How to glue mosaic tiles on a mesh - expert advice. Method of installing gypsum tiles: The tiles are attached

Ceramic tiles are one of the best materials for finishing rooms with special operating conditions. Such cladding is not afraid of exposure to high humidity, temperature changes, abrasive loads, and is itself very attractive in appearance and easy to clean. In a word, for kitchens, bathrooms, bathrooms – you can’t find anything better. And what’s also important is that you can handle the installation process yourself.

Why does it make sense to try doing the cladding yourself? It’s just that even if the surfaces to be laid are perfectly flat, you will have to pay about the same amount for the services of a specialist as the material itself costs, and this is even in the best case. Such expenses can be completely avoided. Having become acquainted with our article-instruction how to lay tiles on a wall, the reader will get a clear understanding of all stages of the work, from preparing surfaces and choosing tiles to sealing joints. And you will certainly be convinced that there is nothing supernaturally difficult in performing such finishing.

Preparing surfaces for finishing

It is completely pointless to start facing work on a wall that is not prepared for this. Some novice home craftsmen naively believe that a layer of ceramic tiles will reliably hide all the “ugliness” of the surface, and the result will be a straight, beautiful wall. They are sorely mistaken!

What does the preparation process include?

It is imperative to get rid of the old wall decoration. It will not, for example, hold adhesive tiles on a painted surface. Completely excluded or even small fragments thereof. If there was previously a tile on the wall, then after dismantling it, all sagging and drops of hardened glue should be removed.

The quality of the plaster layer, if any, must be checked. All problematic, crumbling areas are removed immediately. It is necessary to tap the entire area and identify areas of instability that must also be removed. And most often it happens that if a peeling area is found in one area, then everything else will be pulled from it, that is, the plaster has to be knocked down completely.

In no case should it be ignored if traces of biological damage are found on the walls - mold stains, fungal colonies, etc. Antiseptic priming is carried out on all surfaces without exception, but if this microflora has already settled, then a preliminary “treatment” of the wall will have to be carried out

There should be no gaps or cracks on the surfaces. If they are identified, appropriate repair work is carried out to properly seal them.

The wall must be flat, that is, it must be a plane, and not a twisted, piled-up, protruding or concave surface. The tiles can be laid on leveled walls without any problems. Yes, there are methods for leveling walls by installing ceramic cladding. But, believe me, not all experienced craftsmen like to do this, since this task is extremely difficult. And if a newcomer has to “debut”, there’s no need to even think about it. It will be much easier to carry out leveling - and the finish will definitely be of high quality.

There are many ways to level, and some of them, for example, using moisture-resistant drywall or gypsum fiber slabs are not so complicated and will not require much time.

How to level the walls yourself for finishing?

Don't be intimidated by this task in advance. There are many available technologies that even beginners can quickly master. Moreover, laying tiles does not require a perfectly smooth surface - the correct geometry is sufficient. are discussed in detail in a special publication on our portal.

Ceramic tiles are most often installed in rooms with high humidity, so it is worth thinking about reliable waterproofing. This applies to a greater extent, of course, to the floor, but it also makes sense to provide on the walls waterproofed“belt” at least 100÷200 mm high from the floor along the entire perimeter. In addition, it is advisable to reinforce with waterproofing the areas of passage through the walls of water and sewer pipes, and the areas around water outlets.

And in frankly “wet” areas of the wall, for example, around a bathtub, washbasin, shower stall, etc., it is generally better to carry out continuous waterproofing. Approximate size standards for these areas are shown in the illustration:

Finally, the wall must be carefully primed with a deep penetration compound. This measure will completely remove dust from the surface and eliminate the phenomenon of moisture absorption. That is, the wall material will not take water from the tile adhesive, allowing it to harden under optimal conditions. The best adhesion performance is achieved. In addition, many primers also have antiseptic qualities, and such preventive treatment will never be superfluous.

If the absorbent qualities of the material are high, then the primer treatment is performed twice, always waiting until the first layer has completely dried. As a rule, the primer is applied immediately after completion of the preparatory work. But if for some reason there is a significant time gap between this stage and finishing, then it would be advisable to apply the primer again - a day before the start of installation of the tiles. This way, a high-quality result will be guaranteed.

Drawing up a project and selecting the required tiles

It is clear that these two issues are closely intertwined. In this publication, we will not analyze design approaches to choosing the interior of a room - we will only focus on some practical aspects.

