4 Ways to Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor

MESSAGES
LOG IN
EXPLORE
HELP US
EDIT
Home
Categories
Home and Garden
Home Improvements and Repairs
Interior Walls Ceilings and Floors
Floors and Floor Coverings
Article
Edit
Discuss
Edit Article
How to Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor
823,248 views
40 Editors
Updated 18 days ago
Four Methods:Planning and PreparationSetting UpSpreading Adhesive, or Mastic, an
d Laying TilesGrouting
Laying a ceramic or porcelain tile floor can be considered a daunting task, but
with adequate planning and preparation, this perception can be overcome. Laying
one s own tile is also much less expensive (and possibly more rewarding) than havi
ng it professionally installed. Cost can be minimized by careful planning and pr
eparation.
Method 1 of 4: Planning and Preparation
1
Laying the foundation. An unpleasant question to be faced is "What is your f
loor made up of?" Plywood is good. But, if you have the typical 1/2" to 5/8" par
ticle board on top of a deck made of 2x8s, you have some work to do. After remov
al of the base trim, the particle board should be pulled up (this is easiest if
you first cut it into about 16" squares)and replaced by plywood. You will need a
Skil saw, and if you're doing the kitchen, you'll need a "toe-kick saw." Replac
e the particle board up to where the tile will stop. While you have the particle
board off, you can inspect the deck to make sure it is firmly attached to the f
loor joists. Now you're ready for leveling compound (if needed).
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 2.jpg
2
Lay the backer board. You will need to lay backerboard (fiberglass or prefer
ably cement sheets that are usually 3 by 5 feet) as well, or the tile will pop o
ff.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 3.jpg
3
Evaluate the space to be tiled. A first phase of evaluation is to determine

the size of the room to be tiled (or re-tiled).

The number of tiles you will need will depend on the size of the tile yo
u wish to lay, as well as the tile pattern you will like on the floor.
Using a tape measure or digital laser tape, measure the room from one wa
ll to the opposite wall, and note the distance. Let s say the measure of this dist
ance is 12 feet (3.7 m).
Measure the distance of the opposing walls to each other. Let s say this d
istance is 7 feet (2.1 m). Multiplying these 2 distances (12 feet x 7 feet) will
yield a total area of 84 square feet.
Note: These measurements are based on squared dimensions. If the roo
m is not perfectly "squared" (or in this case rectangled") because of an irregula
r floor plan (where there might be a small section off of one side, for example)
, do not factor this space into your measurement. While you will of course need
to tile this space, factoring this space into your measurements will affect find
ing the "center" of the room, which will be discussed shortly.
This area is important to note, since it will provide you with an es
timate of the number of tiles you will need to purchase to cover the area to be
tiled.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 4.jpg
4
Decide on your tile size and pattern.
Tile comes in different sizes: 4 inch (10.2 cm) by 4 inch (10.2 cm), 8 i
nch (20.3 cm) by 8 inch (20.3 cm), 12 inch (30.5 cm) by 12 inch (30.5 cm), for e
xample (there are others, too). Tiles can also be laid in different patterns.
The total number of tiles you will need will depend on the size and patt
ern you want. For simplicity's sake, let's assume we are going to use 12 inch (3
0.5 cm) by 12 inch (30.5 cm) tiles and use a traditional grid design, where tile
s are simply laid in pattern like graph paper.
Because the area of the room is 84 square feet, we will need about 84 12
inch (30.5 cm) x 12 inch (1 square foot) tiles (even accounting for the spaces
in between tiles, known as "joints"). However, it is a good rule of thumb for be
ginners to purchase extra tiles to account for improperly cut or scored tiles, o
r for breakage. Buy an extra pack or two of tiles to be safe.
When laying tile diagonally, a lot of material is wasted as cutoffs. A g
ood rule of thumb here, even for experts, is to buy 15% more tile than the squar
e footage would dictate.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 5.jpg
5
Pick a color. You are only limited by your imagination (and the store's stoc
k).
Choice of color typically is a matter of individual choice. The only add
itional step of planning and preparation with regard to color of the tile is wit
h the grout selection. Grout is the "filler" that goes in the spaces between til
es, the joints.
It can be grey, white, terra cotta, and so on. Typically, dark tiles wit
h light grout really show the spaces in between tiles, and vice versa.
The selection of grout color will really depend on how you would like th
e floor to look to the eye. There is no hard and fast rule.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 6.jpg
6
Prep your space.
Be sure that the entire surface is as smooth as possible.
You will likely need to use floor leveling compound (available at your d
o it yourself hardware store) to float (create gradual transitions in the floor'
s surface) out any divots, holes, or differences in subflooring heights. If you
don't "float" out these differences your tile will crack. Your surface is now pr
epared for tiling.
Method 2 of 4: Setting Up

Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 7.jpg

1
Find your center point. You have already determined the size of your room, w
hich is 84 square feet.
Finding the center point is critical for laying the tile. It will determ
ine where you will lay your first tile and the next ones.
Measure one wall, for example the 12 foot (3.7 m) wall. At 6 feet (1.8 m
), half the distance, mark a point with a pencil.
Do the same on the other 12 foot (3.7 m) wall. Using your chalk line, an
chor one end at the midpoint of one wall and stretch across to the midpoint of t
he other. "Snap" the chalk line by lifting it up slightly and letting it hit the
ground; this will leave a straight line on the floor.
Measure the 7 foot (2.1 m) walls and mark a point a 3 feet on both sides
.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 8.jpg
2
Rehearse laying out tiles. When you have found your center point, you will n
otice you will have a "quadrant" design on the floor, or 4 equally sized areas.
Starting at the center, "rehearse" your tile pattern by simply laying th
em on the floor without any adhesive or glue.
Place the first tile at the corner nearest the center point. You are onl
y going to work in one quadrant at a time.
Begin placing tiles in a straight line towards either wall, leaving a sm
all space in between the tiles.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 9.jpg
3
Repeat the same process for the 3 foot line.
You will use 3 full tiles and 1 tile cut to 4 inches (10.2 cm), since th
e size of the 3 joints plus the 1 wall joint equals 2 inches (5.1 cm) and your o
riginal tile size was 6 inches (6 inches original tile- 2 inches total joint= 4
inch tile).
Note that this does not follow the realignment strategy mentioned above.
Because this room is "squared," the true center is best left where it actually
is. Simply make uniform cuts as they correspond to each side (in this case, you
will have 9 inch (22.9 cm) tiles as the wall tiles on the "short" 7 foot (2.1 m)
walls and 4 inch (10.2 cm) tiles on the long 12 foot (3.7 m) walls.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 10.jpg
4
Follow the same process for the other three quadrants. Because this design i
s uniform, it is best to follow the same size cuts all the way around.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 11.jpg
5
Pre-drill some tiles to fit over items such as radiator pipes, bath pipes, a
nd so on. To achieve this you may have to drain down radiator systems, remove th
e rad from the wall and take the taps off the pipework. Very time consuming but
worth the effort if a minimal look is desired. Your floor will look better if yo
u can drill a hole in the tile and lay the tile over the pipe.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 12.jpg
6
Use a diamond hole saw to bore into the tile and drill a perfect hole. If yo
u do not have a hole saw you can use a wet-tile saw to cut a square hole in the
center of the tile. Draw a square on the back of the tile in the desired locatio
n of the hole. Carefully place the backside of the tile against the wet-saw blad
e at the midpoint of one of the sides of the square. Gently push the tile agains
t the the blade until the edge of the square is cut. Repeat for the other sides
of the square hole.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 13.jpg
7
When your floor is rehearsed and all tiles are laid, measured, and cut, and
appear to your liking, you are ready to lay the adhesive,

