Is it possible to tile over old tiles in the bathroom? Useful tips and a detailed description of the finishing process for anyone who is interested in whether it is possible to lay tiles on tiles? Is it possible to lay tiles on the base

The article answers numerous questions that arise for those who decide to independently lay tiles during renovation.

Laying tiles yourself: answers to all questions

Ceramic tiles are a common option for finishing walls and floors in the kitchen, bathroom and toilet. This material is practical, durable and easy to maintain.

Installation is a simple process. The main thing is to pay attention to surface preparation and the choice of adhesive mixture.

There are also several subtleties that, having become familiar with them, even a person who knows nothing about repairs can perform fastening of the material.

Is it possible to lay tiles on a wall with old tiles?

Laying work requires careful preparation of the base surface, which is cleaned as much as possible of the old finish. Laying on an old wall covering is always fraught with great risk, since the weight of the tiles and the weak adhesion caused by such “multi-layering” can cause the material to fall off. In exceptional cases, laying tiles on old tiles possible, but experienced specialists do not give guarantees regarding service life. In other words, it is better to refrain from this finishing option “at your own peril and risk,” especially on the walls.

Primary requirements

When tiling walls, the quality of work primarily depends on how well the base surface is prepared. Special requirements are placed on its evenness.

Why laying tiles on curved walls is undesirable


Ceramic tiles have limited flexural strength per square meter. m., which is why it is better to lay this material on flat walls. In addition, uneven walls significantly increase the consumption of the adhesive mixture.

How to level the surface

After measuring the wall using a level, if irregularities up to 10-15 mm are detected, cement or gypsum mixtures are used for leveling. If the indicators are higher, drywall is used.

Rules for assessing wall evenness


Since high-quality masonry requires a flat surface, work begins with determining the evenness of the wall.

This can be done using:

  • slats or rules;
  • plumb line with a load;
  • construction bubble level;
  • laser level (level).

The most accurate and convenient way– use of a level.

What should be the angle

Particularly difficult is preparing the corners. After preparation and alignment, it should be exactly 90°, and the deviation along the line cannot exceed 1 mm.

Methods for laying on a smooth concrete wall

Laying tiles on a concrete wall has a number of special preparation requirements.

Concrete is characterized by comparatively less adhesiveness than other materials that serve as the basis for cladding. Therefore, to improve the quality of adhesion and roughen the structure, use special type primer, which is called concrete contact.

But, cracks and irregularities can also be on concrete wall. If the differences in unevenness are more than 3 cm, it is necessary to plaster the walls in order to minimize glue consumption. In addition, if you do not plaster a surface with a difference in unevenness of more than 5 cm, there is a possibility that the tile will crumble over time. After this, the wall must be primed again.

There are several basic ways to lay tiles on a wall:

  1. Straight. Vertically located tile seams on the same line or with a half offset.
  2. Diagonally. This method is used when combining different colors, as well as for creating patterns. The marking is carried out taking into account the angle of inclination of the tiles, which inevitably increases the number of cut tiles, which is economically more costly.
  3. With offset. Most difficult option, in which the tiles are laid offset relative to the previous row.

How to lay large tiles yourself

When using tiles large sizes it is necessary to make the base surface as smooth as possible, otherwise the work will require a lot of time and more material consumption.

When fastening large tiles, glue with increased adhesion values ​​of 1 MPa is used. The room temperature should be between 20 - 25°.

When working with such material, it is extremely important to distribute the adhesive mixture as thoroughly as possible with a spatula “comb” in order to prevent the formation air gaps under the coating, which reduce adhesion to the base. “Comb” the solution onto large tiles It is recommended in one direction as this makes it easier to remove air from under the material. Laying is carried out immediately after applying the adhesive mixture, when the adhesion force is maximum.

Beginner's Guide


The process of laying ceramics on walls is not the most complex type repair work, which even “newbies” in repair can easily handle on their own.

How many rows can be laid on the wall at one time?

Provided that the glue is correctly selected and the use of a metal profile fixing the first row, as well as plastic crosses, the number of rows is not limited. Good glue sets in 15-30 minutes. After this time, there is no need to fear that the ranks will creep down.

How to properly lay tiles on the walls in the bathroom: laying corners on the wall


Laying walls at a junction, at a protruding corner, poses difficulties for many inexperienced craftsmen. Most often, such places are located in the bathroom - communications are hidden behind them.