Planning the placement of tiles on the walls

Of course, the owners should already have an idea of what they want to see in the end. You've probably gotten acquainted with the approximate range of tiles presented in the store. That is, they just have to “fit” the selected collection into the specific dimensions of their room.

Here you should not rely on your eyes. The best option is to draw up a graphic diagram for each wall separately. Moreover, if it is not intended to be a continuous cladding with one type of tile, but with decorative inserts or friezes, or divided into sections. Some material manufacturers offer online programs on their official websites that allow you to optimally place tiles on the walls. If this is not possible, you will have to sit on your own either in a graphic editor, or simply on paper diagrams.

In horizontal rows, you can start with a whole tile from one of the corners, that is, the cut edge will be on the opposite side of the wall. Naturally, in this case the least noticeable angle is chosen. But you should immediately figure out which fragment will remain in the corner? If it is too narrow, then it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to remove this area accurately. And on the front side of the room, that is, attracting the gaze of those entering, such placement will also look very ugly. Therefore, it often makes sense to choose a location such that you start from the center of the wall - AThenfrom It is laid to the edges with equal trimming on both sides.

It all depends, of course, on the size of the wall and tile. It often happens that the optimal layout seems to be when the vertical axis of the wall coincides with the center of the tile, and then the layout goes to the sides with, again, symmetrical trimming along the edges.

The cut edges can be easily hidden by laying solid tiles from the corner on the adjacent wall. If two cut edges meet in the inner corner, then this too can be solved by grinding one of them. On external corners, a decorative corner copes well with this task. More details will be discussed later.

They also show the necessary “creativity” when planning vertical rows. So, the installation, which ends in a narrow section under the ceiling, does not look particularly advantageous. It is better to plan a solid tile for this place, especially since its upper edge is very often covered by a suspended or suspended ceiling.

But the narrow section can be removed first from the floor - there it is hardly noticeable, and the cut edge of the tile will become completely unnoticeable visible in the corner between the floor and the wall. More precisely, it is generally recommended to lay out this bottom row last, so no problems with precise trimming are expected. All this will be shown below.

However, other circumstances may also influence the choice of the starting horizontal line. These may be features of the design project (for example, the use of contrasting rows or friezes), and the placement of plumbing fixtures. For example, it is always recommended to place the tiles near the bathtub so that the horizontal seam is hidden below the side by 20-30 mm. This will not disturb the aesthetics of the installation, and will remove the vulnerable seam from the “wet” area.

When planning the placement of rows, vertical and horizontal, do not forget about the thickness of the tile joints. Let this not seem like a trifle: when using not very large tiles, but on a large wall, the difference is considerable.

When laying on a wall, too thick joints are most often not required. Usually limited to gaps of 1.5 ÷ 2 mm. Moreover, after grouting the joints with a fugue, the visual effect of the thickness will change somewhat - the gaps will appear wider.

It is clear that when drawing up diagrams, the number, size and location of inserts - friezes, borders and other decorative elements - are taken into account. If a fully developed plan for each wall is always at hand, then during the installation process there is much less chance of making a mistake.

Some nuances of choosing ceramic tiles for walls

Tiles designed for walls are much easier than floor tiles. Indicators of its strength, abrasive resistance, roughness, etc. fade into the background, since they do not play a decisive role here. You can concentrate on decorativeness and, of course, the quality of the material.

We will not talk in detail about all the intricacies of the choice - this is a separate topic. But some important points still need to be emphasized.

There is a very wide variety of formats on sale. But you shouldn’t immediately chase large tiles. Firstly, it doesn’t look appropriate everywhere. Secondly, when laying it there can be a lot of waste, and since it is usually not cheap, it turns out to be expensive. And thirdly, installation of such cladding requires some experience, and a novice master may not be able to cope with the task - any mistake will be visible.

If you are planning to lay the tiles yourself for the first time, then it is better to proceed from its average size, for example, up to 300÷400 mm on the long side.

should have a water absorption of no more than 3% - this is usually indicated on its packaging.
If you plan to cover walls in unheated rooms or even on the street, then you should look for a material marked with a snowflake icon - it is not afraid of freezing.
It is mandatory that all purchased packages of tiles of the same type are checked for batch matching. The fact is that the same article, but released on different shifts, may differ slightly in color tone. This is most often not noticed visually in the store. But after laying on the surface, even a small difference can spoil the overall appearance.

