the conditions in which it will be used. Wall tiles are not designed for heavy loads; they cannot be glued to the floor. To do this, use other, more durable and non-slippery tiles. Glue tiles can be used outdoors, both on the walls and on the floor. For this, ceramics with low porosity, which slightly absorb water, are used. Pay attention to the variety. The tile of the highest, first grade is marked with a red marking. Blue marking means that defective, crooked tiles may come across in the package. If the marking is green, there may be more. High-quality masonry will not work out of them.

There are different how to lay tiles on walls, such as chess, diagonal, run-up and others. Chess does not present any difficulty, in this case they simply alternate tiles different colors. When laying diagonally, you will need to cut a lot of tiles; without a tile cutter, this is difficult to do. You will also have to cut a little more tiles when gluing in a run - in this case, each next row is shifted by half a tile relative to the previous one, like brickwork.

However, these ways to diversify wall cladding recede before the wealth of choice of tile collections available on the market. Wall cladding with ceramic tiles allows you to decorate the room due to the presence in most of them of decorative elements - panels and borders. Borders, or friezes, usually have a standard width but vary in height. Having chosen a collection and a cladding scheme to your taste, calculate the required amount of tiles, taking into account inserts in the form of panels and borders. Distance between tiles when laying should be 2-4 mm. In addition, 5-10% is added for possible cut losses.

In addition to the tile itself, for wall tiling you will need glue, putty or sealant for grouting and plastic crosses for styling. Glue ceramic tiles on the wall possible for normal cement mortar, and on glue like "liquid nails". However, in terms of value for money the best choice- special tile adhesive.

Preparing for laying tiles

main stage tiling- it's actually a sticker decorative tiles. First of all, you need to make a plan so that you know exactly how put tiles on the walls where to place the decor elements that will have to be cut. Without this, it is not worth starting work.

How to lay tiles on walls? Work should start from the bottom. From that how to lay tiles the bottom row, the quality of the lining of the entire wall depends. Before how to tile on a wall, it is necessary to carefully, according to the level, outline the horizontal along which the first row will be laid.

Professionals recommend starting laying tiles with an indent from the floor to a height of 30-40 cm. In this case, it is easier to ensure the horizontality of the first row, which is laid on a rail fixed to the wall. The bottom row in this case fits last. If necessary, the tiles in it are cut. Trim cannot be used here, but if necessary, the junction of the wall and floor can be covered with a plinth.

Laying ceramic tiles on the wall or the floor is made using a special comb trowel. A rubber spatula with teeth is used to apply the grout. For splitting tiles, it is good to have a tile cutter. If it is not there, you can cut the ceramics from the wrong side with a grinder. Sometimes you need to cut a narrow strip or make a small cut in the tile. In this case, the glaze is cut with a glass cutter and, slowly, small pieces of ceramics are chipped off with pliers, and then the edge is cleaned with emery.

Wall covering

To dilute the glue, pour it into the water in small portions, stirring until the consistency of thick sour cream. Glue should be well smeared on the tile, but not drain from it. How to properly tile? Different masters answer this question in different ways. Some people apply glue to a small part of the wall. However, by doing do-it-yourself wall tiling and without sufficient experience, it can be difficult to determine what area should be smeared. Therefore, we advise you to apply glue to the tiles.

The work is done with a comb trowel. Having leveled the glue with the side of the spatula, serrated grooves are applied. To glue the tiles, it is tightly, but not very strongly pressed against the wall. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the glue is distributed over the entire surface, without squeezing out. Having thus fixed two tiles, insert a cross and align them with it. Crosses must be inserted so that during thermal expansion there is no stress that can lead to peeling and cracking of the tile.

The first set row is checked by level. When a marriage is found, it is immediately corrected. After making sure that it is horizontal, they pull the nylon thread for the second row and lay it out in the same way. Lay tiles on the wall more convenient in rows. You should not strive to veneer the entire wall at once. Before the glue dries completely, it is necessary to remove the crosses from the lower rows with an awl, clean the surface of the tile and the seams between the tiles. Before gluing the first tile in the next row, do not forget to check the previous one for horizontality.

