Laying tiles on the wall. How to properly lay tiles on a wall - detailed instructions

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Often, those who decide to lay tiles themselves do not think about which side to start laying tiles on. And this is very important point.
Experienced craftsmen know that if you start laying tiles in the bathroom or kitchen correctly, less material will be used, which means less money will be spent. The time for laying tiles will also be reduced and the design in the bathroom or toilet will look better.

By and large, the question: “Where should you start laying tiles” does not have a clear answer. But there are several points that help craftsmen determine which side to start laying tiles on.

First you need to decide on the sequence of laying tiles in the bathroom or kitchen. It is recommended to start laying tiles from the walls, and not from the floor, because... during work, the material with which the tiler is working may fall from the walls and new tiles on the floor will be damaged. Another reason why installation should start from the walls is the drying time of the tiles. For the tile adhesive to set completely, you need to wait from several days to a week. At this time we will have to stop renovation work in the bathroom or toilet, and this is extra time.

Laying scheme

Before you start laying tiles in the bathroom or toilet, you need to decide on the location of the tiles. To do this, you should draw a design on paper and make the necessary calculations.

Next you should do even markings on the wall, moving the tiles from top to bottom without mortar. It is necessary to mark the position of each tile, thereby determining the future position of the tile. The bottom row will be placed correctly in last resort from chopped pieces.

How to lay tiles on walls

Tiles on the walls begin to be laid from the corner that first catches the eye when entering the room, usually this opposite wall from front door. On the second row marked with a thread or level on the wall, you need to attach a strip, making sure that it is level. After which you can begin laying tiles on the wall.

To avoid the tiles slipping, you can lay out no more than two rows at a time. You can lay two rows of tiles on each wall and so on in a circle. While the row is being laid on one wall, it will already dry on the other. You need to start facing with intact elements, and the lower rows can be laid from damaged ones.

If a novice tiler wants to lay one wall after another, we can safely say that nothing will work out - the tiles in the corners will not fit together, and the seams will fluctuate from 3 mm to 3 cm, which looks very unsightly.

It should also be taken into account that if there are external corners in the kitchen or bathroom, then the tiles are laid from them, since finishing the row with damaged tiles on outer corner it won't work.

The bottom row should be placed last. Most often, when laying the bottom row, the tiles have to be cut. This is done with a special tool - a tile cutter.
Between each row of tiles in the bathroom or kitchen you need to place crosses - special accessories for working with tiles.

In case on finished work If glue accidentally spills, it should be removed from the tile immediately to avoid hardening. After the laid tiles in the toilet or bathroom are completely dry, the entire lining should be wiped first with a damp cloth and then with a dry one. After which you can start grouting the joints.

Drawing on the wall

You should also take into account that if the owner is going to lay out a certain pattern in the toilet, then you need to start laying the tiles from the center of the image. If this is not done, the drawing may end up on the side of the wall.

To determine the center of the wall in the kitchen or toilet, you need to use a cord to set the diagonals, where the diagonals will intersect, there is the center of the wall.

You should start laying tiles from the center of the image and continue the row in one direction and the other from the center. After the central row is laid out, it will become clear where to move next and the work will go faster.

Laying tiles on the floor

Where to start laying tiles on the floor in the toilet?

  1. There are three options with which experienced tilers begin laying tiles on the floor. Laying occurs from the farthest corner opposite the door. This standard way, which is suitable for laying tiles in the kitchen, but if in the bathroom this corner is closed by a shower stall, then there is no point in using this method.
  2. Masonry from the threshold to the door.B in this case Laying the tiles begins from the corner closest to the door. This method is used most often, since plumbing is usually located on the opposite side.
  3. Laying from the center of the room. Four tiles are placed in the center of the room, from which the flooring continues.

There is one simple way to determine which of the three options to use. You should measure the length of the row and divide the resulting result by the width of the tile. If the resulting remainder is less than half, then you should start laying the floor with tiles from the beginning of the row. This method not only saves material, but also the layout looks neater.

Before starting work, the floor is thoroughly cleaned and leveled. Next, you should create a waterproofing trough that will protect the floor from various types of leaks. To do this, use waterproofing - liquid or roll. The insulating layer is primed on top to increase the adhesion of the tile adhesive.

Grouting joints

You can grout the seams after the cladding is completely dry. All crosses should be removed and you can begin grouting.

The grout is matched to the color of the tile, diluted in water until smooth and evenly applied with a rubber spatula between the joints.

After some of the seams have been rubbed, it is necessary to wipe them with a slightly damp sponge so that the seams are smooth and beautiful.

Saving

Many people think about how to save money during renovations. The first thing you shouldn’t save on is the quality of the tiles, as in the future this savings can cost even more.

You don't have to place tiles where they won't be visible, for example, on walls where plumbing fixtures will be installed. Only in this case you need to remember that the walls will need additional protection from moisture - be sure to plaster, prime, and possibly paint.

Also, you don’t have to put tiles under the bathtub, especially if the entire space under the bathtub is covered with a screen. The floor, where there will be no tiles, should also be protected from moisture.

Modern housing is beautiful, convenient and comfortable, but first of all this is facilitated by the renovation, albeit inexpensive, but done with soul. You can transform any room with the help of tiles, and they are used in the bathroom, kitchen and hallway, and other types of finishing materials are used to cover all other rooms.