Of course, they try to purchase tiles of the highest possible grade. Even at factories, products are sorted, and products with distorted shapes go on sale as second- or even third-rate. You can be exhausted when styling them.
Manufacturers also sort tiles by caliber. It is clear that they always try to bring the dimensions of the finished product closer to the declared standard. However, the specifics of ceramic production do not yet allow us to achieve a unique match in the sizes of all tiles without exception. The packaging of the tile may indicate its caliber - alphabetic or numerical designation, and attach a plate with its decoding.

It is clear that tiles of the most accurate caliber have a higher price. But all preference should be given to it, since unjustified savings can lead to unsuccessful finishing, and in in the end the total costs will be clearly “minus”.

In any case, it will not be possible to do without tile waste. And sometimes it becomes impossible to purchase the missing quantity - the required batch may not remain on sale. That is, the stock is made in advance. Usually they start from 10% - with proper layout and high-quality cutting of the material, this is enough. If a diagonal layout is assumed, then the margin can be increased to 15% - there will be more waste in any case. But let us immediately note that it is not recommended to get involved with diagonal installation without good work experience. Therefore, in this article, intended more for beginners, it will not be considered.
Do not hesitate to ask the store to check all purchased tiles - there is no guarantee that they will not be damaged during transportation. Yes, and obvious defects sometimes come across.

Even first-class tiles from the same batch and the most precise caliber should still be carefully sorted into several groups at home. The highest quality, with perfectly matching dimensions, is best set aside for lining the most visible critical areas. The tile is a little worse - pushed “to the periphery”. And those with the most significant dimensional distortions or with minor defects should be used for cutting to fill areas along corners or the floor.
The quantity of tiles is usually calculated individually. This can be done if a high-quality scheme is drawn up. And even more so, you will have to do this when you plan to use several varieties to create a special decorative interior.

But in the case when it is intended to cover the entire area with one type of material, you can also use the calculator, which is located below. There you will need to indicate the finishing area, the dimensions of the tiles and the width of the tile joint. The reserve 10 or 15 percent will be taken into account when choosing the layout principle.

The vast majority of apartment owners, faced with the question of how to decorate their bathroom walls, prefer tiles. Ceramic tiles are simply ideal for rooms with high humidity. If it is chosen and secured correctly, the room will be beautiful, comfortable, and safe. The article will discuss how to glue tiles in the bathroom so that the finishing of the bathroom fully corresponds to its purpose.

Where to begin?

To answer the question of how to properly glue tiles in a bathroom, you first need to have these tiles. And not only her, but also a lot of other things - materials and tools. First you need to determine the number of tiles and estimate the type of tile.

Important! As for the sizes, everything is quite simple - in small bathrooms you need small squares or rectangles, in spacious ones you can glue any kind of tiles, including figured tiles.

The surface of the tile can be:

matte;
glossy.

Important! The glossy one looks more impressive, but the matte one shows less streaks and drops, which almost always appear on the walls in the bathroom. But with proper care, this small drawback can be avoided.

We calculate the quantity

First you need to calculate the surface area to be covered. For example, the wall area is calculated using the most common formula:

multiply the length by the height;
determine the area of all other planes;
add up the results;
divide by the area of one tile;
add another 10-15% to the resulting amount.

Important! The reserve is necessary, because in some places you will probably have to lay not whole tiles, but halves or even quarters. Plus, you should take into account possible damage.

Here it is necessary to clarify that tiles are sold by square meters. But you may also need other elements:

panel;
border.

They are sold individually, although the area for the panels is also indicated.

Important! When purchasing, be sure to check the lot numbers on the packages. They must match.

What to fasten with?

The tiles need to be glued to something. In addition, the wall should be as smooth as possible, and the seams should be clean and neat. Accordingly, you will need some more materials:

deep penetration soil;
cement-based grout;
tile adhesive;
"liquid Nails".

Important! In addition, it is possible that the wall under the old finish is not as good as you would like, and you will have to level it, so you will need putty. However, you can get out of the situation in another way if you have already started a major reconstruction. A cement slab would be an excellent base. This, of course, will cost more, but the result will be more impressive.

Tools

Is it possible to make high-quality repairs without a trowel and brush? Of course not. Therefore, make sure that everything you need for gluing tiles in the bathroom is always at hand:

perforator;
chisel attachment;
drill;
mixer attachment;
primer brush (maklovitsa);
2 metal spatulas of different widths;
rubber spatula for grouting;
metal tile floats;
roulette;
level;
rubber hammer.