Installation of tiles using trim has only one feature: it will be necessary to lay the extreme (cut) tile into it before sticking the adjacent one. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully check the correctness of the cutting and only after that stick the tile.

After completion of laying, the glue should dry within a day. After that, fill the seams with grout using rubber spatula. Excess is removed with a soft cloth. The grout should dry for another day.

Laying tiles on the floor

How to lay tiles correctly on the floor? It is necessary to make sure that the base is solid, does not creak or sway anywhere. If the floor is wooden, use a metal mesh. Laying tiles on linoleum is unacceptable, as it can move and the lining will quickly peel off. If a cement screed is being made, it should be kept for 45 days until the solution has completely hardened. You can not lay the tiles earlier, because the remaining moisture can lead to rotting of the floor under the tiles.

They begin to lay out the tiles from the far wall, so that later they do not have to step on the newly pasted row. However, as with the installation on the wall, indentation is made to avoid the influence of unevenness, which always takes place in the corners. The first tile laid on the floor should not touch the walls. Special attention pay attention to maintaining the same laying height. Before how to lay ceramic tiles, apply glue to it or according to the markings directly on the floor. If the tile has gone deep, add a solution, if it protrudes, remove a part or lightly tap wooden mallet. The laid tiles should dry without load, the drying time depends on the adhesive used and is usually 24-48 hours.

Facing with decorative stone

In the same way, it can be glued to walls and facing stone. It is often used for cladding plinth or exterior walls. You can also lay out a hallway or an arch in the house. If a dark stone is laid inside the room, it may look too gloomy. To avoid this, backlighting is done using LED strips, spotlights or lamps. The installation of the stone has no significant features. You just need to pay attention to the reverse side of the stone. If there are bumps, swellings on it, they are leveled with a narrow grinder. Filling the joints should be done with great care so that the grout does not fall on the front surface. If this happens, it is removed with a sponge. The seam should not contrast in color with the surface of the stone, this gives the impression of untidiness. In this case, it can be carefully painted over, but it is better to choose the color of the grout in advance. Sometimes the stone itself is painted or varnished. A hydrophobic solution applied to the stone will protect it and make it easier to care for.

Repair in the bathroom is rarely complete without replacing the tiles, especially if it has already served for 10-20 years. But, as usual, the question arises: hire a master or do everything yourself. If you have a proven, tried and tested tiler in mind and a certain amount (usually they ask for the same amount of work as the materials cost), you can hire. Otherwise, try laying the tiles yourself. If the walls are at least relatively even, everything should do without much difficulty. But just before laying the tiles on the wall, carefully study the technology.

It starts, as usual, with the choice of tiles. Just pay attention not only to her external data. You will definitely need to check its geometry, otherwise it will be difficult to work with it. If you are laying tiles for the first time, any curvature will greatly complicate the task. So let's check:

From experience it is worth saying that ideal parameters extremely difficult to find. If you like it externally, there are no cobwebs of cracks or glaze defects on the surface, the edges are even, the dimensions are the same, you can take it despite some non-linearity (first point). Otherwise, you'll be tired of running around the shops. What you should not do is to take a tile “to order”. How can you control its quality if you already pay for it. Take only what you hold in your hands.

What is the tile on?

Previously, tiles were laid on a cement-sand mixture, to which PVA glue or Bustilat was added. You can, of course, do this, but it will be more difficult to work. For more comfortable work, use ready-made compositions, they are also called “tile glue” for the fact that the composition contains adhesive components, therefore it is sometimes said that tiles are “glued” to the walls. Compositions are of two types:

• in buckets - mastics, ready for use;
• in bags - dry mixes that require dilution with water.

Professionals mainly use dry mixes. If necessary, they can correct an imperfect wall by making the layer a little thicker or thinner. Another plus: they retain plasticity longer, which allows you to make adjustments some more time later. They work with mastic on an ideal wall and there can be no deviations here: the layer is too thin.

