Modern manufacturers try to use any technical novelties in order to offer the inhabitants of higher quality finishing materials. At the same time, they are trying to preserve the tradition and at the same time give the best technical characteristics to the new products. Today, many prefer to do repairs themselves, so in the first place there are materials that are easily installed. For example, laying tiles on the floor – an affordable technology for your floor. Pottery – a durable, non-flammable, hygienic material, which can be presented in a completely unexpected form.
It is easy to find a tile under a parquet, under a tuff, under marble. It is difficult to invent a more practical and moisture-resistant material. Therefore, I would like to once again talk in more detail about the advantages of the described finishes and point out the peculiarities of stacking the material.
Practical advantages of tile flooring
What is ceramics? It is an alloy of clay and sand. The first production technologies helped create a perfect finish for the technical rooms in the apartment. And innovative developments gave the world improved analogs, which had special properties and characteristics.
Modern ceramic tiles have high strength, practicality, a rich assortment of colors and textures. In addition, its important advantage is the hygiene of the coating.
It is easy to take care of such a tile flooring, it is not afraid of any chemical cleaners. Any contamination is removed from the surface, which initially is not a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria.
When heated, the tile floor does not emit toxic substances, has high stiffness values, so it is difficult to deform even when using large physical loads. Experts appreciate its quality, such as lack of current conductivity, which makes the use of tiles safe in conditions of high humidity.
It is impossible not to note the resistance of ceramics to the influence of the surrounding aggressive environment. Neither the sun, nor frost, nor moisture can harm her presentable appearance; she does not lose her presentation for a very long time.
But even such a universal material has its own significant drawbacks. The first is high thermal conductivity. The tile quickly cools; it is always cold to the touch, that’s why it’s uncomfortable to walk barefoot on such a floor. But this shortcoming is very easy to eliminate. The system of a heated flooring is perfectly combined with a ceramic tile.
Features of the laying technology
Laying tiles is a task that many people can do. Any repair begins with measurements, purchase of materials and tools.
The only advice of specialists is to make the correct calculation of the required number of tiles, to buy immediately the entire volume of material, making a significant stock, so that it was possible to replace defective fragments or broken modules during operation. So, in addition to the tiles, you also need to buy glue, grout for grouting, elastic sealant.
Required Tools
You may need the following tools to work:
- Tile Cutter
- Toothed spatula
- Level
- Padding crosses
- Rubber hammer
Choose a tile
Of course, everyone has the right to choose a ceramic tile, relying on taste preferences. But experts still advise to take into account the existing technical characteristics of the material. 
So, for example, each individual sample has an abrasion gradation. Tiles are divided into 5 classes, and have a score of 0 to 5. If the flooring tiles are not going to walk in shoes, or it fits in living quarters, it is worth purchasing a material with an attrition factor of 3.
Group 5 is used for finishing bars, restaurants, offices, medical facilities. It is more expensive, so do not overpay if the tile is used to decorate the bathroom or kitchen floor in a residential apartment.
The next criterion of selection is the ratio of the dimensions of the material and the area of the room. To finish the bathroom floor, it makes no sense to choose a ceramic tile of large non-standard sizes. The ideal format is 60 × 60.
Preparation of glue
Glue is a dry mix, so first it needs to be properly diluted. The proportions of the addition of water are indicated on the package. You need to find the appropriate capacity and mix the ingredients carefully. It is better to make it a special construction mixer, which will help create the desired consistency of the solution.
Diluted glue should be given a little to stand up in order to “ripen” well. Then he will be able to provide a strong grip. If the floor area is large, do not immediately dilute the entire amount of glue. Usually masters make a solution on 2-3 rows.
Surface preparation
The most important thing in tile flooring installation is surface preparation. The necessary set of works will depend on the quality of the foundation.
It is easiest to lay the tile on a concrete foundation. Preliminary it must be thoroughly cleaned, without using complex chemical solutions, completely remove the old finish. Then you need to remove all cracks and chips, and then make an equalizing screed. Before laying the tiles, the screed must be thoroughly primed.
Tiles can be laid on top of old wooden, wooden boards, parquet floors, floors covered with wood-fiber plates. But in this case the base is prepared in a completely different way.
At first the tree is impregnated with special antiseptic solutions and thoroughly dried. Then the base of the floor is covered with a good waterproofing – three layers of roofing material. On the waterproofing layer is laid reinforcement – metal mesh – which is then poured with a cement screed. After leveling, the screed must be sprinkled through a sieve with dry cement. It will provide strong adhesion to the glue.
Step-by-step instruction
Before working on your hands, you must wear rubber gloves to avoid contact with the glue. Work should start from the brightest corner in the room:
- 1.The glue composition is applied to the floor surface.
- Remember that the adhesive retains its adhesion properties for a short time, so do not apply it immediately to a large area.
- Then alternately lay the tile, which is tightly pressed against the surface. After stacking on a tile it is necessary to knock with a rubber mallet. It will help to increase the fitting area of the product.
- At the same time, evenly arrange crosses, helping to form even gaps between the modules.
- In the process of working it is necessary to constantly use the level and monitor the smooth laying of the floor tiles.
- Remember that during the first 10 minutes you can change the position of the module. Afterwards you should not touch the tiles.
- After laying the tiles, the surface must be wiped with a rag. It is better to immediately remove excess glue, since it will be very difficult to get rid of the frozen fragments.
- The procedure for grouting the seams is better done after 2 days after laying. This operation also consists of several stages. First you need to try very carefully to pull the spacer crosses. Then dilute the putty and apply it to the seams with a rubber spatula. With the mixture carefully fill all irregularities and after 15 minutes remove excess, wiping the tile with a damp cloth or sponge.
- The last stage is a thorough washing of the laid tiles.
Skirting
If the tiles are laid in a room where water often accumulates on the floor, it is advisable to install a tiled plinth along the entire perimeter. For these purposes, fragments of the tile with which the floor surface was trimmed can be used. And you can buy special parts with beautiful rounded ends. They will be at the top, creating a smooth transition to the wall.
It will be nice to look at the option when the docking joints of the plinth coincide with the seams of the tiles on the floor.
Fragments of skirting boards are fixed to the wall with the same glue, but the seams are not closed with a grout, but with special acrylic sealant. To achieve harmony, the color of the sealant must match the color of the grout. Superfluous deposits are removed only after the sealant has completely solidified. This is done by a suitable tool.
As you can see, the process of laying tiles on the floor is very simple. It is not difficult to do it yourself, following all the suggested recommendations.
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