Have you always wanted a beautiful tile floor in your bathroom, entryway, or kitchen? Maybe you've even looked at tile at the home improvement store but been derailed by the cost of having such a floor installed. After all, labor can be more expensive than the materials required to do the job. That is why so many people are opting to install their own ceramic tile floors. They end up enhancing their rooms with unique patterns and durable flooring, and it does not cost them nearly as much to achieve the effect they're after. Before you lay your floor, however, there will be a lot of decisions you will need to make.
Prior to laying a tile floor, you definitely need to do some thorough pre-planning. What kind of ceramic tile do you want? If you've taken some time to look at the hundreds of different options that are available, both locally and online, you will know that the decision is not going to be easy. You can narrow down the choices by deciding on the color, texture, and look that you're interested in. Then you need to check out the durability factor. Tiles are given durability ratings which you can use to help you decide. Determine how much traffic you think the area will be getting, and choose a tile that's rated accordingly.
Another thing that you need to decide before you can get started is the color of grout you want to use with your tile. There are dozens of different colors to choose from to either accent or blend in with the flooring you are using. What you choose is going to make a basic impact on the look of the finished floor, so choose carefully. You will also need to purchase a high-quality bonding material, grout, sealer, and some type of tile saw. You may want to check with your local rental store to see if you can rent the equipment you need. In addition, you'll need a hammer, a tape measure, a notched trowel, safety goggles, and a level.
Before you begin, you must check the condition of the floor you're planning on tiling. Since there is a lot of moisture in a bathroom or kitchen which can water-damage existing floors, you need to make sure the subflooring is solid and strong enough to support the weight of a ceramic floor. If the floor flexes when you walk on it, you will need to shore it up prior to laying the tile. Keeping it to keep on flexing will result in grout cracking later on.
You will also need to come up with the pattern you want to use when laying your tiles. Do you want just straight rows of tiles, or do you want a more intricate pattern? It's a wise idea to plan what you want out on graph paper before you attempt to turn your idea into a floor. Decisions here will also include the size of the tile you want to use. Ceramic tiles come in a range of sizes from 1 "to 2 'with the most commonly used tiles being between the 1 and 2 foot range. tile a large space with small tiles, the floor is going to look too busy.
There are a lot of things you need to consider before trying to lay a tile floor in your home. The job is not just about laying down the adhesive and popping in the tiles, and the more time you spend pre-planning your floor, the happier you're going to be with the finished result.