How to properly lay tiles on a bathroom floor: a review of construction technology. How to properly lay tiles in the bathroom DIY bathroom floor tiles

This article is about how to lay tiles in a bathroom, these methods can help you lay tiles on any concrete floor. has a nice appearance and very good material for flooring, as it is very resistant to water, heat and humidity, provided that the tiles are laid correctly. If you are planning to tile your bathroom floor, you will need to carefully read the manufacturer's instructions and our step by step guide how to get the job done professional level. The masonry itself is not as complicated as it might seem, but right choice It is better to spend more time on materials. There are a few important aspects, which must be taken into account before you start laying tiles on the floor.


Prepare the surface thoroughly before laying ceramic tiles. To remove uneven floors, use special tools, as well as a vacuum cleaner to remove dust. However, if the floor is not level, you must level it first. If the bathroom floor is made of wood, then you must first lay a layer of cement, it is important that before you start pouring cement on the wooden floor, you must seal the gaps between the boards with galvanized tape.

Use a tape measure and determine the length and width of the bathroom. Next, when purchasing floor tiles, consider these dimensions to ensure you get the fullest amount of tiles possible and ensure you don't end up with large strips of tiles, no more than 7.5cm, along your bathroom wall. If such tile-free strips cannot be less than 7.5 cm, try to keep them in less noticeable places.

In order to lay tiles in the bathroom, you need the following:

Materials

  • Ceramic tile
  • Tile spacers

Tools

  • Protective gloves, eye protection
  • Tape measure, pencil
  • Rubber hammer, level
  • Notched trowel
  • shovel, ladle

Adviсe

  • Apply glue to small surfaces to avoid drying out
  • Use a level to check the quality of your work

Laying tiles in the bathroom

Use the right tools to do the job right.

Smart Tip: If you are a beginner and have not installed tiles before, we recommend drawing chalk lines on the floor to help you out. Make sure the lines are perfectly straight and parallel, how to get a professional job. This step is optional, but it is helpful to have a guideline when you have no experience working with ceramic tiles.

Preparing the floor before laying tiles

Make sure the surface is clean, otherwise your tiles will not lie level. Use a dustpan to remove any lumps or uneven spots on the floor. However, if you cannot resolve these issues, you have two options: either pour a 5 cm layer of mortar. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and other debris, making sure the surface is level and the adhesive will stick to the floor.

You need to start from the wall (the area most visible from front door), and lay out the tiles in a straight line, making sure you use spacers between them.

Preparing adhesive for laying tiles

Let the glue sit in the water for 5-10 minutes before you begin mixing the joints. Thus, water activates additives that make the solution resistant to water and humidity. Make sure you are wearing a respirator mask.

Smart Tip: If you want to prepare the glue mixture quickly and professionally, you should use a drill with special nozzle for stirring.

Laying tiles

Before you start laying tiles, lay them without glue to immediately understand whether whole tiles will be enough or whether you will have to cut them. If you still have to cut the tiles, it is advisable to lay shortened tiles in inconspicuous places.

Smart Tip: Use a notched trowel to spread the adhesive onto the floor. First, apply the solution to a spatula and spread it onto a small surface. Spread the solution evenly.

There are situations in which you have to cut a tile and place it in a specific location: there are sewers, pipes or any other obstruction all over the floor. In this case, you will need to cut the tiles with a grinder using a diamond wheel. When cutting tiles, it is advisable to wet the cut. Ideally, it is better to use a tile cutter for cutting.

Smart Tip: Wear safety glasses and a respirator to avoid injury or inhalation of toxic dust. When cutting tiles, mark the cut lines with a carpenter's pencil.

The tiles should be installed as follows: press the tiles into the adhesive and then, if the edges stick out, press down using rubber hammer. If you can’t level the tiles and they stick out, you may have put too much mortar, try removing it.

Use a level every time you install new tiles to make sure you install them properly.

Smart Tip: Don't spread the glue over a large area or it will dry out before you can install the tiles over the entire area. When laying on glue, hold the spatula at 45º and firmly to get the ridges.

Install spacers between the tiles to ensure the joints are even. There are several types of spacers, varying in thickness.

