Laying Ceramic Tile on Concrete Isn’t Easy: Here’s a Guide
For people who are inexperienced in laying ceramic tile, installing it on concrete may appear to be a tough job. However, concrete is actually a perfect surface for putting in ceramic tile. Many people will prefer wood flooring Oklahoma City, but installing ceramic tile on concrete will be one of the simplest tile installations anyone will encounter. There are ten easy steps for this project.
Step One – Mix Trisodium Phosphate Solution
Prepare a full bucket of trisodium phosphate solution following the instructions of the manufacturer. Use a scrub brush and clean the concrete floor making sure it is thoroughly clean. Scrub the floor hard and allow it to fully dry before beginning step two.
Step Two – Inspect for Cracks
Vigilantly inspect the concrete floor looking for any faults such as cracks or other blemishes that will require repairing before installing the new tile floor and take the time to fix the problem areas.
Step Three – Level Floor
Inspect for areas on the floor that are not level. These will have to be leveled before beginning to lay the ceramic tile. Make sure the product used for floor leveling has plenty of time to dry before proceeding.
Step Four – Inspect Again
Re-inspect the concrete floor. Ensure that it is clean and dry. It should be free of spots that can cause difficulty. If the concrete surface is too smooth, this will cause the tile mortar to not stick, so a concrete sander or an acid agent used to roughen it up some will be necessary.
Step Five – Decide on Layout
Study the room and decide how the layout of the tile should be placed. This may appear to be an insignificant step, but more than likely some tiles will have to be cut and it would be best to cut the tiles on the edges of the floor or other out of sight areas instead of the center of the room.
Step Six – Tile Adhesive
Mix a small amount of the mortar that will be used to lay the ceramic tile on the concrete floor. The mortar hardens quickly, so only a small amount at a time should be mixed. Commercially pre-mixed adhesives can also be purchased for the task.
Step Seven – Placing Tiles
Spread the mortar mix over a small area with a trowel. Using a notched trowel helps adhere the tiles better. After spreading the mortar, place the tile and press down into the mortar and wiggle it slightly so it will set in. In order to get the same amount of space between the tiles, spacers can be used.
Step Eight – Allow Mortar to Dry
While letting the mortar completely dry, mix up the grout that will be used between the spaces in the tiles. This should be completed evenly and a clean, damp cloth should be used to clean up any grout from the surface of the tiles.
Step Nine – Repeat Step Eight
Allow the grout an adequate amount of time to set, and then repeat Step number eight. After this allow the grout to completely dry.
Step Ten – Wash Floor
After the grout is entirely dry, use wet cloths and wash the whole floor. When this is completed allow the tiles to dry and then to remove the grout haze, rub the tiles with a dry cloth. To prevent staining some people will use a grout sealer on their ceramic tile floor.
Following these ten easy steps to install ceramic tile on concrete, will allow even inexperienced homeowners to have a beautiful ceramic floor. Many people may prefer wood and will try the wood floor installation Oklahoma City. Laying ceramic tile is a very attractive alternative to use in areas such as kitchens, but some people will prefer other options such as hardwood floors Oklahoma City.