There are three main ways to work in these zones:

  1. Positioned at an angle of 90° . This is the simplest method in which the elements are placed at an angle of 90° to each other. In this case, one cut remains open and the use of grout is necessary, which makes the results less aesthetically pleasing than with other methods.
  2. Trimming edges. The tile sections are ground down with a grinder or with a tile cutter to 45°, after which they are combined with each other.
  3. Using Trims. Trims are special plastic profiles with a protruding part in the center, which are placed at the corners and covered with tiles.
  4. Using tiles in the shape of a corner. The easiest way. When using it, further installation is carried out from the edge of the corner tile.

How to start laying the first row: rules

Laying the first row is a crucial moment, since it is this that serves as a kind of guideline for all subsequent ones.

When working with the first row on the wall, marks are made along the upper cut of the tile located below all.

Using a level, these marks are connected into a straight line throughout the entire fastening area and secured to it. metallic profile or a rail that will keep the material from sliding to the bottom.

What you need to know to lay tiles evenly on a concrete wall

In order for the ceramics to lie flat on the concrete wall, you need to carefully measure the surface. If there are no pronounced differences, use concrete contact to provide additional roughness. Sometimes plastering is required.

Is it possible to lay tiles from top to bottom?

This method of laying is unacceptable, since there is no possibility of securing the fixing profile and the lower rows will slide under the weight of the upper ones.

How to quickly glue tiles

In such a matter as repairs, it is necessary to reduce haste to a minimum. But in the event that 1-2 tiles have fallen off, you can apply special kind quick-drying “liquid nails” glue.

How to fix tiles on a wall without glue: alternative options


There is no alternative to the adhesive mixture when laying tiles. All methods, in addition to the main one, are a compromise and can be used in exceptional cases.

Some experts fasten the tiles with self-tapping screws if they can hide the caps behind decorative elements or furniture.

Rules for laying tiles on a clay wall: how to lay and glue

Laying tiles on clay walls- an extremely complex and labor-intensive process, since clay is less solid foundation than hardened tile adhesive with the material.


Therefore, it is necessary to first cover the walls with moisture-resistant plasterboard, minimizing the gaps between it and the wall, or attach the tiles to a metal profile. Next, installation is carried out in the appropriate way, depending on the chosen option.

Laying tiles is an integral part of renovation work in the kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Any homeowner can do it themselves, having first familiarized themselves with the rules and intricacies of this process. This will reduce costs and make repairs more economical. In addition, in this case the owner will be confident that the work was done conscientiously.

Useful video

When we're talking about regarding the installation of tiles, one of the main requirements is careful preparation of the base on which the tiles are planned to be laid. According to building regulations, the base must be cleared of old coating, checked for horizontalness, and leveled cement screed and treated with a primer that improves the adhesion of tile adhesive.

If for new housing this option is undeniable, then for already exploited housing it represents a great difficulty and even a “headache”.

Problems with removing old tiles

Nowadays, it is rare to find a bathroom or toilet where the walls and floors are not tiled. And the need to remove it disheartens every owner of such housing.

After all, this process is associated with a lot of inconveniences:

  • The work involves the use of impact instruments, which means it will be very noisy, which cannot but cause complaints from residents of neighboring apartments.
  • During work, a large amount of dust is generated, requiring isolation of all rooms adjacent to the repair site.
  • Removing old tiles can lead to damage to the screed underneath, which will have to be partially or completely repaired.
  • It will be necessary to remove fragments of tiles and the removed layer of adhesive.
  • Repairing or restoring an old floor base will require new materials, effort and time, which leads to additional material and time costs.

Therefore, both apartment owners and renovation workers could not help but be tempted to use old tiles as a base for installing new ones. An annoying obstacle to the implementation of this idea is the low porosity of the tile surface, which does not allow reliable bonding of the fresh adhesive layer to the old tile.

The ability of a solid material to absorb water is directly proportional to the number of pores in it. For tiles intended for finishing surfaces inside a building, it varies from 0.5 to 3%. The upper surface of the tile, including the floor tile, is most often covered with a layer of glaze, which ensures the waterproofness of the tile layer, which is necessary for wet rooms.

