What is the hardest part of tiling a ceramic floor...?
Question:would it be....(1).taking up the existing tile
or (2) sanding the floor/old glue smooth or
(3) all of the weird cuts you have to make with a tile cutter?or
(4) the grouting process..
Please hit each one with specific advice!!
THANKS ahead of time!
Answers:
It all depends on how badly you want to do a good job. The sad fact is "Do It Yourself" isn't always an easy or inexpensive way to improve your home. And if you aren't dedicated to do a good job, then you're better off hiring a professional to complete the job. A poor job detracts from the house's value.
1. Removing existing tiles is relatively simple. It's basically a "slash and burn" process. A floor scraper applied with good old fashioned "elbow grease" works best; slow and steady ensures that you won't damage the subfloor. I wish to offer one bit of a warning; older houses may have tiles containing asbestos. If your house is over forty years in age, carefully lift one tile and have it examined for content before proceeding.
2. Once the old tile has been lifted, rent yourself an industrial floor sander and lightly sand the surface. Basically, you're looking to remove the high points only. Once completed, vacuum and clean up thoroughly. After the surface is dry, apply a layer of thin-set. This process is much like screeding (?) cement. In fact, thin-set is a fine granular form of cement. Sand and repeat until the surface of your floor is smooth and level; in relative terms you don't want any glaring high or low points.
3. Establish centerline parallel with both walls and snap some chalk lines. Using the wall with the shortest span, calculate a cursor line. This is done by measuring the tile you intent to use and adding a half-inch for grout. Divide the distance between the centerline and wall and divide by the measurement of the tile and the grout. Snap another chalkline parallel with the centerline. This will be your starting point; laying out tiles in both directions from the perpendicular centerline. Spacers can be purchased to ensure consistent spacing. This will ensure that the border cursor is consistent around the parallel portions of the room's perimeter. As for cutting angles, most rental stores have tile cutters for rent. Simply position an uncut tile in the opening and draw or score a cutline.
4. Applying grout is probably the easiest thing in this project to do. However, if it done wrong, it will be the most glaring mistake. Myself, I've alway been comfortable with the first three steps. But grouting is something I try to subcontract out. The best advice is to work in small portions. Do not simply throw a massive amount of grout on the floor and spread out using a sponge mop. If you're patient, applying the grout in small portions and wiping it clean before moving onto the next section, you should end up with a fine finished product.
As you can see, it's not a technically demanding task. However, it does require dedication to get quality results.
It is all moderately difficult. If you have ceramic now, you have to get it off and either remove the glue or install a new subfloor. If you are working on a small room, that is not too difficult, but a larger room is a lot of work.
You might consider a pourable self-leveling subfloor. Buy in powder form and mix with water. Instructions come with the product.
Once you have a level floor, the rest is fairly easy except for cutting the little pieces. Get a nipper and a cutter. Some people use a Rotozip saw with a ceramic tile blade to make that easier.
Grouting is a piece of cake.
Go to a Home Depot and take a free ceramic tile training class. They can really help.
1 not hard with air chisel otherwise sucks
2 thinset under tile not to bad with scraper
3 cuts aren't bad unless you diamond tiles or have difficult pattern, If you use a jamb saw to cut baseboards cuts don't have to be as exact and you can slide under. Also looks better if walls are not real straight.
4 Grouting is easiest part just messy
The worst part would be removing existing tile it is very easy to get cut.Cleaning up the old thinset is easy if you have a cup grinder with a vacuum attachment.The mortar comes right up and the vacuum catches the dust.With practice most cuts are easy sometimes you have to install in two pieces because of corner layout.Diagonal is a little more difficult but not that bad just a lot more cuts.I love grouting I have been installing tile so long that I can just relax and look forward to my next job.The best advice I can give you for grouting is to make sure you spread at a diagonal and wash at a diagonal.When washing I like to wash 2 or 3 tiles at a time to loosen the grout on the tile then rinse my sponge out and wipe across 2 or 3 tiles on one side then flip the sponge and repeat then rinse and ring your sponge and continue like that until your done.Hope this helps.
(1) Removing existing tile just need a little demolition muscle work
(2) Preparing the surface for new tile can be messy with some elbow grease
(3) Laying out your pattern and cutting edge tiles is very energy draining and time consuming.
(4) the grouting process is the easy part.
I WOULD SAY THE PREPARATIONS IS 80% OF THE WORK. YOU CAN RENT A 20# chipping hammer to pop up the old tile and most and the thinset and grout. you can also rent a surface grinder to remove all the surface stuff easily. once you do all that, mop it and lay down your chalkline and think of it as one great big puzzle.
i guarentee you, when you are done, will have gotten the hang of it!
The four points you list are not the hardest part. Shopping for tiles, loading tiles in the car, unloading the tiles and carrying bags of grout to the house are. Your points 1) taking up old tiles is a snap with a good chipping hammer,provided whoever laid the old tile did them over concrete or a concrete type backerboard. 2) you don't have to sand any old glue just mortar over it, you can also mortar over old linoleum, don't even try to take that stuff up.3) Rent a good power tile cutter, cost's 25 bucks at the home depot, and you will have fun making all kinds of cuts, don't be afraid to freehand cut. 4) grouting is really easy if you make your mix a little thin, like thick pancake batter. push it down into all the joints with a good grout float and wipe it clean withe a big sponge after it dries to a lite film,rinsing the sponge often and using a big bucket a clean water. Have fun with it, once you do one room it's hard to stop.
Dont do it. I did mine and it is very hard, takes lots of time, need all the equipment, mix all materials and much more. If I had to do it again I would much rather get someone that is experience with their own equipment and pay for it. Take my work for it. Good luck if you decide to do it yourself.
Grouting and keeping the tiles even and spaced correctly.
1) Rent equipment for this.
2) Cold chisel and hammer.
3) There really shouldn't be any 'weird cuts' unless you are doing a custom mosaic lay.
4) Grouting process is the best part for me because I know that the job is almost done.
The hardest part about setting a tile floor is being on your knees for a long period of time.
Doing a project like this is what being a homeowner is about. Although people don't suggest doing it, if you are just a little bit handy, do it. It is very satisfying! Good luck!
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