Method 3 of 4: Spreading Adhesive, or Mastic, and Laying Tiles

Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 14.jpg
1
Pick up all tiles and set aside.
On your prepared surface, begin spreading the adhesive with the notched
trowel. You will start from the center point, work only in one quadrant, and app
ly small sections at a time, following the pattern during the rehearsal.
Spread adhesive evenly, then using the notched edge, make a raking motio
n. You should have grooves neither too deep nor too shallow.
Set the first tile in place at the corner lines made by the center point
. Do not twist tile; simply press the tile down firmly yet softly.
Set tile spacer and then continue with additional tiles. (Remember to se
t tile spacers after each tile).
Use your level to determine degree of level of the tiles as you go along
. (Not all surfaces are perfectly level!).
If slightly uneven, either manipulate the tile or add a little more adhe
sive to the floor until level. Usually, after a quadrant is complete, remove the
tile spacers so they do not set into the adhesive.
Follow this process for the remainder of the floor, making sure to check
the level as you go along..
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 15.jpg
2
Wait. After the tiles have been set, it is usually advised to wait at least
one day (or overnight) to allow the adhesive to dry, or cure. After the adhesive
has cured, you will grout the joints.
Method 4 of 4: Grouting
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 16.jpg
1
Continue working in quadrants as before.
Using a rubber float, apply only enough grout as you can effectively wor
k with .
In a diagonal direction, press grout into the joints to an even level wi
th the tile.
Skim excess from tile with the rubber float. You will notice a mild grout
haze? on your tiles.
Wait a few minutes for the grout to stiffen up in the joints.
Use a damp sponge work across the joints, (working along joints can drag
out too much grout) to remove grout haze from tiles and finish the joints, make
sure not to press too hard on joints.
As you work, check each joint is full and smoothly finished.
Continue this process with other joints in remaining quadrants.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 17.jpg
2
Consider caulk. For joints at the wall and floor interface it is best to use
caulk instead of grout. There are benefits to using caulk along wall joints. Al
l tiles may expand or contract depending on temperature fluctuations. The wall j
oints are also known as expansion joints. Using caulk here will buffer expansion
and contraction a bit.
Lay a Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Floor Step 18.jpg
3
Let the floor cure. Wait for the entire floor to cure for about a week befor
e giving it a good mopping to remove remaining grout haze.
You may also choose to seal the grout with a sealer to lock out dirt and
or grease.
We could really use your help!

Can you tell us about

bodybuilding?
Can you tell us about
cleaning clothes?
Can you tell us about
married life?
Can you tell us about
home improvement?
Tips
You can determine the accuracy of the right angle (90 Degrees) center point
by following a simple measurement (based on the Pythagorean theorem, which will
impress your friends when you bring it up in conversation). From the center poin
t, measure out in one direction exactly 3 feet (0.9 m) and mark a point. From th
e adjacent line, measure out in the other direction exactly 4 feet (1.2 m) and m
ark a point. Then, taking a measuring tape, measure the distance between those t
wo points. It should be exactly 5 feet (1.5 m) from the points, where the tape m
easure resembles the hypotenuse of a right triangle. Remember, Pythagoras theorem
states that side A squared (3 feet x 3 feet= 9) plus side B squared (4 feet x 4
feet= 16) equals side c squared, 25 feet (7.6 m). The square root of 25 is 5 fe
et (1.5 m), or the distance you should see between the two points. If the hypote
nuse does not equal 5 feet (1.5 m) exactly, re-measure the walls and re-snap the
chalk lines. The room is likely not square. Splitting the difference will make
this fact less obvious once the tiles are in place.
Things You'll Need
Tile (as determined above)
Tile adhesive or "mastic"
A notched trowel
A tile saw or a tile scorer
A diamond hole saw to cut out radiator pipes and other holes
Grout
rubber float(a putty knife will scratch the tile face)
Tape measure (or digital laser tape)
Bucket (with warm water)
Sponge
Level
Chalk line
Pencil
Tile spacers
Nominal tile sizes, a 6" tile is probably 5 7/8" x 5 7/8"
Related wikiHows
How to
Apply Ceramic Tiles to Concrete
How to
Lay a Porcelain Tile Exterior Patio
How to
Install Bathroom Accessories on Ceramic Tile
How to
Install a Prefinished Hardwood Floor
How to
Tile a Floor Cheaply