Smart Tip: When pressing the tile into the mortar, make sure that the tile lays down well and that there is no air left under it. Otherwise, the voids under the tile will cause it to quickly break.

In this picture you can see how you should make cuts in the floor to drain pipe(sewer).

Smart Tip: Use a sponge and water to clean the grout from the tiles. Once it dries, it will be much more difficult to remove the remaining solution. Additionally, use a notched trowel to scrape between tiles to make the grouting process easier.

After this, when everything is dry, grout the joints between the tiles.

Thank you for reading our article on how to lay tiles in the bathroom and we encourage you to share our projects with your friends using social buttons.

Laying floor tiles on your own - a feasible task, although not an easy one. Each stage, starting with the choice of material, requires a responsible attitude and care, otherwise it is impossible to achieve a high-quality result. The longest and most labor-intensive process is preparing the base, and the better the surface is prepared, the easier it is to lay tiles on the bathroom floor. The cladding technology itself is not too complicated, and if you follow the instructions exactly, you can do a great job even with no experience.

The range of floor tiles is huge, and choosing right away is not so easy. When looking at samples, first of all pay attention to the following characteristics:

  • tile thickness;
  • presence of anti-slip coating;
  • resistance to chemically aggressive influences;
  • moisture resistance.

The optimal thickness of floor tiles is 9-12 mm, it is best to choose the shape and size square tiles 200x200 or 300x300 mm. There are many varieties figured tiles, which looks very impressive and unusual, but its installation requires high skill. For the same reason, a beginner should not choose options that, when laid, form a complex pattern - this will require very precise calculations to adjust the pattern, and with a lack of experience this is not easy to do.

Beginners should choose classic tiles in the form of squares

The water absorption of the material should not exceed 4.5%, the friction coefficient, on the contrary, should be maximum - from 0.75. Such tiles remain safe even after water gets on them, which happens very often in the bathroom. Information about technical specifications is always present on the packaging, so when choosing, carefully study the data.

And do not buy tiles if the seller cannot provide a quality certificate - all trustworthy manufacturers have certified products.

bathroom tiles

In addition to the tiles, you will need to purchase glue, waterproofing materials, and grout for joints. It is best to take glue to cement based: it is relatively inexpensive, easy to apply, provides excellent adhesion of the tile to the base and is not afraid of moisture. Popular options are Ceresit CM 11, Eunice Plus, Weber vetonit ultra fix.

It is most convenient to use coating waterproofing (for example, Perfekta AquaStop), plaster (Ceresit CR-65, Knauf FLACHENDICHT) or impregnating (Penetron). These compounds are easy to apply and form reliable protection from moisture penetration.

As for grouting, here you need to choose between cement and epoxy mixtures. Cement ones are cheaper, more convenient to apply, for a novice master best option. Epoxy compounds more durable and strong, but more difficult to work with.

moisture resistant tile grout

Floor preparation

The tiles should be laid as level as possible. solid foundation. You must not leave cracks, chips, potholes and other defects, otherwise very soon the new coating will become unusable. First of all, you should carefully examine the floor and determine the degree of its unevenness. To do this, you need to attach a building level to the base in several places and measure the width of the gaps under the tool with a ruler. If deviations do not exceed 5 mm, no additional leveling is required - all irregularities will be hidden by the adhesive solution. In this case, the surface is simply cleaned of dust and thoroughly primed.

If the differences in height are large, you need to visually determine the highest point of the floor and make markings around the perimeter of the room for pouring the screed. Marking must be done using a level, otherwise the floor may end up on a slope. Next, beacons from the profile are installed and cement-sand mortar is poured. It takes, on average, about a month for the screed to dry, and until it is completely dry, you cannot begin finishing. If the tiles are laid on a damp base, very soon they will begin to sag and may even burst under load, so it is better not to take risks.

After drying, you need to waterproof it. Protective composition Apply with a roller or brush to the floor surface, covering the walls a few centimeters. Corners and joints should be worked out especially carefully. By the way, many craftsmen do not use waterproofing, but prefer to treat the dried screed 1-2 times with a deep penetration primer. For normal use of the bathroom, this is quite enough, but in the event of flooding, water will easily overcome such a barrier and flow through the ceilings to the neighbors.