Let's start preparing

The bathroom renovation is being carried out gradually:

The subfloor and screed are being made.
Plumbing is being installed.
Tiles are glued to the floor and walls.

That is, by the time you are puzzled by the question of how to stick tiles in the bathroom with your own hands, the bathtub and washbasin should take their places. It will be a great shame if they suffer from your inept actions. Therefore, they need to be protected, just like brand new taps. For this you need:

thick polyethylene film;
cardboard;
scotch.

Important! The film is sold in gardening supply stores - greenhouses are made from it. It is wide, so a couple of meters is enough for your eyes. Any cardboard will do, including packaging cardboard; any box will do.

Here's what you need to do:

Cut a piece of plastic film large enough to completely cover the hot tub.
Attach the plastic with tape in several places.
Make cases out of cardboard, like the ones they sell light bulbs in, only bigger, and put them on the taps.

What are your walls covered with?

After everything has been purchased, the plumbing has been installed and even securely closed, it’s time to tackle the actual walls. This is where the fun begins. The answer to the question of how to glue bathroom tiles to a wall largely depends on what the wall itself is made of. She may be:

wooden;
concrete;
plasterboard;
from chipboard;
brick.

Great options are brick and concrete. You don’t need to do anything special, just level the surface, and then you can safely glue the tiles in the bathroom. It is much worse if the surface is wooden or chipboard, or even ordinary plasterboard or fiberboard (this also happens). In these cases, it is very useful to install a cement board or a moisture-resistant plasterboard panel. Cement board is especially good in an older home where there is already trim on the walls that will have to be removed. If the wall is dilapidated, a cement slab will not save you - it does not strengthen the surface, but only saves you from the need to level it.

Important! Plywood is not suitable for leveling the wall in the bathroom, since this material does not tolerate humidity and high temperature.

Putting the stove on

To install a cement slab you will need a few things:

the slab itself (sold in hardware stores by area);
grinder or knife.
painting mesh;
marker;
long, straight rail;
roulette.

First of all, the slab must be cut to size. This is done in the usual way:

The slab has right angles, and it makes absolutely no difference how you cut it, so set off the length and height from one of the corners on adjacent sides.
Draw perpendiculars to the marks until they intersect.
Check parallelism of lines and angles.
Using a knife, make grooves along the marked lines to a depth of 2 mm.
Break the slab and it will break evenly.

You can also cut it with a grinder, only then you will have to immediately prepare a vacuum cleaner - there will be a lot of dust. There are two mounting methods:

based;
on the frame.

The question will inevitably arise as to which side of the slab should be adjacent to the wall, and which side the tiles will be glued to. In any case, it is more convenient to glue the tiles onto a rough surface. But there are exceptions - for example, mastic will adhere perfectly to a smooth surface. The DSP is screwed to the frame or base with self-tapping screws, the pitch is 15-20 cm.

Important! If the slab is composite, the fragments should not be adjacent to each other closely - there should be 3 mm gaps between them, and the seams should be taped with a paint mesh and then with fiberglass tape.

Straight to the wall

If you decide to do without a cement slab, get ready for quite labor-intensive and dirty work. Before you glue the tiles in the bathroom, you have to work on the wall:

You need to remove the old finish, and as carefully as possible: if the tile is well glued, you will have to break it, and remove the remaining fragments with a hammer drill.
It makes sense to carefully inspect the wall, and in some cases even tap it, so that poorly placed plaster crumbles and only those fragments remain that hold securely.
All recesses and depressions must be thoroughly puttied.
After the wall is dry, don't forget to sand it.
To improve the adhesion of the tiles to the wall, apply a layer of deep penetration primer, preferably with antifungal components.
Let the soil dry.
Apply another coat of primer.
Level the wall again.
Check for vertical deviations - for the tile to hold well, the wall must be free of distortions.

Preparing the premises

Actually, you don’t need to prepare anything special - your bathtub is already closed, and neat covers are put on the brand new taps. But you also need to take care that after the repair you don’t have to redo everything in a couple of months. To do this, you need to make a waterproofing layer around the bathtub. As for the remaining areas, it all depends on the specific conditions - in most cases you can do without additional waterproofing.