How to
Install a Prefinished Hardwood Floor
How to
Measure Vinyl for a Small Floor
How to
Mop Ceramic Tile
How to
Grout a Tile Floor
How to
Buy a Tile Saw
How to
Use a Tile Saw
Article Info
Categories: Floors and Floor Coverings
In other languages:
Espaol: Cmo colocar mosaicos cermicos o porcelanizados en el piso, Deutsch: Einen K
eramik oder Porzellanfliesenboden verlegen, Italiano: Come Piastrellare un Pavim
ento in Ceramica o Porcellana, ???????: ???????? ??? ???????????? ??? ??????????
????? ???????, Portugus: Como Assentar Piso de Cermica ou Porcelanato
Discuss
Print
Email
Edit
Send fan mail to authors
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 823,248 times.
Did this article help you?
Yes No
Random Article Write An Article
Related Articles
How to
Install Shoe Molding
How to
Refinish Wood Floors
How to
Wash Marble Floors
How to
Age Wood Floors
Share
156
Featured Articles
How to
Do a Secret Santa
How to
Say Happy Birthday in German

How to
Make Your Christmas Lights Flash to Music
How to
Care for a Christmas Tree
Meet a Community Member
Meet Davjohn, who has been an active patroller, Booster, and Admin on wikiHow fo
r over 7 years. He enjoys checking spelling, patrolling tips, and voting on arti
cles that have been nominated for deletion. He has started 32 articles and patro
lled over 15,000 edits. His favorite articles that he s worked on include How to S
upport Deployed US Troops and How to Become an Ordained Minister. He s proud of he
lping other editors in the community out, just as they have for him. He enjoys h
aving the opportunity to contribute to something positive and constructive, and
he advises new community members to take wikiHow editing seriously and use the r
esources available around the site and community to make the best articles, copy
edits, and improvements possible.
Join The Community
Follow Us On...

Home
About wikiHow
Terms of Use
RSS
Site map
Log In
Mobile view
All text shared under a Creative Commons License.
Powered by Mediawiki.
Become
an Author!
Write an Article
In other languages:
Italiano: Come Rivestire una Parete di Piastrelle in Ceramica, Portugus: Como Ins
talar Azulejos de Cermica
Discuss
Print
Email
Edit
Send fan mail to authors
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 131,744 times.
Did this article help you?

Yes No
Random Article Write An Article
Related Articles
How to
Finish Your Basement
How to
Frame a Wall
How to
Install Wainscoting
How to
Install Metal Studs
Share
Featured Articles
How to
Make Your Christmas Lights Flash to Music
How to
Care for a Christmas Tree
How to
Crack a Safe
How to
Dress in Paris
Meet a Community Member
Meet Neon Heart, a New Article Booster and Featured Author who has been active i
n the wikiHow community for over a year. She has started 19 articles and enjoys
voting on NFDs and fixing grammatical errors. Her proudest accomplishments on wi
kiHow have been becoming a Booster and Featured Author, and her favorite article
she s worked on is How to Make an Allied Map in Starcraft. Her favorite article o
n wikiHow is How to Make Blended Pink and Purple Eyes. She says that the potenti
al knowledge base of wikiHow being practically infinite makes her stick around,
since there s always more to update and correct to help readers. She says the comm
unity is really down to earth, and she feels a connection to everyone here. To n
ewer editors, she advises: Edit and write articles about topics that you re passion
ate about!
Join The Community
Follow Us On...

Home
About wikiHow
Terms of Use
RSS
Site map
Log In

Mobile view
All text shared under a Creative Commons License.
Powered by Mediawiki.
Become
an Author!
Write an Article