Video - DIY bathroom floor waterproofing

Choosing a installation method

Before you start tiling, you need to select a tile the best way styling:

  • traditional - the tiles are arranged in even rows both horizontally and vertically. This option is the most common and easiest for a beginner. The tiles used are usually square, although this method can also be used for rectangular tiles;
  • diagonal - laying is done in even rows, but along the diagonal axes of the base. This coating looks attractive, but installation takes more time to trim and adjust elements, and more accurate calculations are also required;
  • with offset - installation is carried out according to the principle brickwork, that is, in each horizontal row the tiles are shifted by half their width. Suitable for square and rectangular elements. Offset laying can also be done diagonally;
  • herringbone installation - performed like parquet, suitable for rectangular tiles. This method takes a lot of time, accurate calculation and skill;
  • modular – facing is done with tiles different sizes square and rectangular shape. For masonry, it is necessary to carefully select a pattern and draw up an accurate diagram indicating the dimensions of the elements and seams. The method is effective, but labor-intensive, requiring certain experience and skill;
  • with shift - when laying, each tile moves slightly vertically and horizontally at the same time, and the resulting gaps are closed with smaller tiles. It looks very attractive, but requires precise adjustment of the elements and a lot of time.

If you have no experience of such work at all, it is best to choose traditional way- this way you will save time and minimize the consumption of material for trimming. But, despite its simplicity, you still have to try: on such a coating all the defects in the seams are clearly visible, so when laying it you should exercise maximum care and attention.

Tile laying technology

So, we have a flat, dry base for cladding. You can proceed directly to laying tiles on the floor, and we’ll look at how to do this in the most detail.

To work you will need:

  • construction mixer;
  • two spatulas - regular and serrated (with a tooth height of 8-10 mm);
  • rubber hammer;
  • long bubble level;
  • plastic crosses for seams with a diameter of 2-2.5 mm;
  • tile cutter or grinder.

Step 1. The tiles are laid out on the floor without glue to select the most optimal location and check the tightness of the fit in the corners.

For example, if the corners are uneven, the tiles will have to be trimmed, which will require additional effort and time. There is no other way to correct such a defect, so you should take care of the correct angles at the stage of leveling the walls.

If the last tile in a row does not fit completely, it is better to move the tiles so that the same distance remains on both sides, and when laying, trim both outer elements. This way the cladding will look much more aesthetically pleasing. Having decided on the location of the material, trace the outer tile along the contour with a pencil - the laying will begin according to this marking.

Step 2. The floor surface is treated with waterproof primer with anti-mold additives. The primer can be applied with a wide brush or roller, the main thing is that there are no missed spots. After this, you need to wait for the base to dry.

Step 3. Prepare the adhesive solution: in a bucket of water room temperature add dry glue and stir until smooth with a mixer at low speed. If you stir at high speed, many air bubbles will form in the solution, which will lead to the weakening of the adhesive layer and its shrinkage. Stir for a couple of minutes, then let the solution sit for 5 minutes and stir again. The exact proportions of water and dry mixture are indicated on the packaging, so read the instructions carefully before starting work.

Step 4. Scoop up the glue with a regular spatula and apply it in a thick layer to the floor, without going beyond the marking lines. The application area must correspond to the size of one tile. Having leveled the solution, take a notched trowel and run it across the glue so that deep grooves are formed. Movements are performed only in one direction so that all grooves are parallel.

Step 5. Take the first tile, moisten it with water, and apply glue to its back side in the same way. Using a notched trowel, lay the tiles so that the grooves intersect at right angles. This installation provides the best grip and allows you to easily cover small unevenness. The side edges of the tile must clearly coincide with the marking lines, and one side must fit snugly against the wall or bath screen. Press the material firmly to the floor, then apply a bubble level and check the horizontal position. If necessary, correct the tiles with a rubber hammer.

Advice. There is usually an arrow imprint on the back of the tile indicating the direction of laying. Even if the pattern on the front surface is difficult to distinguish and chaotic, the tiles should always be positioned so that the arrow is directed in one direction - this will avoid distortion of the pattern and give the cladding a neat appearance.

