Installing Your New Tile Flooring

Okay, so you've decided you must have new tile floors, but want to do the job yourself.  First, it's important to note that tile is not one of the easiest do-it-yourself jobs, so if you can afford a professional it may be a good idea.

Before proceeding and tearing up your existing floors, invest a good set of knee pads.  You will be on your knees 95% of the time while you complete this project.  As a side note, if you have terrible knee or back problems, you may want to think twice about taking on this project on your own.

First, choose the tile you want to install, and purchase some overage when calculating how much you need to cover the room.  Tiles can break, and you won't always cut the right line on the first try.

Next, you need to purchase thin set, grout, buckets, sponges and the correct trowel for your thin set.  Typically, one bag of thin set is plenty to finish a normal sized room; however, there is a simple formula on the bag which will help you make sure before purchasing.  You may want to rent a wet saw for cutting the tiles, and a hand grinder for smaller, intricate cuts.

When tearing up your old flooring, carpet is quite easy.  Just leave some extra carpet so that you can cut it back to tie in with the tile later.  However, if you are replacing old tiles on a concrete floor there is some more prep work required.

After removing old tiles, you need to remove all of the old thin set off of the concrete.  Next, check that any cracks are not raised at all.  If they are, you'll have to grind them down before patching to ensure a level tiling surface.

You will want to lay intersecting control lines with chalk as a guide before using the thin set to adhere tiles to the floor.  Begin laying tiles in the middle of the room first, and apply the cut edge tiles on the second day before finishing with grout.