In order for the glue to properly attract the new topcoat to the old base, it must penetrate through the pores into the body of the base. Therefore, it is necessary that its pores are open. Surface roughness is also important, improving adhesion.

How to achieve these goals in the case of old tiles?

To do this, you can use the following methods:

  • Remove the glaze layer from the surface of the old tile using a sander.
  • It is also advisable to form notches on the surface of the old tiles.
  • Treat the old surface with Betonokontakt primer, enriched with sand particles, or even better, needle quartz. After such treatment, the surface acquires the necessary roughness, after which it becomes suitable for adhesion to tile adhesive.

The latter method allows you to save a lot of time and effort and reduce the time required for repair work. But if all three methods are used in a comprehensive manner, then you won’t have to worry about the result of the work. However, these are not all the conditions under which you can use an old tile as a basis for gluing a new one.

All of the above methods for preparing the base can be used only if there are no certain defects.

  • The floor is uneven, that is, the differences in its surface are more than 4 mm per 2 m of the slats applied to the surface. If less, then the primer and glue will be able to level out the differences.
  • Old tiles are covered with cracks in which many years of dirt, grease, and possibly mold have accumulated.
  • Tapping the surface reveals voids under the layer of previous tiles. If there are many such places, the floor will have to be completely dismantled. In the case of individual places, the tiles are removed here and the surface is leveled with a screed.
  • When installing old tiles, poor-quality glue was used and the tiles were “loose.”
  • During the last renovation, communications were laid under the floor, but were not provided for inspection hatches. The floor must be completely dismantled.
  • When new tiles are installed, the floor level rises so much that it becomes above the threshold. This will not allow you to freely use the doors. In addition, the floor level in the bathroom and toilet is usually lower than in neighboring rooms. This is done to prevent spilled water from immediately and unimpededly flowing into adjacent rooms.

Very an important condition In this case, there is a discrepancy between the seams of the previous tile covering and the seams of the newly laid one. Therefore, during the period of preparing the tiles for work (cutting them to size), you need to draw a floor plan with all its inherent features. Then the new tiles are laid out on a dry surface in order to place the cut pieces in inconspicuous places, taking into account the overlap of the seams of the old floor.

Then the work is carried out as follows:

  • The crumbled seams of old tiles must be cleaned out with a chisel and filled with tile adhesive or cement mortar.
  • Old tiles need to be thoroughly washed from dust, first with just water, and then soap solution. Grease stains can be cleaned with baking soda. After this, the entire surface is washed again with clean water.
  • The cleaned surface of the base must be treated with a primer with additives for roughness. To do this, you can use a brush or roller. Material consumption is approximately 300 g/sq.m. m. Based on the area of ​​the new floor, calculate required amount primers are easy.
  • On small area tile adhesive is applied to the floor. Please note that it dries quickly, so the area of ​​the area should not be more than 1 square meter. m.
  • Next, forcefully place the first tile in place. While the glue is fresh, its position can be adjusted if necessary. Next, glue the following elements, which should be located next to it.
  • Don't forget to leave between the tiles expansion joints. If necessary, use special crosses.
  • A day after installing the new tiles, you can start filling the joints with jointing mortar or a polymer composition.

Thus, if a number of conditions are met, a new coating can be laid on a layer of old tiles.

But its quality and durability depend entirely on how thoroughly the old coating is examined and how carefully it is prepared.

If there is even the slightest reason to believe that the old tile is poorly laid or does not hold firmly, it is better to completely dismantle it and lay a new floor using conventional technology.

Apartment renovation often involves replacing the tile floor with a new one. Many are horrified by the prospect of dismantling the old coating - a huge amount of work, hard work and mountains. construction waste, dirt and dust. I wonder if it is possible to lay tiles on old tiles , After all, this will allow you to skip the most unpleasant stages of repair.

Unfortunately, no one will dare to give a definite answer to the question of whether it is possible to lay tiles on tiles or not, without first examining the old floor. Too much depends on his condition. In this article we are going to look at the question of whether tiles are laid on tiles at all, and how to do it correctly.

As you know, tiles are laid on a rigid and durable base, so it would be logical to assume that before deciding on the possibility of laying a new tile floor on top of the old one specifically in your case, it is necessary to inspect the old coating for reliable adhesion of the old tiles to the base.