Step 6. The solution is applied again, this time for several elements at once, leveled and dispersed with a notched trowel all the time in one direction. Take the next tile, moisten the back side with a wet sponge, and cover it with glue. Having applied it to the surface, plastic crosses are inserted at the joint to ensure a uniform seam. Press and align horizontally. The level now needs to be applied to both tiles at several points at once, so that differences in height do not form between them.

Step 7 All other whole tiles are laid in the same way, and then the cut ones are fastened. To properly cut the material, the whole tile is applied to the remaining area of ​​the floor between the wall and the cladding, and the cut line is marked with a pencil. Next, using a tile cutter or grinder, cut off the excess and lay the fragment on the glue.

Advice. Before applying glue, carefully inspect the edges of the tiles: if there are chips on them, it is better to use such elements for trimming for corners and hard to reach places. On open area these defects will be obvious and spoil the whole look.

Step 8 Having laid the first row, proceed to the second, maintaining the same thickness of the seams and constantly monitoring the horizontal level of the coating. When laying, you need to move from the far wall to the doors so that during the work you do not step on already glued tiles. It is very important to ensure that the corners are aligned; for convenience, you can place an additional cross at the intersection of the seams. It is unacceptable for differences in height to form at the corners - constantly check these areas with a level.

Step 9 After completing the installation, leave the room for a day so that the glue hardens well. After this time, carefully remove the crosses and remove the excess mortar remaining in the seams.

Step 10 After this, you can begin grouting the tile joints - jointing. The grout mixture is applied with a rubber spatula: take a small amount of grout and distribute it along the length of the seam, carefully rubbing the mixture into the recesses. You need to work slowly, evenly filling the voids and removing excess mixture. In addition to seams, grout is used to process joints around the perimeter of sewer outlets.

Step 11 10-15 minutes after applying the grout, the treated seams should be wiped with a damp sponge to wash off any remaining mixture. You should not allow the solution to dry out, otherwise it will be much more difficult to remove it from the cladding surface. When cleaning the coating, the sponge must be rinsed as often as possible and the water changed, otherwise white stains and streaks will remain on the tile.

Video - Grouting tiles

After about two weeks, the seams can be further protected with a waterproof compound that is applied over the grout. At this point, the floor finishing is considered complete, and if everything is done according to the rules, the coating will last for years, maintaining its original appearance.

Video - Laying tiles on the bathroom floor

Laying tiles on the bathroom floor is no more difficult than in any other room. You could even say that in some ways it is easier - a small floor area does not allow many mistakes to manifest themselves. The difference in solving the question of how to lay tiles on the floor in the bathroom is observed only in the sequence of work performed at the global level.

Laying tiles on the bathroom floor with your own hands photo

How to lay tiles on the floor in the bathroom: features of the work

Deviations in bathroom flooring technology can be affected by the presence of a plumbing fixture such as. Usually it is installed before the walls are laid, and it must be mounted on the tiled floor. Here another question arises - will this brand new floor be ruined by tile adhesive or a hammer that accidentally fell out of your hands? Such a turn of events cannot be allowed, so first the tiles are laid under the bathtub, then the bathtub is installed (except for the bottom row) and only then the floor and, accordingly, the walls below are laid.

Tiles are laid a little differently if there is no bathtub. If you are planning, then the floor is laid last. Naturally, before the bottom trim of the tiles is done. In addition, you should understand that it is unwise to glue tiles on an unprepared floor - firstly, this is an overconsumption of glue, and secondly, not every specialist will be able to lay tiles on a thick layer of glue. It floats, and if you add a little glue, then teeth and height differences are guaranteed.

How to lay tiles on a bathroom floor photo

In a good way, before laying the tiles, you need to carry out a number of measures to level the floor. And this must be done according to all the rules - you need to tear off the old screed, waterproof the floor, pour in a new rough covering, maintaining the plane and level of the horizon, and only then, when the new screed has dried, can you begin to lay tiles on the bathroom floor.

Bathroom floor tiles: DIY installation

With this sorted out, you can move on to the actual technology of laying tiles on the floor.

Watch the video to see how to properly lay tiles on the bathroom floor.

