Tiles have been around for centuries but it’s fair to say that the choice of styles and designs has never been greater. A time-travelling Roman would still be able to find familiar mosaics incorporating stone and glass, but the majority of tiles used today owe their existence to the development of the ceramic tile industry in The Netherlands in the 17th century. With a resurgence in interest in authentic period details, Victorian tiled panels are in demand once more and friezes are appearing in courtyards.
To lay tiles on walls, ceramic and porcelain tiles reign supreme but glass and natural stone also have their place. Ceramic and porcelain floor tiles are widely available, but hardwearing natural stone tiles such as limestone, slate and travertine are frequently chosen for floors and are ideal for areas such as conservatories and orangeries. Even with stone, there is a surprisingly wide range of colours and effects. With ceramic and porcelain tiles, the sky’s the limit on choice of colour and finish – glossy, matt, sparkly, crinkled or smooth. For something really unique, there are hand-made and hand-painted tiles on offer.
So having chosen your style of tile and decided to tackle the job yourself, how do you lay tiles to achieve that perfect hard-wearing decorative finish on a wall or floor? As with so many DIY jobs, preparation and planning is the key to success.
Work out how many tiles you will need, by careful measuring of the wall or floor and calculating the number of rows of tiles in each direction. If tiles of different sizes are to be used and a pattern or border introduced, it will be easiest to set out the design on paper. Count any part tiles as a whole and whatever figure you arrive at, add at least 5% to allow for breakages or miscalculations. Some tile suppliers have estimation grids on their websites.
Prepare the wall or floor to make sure the surface is smooth, clean and dry. Modern adhesives allow new tiles to be laid on old, provided they are not loose, but if the wall is currently papered, this will have to be removed. Make sure there are no ‘nibs’ of wallpaper left. Painted walls will just need to be thoroughly cleaned. New plaster must be completely dry and might need a coat of primer.
It is possible to lay tiles straight onto concrete floors as long as they are level, dry and free of dust. With floorboards, a layer of plywood will need to be fixed on top before tiling commences. And remember that not all suspended wooden floors can bear the considerable weight of ceramic or stone tiles.
Essential tools are a notched trowel for spreading adhesive, a tile cutter, grout float and spirit level. Nippers for trimming edges are also useful and safety goggles to protect eyes. Different types of adhesive and grout are available depending on the type of tiles, the surface they are being fixed to and how much water they will be encountering. Manufacturers provide detailed explanations of suitability.
An important part of the planning stage is working out the starting point and order of tiling to minimise the number of tiles that need to be cut and avoid having very thin slivers of tile. Obstacles such as window reveals and door openings often mean that the centre point is different to where it would be on a plain, uninterrupted wall. Mark the starting line and nail battens to the wall as support strips.
Check, check and check again with a spirit level. A row of tiles that are not horizontal will cause untold problems. Setting out floor tiles is easier as they can be dry laid on the surface and moved around to find the best arrangement. Try to avoid having a lot of cut tiles where the eye falls as you enter the room. When it comes to the actual fixing of the tiles, don’t get caught out like in the old comedy films. It might be stating the obvious, but make sure you work back to an exit and don’t get trapped in a corner!
Apply the adhesive evenly using a trowel or spreader. The notches produce ridges that help to create an equal amount of adhesive under each tile so that they sit level. Only cover about 1m² of the wall or floor with adhesive at a time, so that you can lay tiles before the adhesive starts to dry. Some tiles have built-in spacers but others will need to be separated by small plastic spacers that are removed once the tiles have set. Spacers ensure a uniform distance between each tile giving aesthetically pleasing grouting. Wipe away any excess adhesive that squeezes out as more tiles are placed and keep using the spirit levels as you add more rows.
Once the adhesive has set, the tiled area should be grouted. Grout is now available in several colours so you can choose whether you want it to blend with the tiles or go for dramatic effects with a contrast colour. Use the float in long, diagonal strokes and make sure the joints are firmly filled. Compressing the grout with a blunt tool gives a professional finish. Frequently wipe the surface with a damp sponge as dried-on grout is very difficult to remove. Allow the grout to dry, then polish with a soft cloth. Stand back and admire your handiwork!