Let us immediately note that experts do not recommend re-coating tile coverings that have been in use for a long time, since they are in a certain risk zone: they are susceptible to various types of damage - cracks, chips, etc. Under these conditions, it cannot be ruled out that the new floor will not last long.

When using this technology, the height of the floor increases and may well be higher than the level of the threshold, which in certain cases, say, in the bathroom, has disastrous consequences. That’s why it’s so important to take all measurements first/

Assessing the condition of old tiles

Some defects in old tiles, such as cracks, chips or loose parts, can be immediately detected even with a cursory inspection. However, and this is the mistake of many beginners, visual inspection is not enough. As practice shows, the absence of visible defects and the appearance of a reliable coating are sometimes not the same thing. The old floor must be carefully examined. Armed with a wooden hammer, tap the surface, element by element. A poorly glued one can be distinguished by a characteristic ringing or rattling sound.

If there are too many such elements in the floor decoration, then the question of whether it is possible to lay tiles on old tiles does not arise at all. There cannot be two opinions - dismantling and subsequent installation of a new coating according to general rules is necessary.

The old coating is also removed if any communications pass under it. This is especially true in cases where there is no access to them, such as a hatch, etc.

Let's say you're lucky and there are several tiles with a defect. What will be the sequence of your actions?

Preparing old coating for new

This work is carried out in several stages.

Coating repair

Around the problematic old tile, remove the putty or hardened mortar and, prying it up with a crowbar, lift it as carefully as possible, so as not to disturb either its integrity or the base underneath it. Mix a small amount of cement composition and fill the voids with it. Then they are carefully primed.

If you managed to successfully remove the tile, you can re-fix it in its old place. The only thing you need to know is that you can start the subsequent stages in about a day.

Surface treatment

Tiles are usually smooth, so the new floor will not adhere well to them. This means that at this stage the main task will be to obtain a rough surface, and the more grooves there are into which the solution gets, the stronger the new one will hold. You can walk through the finishing grinding machine to partially delete upper layer or make notches in increments of 10–20 mm, etc.

However, this option is not suitable for every type. For example, neither a drill nor an angle grinder will “take” a glazed one. Besides mechanical method quite labor-intensive and dusty.

A more modern and reliable way to provide roughness is to use a “Concrete Contact” type primer. They have excellent adhesion to any material, even if its absorbency is low. These are acrylic mixtures containing cement, sand and various fillers. Using this type of primer provides the most effectively prepared surface for a tile floor. In addition, the process itself takes record time.

The surface is thoroughly cleaned, especially from dust. To do this, use heavy construction vacuum cleaner. Next, using detergent, remove remaining dirt, grease and other things. The floor is washed with water, dried with rags and left to dry from residual moisture for a couple of hours.

Then apply the pre-mixed primer. By the way, it is advisable to repeat stirring from time to time during the priming process. The material is applied with a roller or brush over the entire surface. The pinkish tint of the concrete contact helps ensure that there are no untreated areas left during processing.

If necessary, the adhesion of the primer can even be increased by adding quartz particles to the mixture, which resemble a needle in their elongated shape. This solution even works on a glass surface.

The primed floor becomes rough, somewhat reminiscent of coarse sandpaper. Laying of the finish is carried out after the primer has completely dried, that is, after approximately three hours. Exact time drying time is indicated on the packaging.

The treated surface may not be smooth enough or have other flaws, which is extremely undesirable, so additional leveling may be required.

zamena—plitki-4

IN general outline installation of a tile covering on a tiled floor uses the same technology as a regular one. Among the most important nuances Let's note two:

  • a spatula is chosen with a comb height of approximately 1.0–1.5 cm;
  • The direction of laying the new tile is opposite to the existing one, so that the new seams do not coincide with the old ones.

It is also important what adhesive compositions are used and whether the tiles can be laid on cement. In this matter, it is worth listening to the opinion of professionals.

  • The adhesion of tile adhesive is much higher than that of cement mortar. It saves time and does not require special knowledge and skills.
  • The adhesive composition for floors with a bottom tiled base should be flexible and have high adhesion, say, Ceresit CM17 or Vetonit Renovation and others. All of them are designed for the installation of particularly durable and complex floors. True, these adhesive mixtures are more expensive, however, only they are guaranteed to ensure the strength, reliability and durability of the new floor.

