In a present scenario, ceramic tiles are seen as a popular flooring alternative. They are widely used due to its features like durability and ability to resist scratches, staining and fading, and other chemical and thermal reactions. The installation process of these tiles includes a skilled combination of art and science. With the help of appropriate tools and installation brochures provided by manufacturers, you can easily install these tiles. Marking pencil, tile cutter, safety glasses, dust mask, tile nippers, rubber gloves, fiber glass tape, chalk line, hammer and tape measure are among the basic tools required for installing these tiles.
Some people think that installing the ceramic tiles is a hard task, but on a real ground it does involve some detailed steps, such as applying adhesive or mortar, laying out the wall, preparing tile surface, setting tile, and caulking. These tiles can be installed on any surface like cement block, plaster, drywall, and even in existing ceramic tile. Before installing these tiles one of the worth considering things is to make sure that the surface should be flat, smooth, and free of dust and debris. In addition, if you notice any loose paint or crack on the surface, it should be scraped off and patched with some water-proof substance.
Laying out the wall is also supposed to be the worth considering steps while you going to install these tiles. It might include planning starting point, determining the level line, and checking whether any irregularity has been caused by fixtures like kitchen tubs and cabinets. Another step should be applying ceramic wall adhesive on the surface with the help of a notch trowel. Pro-mastic and pro-flex platinum are the widely used adhesives for ceramic tiles
As you finish the procedure of applying the adhesives, you should carefully place the tiles one by one on the surface. Now, you can use equipments like tile spacers to give adequate space between the tiles. Some people also use the process of cutting for fixing tiles on the edges. For the cutting purposes, a masonry drill can be used. For developing curved cuts, micro cutter or wet saw can be used.
Now the time has come to perform your last level. In this process, you should level the tiles using a hammer before allowing them to settle properly. When you notice that the tiles are settled, fill in the gap between the tiles with grout to avoid grout porosity, seal all grout joint. Caulking is known as the final step while doing the ceramic tile installation process. This is done on a primary basis to prevent water from seeping into bathtub edges or corners of the wall.