Final preparations

Good preparation is half the battle, but everything needs to be followed through. The time has come to tackle the actual tiles.

The tile should lie flat, and it is desirable that whole elements are visible, and halves and quarters - somewhere in the corners, where x is not so clearly visible. But the question remains open: what can you use to glue tiles in the bathroom? If you didn't buy the adhesive at the same time as the tiles (and this is the best option), the time to do it is now. The store will offer you a dozen or two packages, the compositions are not much different from each other, so choose the one that has the most understandable instructions. The idea is simple - if a manufacturer cares about the customer to the extent that he provides his product with extremely clear instructions, he cares about his reputation and produces goods of good quality.

Begin

Every novice craftsman is concerned with the question of how to glue these beautiful squares or rectangles so that they do not fall off and stand straight? You already achieved half of this when you leveled the wall. Now only a little remains. In order for the tiles to lie flat, the wall needs to be marked into zones - preferably into squares or rectangles of the same area. You should mark according to the level, carefully checking the parallelism of the lines:

Check whether the horizontal row will consist of whole tiles or whether trimming will be needed - to do this, simply lay the tiles along the wall, without applying glue to them for now.
If the whole number of tiles does not fit, move the row.
If you are laying down a whole quantity again, mark the row so that the halves or quarters are not in a visible place.

Important! Never check the horizontal lines of the bathtub - it is deliberately placed at a certain angle, so that the rows will turn out crooked.

In what order should I glue?

So, you have everything marked out, the number of tiles in a row is determined - what next? And then decide where exactly you will start gluing. Experienced craftsmen recommend starting from the center, especially if you have a panel. But for this approach you need to very carefully calculate the number of rows.

Important! There is another way - from the far lower corner.

We dilute the glue

Try to correctly calculate your strength. How many tiles can you lay in a day? The amount of cement-based glue that needs to be diluted also depends on this. The compositions used are different, but the packaging must indicate that the adhesive is suitable for finishing interior spaces with tiles.

There may be some deviations in the preparation method, but usually the procedure is as follows:

Pour 0.25 liters of warm water into a clean container.
Gradually add 1 kg of adhesive mixture, mixing thoroughly.
Stir until the mixture becomes homogeneous.
Leave the glue to sit for about five minutes so that it swells.

Important! Why is it necessary to prepare strictly the required amount of glue? Because most often the composition retains its properties for about four hours. So it’s better to dilute it a little, and if you then want to work more, make a new portion. You can also find ready-made adhesives and mastics on sale. There is no need to dilute them, but they are more expensive than dry ones.

And finally...

Glue the tiles in small areas strictly according to the markings.
When individual elements are larger or smaller than others, the rows can turn out even if you make the seams wider or narrower.

Important! In order to control the process, there are plastic crosses; they set the direction of the vertical and horizontal rows.

To make the row even with respect to the font, you will need plastic wedges - buy them in the same department as the crosses.

What should I apply the glue to?

In some cases, the glue is applied to the tiles, in others - to the wall. This is indicated in the instructions for the glue. But, no matter what composition you choose, take into account some features of the material you are working with:

Apply adhesive to the tile or wall.
Level the layer with a spatula-comb.
If you apply glue to a large area at once and it starts to dry out, scrape it off and apply a new layer.
Press the tile down.
Check its position (a short bubble level is convenient).
Glue the next tile.
When the row is ready, check it with a long level.
If the tile protrudes above the plane, level it with a rubber hammer: generally, periodically tap the wall where it is already tiled - by the sound you will know whether there are voids left under the tiles or not.
Remove any excess glue from the seams immediately.

If you need halves

It rarely happens that a whole number of squares fit on the wall. Usually several tiles have to be cut. How? There is a manual rail tile cutter for this:

Mark the line along which you want to cut.
Make a scratch.
Separate the tiles - this is quite easy to do.

In addition to the tile cutter, there are other tools that allow you to cut fragments from tiles:

drill with a ballerina attachment;
tile nippers.

Grout

Have you installed the tiles? Great, but that's not all. It is necessary to tidy up the seams, and before that, wait a day until the glue finally sets. Compositions used:

cement-based;
epoxy based.

Despite the fact that ceramic tiles used for wall cladding last for quite a long time, their time has come. A limescale deposit appears on it, and the colors fade. The finish becomes cloudy, and no means can restore its shine. Cracks are growing, and chips are forming more and more often. This whole complex means that it’s time to change the finish.