Bathroom renovations are rarely complete without replacing the tiles, especially if they have already served for 10-20 years. But, as usual, the question arises: to hire a master or do everything yourself. If you have a proven, tried-and-true tiler in mind and a certain amount of money (usually they ask for the same amount of work as the materials cost), you can hire him. Otherwise, try laying the tiles yourself. If the walls are at least relatively smooth, everything should work out without any particular difficulties. But just before laying tiles on the wall, carefully study the technology.

It starts, as usual, with choosing a tile. Just pay attention not only to her external data. You will definitely need to check its geometry, otherwise it will be difficult to work with it. If you are laying tiles for the first time, any curvature will greatly complicate the task. So, let's check:


From experience, it is worth saying that ideal parameters are extremely difficult to find. If you like it externally, there are no cobwebs of cracks or glaze defects on the surface, the edges are even, the dimensions are the same, you can take it despite some non-linearity (first point). Otherwise, you will be tired of running around the shops. What you shouldn’t do is buy tiles “to order”. How can you control its quality if you already pay for it? Take only what you hold in your hands.

What are the tiles placed on?

Previously, tiles were laid on a cement-sand mixture, to which PVA glue or Bustilat was added. You can, of course, do it this way, but it will be more difficult. For more comfortable work, use ready-made compounds; they are also called “tile adhesive” because they contain adhesive components, which is why they sometimes say that tiles are “glued” to walls. Compositions come in two types:

  • in buckets - mastics, ready for use;
  • in bags - dry mixtures that require dilution with water.

Professionals mainly use dry mixtures. If necessary, they can be used to correct an imperfect wall, making the layer a little thicker or thinner. Another plus: they retain their plasticity longer, which allows adjustments to be made some time later. They work with mastic according to perfect wall and there can be no deviations here: the layer is too thin.

When choosing a tile adhesive, you can choose it for specific tasks. So there are formulations that contain additives that increase water repellent properties walls or floors. This is important in the kitchen and bathroom. There are frost-resistant ones, this will come in handy if you put it in unheated room or on the street. You can find glue that has bactericidal properties: it will prevent fungi and mold from developing, which is in demand in damp rooms.

Preparatory work

Before laying tiles on the wall, carry out whole line preparatory activities. This is a long and unpleasant process, but it is extremely undesirable to skip it: not every master, let alone beginners, can lay tiles properly on uneven, unprepared walls.

Leveling the surface

First of all, the old coating and anything that may fall off is removed from the walls. If there are greasy stains, remove them, or simply cut off part of the plaster along with the absorbed oil. The walls are tapped with a wooden hammer, determining by the sound whether there are voids. They occur if the plaster has peeled off, but has not yet been blown out. If you stick a tile on such an area, everything will collapse under its weight. That’s why you do all these places yourself.

A flat plank is applied to the cleaned base and an assessment is made of how smooth or crooked the walls are. If the wall surface is very convex or curved, it is better to correct everything with plaster to a level. Then laying tiles on the wall will be very simple. If the walls are relatively flat, only indentations that are too large are leveled: irregularities (protrusions or holes) that are more than 5 mm. Protrusions need to be cut off, holes need to be filled plaster mixture, widen the cracks, moisten them and also cover them with plaster.

We prime

It is advisable to treat the prepared wall with a primer. “Betonokontakt” or another composition with similar characteristics is best suited for these purposes. It penetrates to a fairly large thickness deep into the wall, connecting all the particles. After drying, the surface becomes rough, and tile adhesive “sticks” to it very well.

How to start

There are several possible starting points. To put it quite simply, you can lay out the first row right from the corner, following the floor line. But the first row will become level and without problems only if the floor is perfectly level, without any deviations. Otherwise, you will be trimming the tiles to somehow get vertical joints. As a result of these prunings, the second and all subsequent rows can “walk”. The work will be very hard and unpleasant. Therefore, it is better to spend time and mark the wall, finding the “start” points.

Wall marking

If you don't really care about the small pieces of tile that have to be placed in the corners and at the top, under the ceiling, you can skip this step. But if you want all the tiles to lie symmetrically, before laying the tiles on the wall, you will have to do the layout:


If it turns out that only narrow strips remain at both ends, it is advisable to redo the layout. If the middle was located in the center of the wall, try laying it out from the seam, and vice versa. It should come out better.

