How to tile floors: 7 foolproof tips for success

Have you ever imagined achieving a great finish when laying tiles? You soon will if you follow these tips on how to lay tiles.

#one. Draw your design to scale on graph paper. That way you can count precisely how many tiles you need plus a few extra ones to break.

#2. Make sure your floor is flat, level, and rigid. If it is not flat and level, it will look very bad when the tile is laid. If your floor is not rigid, the grout will crack. If the floor is in poor condition, you can install a cement backer.

#3. Make sure the floor is clean. Dust, oil, wax or grease will prevent the adhesive from working properly.

#4. To enhance the look, plan your layout so that you start with full tiles working from the center out. This means that the cut tiles will be at the edges of the wall. Ideally, the tiles cut at each end of the room should be the same size.

#5. Lay all the whole tiles first. When you are ready to do all the tile cutting, go and hire a professional tile cutter. This minimizes the time you need to hire the cutter. You’ll break far fewer tiles and get a much better cut with professional equipment compared to DIY tools.

#6. Grout can make or break the appearance of your floor. By laying a few replacement tiles on a replacement plywood or backerboard, you can practice grouting before applying it to your new floor.

#7. Be sure to seal the grout when the job is done. Many people skip this step. This will prevent the grout from absorbing dirt and grime and will extend the life of the grout.