How to Install Ceramic Tile on a Conventional Foundation
- 1). Measure the area where you'll install the tile. You'll need the measurements not just to calculate the number of tiles necessary but also to get the required uncoupling membrane for the wood subfloor. Cut the pieces of the membrane to the required length, lay them on the floor and number them. Snap chalk lines for their location and then put them to the side.
- 2). Install the uncoupling layer. First, use a 3/16-by-1/2-inch V notched trowel to spread a layer of thinset within a set of chalk lines. Roll out the membrane onto the thinset. Use a 75-pound linoleum roller to push the membrane flat. The thinset dries in 20 minutes on normal days, faster if the day is hot, so doing one roll at a time isn't unreasonable if it allows you to complete the entire process on that roll before it dries.
- 3). Check the manufacturer's directions on the membrane. Some allow you to set the tile immediately after you install the membrane. Other manufacturers require a 24-hour drying period before you set the tiles.
- 4). Lay out the tiles on the floor in the pattern you desire. Find the focal point of the room. If the room is perfectly square, then you want to start the tile layout in the middle. Make sure the focal points have the least irregularities. First, lay out a few dry tiles across the focal point, move out three courses and snap a chalk line. Draw a perpendicular line from the edge of one of the tiles in the middle and lay the dry tiles along the perpendicular line across the rest of the room. If you're starting from the middle of the room, snap a line at the middle for the length and then a perpendicular line for the middle of the width. Lay out a course of dry tiles. Snap lines every three courses to aid you in keeping the tiles in line.
- 5). Check your tiles for irregularities. Not all of them may be equal in thickness. You can butter the backs a little for those that are slightly thinner, but if they're too thin, use them for closets or pieces. The first tile is the most important. Once it's set in place, all the others come off it. Allow for expansion in a large room.
- 6). Use a 3/8-inch notched trowel to lay the thinset. Instead of a latex thinset, try a dry-set thinset. It's usually cheaper but requires a 24-hour wait until you grout. Start with the course of tiles you initially laid. Don't put more than 30 square feet of thinset down at one time, and less on a hot, dry day. Cut any tiles necessary with a wet saw.
- 7). Slide the tiles into place so they get a good layer of thinset on the bottom and work from the original layout to the outside. Allow the floor to dry for the required time, according to the type of thinset used. Clean the tiles and knock off any excess thinset. The grout needs to be at least 1/8 inch deep. Seal the tiles before you grout. This makes cleanup easier, especially if the tiles are porous. Grout and clean the tiles.