When placing tiles in height, the situation is slightly different. In some cases, the seam is made at a certain level. In the bathroom this is often the edge of the installed bathtub. If there are no such requirements, you can do the same: find the center, arrange (draw on the wall) the position of the tiles relative to it. This way you will find how to trim the tiles of the top and bottom rows.

There is another way to arrange it vertically: mark the first tile from the ceiling, and so on to the bottom. In this case, only the bottom row will have to be trimmed. This is not entirely correct, but the consumption of tiles is slightly less.

In any case, when calculating how to lay tiles on the wall, mark the level where the first row ends. This usually serves as a starting point. This is where the laying of tiles begins.

Start line

Based on the layout results, you have a line where the first row ends. It is at this height that a flat bar is nailed. Resting the tile on it, place the starting row, and all subsequent rows on it. The last row to be installed is the first row, into which the tiles will have to be cut.

Profiles for working with drywall are usually used as a support strip, but a flat dry block can also be used. At a given height, it is attached to the wall with self-tapping screws or dowels (depending on the wall material). To lay tiles on the wall with your own hands without problems, you need to fasten them often enough so that there is no sagging. Be sure to check that it is installed horizontally. There shouldn't be even the slightest deviation.

How to lay tiles on a wall

The technology for laying tiles on the wall is simple. It consists of several simple steps:


A few nuances about the complete process. First, in the marked places on set bar glue the outermost whole tiles (those that do not need to be trimmed). When laying out, you noted their position. It is very important to set them correctly. To do this, each is checked with a level in the vertical and horizontal planes. If the geometry of the tile is ideal, you can also check the verticality/horizontalness along the edges. Then they take long level or an even bar with a shorter level and check how evenly one beacon bar is set relative to the other. They must be in the same plane. Then, using this bar, they check whether each subsequent tile is positioned correctly.

Description is one thing, but seeing everything with your own eyes is another. The video demonstrates the technology; after watching, you will understand exactly how to lay tiles on the wall.

Wall adhesive thickness

For those who are laying tiles on a wall for the first time, they may have questions about how thick the adhesive layer is needed. This value depends on how smooth the walls are. If they are ideal, you can apply the minimum layer allowed in the instructions for the composition. If the walls are only relatively flat, the “starting” layer can be 3-4 mm. Then, as necessary, it can slightly decrease or increase, correcting the unevenness of the wall.

There are several techniques for laying ceramic tiles. It is not always the case that glue is applied to both the tile and the wall. Some craftsmen apply the composition only to the wall, others - only to the tiles, some recommend dipping it in water before applying the glue, others do not do this. Choose the option that seems more correct to you. But it is more convenient for novice tilers when the mortar is on both the wall and the tile: it is easier to move and level it.

Manufacturers of tile adhesive advise applying it to the wall, removing excess with a notched trowel, but this means a perfectly flat base. Based on these recommendations, the cost of laying one square is calculated.

With other techniques, consumption increases by 50% or even 100%, since the wall has to be adjusted. But you should definitely listen to the prescribed sizes of the spatula teeth.

How to cut tiles

There are several ways. Suitable for small volumes and not very thick tiles manual tile cutter. This is a device consisting of a platform on which tiles are placed. Fusing pads are attached to the platform along which the cutter moves. The cutter moves with the help of a handle, ripping through the durable coating. A stop is usually installed on the same handle, with which the tiles are broken along the line drawn by the cutter.

Another way is with a grinder, but it is very noisy and dusty. Besides, you won’t be able to make a perfectly even cut, but it will work in case of an emergency.

If necessary, round holes cut out using a crown of a suitable diameter, which is put on a drill. During drilling, to ensure that there is as little dust as possible, the work area is constantly watered with water. The result is a perfect hole and everything looks decent.

If you need to cut a strip that is too thin, you won’t be able to do it with a tile cutter: it simply won’t break off. Then, after drawing a line with a cutting disk or rod (for some companies, the cutting element is made in the form of a rod), the thin edge is broken off. In general, there are special tongs for this, but it works well with pliers.

If the edge turns out to be very uneven, you can smooth it out a little with a file or sandpaper, fixed on a block.

