How To Install And Choose Floor Tiles
Tile-Repair | July 28, 2008
 Nick the Tile Man with his assistant Manuel installing porcelain floor tiles. |
Choosing the right floor tile will make a big difference when you are repairing floor tile or installing floor tile. My favorite is porcelain floor tiles because it has durability, different sizes, different colors, and different texture. Some porcelain tiles have a marble look to it, some have a smooth surface and other tiles have a rough, non-slip finish. Porcelain tiles can be difficult to cut, I would recommend using a wet saw.
Ceramic floor tiles are good tiles for installing on the floor. Ceramic tiles also some in different sizes, colors and texture. Ceramic tiles can have a high glazed finish which will make it easy to clean but can be slippery when wet. Ceramic tiles are easier to install because they are lighter and cut easier on a wet saw or manual tile cutter.
Granite floor tiles are the most durable of all floor tiles. Granite tiles are usually 1/4 inch thick and heavier than most floor tiles. Granite is installed by butting each tile together leaving as little space (no space) as possible. Granite tile can be difficult to install. The surface must be level and you should use thin-set mortar made especially for install granite tiles. If you install granite tiles in the bathroom, I would recommend that you use a sealer on the granite tiles before you grout your granite tiles, always using a non-sanded grout for granite tiles. Granite tiles can be very pricey.
Marble tiles are less durable than granite tiles but the finish product after installation will be a beautiful glass-like finish that you can’t help but notice. Yes marble tile is perhaps the most beautiful of all tiles when installed properly. Like granite, marble tiles should have a sealer applied before you grout the tiles using a non-sanded grout. Marble tiles should be butted together leaving as little space (no space) as possible. Also you should use the thin-set mortar made especially for marble tiles. Like granite tiles, marble can be very pricey.
Preparing The Floor For Tile Installation
I am not a fan for installing tiles onto plywood floor or any wooden floors. It just doesn’t work and in time you always have a problem. Your floor tiles can crack or break as well as your grout cracking and removing from between the tiles. So preparing your floor is the key for successful tile installation. With today’s technology, you do not need a mud job to install floor tiles. Why would you want all that unnecessary weight resting on your house beams? In time all the weight will have some adverse effect on your house settling more than normal.
I like to use a cement board when installing floor tiles. But the foundation that is on the floor should be level. If it isn’t level, you should remove the plywood laying on the house beams and level the beams and re-installing the plywood. You want your foundation as level as possible!
Now you can install the cement boards and secure the boards using the special screws that are made especially for floor installation. Never use sheet rock screws, the heads will break in time which will cause your tiles to crack or break and the same goes with the grout. When done, you will have a good surface that is level for installing any floor tiles.