When choosing a tile adhesive, you can choose it for specific tasks. So there are compositions in which there are additives that increase the water-repellent properties of a wall or floor. This is important in the kitchen and bathroom. There are frost-resistant, it will come in handy if you put it in an unheated room or on the street. You can find glue that has bactericidal properties: it will not allow fungi and mold to develop, which is in demand in wet rooms.

Preparatory work

Before laying the tiles on the wall, a number of preparatory activities are carried out. This is a long and unpleasant process, but it is highly undesirable to skip it: not every master, not to mention beginners, can normally lay tiles on uneven unprepared walls.

Leveling the surface

First of all, the old coating is removed from the walls and what can fall off. If there are greasy stains, they are removed, or they simply cut off part of the plaster along with the absorbed oil. The walls are tapped with a wooden mallet, determining by the sound whether there are voids. They occur if the plaster has peeled off, but has not yet blown out. If you stick a tile on such an area, everything will collapse under its weight. Therefore, you cover all such places yourself.

A flat bar is applied to the cleaned base and it is estimated how smooth or curved the walls are. If the surface of the wall is strongly convex or curved, it is better to correct everything with plaster to the level. Then laying tiles on the wall will be very simple. If the walls are relatively even, only too large indents are leveled: irregularities (protrusions or pits) that are more than 5 mm. The protrusions need to be cut off, the pits should be filled with a plaster mixture, the cracks should be widened, moistened and also covered with plaster.

We prime

It is desirable to treat the prepared wall with a primer. Best suited for these purposes is "Betonokontakt" or another composition with similar characteristics. It penetrates a sufficiently large thickness deep into the wall, binding all the particles. After drying, the surface becomes rough, tile adhesive is very well “molded” to it.

How to start

There are several possible starting points. If it’s quite simple, you can lay out the first row immediately from the corner, I’m guided along the floor line. But the first row will become even and without problems only if the floor is perfectly flat, without any deviations. Otherwise, you will cut the tiles to somehow get vertical seams. As a result of these trimmings, the second and all subsequent rows can “walk”. The work will be very hard and unpleasant. Therefore, it is better to spend time and mark the wall by finding the "start" points.

Wall marking

If you don't really care about the small pieces of tiles that you have to put in the corners and at the top, under the ceiling, you can skip this step. But if you want the whole tile to lie symmetrically, before laying the tiles on the wall, you will have to do the layout:

If it turned out that only narrow strips remain at both ends, it is advisable to redo the layout. If the middle was located in the center of the wall, try to expand from the seam, and vice versa. Should come out better.

With the placement of tiles in height, the situation is slightly different. In some cases, the seam is made at a certain level. In a bathroom, this is often the edge of an installed bathtub. If there are no such requirements, you can do the same: find the center, position (draw on the wall) the position of the tiles relative to it. Thus, you will find how you will need to cut the tiles of the upper and lower rows.

Vertically, you can arrange in another way: mark the first tile from the ceiling, and so on to the bottom. In this case, only the bottom row will have to be cut. This is not entirely correct, but the consumption of tiles is slightly less.

In any case, when calculating how to lay the tiles on the wall, mark the level where the first row ends. It usually serves as a starting point. This is where the tiling begins.

start line

According to the results of the layout, you have a line where the first row ends. Here at this height they nail a flat bar. Leaning a tile on it, they put up the starting row, and all subsequent ones on it. The first row is installed last, in which the tile will have to be cut.

Profiles for working with drywall are usually used as a support bar, but a flat dry bar can also be used. At a given height, it is attached to the wall with self-tapping screws or dowels (depending on the wall material). In order for laying tiles on the wall with your own hands without problems, you need to fasten it often enough: so that there is no sagging. Be sure to check the horizontal position of its installation. Even the slightest deviation should not be.