Decoration of corners

If the tiles are laid evenly, the internal corners do not raise any questions. Difficulties may arise only with the installation of crosses. Just turn them so that they are not in the way or break off the protruding parts. In general, they join neatly in the corners, and the final seam is formed using grout.

Available for internal corners more profiles. They are matched to the tone of the grout, installed in the corner, leveled, and then attached to self-tapping screws or dowels. When laying tiles in a corner, the tiles rest on them. This results in a finished fillet seam.

External corners are more difficult. If you simply join the tiles, overlapping the edges, it turns out ugly. To arrange it properly outside corner you have to cut the edge at 45°.

This can be done using a professional tile cutter. But not everyone has such equipment. Then you will have to work with a grinder. The first cut, at approximately the desired angle, is made with a smooth diamond disc. There should be no slits or holes in it, and the spraying should also be even.

It turns out not very smooth, and the outer edge is quite thick. But this is only preliminary processing. We bring the cut to the required parameters using a grinding attachment with the same disc. See the video for more details.

If you don’t want to bother with such trimming, there is another option - to decorate the corner with a special plastic corner.

Another video about how you can arrange junctions and seams when laying tiles.

To styling wall tiles DIY was finally clear, watch another video tutorial.

When finishing kitchen apron ceramic tile technology is practically no different from that described above. There is simply no need to calculate the number of vertical rows. The “start” location is determined by the height of the tabletop: it should start 5-10 cm above the edge of the tile. Attach the bar at the required level, align it exactly with the horizon, and you are ready to begin.

An apron in the kitchen is usually made using working wall. If it is not one wall, but two or three, you can start from one of the corners.

If it is laid out from small-sized tiles, the undercuts may not be very noticeable. If you want to do everything symmetrically, repeat the layout and start from the center, as described above.

Repair is a troublesome task, taking a lot of effort, time and money. That is why many who do it themselves try to simplify their task as much as possible and often glue fresh wallpaper on top of old ones that have lost their appearance, or install new floor coverings on top of previously laid ones. But, unfortunately, it is not always possible to update an apartment in this way and bring it into divine shape. Is it possible to use old tiles on the floor? A question that is relevant for those who are planning to update the floors in the bathroom or kitchen, but want to save time and money on dismantling the old covering.

Decorative beautiful ceramic tile– the material is very popular for arranging floors and walls in rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom. It is durable, lightweight, and does not lose its beautiful appearance for a long time. appearance. However, over time, the same surface, the appearance of which does not change, can become seriously boring. And if the design of the room is radically updated, then the old coating may simply not fit the new format. In these cases, there is nothing left to do but lay new tiles.

And this is where the question often arises: A Is it possible to update the coating without removing the old one?? After all, dismantling tiles is difficult, troublesome, associated with the appearance large quantity garbage work. The main reasons why you want to keep the old coating, but cover it with a new one, are the following:

  • saving not only time, but also money;

  • the difficulty of removing old coating, which is often associated with the fact that you will have to remove the remains cement mixture– it was on this that ceramic tiles were previously laid in 90% of cases;
  • the need to level the base after removing the tiles in order to be able to lay a new ceramic coating;
  • formation of a large amount of garbage;
  • If you need to fill a new one, you will have to wait a very long time for it to dry.

As can be seen from everything written above, The question of preserving the old tile covering is really relevant.

Is it possible to leave the old coating?

There is no clear answer to this question. In general, many masters speak out against this method of saving, but no fewer people practice this particular method of updating flooring- without removing the old tile, they put a new one on it. But here it is important to soberly assess the styling possibilities.

So, for example, if the old surface is in excellent condition, smooth and neat, then it is quite possible to lay new tiles on it, provided that simple rules performing such work. However, if the floors are in terrible condition, some of the old tiles are missing or chipped, and voids are clearly felt under the coating, then you will not be able to get away with it. In such cases, you should never lay tiles on top of the old ones.

On a note! It is possible that due to the voids that may be under the old coating, cracks may appear on the new one over time due to some mechanical stress. You can identify the presence of voids by tapping the tiles with a rubber hammer.

If there are no voids, then the old tile may well act as an excellent durable and flat base for laying a new layer. Also, thanks to this “rough” floor, you don’t have to bother with waterproofing and other work - all this work was probably done when laying the previous layer. By the way, in certain cases (for example, if some communications pass under the tiles, and it is impossible to determine their location), removing the old coating becomes an almost impossible task.