Floor tile laying technology: sequence of work, subtleties and nuances

We will not touch on the specifics of the question of how to lay tiles on the floor in the bathroom, we have already dealt with them, but we will consider this technology without reference to a given room. Anyway, everything described below is true for any premises. To make it more clear, we will present this information in the form of small instructions on points that reflect the sequence of work. Naturally, let's not forget about the nuances.

  1. Cleaning. Everything is simple here - we take a broom, or better yet, a dry mop and clean the floor surface, as they say, to zero - there should not be a speck of dust or speck on the surface.
  2. Floor primer with a composition like Ceresit CT17. The solution is not diluted, but applied as is. We pour it into a bucket and apply it to the surface of the screed using a mold. The mixture should be rubbed into the floor, rather than just wet the surface with it. You need to rub until white foam forms - this is a clear indicator that the screed has stopped absorbing the primer and has become saturated with it. The primer must dry thoroughly - at least for an hour. It is better to carry out this operation at the end of the day, having prepared the front of work for the morning. You can repeat the primer in the morning - it won’t make it any worse. You don’t have to wait for the second layer of soil to dry; it’s enough that it doesn’t stand on the screed.

    How to lay tiles on a bathroom floor photo

  3. Prime the floor with glue. Many craftsmen ignore this step and immediately move on to laying tiles on the bathroom floor. You should not do this, since such a primer increases the gluing area - the glue gets clogged into all the pores of the screed, thus increasing the adhesion of materials. For the same reason, you need to cover the tile itself with a thin layer of glue. If you pay attention to its back side, you will see protruding stripes in the form of rectangles on it - they are also needed to increase the gluing area. That's why you need to fill the depressions between these strips with glue.
  4. Applying glue to the floor. You will need a notched spatula, popularly called a “comb”. Using a flat spatula, apply the glue to the floor and spread it in an even layer using a comb. It should be noted that this must be done in one direction. Why? You will understand this further.

    How to lay tiles on the bathroom floor with your own hands photo

  5. Apply glue to the tiles. I would like to make a reservation right away: on most of the tiles (on their back side), the manufacturer stamps an arrow - this is the recommended laying direction. In a small area this nuance will not be noticeable. But if we're talking about O large space, exceeding 20 sq. m, then violation of this recommendation will lead to expansion or narrowing of the seam. In general, it is better not to violate this nuance and lay the tiles with an arrow in one direction (in any direction). As mentioned above, first the tile is covered with a thin layer of glue and only after that the solution is applied to it using a comb. The glue strips should run in the opposite direction from the floor. In this way, the space between the tile and the screed is fully filled.
  6. Laying tiles. Everything here is simple and complex at the same time. Just attach it to the floor and align it with the wall. It is difficult to orient in a plane according to the horizon level - you will need a level and a lot of patience. In general, it’s better to align two tiles at once – it’s more convenient. At the same time, set the plane and set the level.

    The nuances of laying floor tiles for the bathroom

  7. The first row fits without problems, but with the second and subsequent rows some nuances arise. In principle, all the subtleties ensure the uniformity of the seams and the absence of teeth at the points of their intersection. Firstly, these are crosses - if you pay attention, they have a cone shape. This was done so that the width of the seam could be varied within a millimeter. Although it is better not to play such games without experience - insert the cross to its full depth, or at least control it within the same limits, and everything will be fine! Secondly, each tile laid and aligned must be tapped into the corner formed by the previous tiles. In a small area such measures will be invisible, but in large spaces they are simply irreplaceable.
  8. Grouting joints. Bathroom floor tiles, or rather the seams between them, are rubbed down after they are completely dry, i.e. in a couple of days. Everything is simple here - the dry mixture is diluted with water to the consistency of a paste, which is used to fill the seams using a rubber spatula. When the grout dries a little, the seams are corrected with your finger, and the excess remaining on the tile itself is wiped off with a dry cloth.

