How To Tile A Bathroom Floor – A Simple Guide With Useful Tips

How you ever considered installing floor tiles in your bathroom by yourself? Yes, that’s something that you’d usually need a professional for but, as it turns out, it’s entirely possible to manage such a project by yourself if you have the right tools and if you do some research before you actually start the project. The difficulty level is medium but can vary depending mainly on the type of tiles you want to use. Here’s a short guide on how to tile a shower or a bathroom floor:

Calculate the square footage

Before anything else you should calculate the square footage of your bathroom and for that you’ll only need a measuring tape. This step is super easy if the bathroom isn’t divided into separate areas and has a unified floor plan but if that’s not the case then just divide the floor into smaller areas and measure those separately. Calculate the total and be sure to add an extra 10% when ordering the supplies.

 

Get some samples

Next it would be nice to get some samples of different types of tiles or different colors just so you can get a feeling of how they’ll look like on your bathroom floor. Also, choose the grout. You have several options here. You can choose to match the grout to the tiles which would help to hide any imperfections or irregularities or you can choose different colors that contrast with each other or complement one another.

 

Install cement boards

The next step would be to install cement boards. This is done in order to ensure proper floor thickness and a smooth and seamless transition between rooms as well as to prevent mold in areas with a lot of moisture. You may not need to do this if the floor is already prepped and ready to receive the tiles.

Determine the layout

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After that, figure out how to arrange the tiles. To determine the layout, just lay the tiles on the floor exactly how you want them to get an idea of how they’ll look like and where you’ll need to cut them. Don’t forget to use tile spacers. Several sizes are available so be sure to pick the right one. Next, you can cut the tiles that need to be cut or you can do this as you adhere the tiles.

 

Lay the tiling

Finally, apply thinset and lay the tiles using spacers. Keep in mind that this time the placement is final. Use a level as you lay more tiles to make sure you’re doing this right. After 24 hours )minimum), remove the spacers and apply grout to fill in the lines. Let the grout sit for a few minutes and then wipe off the excess. You should also apply sealer at the end, considering that the bathroom floor is exposed to moisture and water constantly. You can find additional details in the guide featured on wayfair.

The tools you’ll need:

There are a lot of different types of tiles to choose from with many variations of color, texture or pattern but no matter what you select you’ll need to be prepared for installation and that means you’ll have to have a few tools:

  • a hammer
  • a diamond blade wet saw
  • a hammer drill
  • a notched trowel
  • a margin trowel
  • a rubber float (for grout)
  • a level
  • a measuring tape
  • fiberglass tape
  • a wooden block
  • sponges
  • a foam brush
  • gloves, safety goggles, knee pads and other such accessories