Removing old tiles;
How to fasten facing tiles;
Wall tiling: the first row is the most difficult;
Tiling the wall over the entire surface;
How to cut or drill tiles.

Removing old tiles

You will have to remove the old cladding on the walls with a hammer and chisel (chisel). It's simple: we split the tile with a hammer, pry it with a chisel and tear it off the surface. During work, it is recommended to protect your eyes from splinters and construction dust with special construction glasses. We clean off any remaining mortar or glue.

Next, you need to inspect the walls and decide whether they need repair. If the plaster has a large number of flaws, then they need to be puttied. And to make the surface of the walls even more reliable, it is impregnated with ST17. As a result, the surface of the walls in the bathroom will be ideal for subsequent tiling.

How to attach facing tiles

It is better to glue tiles in the bathroom using tile adhesive rather than cement-sand mortar. Of course, you can use traditional mortar, but getting an excellent result (unless you are a tiler) will be much more difficult.

Tile adhesive is a wonderful solution that saves the master from most of the problems. This glue contains special additives, and the main ingredients are correctly measured and well mixed. Instructions for diluting such glue are printed on the packaging, so there should be no problems with its preparation.

Wall tiling: the first row is the most difficult

Tiles are always laid from bottom to top. At the same time, it is not worth laying the first row of tiles on the floor, since the floor very often has a large curvature. If you lay the first row of tiles on such a floor, then the entire finish will most likely end up crooked.

To solve the problem, install a wooden strip or a metal profile at the bottom of the wall. It is attached to the wall or floor strictly horizontally. This creates an ideal base for cladding. The first row can be glued very evenly, and after that the entire finish will be distinguished by excellent evenness.

Tiling the wall over the entire surface

The process of laying tiles may vary. Professionals first dilute the glue, then apply it to the walls, trying to ensure that the layer is even. In this case, the solution is applied to the wall on nine tiles at once. Of course, everything depends on the speed of work. The solution should not have time to harden. Therefore, each master, based on his speed, decides for himself which section of the wall to cover with the solution at a time.

After this, the tiles, previously soaked in water, are laid on the base, pressing each of them over the entire area. A gap of a couple of millimeters is left between the individual tiles, which will subsequently be filled with grout. To make the seams even, it is convenient to insert plastic “crosses” between the individual tiles - they are available in every hardware store.

Wall tiling ends by rubbing the joints with a special solution (grout) using a rubber spatula. After this, the lined surface is washed and, if desired, treated with compounds to protect the tile and give it shine.

How to cut or drill tiles

If there is a need to cut one of the tiles or several tiles at once, you will need a tile cutter or grinder. A grinder is convenient for cutting tiles into shapes, for example, to cover communications. A drill with a crown-type attachment will allow you to drill a fairly large hole in the tile, and a tile cutter is used in cases where the tile needs to be made smaller in size by removing an excess fragment.

Bathroom renovations are rarely complete without replacing the tiles, especially if they have already served for 10-20 years. But, as usual, the question arises: to hire a master or do everything yourself. If you have a proven, tried-and-true tiler in mind and a certain amount of money (usually they ask for the same amount of work as the materials cost), you can hire him. Otherwise, try laying the tiles yourself. If the walls are at least relatively smooth, everything should work out without any particular difficulties. But just before laying tiles on the wall, carefully study the technology.

It starts, as usual, with choosing a tile. Just pay attention not only to her external data. You will definitely need to check its geometry, otherwise it will be difficult to work with it. If you are laying tiles for the first time, any curvature will greatly complicate the task. So, let's check:

From experience, it is worth saying that ideal parameters are extremely difficult to find. If you like it externally, there are no cobwebs of cracks or glaze defects on the surface, the edges are even, the dimensions are the same, you can take it despite some non-linearity (first point). Otherwise, you will be tired of running around the shops. What you shouldn’t do is buy tiles “to order”. How can you control its quality if you already pay for it? Take only what you hold in your hands.

What are the tiles placed on?

Previously, tiles were laid on a cement-sand mixture, to which PVA glue or Bustilat was added. You can, of course, do it this way, but it will be more difficult. For more comfortable work, use ready-made compounds; they are also called “tile adhesive” because they contain adhesive components, which is why they sometimes say that tiles are “glued” to walls. Compositions come in two types:

in buckets - mastics, ready for use;
in bags - dry mixtures that require dilution with water.

