How to lay tiles?

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Laying tiles is not as difficult as it seems! With a little method and adequate tools, this operation is within everyone's reach. So, are you ready to embark on the adventure? We reveal the secrets of the best professional tilers…

Summary:

- Prepare the floor before tiling - Draw the laying plan - Lay the tiling - Cut the tiling - Finish with the tiling joints

1. Prepare the floor before tiling

Preparing the floor is an essential step before tiling. Remember these two tips: * The floor must be perfectly clean: start by vacuuming to remove any dust that would prevent the glue from sticking. Then use a degreaser and vigorously rub the entire surface to be tiled. This type of product is easily found in DIY stores. * The floor must be perfectly flat: the final aesthetic appearance of your tiles depends on the floor on which you lay it. To make sure it is perfectly flat, take a spirit level and place it at different places on the surface to be tiled. If it turns out that the floor has significant differences in level, you will need to pour a screed before tiling. This operation being more technical, it requires a minimum of know-how and experience.

2. Draw the installation plan

Before laying your tiles, you must lay out the floor plan, using a ruler and a mason's square. Do not neglect this step! The regular alignment of the tiles depends on it. There are mainly two types of installation: * Laying the tiles diagonally : Start by drawing two perpendicular axes, which intersect in the center of the part. Then, starting from this central point, draw the diagonals that will guide the laying of your tiles. The interest of this method? It gives the visual impression of a larger room, thanks to the diagonal vanishing lines. * The straight pose : As in the previous case, you will start by drawing two perpendicular axes, which intersect in the center of the part. Then you will draw the parallels to these two axes, so as to form a grid on the ground. This method, easier than laying diagonally, is highly recommended for novice tilers!

3. Laying the tiles

After drawing the plan, you can get down to laying the actual tiling. Proceed as follows: * Prepare your adhesive mortar by scrupulously respecting the instructions provided by the manufacturer. * Mix the tiles from the different packages, as there may be slight nuances of hues. * Use a toothed spatula to make a double glue, on the ground and on your tile. * Lay your first tile respecting the lines of the laying plan, and tap it with a mallet to fix it in the glue. * At the 4 corners of your tile, place the crosspieces used to delimit the space of the future joint. * Proceed in the same way for the following tiles, continuing to rely on the lines of the laying plan.

4. Cut the tiles

It is rare that the surface to be tiled corresponds to an integer number of tiles. Cutouts are therefore often necessary. Rest assured, there is no point in investing in the purchase of a tile cutting machine. It can be rented for a very reasonable cost. When using it, carefully observe the safety instructions provided by the manufacturer. We don't mess with this type of machine!

5. Finish with the tile joints

Once your tiles are installed, let them sit for 24 hours. The adhesive mortar will have time to dry, ensuring good adhesion of the tiles to the floor. Remember to remove the plastic braces, before the glue is completely dry. The time has come to install the tile joints: * Start by preparing the jointing mortar, following the instructions on the packaging. * Pour the product on the ground, in a homogeneous layer, on a surface of approximately 5 square meters. * Spread the adhesive mortar using a squeegee, so as to fill all the joints. * Wait forty minutes, before smoothing the joints with a wet sponge. Let your tiles sit for 48 hours. He is finally ready! Last advice: if a white veil remains on the tiles, buy a solvent for cement veil. It will work miracles…