    How to level tiles on the floor when laying

Well, in conclusion, a few small tips that will help you avoid some problems and solve the issue of how to lay tiles on the bathroom floor in the most the best way. Firstly, do not let go of the level - constant control of the plane is simply necessary in this matter. Secondly, after laying each tile, clean the edges of excess glue with a spatula. And thirdly, if possible, it is better to lay tiles indoors at one time - after the glue hardens, it will be difficult to change anything in the position of the tiles. If for some reason you still have to interrupt this process, then the row you started must be completed to the end, and the glue that has protruded from under the tiles must be removed from the floor.

How to lay tiles on the floor in a bathroom or toilet? Having decided to renovate a bathroom or toilet, everyone tries to save a little and complete construction and renovation work with your own hands. This zeal is commendable, but to carry out renovations in a toilet with your own hands, you need at least minimal experience in how to lay tiles on the floor.

Floor tiles in the bathroom

Laying tiles on the floor in the bathroom and toilet is not difficult because small area floor. On large planes, the likelihood of making noticeable errors is high; with small toilet or bathroom spaces, everything is much simpler.

But before you lay tiles on the bathroom floor, you need to familiarize yourself with the technology of laying tiles in order to avoid serious mistakes. After all, if the tiles are laid with errors, then the problem can only be solved by removing this coating and laying a new one. It is worth noting that the material for laying tiles on the bathroom floor is not cheap.

What mistakes are made when laying

Mistakes made can ruin all the work.

Incorrectly selected tiles

When shopping for tiles, people are more often guided by two factors that influence final choice– design and price policy. But having decided on a purchase, they do not check the tiles for identity. This is a serious mistake that can result in uneven joints between tiles, tiles of different sizes and shades. Before purchasing, you need to check the dimensions of the tiles. It is better to take several tiles of the same batch from different boxes and compare them with each other. Ceramic material must be identical to each other around the perimeter and height of the product.

Buying glazed ceramics

The bathroom is a place where there should be increased safety. When coming out after a shower, a person should not slide on the floor, like on an ice skating rink. Therefore, glazed tiles will not work; you should buy unglazed material. Safety must be paramount, as falling onto a ceramic floor can result in serious injury to a person.

Choosing the wrong mixture for laying tiles

Laying tiles on a bathroom floor requires correct selection mixtures for fixing tiles. With the current choice of materials, the need for cement mortar for styling is missing, manufacturers offer good mixtures, which will facilitate the process of laying tiles on the floor. For the bathroom and toilet, they buy primer, glue and grout exclusively for floor coverings. The base of the bathroom and toilet is constantly subjected to heavy loads, therefore it is necessary to lay the tiles with an adhesive of increased fixation.

Special attention devoted to preparing the mixture. You must not deviate from the instructions on the packaging of the mixture; the proportions must be strictly observed when preparing the adhesive emulsion. To do this, you need to carefully study all the recommendations of the manufacturers. The glue should be uniform, without lumps.

Poorly prepared base.

How to lay tiles if the original base is uneven? Many people try to solve the problem with more glue. This is a fatal mistake that guarantees a crooked floor with height differences. The fact is that leveling the surface by laying tiles with a large amount of glue will lead to landslides adhesive base and the probability that the tile will simply “float” reaches almost 100%.

Therefore, before installation, you need to pay attention to leveling the surface. Correctly laying tiles on the bathroom floor can only be done on a well-prepared surface.

There was an error in measurements

Trying to lay tiles without careful measurements means setting the whole job up for failure. Without a corner, a rubber mallet and water, or better laser level It is impossible to lay a tile floor evenly.

The laid row of tiles must be checked using a level; defects are leveled using a rubber hammer. Why a rubber mallet and not an ordinary one? Ceramic coating can simply burst or chip when using an ordinary hammer, so a rubber hammer should always be at hand.


Leveling tiles with a rubber hammer

You cannot start laying floor tiles from the middle of the room; the first row should always go from a visible corner of the room. This move will ensure the aesthetic appearance of the floor; it is better to hide the cut tiles under the bathtub or behind the toilet.

