When it comes to tiles, let your imagination wander. Tiles come in all types of design, colors, and materials including but not limited to terracotta, ceramic, glass, porcelain, marble, stone, slate, cork, and granite.
Tiles can transform a plain featureless wall or floor space into a thing of beauty, adding color and vibrance.
If you are new to the task here are some DIY tiling tips, which will give you some basic tips no matter how big the job is. Small tiling jobs such as the bathroom and kitchen splash back can be done by yourself with very little skill if you follow the tiling tips. Planning is essential and you will need to ensure that you have everything you need, before you begin the job.
A typical DIY tiling kit consists of Jagged trowel 28 cm – 6 x 6 mm. – Jagged trowel 28 cm – 10 x 10 cm. – Rubber trowel -Black rubber hammer 500 gr. – Building level air wing type 60 cm. – Flexometre 5 m x 19 mm. – Joint applicator for mortar 750 cc. – Outliner for grouting. – Hole Marker – Water tray. There are the other essentials, such as – tile cutter, and probably a tile saw. The tools you will finally need for a specific job depend very much on the kind of tiles to be laid, and where they are going.
It should go without saying, but be sure to use the right types of tiles for the purpose – wall tiles for the walls and floor tiles for floors etc. Also, if tiling outdoors, use waterproof tiles.
You will need to calculate the overall area that needs tiling, and ensure that you purchase enough tiles for the job. It is adviseable to add about 10% more tiles to allow for cracks and breakages.
You will need to prepare the surface well in preparation for the tile adhesive that you are using. Loose, flaky walls are not good for tiling, and all of the loose materials need to be removed.
If the tiles are very porous you may need to use a good sealant, especially so if it will be laid in a damp or wet area.
The adhesive that you choose is very important as this will need to be strong, waterproof and capable of holding the tiles in place. Getting tiling tips from articles such as this, as well as from those you may know who are experienced at it, are great for helping you when you first start tiling to ensure that you do not waste time and money.
Tile spacers are very important to ensure that the tiles will allow enough grout in-between them. Grouting is time consuming, however, if done correctly it can ensure that the tiles look amazing.
You should apply the grout to small areas of tiles and ensure that you have completed that section before moving on to other areas. Cleaning as you go is great tiling tips to ensure that you save time, and do not need to return to clean the whole area at a later date. Removing all of the excess grout is essential to ensure that the finish is perfect.
Without question, DIY tiling can bring great pleasure when the job is done well, along with a sense of accomplishment.