Professionals mainly use dry mixtures. If necessary, they can be used to correct an imperfect wall, making the layer a little thicker or thinner. Another plus: they retain their plasticity longer, which allows adjustments to be made some time later. They work with mastic on an ideal wall and there can be no deviations here: the layer is too thin.

When choosing a tile adhesive, you can choose it for specific tasks. So there are compositions that contain additives that increase the water-repellent properties of a wall or floor. This is important in the kitchen and bathroom. There are frost-resistant ones, which will be useful if you place them in an unheated room or outside. You can find glue that has bactericidal properties: it will prevent fungi and mold from developing, which is in demand in damp rooms.

Preparatory work

Before laying tiles on the wall, a number of preparatory measures are carried out. This is a long and unpleasant process, but it is extremely undesirable to skip it: not every master, let alone beginners, can lay tiles properly on uneven, unprepared walls.

Leveling the surface

First of all, the old coating and anything that may fall off is removed from the walls. If there are greasy stains, remove them, or simply cut off part of the plaster along with the absorbed oil. The walls are tapped with a wooden hammer, determining by the sound whether there are voids. They occur if the plaster has peeled off, but has not yet been blown out. If you stick a tile on such an area, everything will collapse under its weight. That’s why you do all these places yourself.

A flat plank is applied to the cleaned base and an assessment is made of how smooth or crooked the walls are. If the wall surface is very convex or curved, it is better to correct everything with plaster to a level. Then laying tiles on the wall will be very simple. If the walls are relatively flat, only indentations that are too large are leveled: irregularities (protrusions or holes) that are more than 5 mm. The protrusions need to be cut off, the holes should be filled with plaster mixture, the cracks should be widened, moistened and also covered with plaster.

We prime

It is advisable to treat the prepared wall with a primer. “Betonokontakt” or another composition with similar characteristics is best suited for these purposes. It penetrates to a fairly large thickness deep into the wall, connecting all the particles. After drying, the surface becomes rough, and tile adhesive “sticks” to it very well.

How to start

There are several possible starting points. To put it quite simply, you can lay out the first row right from the corner, following the floor line. But the first row will become level and without problems only if the floor is perfectly level, without any deviations. Otherwise, you will be trimming the tiles to somehow get vertical joints. As a result of these prunings, the second and all subsequent rows can “walk”. The work will be very hard and unpleasant. Therefore, it is better to spend time and mark the wall, finding the “start” points.

Wall marking

If you don't really care about the small pieces of tile that have to be placed in the corners and at the top, under the ceiling, you can skip this step. But if you want all the tiles to lie symmetrically, before laying the tiles on the wall, you will have to do the layout:

If it turns out that only narrow strips remain at both ends, it is advisable to redo the layout. If the middle was located in the center of the wall, try laying it out from the seam, and vice versa. It should come out better.

When placing tiles in height, the situation is slightly different. In some cases, the seam is made at a certain level. In the bathroom this is often the edge of the installed bathtub. If there are no such requirements, you can do the same: find the center, arrange (draw on the wall) the position of the tiles relative to it. This way you will find how to trim the tiles of the top and bottom rows.

There is another way to arrange it vertically: mark the first tile from the ceiling, and so on to the bottom. In this case, only the bottom row will have to be trimmed. This is not entirely correct, but the consumption of tiles is slightly less.

In any case, when calculating how to lay tiles on the wall, mark the level where the first row ends. This usually serves as a starting point. This is where the laying of tiles begins.

Start line

Based on the layout results, you have a line where the first row ends. It is at this height that a flat bar is nailed. Resting the tile on it, place the starting row, and all subsequent rows on it. The last row to be installed is the first row, into which the tiles will have to be cut.

Profiles for working with drywall are usually used as a support strip, but a flat dry block can also be used. At a given height, it is attached to the wall with self-tapping screws or dowels (depending on the wall material). To lay tiles on the wall with your own hands without problems, you need to fasten them often enough so that there is no sagging. Be sure to check that it is installed horizontally. There shouldn't be even the slightest deviation.

How to lay tiles on a wall

The technology for laying tiles on the wall is simple. It consists of several simple steps:

A few nuances about the complete process. First, the outer whole tiles (those that do not need to be trimmed) are glued to the marked places on the installed plank. When laying out, you noted their position. It is very important to set them correctly. To do this, each is checked with a level in the vertical and horizontal planes. If the geometry of the tile is ideal, you can also check the verticality/horizontalness along the edges. Then they take a long level or an even bar with a shorter level and check how evenly one beacon bar is set relative to the other. They must be in the same plane. Then, using this bar, they check whether each subsequent tile is positioned correctly.