How to tile on a wall

The technology of laying tiles on the wall is simple. It consists of several simple steps:

A few points about the whole process. First, in the marked places on the installed plank, the extreme whole tiles (those that do not need to be cut) are glued. When laying out, you marked their position. It is very important to set them correctly. To do this, each is checked by a level in the vertical and horizontal planes. If the tile geometry is perfect, you can also check the verticality / horizontality at the edges. Then they take a long level or an even bar with a shorter level and check how evenly one beacon bar is set relative to the other. They must be in the same plane. Then, with the help of this bar, they control whether each next tile is correctly set.

Description is one thing, but seeing everything with your own eyes is another. The video demonstrates the technology, after watching, you will understand exactly how to lay tiles on the wall.

The thickness of the adhesive on the wall

For those who are laying tiles on a wall for the first time, there may be questions about how thick a layer of glue is needed. This value depends on how smooth the walls are. If they are perfect, you can apply the minimum layer allowed in the instructions for the composition. If the walls are only relatively even, the "starting" layer can be 3-4 mm. Further, as necessary, it can slightly decrease or increase, correcting the unevenness of the wall.

There are several techniques for laying ceramic tiles. Not always glue is applied to both the tile and the wall. Some masters apply the composition only to the wall, others only to the tile, someone recommends dipping it in water before applying the glue, others do not. Choose the option that seems more correct to you. But it is more convenient for beginner tilers when the solution is both on the wall and on the tile: it is easier to move and level it.

Manufacturers of tile adhesive advise applying it to the wall, removing excess with a notched trowel, but this means a perfectly even base. Based on these recommendations, the cost of laying one square is calculated.

With another technique, the consumption increases by 50% or even 100%, since the wall has to be adjusted. But it is definitely worth listening to the prescribed dimensions of the spatula teeth.

How to cut tiles

There are several ways. For small volumes and not very thick tiles, a manual tile cutter is suitable. This is a device consisting of a platform on which tiles are laid. Overlays are attached to the platform, along which the cutter moves. The cutting torch moves with the help of the handle, ripping up a strong covering. On the same handle, a stop is usually installed, with which the tile is broken along the line drawn by the cutter.

Another way is with a grinder, but it is very noisy and dusty. In addition, it will not work to make a perfectly even cut, but it will go in an emergency.

If necessary, round holes cut out with a crown of a suitable diameter, which is put on a drill. During drilling, so that there is as little dust as possible, the place of work is constantly watered. The result is a perfect hole, everything looks decent.

If you need to cut a strip that is too thin, you won’t be able to do it on a tile cutter: it simply won’t break off. Then, after drawing a line with a cutting disc or rod (for some firms, the cutting element is made in the form of a rod), the thin edge is broken off. In general, there are special tongs for this, but it works well with pliers.

If at the same time the edge turns out to be very uneven, it can be leveled a little with a file or sandpaper fixed on a bar.

Corner decoration

If the tile is laid evenly, the inner corners do not cause problems. Difficulties may arise only with the installation of crosses. Just turn them so that they do not interfere or break off the protruding parts. In general, they are joined neatly in the corners, and the seam is finally formed using grout.

Yes for internal corners more profiles. They are selected to match the grout, installed in a corner, leveled, and then attached to self-tapping screws or dowels. When laying tiles in a corner, tiles are supported on them. It turns out a finished corner seam.

Outer corners are more difficult. If you just join the tiles by overlapping the edges, it turns out ugly. To get it right outer corner you have to cut the edge at 45 °.

This can be done on a professional tile cutter. But not everyone has such equipment. Then you will have to work as a grinder. The first cut, approximately at the desired angle, is made with a smooth diamond disc. It should not have slots and holes, the spraying should also be even.

It turns out not very smoothly, and the outer edge has a rather large thickness. But this is only preliminary processing. We cut the cut to the desired parameters with a grinding nozzle with the same disk. See the video for more details.

If you don’t want to mess around with such a pruning, there is another possibility - to decorate the corner with a special plastic corner.

Another video on how you can arrange adjunctions and seams when laying tiles.

To make laying wall tiles with your own hands completely clear, watch another video tutorial.

