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.

Attaching an underlayment of cement board to sub flooring provides a level and sturdy surface to which bathroom tile can be easily attached. Floor tile installations require both common and tile specific tools. 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.

Thin set is cement based but some mortars are labeled as non modified and require a latex polymer admixture. The substrate or subfloor is the ground whether it s made of plywood or cement. Use a tile cutter for small straight cuts. Underlayment is something you put on top of your substrate to prepare it for tiling.

You need a few easily accessible tools such as a tape measure a chalk line and a level. 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. If the tile is too thick for nippers try the following method.

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. For making curved cuts you can use tile nippers. Spacers are available where tile is sold. Continue laying tiles until you ve covered the mortared area.

Use a tile saw or wet saw both rentable if necessary for cutting numerous or thick tiles. Continue the process by applying mortar to another section and then laying tiles. You can rent a truck or tools that you need to haul materials or complete a project. Use plastic spacers at each tile corner to maintain even grout lines between the tiles.

Fit the last tile in the row at the wall. The home depot tool rental center offers tile saws and various floor care appliances to help with your renovation.