DIY Bathroom Renovation - Tiling a floor Part 2: Laying the tile

You've pulled everything out of the room. You've cleaned the floor. You've laid the backer board. And you've collapsed in exhaustion. But now, you've rested your weary back and you're ready to proceed to the next step, right??

Well, get ready for the fun part. Laying tile.

Before you get your mortar out and actually start putting down your tile, I'd suggest laying it out first. This will give you an idea of the cuts you're going to have to make. It will also help you see how the design will lay out. Some people recommend starting from the center of the room and working out.

I usually work from the far wall and work toward the door of the room, but this is where laying out the tile before hand is important. Visualize how the finished tile will look by laying it out. You might not like the layout and want to change it. For this particular project, I started on one wall and worked over toward the other wall. Because the tile is small, this worked out for me and saved me having to make cuts on both sides of the room. Because I started on one edge, I only had to cut when I got to the other side of the room. Keep in mind too, if you have large tiles, how much of those tiles will be left at the threshold of your doors. Aesthetically, that could make the difference in where you start. You might also want to lay a chalk line to make sure you keep the tile straight.

Once you've laid out your flooring, it's time to gather your tools. I highly suggest getting a wet saw for tile cutting before you start laying it. It's a messy proposition, but it makes the job so much easier. And, of course, remember to always wear your safety goggles when cutting. The saw spits like crazy! Additionally, I use tile snips for the smaller pieces of tile.

You should also have your mortar for this step - you can find this in the tiling section of any home improvement store. To lay that mortar, you'll need a notched trowel (also in the tiling section). This trowel helps ensure an even layer of mortar, which is important in keeping the floor level so the tiles won't crack. Grab your level to check your work. You'll need spacers to make sure the laid tiles are even (see photos below). With the small tile I used for this project, I got spacers the same size as the spaces in the pre-laid tile sections. Finally, grab some rags and keep them wet to help clean up slops.

You've laid out the tile. You're happy with the layout. It's time to lay some mortar.

Work in small sections - I recommend no more than two tile sections at a time - and be aware of the instructions on the mortar you're using. Some need time to set up a bit before you lay the tile. Grab some mortar out of your bucket with your trowel and lay it out so that the notches touch your backer board and you're left with lines of mortar. I like to criss cross them a bit. Then lay your tile section out making sure it's evenly laid on the floor. Add spacers to the edge where you're going to lay your next section of tile and then lay the next piece. Make sure your spacers are tight against both pieces of tile - sometimes you'll have to shift your laid tile a bit to make sure everything's tight and even. Do this while the mortar is still tacky and before it's completely set up.

Keep your level handy to check every couple tiles you lay that you're continuing to lay an even floor. Again, that's important in the end because you don't want cracked tiles!

If you look in the photo above and below, you'll see that the tile against the wall and the side of the bathtub was missing part of the black center tile. Because it wasn't going to be covered by a trim piece and because we didn't want a pile of grout in that place, we went back with half diamonds
we'd cut from extra pieces of tile and filled in those spaces making sure they were evenly laid as well. It made the finished project look so much more complete!

Keep moving from one side of the room to the other (I work left to right) until you get to the door. Continue to check that you've laid the tile evenly. Once you've gotten to the door, you're done for the day. You've got to wait at least 24 hours for the mortar to dry - check the directions on the container for exact timing.

Next up? The wonderful world of grouting! I'd suggest finding a buddy for this one....