Step-by-step instruction

How to lay tiles on the floor in the toilet and bathroom yourself? There is nothing complicated about this, all you have to do is adhere to the following points and a beautiful floor and neatly laid tiles are guaranteed:

  1. Cleaning the room The neatness of the coating largely depends on the cleanliness of the room. It is necessary to remove small dirt and dust from the surface using a broom or vacuum cleaner. Particular attention should be paid to corners and joints near the walls, where the tiles should fit tightly.
  2. Applying a primer A primer is a material that increases the adhesion of the surface to the tile. Therefore, there is no need to ignore this moment. The primer is applied until white foam begins to form on the screed. This means that the surface has already absorbed the required amount of liquid. After treatment, you need to let the primer dry, one hour is enough.
  3. Applying glue

    The adhesive is applied to the floor and to the tiles, and the adhesive on the tiles should be perpendicular to the adhesive on the floor. Apply the emulsion using a special comb spatula.

  4. Laying tiles Manufacturers indicate the direction for laying on the back of each tile with an arrow. Each tile should be laid with arrows in one direction. This will help to avoid unevenness and crooked joints. Before laying tiles on the floor in the bathroom, stock up on special plastic crosses. They are laid in the corners of the tiles, this will make the floor surface even and the joints of the same width. The first tile is placed in the corner and moved along the wall, all the time checking the height of the masonry with a level.
  5. Grouting the joints After laying the tiles in the bathroom is completed, the floor must be grouted. To do this, after a day, the seams are carefully treated with a special mixture. This is done using a rubber spatula. After 20-30 minutes, the remaining mixture is removed from the tile.

The floor in the bathroom or toilet is ready. We learned how to lay tiles on a bathroom floor. In this process, the main thing is not to rush and apply all your experience and knowledge in practice responsibly.

Video on how to lay tiles on a bathroom floor:

  • Plastic mixing bowl - 1
  • Grater with sponge - 2;
  • Graters made of metal - 3.4;
  • To lay tiles with dimensions of 300 mm or more, you will need a spatula with teeth of 10 mm - 5;
  • When installing a floor made of small tiles, a trowel with 4-5 mm teeth is suitable - 6;
  • Thanks to the rubber grater, excess solution can be easily removed if necessary - 7;
  • Brush - 8.

Also, for reliable installation of tiles in the bathroom you will need:

  • Mallet - a rubber hammer. This tool designed to remove air voids between tiles and concrete base. The desired effect is achieved by tapping the surface of the finishing material;
  • Shovel-trowel;
  • Cutter knife that can be used to cut ceramic tiles (6 mm). If the tile thickness is greater, use a construction cutter to adjust the shape.
  • Wedges or crosses made of plastic, with the help of which the distance for seams between tile elements is set;
  • Bulgarian;
  • Square for correcting even laying;
  • Plumb;
  • Building level;
  • Reiki;
  • Pliers.

2. Preparing the base of the bathroom floor

The floor surface for tiling must be flat, regardless of the base material ( concrete slab, reinforced concrete or wooden floor).


Correction of the concrete surface can be done by level screed based on cement and sand. Components for leveling mixture:
  • Sand;
  • Cement powder;
  • Water. The amount of water is determined during mixing mortar, the consistency of the mixture should resemble sour cream;
  • The optimal thickness for screed is about 3-5 mm.

The proportion of the cement component to sand is 1:3 (for rooms with high wear resistance requirements). If laying tiles is planned for a cottage or apartment, a ratio of 1:4 is sufficient.


Instructions for preparing a concrete floor after leveling:
  • It is necessary to clean the base from debris and dust with a brush, while the floor surface must remain dry;
  • With help cement-sand mortar all gaps should be filled, then the surface is sanded;
  • The cement layer must dry thoroughly, after which the surface can be impregnated with a primer. An aqueous solution with the addition of a primer promotes more reliable adhesion to concrete;
  • Instructions for preparing the primer solution are on each package;
  • Carefully distribute the composition using a spatula over the entire base.

If the masonry is planned in a room with increased level humidity, the load-bearing base should be protected by installing a waterproofing layer.


Thanks to proper waterproofing the base of the floor is protected from the destructive effects of moisture. As a rule, special mastics are used as a protective layer. Coating with mastics occurs after applying the primer solution to the base. After waterproofing is installed, a metal mesh is placed on the concrete floor.
Creating markings before laying tiles

Before you start laying tiles with your own hands, you need to make detailed markings as follows:

  • Take measurements of the dimensions of the bathroom;
  • It is better to designate those corners that will be the beginning of the masonry separately, and also think over the sequence of actions and direction;
  • If the tile has been cut, it is better to place it in a less noticeable place, for example in the corner of the room;
  • When several types of different tiles are assembled, it is convenient to use special dividers - metal thresholds.