When finishing kitchen apron ceramic tile technology is practically no different from that described above. There is simply no need to calculate the number of vertical rows. The place of "start" is determined by the height of the countertop: it should start 5-10 cm above the edge of the tile. Fasten the bar at the required level, align it exactly to the horizon, and you can start.

An apron in the kitchen is usually made on a work wall. If this is not one wall, but two or three, you can start from one of the corners.

If it is laid out from a small tile, the undercuts may not be very conspicuous. If you want everything to be symmetrical, repeat the layout and start from the center, as described above.

Laying tiles on your own is not an easy task, and therefore, many trust it to professionals. But such a solution is quite expensive, and therefore, do-it-yourself work is far from uncommon. This is what helps step by step installation tiles.

An important factor in this case is the strict observance of the technology of work. In total, the whole process can be divided into 7 stages. More specifically, laying ceramic tiles on the floor is carried out in the following sequence:

1. First of all, the calculation of materials, their purchase and preparation of the tool is performed.
2. Next, you need to prepare the surface, in this case, the base is leveled and primed.
3. The next step is marking, which involves the rough layout of the tiles and the application of marks, in some cases, support stops.
4. The next step is laying, in particular the first row.
5. Further, the entire area is laid with solid tiles.
6. The next step is cutting the tiles and laying them.
7. And finally, the seams are grouted.

Thus, for the correct installation of tiles on the floor with your own hands detailed instructions are simply necessary. And then we will consider in more detail each of the stages of work.

Preparation of tools and materials

In the case when laying tiles with your own hands, you will need the following tool:

1. Master OK.
2. Several spatulas, in particular, notched, regular and rubber.
3. You should also arm yourself with several levels, small, up to 50 centimeters in size, and medium, up to 1 meter.
4. The next will be a rubber mallet.
5. Another essential tool becomes a grinder or, since in most cases it is simply necessary to cut the tiles. Here you can also note additional devices, such as wire cutters, sandpaper and needle files.
6. And the last device will be a container for the adhesive mixture.

We figured out the tool, now you should pay attention to the materials, or rather to their calculation and purchase.

In particular, for correct calculation it is not enough just to measure the surface area, here important role factors such as:

1. Tile size.
2. The thickness of the adhesive layer.
3. Tile type.
4. Base material.
5. The presence of obstacles.

All these factors just need to be taken into account. In addition, if it is necessary to cut tiles, you should also pay attention to the size of the segments. Because if they are more than half the size of the tile, then for one such row, you will need to purchase twice as many tiles.

Usually, when calculating, 10-15% is added to the resulting number, which for the most part is enough to cover the cost of cutting, as well as cases of marriage (tile damage, incorrect cutting, etc.).

Speaking of the adhesive mixture, here the calculation is carried out based on the type of tile, the type of mixture itself, the size, and the required layer thickness, which is usually indicated on the package.

For calculation required amount grout and glue, you can use the calculators on our website:

We figured out this issue, now you can go directly to the technological process.

Surface preparation for laying

The first issue is the preparation of the foundation. It is very important to ensure that the surface is as flat as possible, otherwise perfect styling will not work. The main mistake is the myth that a little more glue can hide bumps, which is not true. Quality styling possible only on a level ground, and nothing else.

Before laying, it is first necessary to dismantle the old coating, if any, up to the very base. The next step is to form and .

The method of leveling the floor does not play a role here. This can be either, or, the arrangement of the "warm floor" system, etc. The main factor is the full compliance with the technology of work.

Also, all sills, skirting boards and other obstacles that may interfere with laying tiles close to the wall are subject to dismantling.

In some cases, it is possible to lay tiles on the floor without dismantling the old coating (in particular, provided that it is also a tile).

Surface marking

And the next step is the marking of the floor surface, which is especially important when laying uneven tiles. It is carried out as follows:

1. A straight line of the first row of tiles is marked. Since the laying is carried out starting from the far corner of the room, the markup is also accordingly.
2. Next are labels for the location of the material. In cases where tiles are laid without seams with a pattern, a complete drawing of the location of the elements is necessary.
3. An important factor is the laying at the entrance, in this case, the markings should be carried out in such a way that solid fragments lie at the doors; accordingly, it may be necessary to indent from the far wall.
4. An important factor in the markup is the accounting of which also plays a role.
5. You can also carry out a preliminary layout of the tiles on the surface, for more accurate marking.

