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Posted on November 22, 2008 by Pearle Tsuji | Posted under Interior Decorating
Tile Spacers: How They Can Help
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Start by measuring the space that will be covered by tiles. Measure the height and width of the walls or the size of the floor that needs to be tiled and note the numbers down. Then multiply the width and height of each wall and sum them together to get the whole surface area. Pay more attention when measuring irregular walls or floors, and try to keep the measurements on rectangular stripes when possible. Look for the tile pattern that suits your taste and find out the size of each tile piece. Then multiply them to cover the whole previously measured area of your walls or floor. Buy some extra tiles to cover any angled corners or just as a caution for any broken down replacements you may need. Keep all the tiles on the same color or design and check how the whole pattern will look at the store so that you will be sure that the end result will be to your liking. Prepare the walls making sure that the surface is perfectly smooth. Use a leveling compound for the floor and cover all the surface before starting the work. Make sure again that the surface has no dents, bumps or cracks and level it out if necessary. Start from the center of the wall or floor. Fill the main pattern there then move to the outside keeping the rest of the pattern aligned with the center one. Measure before starting so that you are sure to begin exactly at the center. Mark the middle point of each side and draw lines to connect them. The lines will cross one over each other on the exact center of the wall or floor. Begin working from there. Practice a little the placements of the tiles by placing the tiles on the needed pattern without fixing them in place. Take care to leave a small distance between each tile and progress with the pattern to see if it fits. Adjust the position and rotation of the pattern until it is properly aligned with the rest of the wall or floor. When all looks ok start fixing the tiles using adhesive or glue placing the tile spaces between each tile to keep the distance uniform through all the tiling. Keep adding the tiles and complete a full quadrant. Then move to the other quadrants and complete them one after each other making sure that the pattern is perfectly aligned. Measure the tiles and make uniform cuts when it is needed. Keep in mind the cutting distance and repeat it for all the tiles on all the quadrants to keep the design looking uniform on all the surface. Remove any drain pipes and radiators and, using a diamond holesaw, drill holes into the tiles where those pipes will connect with the wall. Make sure to measure properly and leave enough space for safety on each hole. When everything is in place and all tiles look good, start laying the rest of the adhesive. Take the tiles aside and load them with adhesive. Place the center ones and continue with the rest of the tiles until you cover a whole quadrant. Be sure to have the adhesive filled at the same width on all the tiles and to place them on the wall or floor with a single slow press without any twisting. Place the spacers on the edge of the tile and continue by placing the adjacent ones. When done, wait for the adhesive to dry. This will usually take a whole day. Start grouting in a diagonal movement with a rubber float. Keep the grout even and make sure that all the spaces between the tiles are covered. Remove the excess grout with a damp cloth or sponge. Use caulk instead of grout at the joints between the floor and the wall. This will prevent any cracks in the future when the tiles will expand after exposure to high temperatures or contract on cold temperatures. At least a week must pass to dry out all the grouting. Clean it and using a sealer, seal down all the places where you suspect that water, dirt or grease can infiltrate in the grout. About The Author: Visit www.articleclick.com for additional article contributions by Pearle Tsuji. |
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