Materials Needed To Lay Tile Floor

This guide shows you how to work with mortar lay out and level tiles and score tiles to complete a professional looking installation.

Materials needed to lay tile floor.

You need a few easily accessible tools such as a tape measure a chalk line and a level. To prepare the floor you ll need to lay fiberglass or cement backer board as a base then apply a leveling compound to even out any holes or divets. Wear safety glasses when using a tile nipper. Use a tile saw or wet saw both rentable if necessary for cutting numerous or thick tiles.

The basic items you will need to install tile are listed below. When you re ready to lay the tile you ll need to start from the exact center of the floor and lay the tile in lines toward either wall leaving a small space between each tile. Spacers are available where tile is sold. Continue the process by applying mortar to another section and then laying tiles.

Attaching an underlayment of cement board to sub flooring provides a level and sturdy surface to which bathroom tile can be easily attached. Using a circular saw cut panels to fit measured bathroom and use a jigsaw to cut holes as needed to accommodate the toilet and other bathroom fixtures. When installing a tile floor you will need a tile cutter a rubber mallet tile spacers a level a tile trowel and thin set mortar or another type of mortar. Thin set is cement based but some mortars are labeled as non modified and require a latex polymer admixture.

Tile specific tools include a notched trowel a rubber grout float and grout nippers. If the tile is too thick for nippers try the following method. Use plastic spacers at each tile corner to maintain even grout lines between the tiles. Floor tile installations require both common and tile specific tools.

Underlayment is something you put on top of your substrate to prepare it for tiling. The substrate or subfloor is the ground whether it s made of plywood or cement. Fit the last tile in the row at the wall. For making curved cuts you can use tile nippers.

The home depot tool rental center offers tile saws and various floor care appliances to help with your renovation. As you near cabinets doorways walls and other flooring stops trim tiles as needed for installation.