You cannot lay new tiles on old ones if the latter adheres very poorly to the surface - the cement could simply crumble over time due to constant use of the floor. And it is not recommended to use this method if there is no desire to reduce the height of the ceilings - sometimes raising the floor level even by a couple of centimeters can interfere with the normal closing of doors, etc.

Important! In a bathroom or toilet, the floor level is usually lower than in other rooms of the house or apartment. This is done so that in case of flooding, water does not get into other rooms. It is necessary to leave the threshold!

In general, we can say that laying tiles on the surface of an old one may well take place. But only if it is possible to install a new coating without the risk of damaging it.

Table. Absolute contraindications to such work.

FactorCause
Loose tiles The new tile will not adhere to the surface of the old one.
Voids under tiles A fresh layer will quickly collapse and become unusable, since the tile underneath can fall through and break under the influence of the weight of a person walking on it.
Previous tiles were laid using poor adhesive If you know that previously laid tiles were installed using poor adhesive, then you should not put another layer on it. It may well be that soon the old tiles will begin to fall behind, which will entail damage to the outer layer of the new tiles.
Uneven floor If the old tile covering is obviously uneven, then laying new tiles cannot be done on top of the old one. The base must be perfectly level.
Old tiles covered with cracks Dirt accumulates in such cracks, and the old tile itself can no longer be a reliable and dense base for a new one.

If there are contraindications listed in the table above, dismantling the old coating is a mandatory measure. Otherwise, the new foundation will not last long.

Difficulties in carrying out work

Despite the fact that, in general, not having to remove old tiles will make life much easier for craftsmen, there are also pitfalls. So, for example, in order for a new tile layer to lay down well and efficiently, it is important to carry out certain preparatory measures.

First you should assess the condition of the previously laid coating. It must be of high quality, durable and reliable. Next, you need to eliminate as much as possible all existing irregularities, if possible.

It is also important to remember such a factor as adhesion. Often, ceramic tiles on the floor are glossy and smooth, which means that the adhesive will have poor adhesion to them. Such a surface will have to be matted and made rough, otherwise there can simply be no talk of quality work. Glue is simply not able to reliably attach to a completely smooth surface. Thus, you need to prepare for the fact that you will have to create this very roughness by rubbing the surface with grinding machine, forming notches and applying primer.

On a note! Perfect option– use three methods of creating roughness at once. Then the adhesion of the glue and the new tile to the old will be maximum.

Notches on the tiles can be made with a regular grinder. They need to be placed approximately 1-2 cm apart from each other. In general, to achieve the desired result, it is enough to cover about 60% of the entire surface with notches. old surface. The work is dusty and must be done while wearing a respirator.

It is also recommended to degreasing, and also - Thorough cleaning of the surface from all kinds of stains(eg paint stains), debris. Vacuuming is recommended after cleaning the surface. Degreasing is important because over time, a fatty layer, invisible to the eye, forms on any surface. And fat negatively affects the adhesive ability of adhesive compositions. Degreasing is especially important for the joints between tiles. If fat is removed from the surface of the old tile during the creation of roughness, then it will not easily leave the seams.

Advice! To degrease floors, they can be washed with water and a small amount of caustic soda.

If there is crumbled grout between old tiles, it must be removed. Moreover, try to do this to the greatest possible depth. And when the old tile is prepared in this way, you can cover it with “Concrete Contact” to create a high-quality primer layer. Some craftsmen note that by covering the tiles with such a composition, you can do without creating roughness, but it is better not to neglect this measure if you want to get an excellent result. Consumption of “Betonokontakt” is approximately 300 g/m2.

Glue selection

- also a kind of task for the master who decided to lay new tiles on top of the old ones. Not every composition that you can buy in the first store you come across is suitable here. So, when choosing an adhesive, it is important to pay attention to the recommendations for its use - it must be stated for which surfaces it is suitable.

Experts recommend taking Ceresit CM17 or Ivsil Profit as the best adhesive compositions for this type of work. Don't let it bother you that the second option adhesive composition designed for - in this case it will only be useful when carrying out work. And Ceresite is excellent for working on complex surfaces, which include old ceramic tiles.