Description is one thing, but seeing everything with your own eyes is another. The video demonstrates the technology; after watching, you will understand exactly how to lay tiles on the wall.

Wall adhesive thickness

For those who are laying tiles on a wall for the first time, they may have questions about how thick the adhesive layer is needed. This value depends on how smooth the walls are. If they are ideal, you can apply the minimum layer allowed in the instructions for the composition. If the walls are only relatively flat, the “starting” layer can be 3-4 mm. Then, as necessary, it can slightly decrease or increase, correcting the unevenness of the wall.

There are several techniques for laying ceramic tiles. It is not always the case that glue is applied to both the tile and the wall. Some craftsmen apply the composition only to the wall, others - only to the tiles, some recommend dipping it in water before applying the glue, others do not do this. Choose the option that seems more correct to you. But it is more convenient for novice tilers when the mortar is on both the wall and the tile: it is easier to move and level it.

Manufacturers of tile adhesive advise applying it to the wall, removing excess with a notched trowel, but this means a perfectly flat base. Based on these recommendations, the cost of laying one square is calculated.

With other techniques, consumption increases by 50% or even 100%, since the wall has to be adjusted. But you should definitely listen to the prescribed sizes of the spatula teeth.

How to cut tiles

There are several ways. For small volumes and not very thick tiles, a manual tile cutter is suitable. This is a device consisting of a platform on which tiles are placed. Fusing pads are attached to the platform along which the cutter moves. The cutter moves with the help of a handle, ripping through the durable coating. A stop is usually installed on the same handle, with which the tiles are broken along the line drawn by the cutter.

Another way is with a grinder, but it is very noisy and dusty. Besides, you won’t be able to make a perfectly even cut, but it will work in case of an emergency.

If necessary, round holes are cut using a crown of a suitable diameter, which is put on a drill. During drilling, to ensure that there is as little dust as possible, the work area is constantly watered with water. The result is a perfect hole and everything looks decent.

If you need to cut a strip that is too thin, you won’t be able to do it with a tile cutter: it simply won’t break off. Then, after drawing a line with a cutting disk or rod (for some companies, the cutting element is made in the form of a rod), the thin edge is broken off. In general, there are special tongs for this, but it works well with pliers.

If the edge turns out to be very uneven, it can be smoothed out a little with a file or sandpaper attached to a block.

Decoration of corners

If the tiles are laid evenly, the internal corners do not raise any questions. Difficulties may arise only with the installation of crosses. Just turn them so that they are not in the way or break off the protruding parts. In general, they join neatly in the corners, and the final seam is formed using grout.

There are also profiles for internal corners. They are matched to the tone of the grout, installed in the corner, leveled, and then attached to self-tapping screws or dowels. When laying tiles in a corner, the tiles rest on them. This results in a finished fillet seam.

External corners are more difficult. If you simply join the tiles, overlapping the edges, it turns out ugly. To properly shape the outer corner, you have to cut the edge at 45°.

This can be done using a professional tile cutter. But not everyone has such equipment. Then you will have to work with a grinder. The first cut, at approximately the desired angle, is made with a smooth diamond disc. There should be no slits or holes in it, and the spraying should also be even.

It turns out not very smooth, and the outer edge is quite thick. But this is only preliminary processing. We bring the cut to the required parameters using a grinding attachment with the same disc. See the video for more details.

If you don’t want to bother with such trimming, there is another option - to decorate the corner with a special plastic corner.

Another video about how you can design junctions and seams when laying tiles.

To make laying wall tiles with your own hands completely clear, watch another video tutorial.

When finishing a kitchen apron with ceramic tiles, the technology is practically no different from that described above. There is simply no need to calculate the number of vertical rows. The “start” location is determined by the height of the tabletop: it should start 5-10 cm above the edge of the tile. Attach the bar at the required level, align it exactly with the horizon, and you are ready to begin.

An apron in the kitchen is usually made on the work wall. If it is not one wall, but two or three, you can start from one of the corners.

If it is laid out from small-sized tiles, the undercuts may not be very noticeable. If you want to do everything symmetrically, repeat the layout and start from the center, as described above.