Install Ceramic Tiles on a Bathroom Wall
Ceramic tile can change the entire look of your bathroom. There are so many styles and colors to choose from that you are sure to find exactly what you want. Installing the tile is not difficult but can take some time. Just about anyone can tile a wall with a few simple tools and the patience to work slowly and do the job correctly. Ceramic tile is an excellent choice for damp bathrooms as the moisture will not harm the tile.
Instructions
Install Ceramic Tiles on a Bathroom Wall
1. Prepare the drywall on the wall by roughing it up with a medium grit sandpaper. Sanding the smooth surface of the drywall will cause it to have a rougher texture, therefore creating a better surface for the thin set to adhere to.
2. Use a laser level to shoot a straight level line across the bottom of the wall and up one side. Mark it with a chalk line. Use a chalk line to snap a line across the laser line. Tap a brad into one end of the line to hold the chalk line at the wall surface. Hold the other end and pull the line tight. Pick up the chalk line and let it go, hitting the wall and depositing the chalk along the laser line. You will start your tile using these horizontal and vertical lines.
3. Mix your thin set according to the manufacturer's directions. Allow the mixture to set for 10 to 15 minutes. Hold the notched part of the trowel on an angle and spread the thin set in an area large enough for four to six tiles.
4. Set the first tile in the corner, using the chalk line as your guide, by placing the edges along the chalk line and pressing it into the thin set. Place another tile next to it and insert a small spacer. Push the second tile up to the spacer. Then move on to the next in the same manner.
Start a second row of tile on top of the first and insert a spacer between them. Push the top tile down to the spacer. Continue across the first row.
5. Spread on more thin set and add more tiles. Keep working over and up until you get to the other end of the wall. Measure the last space for a tile, transfer the measurement to the tile and cut with a wet saw. Continue in the same manner until the wall is completely tiled. Allow the thin set to dry overnight.
6. Mix the grout according to the manufacturer's directions or purchase premixed grout. Remove your spacers. Place a small amount of grout on your grout float and push into the spaces between the tiles by holding the grout float at an upright 45-degree angle and pushing across the lines of spaces. Make sure the entire space if filled. Work in small sections.
7. Dip the grout sponge in a bucket of warm water and wring it out. Wipe down the tile and remove the excess grout as you do each section. When you have finished the entire wall, wipe the tile down again with clean warm water. Allow the grout to dry according to the manufacturer's directions. Check the grout to make sure it has not shrunk or cracked. If it has, grout the area again and allow it to dry.
8. Seal the grout with a spray on grout sealer. Spray the grout closely to make sure you cover it entirely. Allow it to dry for an hour or so and repeat.
Tags: chalk line, according manufacturer, according manufacturer directions, Bathroom Wall, Ceramic Tiles, , Install Ceramic