Easy Guide to Bathroom
Tile
Most
people know they can dramatically change the appearance of
their bathroom by changing the tile. However, most people
also think it's a difficult chore to do so. It doesn't have
to be that bad, though. With patience and effort entire walls
can be retiled easily to add color, textures and patterns
to create the most dramatic of new looks. And fortunately,
tiles don't have to expensive to be beautiful.
To tile
effectively you must have the correct materials and equipment.
-
Moisture
resistant gypsum wallboard
- Fiberglass
tape
- Pre-mixed
mastic
- Non-sanded
grout and grout sealer
- V-
groove edge trowel and rubber back float
- Tile
cutter and nippers
- Rubber
black float
- Sponges
and soft cloths and foam brushes
- Chalk
line
- Safety
wear; goggles and gloves
- A
bucket for mixing
To
work out the amount of materials and the number of tiles needed
takes careful measurements of the walls. To find the square
footage for each wall measure the wall vertically and horizontally
and multiply the measurements. From the square footage of
each wall you can work out the number of tiles needed for
each wall using their dimensions by division and the amount
of wallboard and other materials needed.
It
is important to prepare the surfaces well ensuring that are
clean, dry and smooth. Wallboard seams need to be covered
with the fiberglass tape and any cracks filled in and smoothed
with mastic. Use a chalk line, snapped vertically and horizontally,
to prepare for the first straight row. This allows for walls
that may have a slant.
The
first tile should be placed where the lines intersect and
the first row of tiles laid along the chalk lines to keep
them level beginning with a whole tile where the walls meet.
A tip here is to have all the whole tiles in line of sight
from the door. Allow for whole tiles in your calculations
even though many will need to be trimmed to fit at the end
of the walls, around windows and doorways.
You
may have chosen to create your own patterns and designs to
customize your tiling with different colors or textured. It
is useful to have a plan written down and to stand back occasionally
from the wall to check your progress.
Cutting
tiles to fit takes a little practice at first and it is useful
to practice on a spare if you are unsure. Measure, mark and
score where needed with the tile cutter. Carefully snip off
the excess by resting one side of the tile on a level surface
and applying gentle pressure. Use the tile nippers to nip
off excess tile to fit around corners or curves around fixtures.
Trimmed
tiles edges are extremely sharp so gloves and goggles are
a must.
Once
the tiles are up it is important to wipe of all the excess
mastic thoroughly and allow it time to dry and adhere to the
tile to the wall, at least two days.
Once
the tiles are dry they need to be grouted. There are many
new colors of grouting on the market now designed to contrast
or compliment the wall tiles. With careful selection the effects
can be stunning. It is possible to make your own grouting,
mixing it by hand to the thickness of frosting. It is also
possible to buy ready mixed. To fill the grooves between the
tiles use the rubber back float to fill the crevices at a
45-degree angle then wipe of the excess. Once all the gaps
are filled use a damp sponge to clean of tile surfaces but
not wipe away the grout. Finish off using a soft, damp cloth
to bring the tiles to a shine and seal with a anti-mildew
sealer taking special care around the sink, bath and shower.
With
a little hard work and patience a whole new room has been
created for you to enjoy. |