Thanks to high-quality markings, you can optimize all finishing work, avoid defects during the installation process, as well as the appearance of unevenness on the surface. Please pay close attention to this point.

How to markup correctly?

  • Start laying tiles from the far corner of the outer wall, or from the middle of the room, moving towards the door. The first method allows you to use the tiles in their original size, without trimming; the second method is characterized by maximum adherence to the shape of the room;
  • It is better to orient the tile row parallel external wall rooms. Thus, the space will look neat;
  • During the marking process, you should take into account the shape of a particular tile, determine the size of the seam between the tiles and maintain this distance over the entire floor area;
  • In order to fix the desired position of the elements, use plastic crosses, which can be purchased at hardware stores. The width of such wedges is about 1.5-2 mm;
  • The concrete surface itself should be marked. This approach facilitates the preparation to be carried out correctly;
  • The installation gap between the tiles hides the error of individual tiles, which is allowed by manufacturers. The distance established on the eve of work hides such an error.
  • Also, the presence of a gap ensures the safety of the cladding material. When temperature changes occur, the tiles will not crack;
  • Transverse and longitudinal marking guidelines are not enough. After laying the first row, it will be difficult to continue working correctly;

  • It is better to place tiles with decor in advance and think about the placement on a real scale. Thus, you can understand whether the planned image fits completely, or whether it needs to be adjusted in size. Preliminary actions will allow you to obtain a spectacular floor covering with beautiful decor;
  • Provided that the decor is small, try to choose a place for its arrangement that will be viewed to the maximum and will not be crowded with furniture in the future;
  • In the case of a large-scale drawing, evaluate which part can be closed without significantly losing the idea.

3. Main stages

  • Using a special spatula with teeth on inside the tiles spread the adhesive prepared the day before installation;
  • It is recommended to point the spatula at a certain angle to the surface, about 40 degrees. This way the composition will remain on the material;
  • It is necessary to act quickly, since the glue dries quite quickly;
  • You should not put strong pressure on the tiles when laying them, as the surface may become distorted - become uneven, damaged decorative properties material;
  • Constantly check the evenness of the installation special device- level or corner;
  • Tapping with a mallet promotes better adhesion of the tiles to the base;
  • The wedges for forming gaps are removed approximately an hour after laying the ceramic tiles. After 24 hours, the seams can be treated with a sealed compound;
  • The final stage is cleaning up any remaining glue and stains.

The seams should not be rubbed within 24 hours after laying. At this moment, the glue shrinks. If you rush and rub the gaps right away, cracks will appear in the material quite quickly.

4. Grout

There are several rules for applying grout after laying tiles:

  • The consistency of the grout should resemble thick sour cream;
  • Using a rubber spatula, seal the gaps between the tiles with the resulting composition;
  • Pressing the spatula against the seams, guide it in a herringbone pattern along the joint;
  • With the final movement of the tool, we remove excess grout.
  • A joint filled with grout can be impacted with a small piece of cable round section, leveling the thickness of the filling.

Remaining joint sealing material can be removed after one hour. Use a rag or sponge soaked in water for this. Subject to regular wiping (every 3 hours), the substance will gain maximum stability properties. The recommended number of such impacts is two or three times.

As a rule, four to five days are enough for the composition to dry completely.

5. Cutting facing material

Most often, this action is applied to the outer rows located near the walls. Trimming the tiles is done using a grinder, tongs, and a glass cutter.

To make a neat and precise cut, you should use a special machine designed for cutting tiles. This device allows you to achieve an accuracy of up to 1 mm.

6. Prices for laying tiles in Moscow

  • Laying ceramic tiles on the bathroom floor without screed: about 600 rubles/sq.m;
  • Grouting joints between elements: about 100 rub./sq. m;
  • Leveling screed for laying tiles: from 200 rub./sq. m and above.

7. Video