The beginning of laying and filling the area with solid fragments.

After the markup is done, you can start laying ceramic tiles with your own hands. To begin with, we will directly analyze the arrangement of the first row and the further laying of solid fragments, after which we will move on to cutting and final laying.

So, let's look at how the tiles are laid, step-by-step instruction in this case will be the best helper:

1. First of all, you need to prepare the adhesive mixture. Difficulties should not arise here. We do everything in accordance with the instructions on the package. In this case, the amount of mixing should not exceed that required for a plot of 1 square meter.
2. Now, armed with a notched trowel, apply a layer of glue to the floor surface. For greater reliability, you can also apply a layer on the tile itself, in this case, the grooves of the mixture on the surfaces should be perpendicular to each other.
3. We put the first tile on the glue, then press it down, lowering it to required level. Next, you need to align it to the ideal horizontal position, which is checked using the building level.
4. For leveling, a rubber hammer is used, with the help of which, with light taps, the tile is more tightly pressed against the surface.
5. It is important to do everything quickly and accurately. After laying, it is highly undesirable to remove the tile from the surface.
6. So, the first tile is laid and leveled. Now you can start laying the next ones.
7. In the same way as in the first case, glue is applied, and the tile is laid on the floor. Next, alignment is carried out according to the level of the first element. You can add some glue if needed.
8. After the final shrinkage of the tiles, the excess mixture is removed.
9. It is important not to forget about or special, to form the same seams over the entire surface.
10. It should be placed either in the corners, at the intersection, or with an indent of 2-3 centimeters from the edge of the tile.
11. All gaps between the tiles should be immediately cleaned of excess adhesive, since after it dries, cleaning will be almost impossible.
12. In the same way, the laying of large tiles is carried out.
13. Further, the base area is completely covered with whole fragments.

On this, this phase is completed, and you can move on. Before that, it is necessary to let the glue grab and harden to such an extent that it is possible to walk on the coating. It is advisable to leave the masonry for a day, and then continue to work.

Cutting tiles and laying the remaining fragments

The next step is cutting the missing fragments of the coating. Several tools can be used to cut tiles, depending on the type and thickness of the tile. In some cases, the use of a glass cutter is also acceptable, in others it can only be handled with the help of a grinder. And for porcelain tiles you will need already.

Having chosen a tool, you must first take all the necessary measurements and make marks on the tile. All marks are drawn from the back. Having marked the tile, you can start cutting. Since the process is quite dusty, it is desirable to carry it out on the street.

If it is necessary to cut uneven fragments, for example, arcuate ones, a machine with a diamond wheel or a special tile cutter-nippers is used.

The cutting process itself is carried out as follows:

1. The tile must be firmly fixed so that it does not stagger or vibrate when cutting.
2. After that, following the marked marks, cutting is performed.

In the case of using a special tile cutter, it includes a special platform for fixing and limiters, with which you can indicate the direction of cutting.

Grouting tiles

And the last stage is grouting. It can not be carried out only in the case of seamless tiling.

To start it, you must wait until the adhesive mixture has completely dried, and then completely remove the crosses and other auxiliary materials from the surface, if any.

Before starting, we carry out a complete cleaning of the surface, which can be done with a vacuum cleaner, and proceed. The process itself is carried out as follows:

1. Cover the edges of the tile with masking tape. This is done if the tile is dull and the pores are large and to avoid contamination and reduce the amount of tile cleaning work when using epoxy grouts.
2. The next step is to dilute the grout, and apply it with a rubber spatula.
3. Movements are performed perpendicular to the seam, while with pressure, in order to completely fill the seam with the composition.
4. After that, the excess solution is removed, the seam at the same time is slightly deepened and leveled.
5. After complete drying, the adhesive tape is removed and the surface of the tile is wiped with a damp sponge.