But before laying tiles on the wall, you need to familiarize yourself with its characteristics and find out the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Differences in finishing materials

Let's not go too deep into specifications each type of tile, but it is very important to consider what material it is made of.

For example, tiles are classified as moisture-resistant because they are made of baked clay, and the finishing material made of gypsum is not friendly with water - it quickly absorbs it and warps. Taking into account the characteristics, you need to select tiles that correspond to its parameters for each room.

The tile is stronger and can be washed, while gypsum tiles It is afraid of water and not resistant to impacts, and dust accumulates on its uneven surface. After weighing all the pros and cons, the homeowner must determine for himself where, how and with what tiles the room will be decorated.

What is included in surface preparation

Now let's look at how to prepare walls for laying tiles. You can lay tiles on glue or cement-sand mortar, and the preparation of the base depends on the choice of the type of adhesive mixture. By using cement-sand mortar you can lay tiles on uneven wall, since the layer of this composition will be considerable, which will help cover all the unevenness.

Having saved on leveling the walls before laying the tiles, you will have to tinker for a long time during its installation, trying to level the surface. Since the mortar quickly loses its plasticity, you will have to repeatedly remove the tiles, clean the base of the mortar, and put the tiles back in place.

Then you will need to thoroughly clean the seams - as they say, “the game is not worth the candle,” so we will not dwell on this technology in detail.

  1. To styling tiles the wall was made without small inserts, sometimes you have to build up the base with cement-sand mortar.
  2. For example, the distance from the corner to the door is 83.5 cm.
  3. Tile size 20x30 cm.
  4. It turns out that 4 tiles will lie on this surface, but there is still 3.5 cm left.
  5. Let's throw it back tile joint 1 cm, and 0.5 cm per tile on corner wall– 2 cm remains.
  6. It is impractical to cut such narrow strips, so the side wall can be increased by at least 1.5 cm, and when laying the tiles, lay out the tiles, slightly increasing the seams so that they lie evenly. Depending on how well the wall is leveled, it depends on what layer of glue will be applied subsequently.

A more progressive method of wall preparation is to thoroughly level the base using cement-sand mortar or drywall “to zero.”

When checking with a rule or wedge, it is allowed that tiny gaps remain. Leveled walls are primed with a composition that has the ability to penetrate deeply into the surface. This method implies that it will be applied minimum thickness glue.

Having dealt with the question of how to prepare the walls, let’s take care of the tools.

Let's prepare the tool

Every owner has a tape measure and a hammer, but in order to quickly and correctly lay tiles you will need a special tool:

  • bubble level;
  • laser level;
  • trowel or spatula;
  • rubber spatula;
  • comb (notched spatula);
  • rule 1–2 m (depending on the width of the wall);
  • manual tile cutter (or electric);
  • wire cutters;
  • grinder with diamond wheel;
  • drill with mixer attachment;
  • mounting crosses and/or SVP;
  • foam sponge;
  • soft fabric.

Having prepared all the necessary tools, you can begin marking the walls.

Why do you need markings and how to apply them?

The technology of laying ceramic tiles on the wall involves applying markings, so you need to find out what it is and how it is applied.

It is important! When marking walls for tiles, you need to ensure that the tiles are positioned in such a way that cut parts are not installed in the most visible or visually important places. If this cannot be done, then you need to try to mark in such a way that the tiles along the edges are located symmetrically.

You need to find out one more question for yourself - where will the cut tiles be more visible - from below or from above? Many people, without even thinking about it, answer: “Of course, from above.” But such a statement is not always correct. In a large room, the cut tiles glued under the ceiling really immediately become noticeable, especially when the bottom one is almost invisible because of the furniture.

IN small toilet No one looks at the ceiling at all, and in the bathroom only when you are lying in the bath. Depending on the type of room, laying ceramic tiles on the wall is done differently. If there is a whole tile on top, it means that a distance equal to the height of the tile + the thickness of the cross is set aside from the ceiling to the floor.

Let's show this with an example.

Let us conventionally assume that the height of the room is 240 cm, the height of the tiles is 30 cm, and the thickness of the crosses is 0.3 cm. This means that its height together with the cross will be 30.3 cm. 8 tiles do not fit, so we take 7 pieces.
7×30.3=212.1

This is how we found out the distance from the highest point of the ceiling to the level of the second row of tiles, from which the laying will begin.

note

In a similar way, marking is done from visible angle, only this time the width of the tile is taken into account.

If the wall tiles are laid in such a way that the bottom is not cut off, then measurements are taken from the bottom point of the floor. A distance of 30 cm is measured and a mark is applied along which a horizontal line is marked using a laser level.

Marking is performed somewhat differently when diagonal laying tiles on the wall. In this case, a square tile is used, and the measurement point is not its dimensions, but the distance from one corner to the other.

Laying tiles

Let's look at how to glue tiles to a wall depending on the type of installation.

In order not to repeat ourselves at each point, we will touch on general points that explain how to properly glue tiles:

  • There is no need to guess how to glue the tiles. Use recommended adhesive mixtures, which can be for both external and external use. interior works. For the bath, the latter with moisture-resistant properties are selected.
  • The glue is mixed with a mixer in small portions.
  • Along the marked line, a guide (usually a CD profile) is attached to the wall. Laser level provides invaluable help, but in the absence of this device you can get by with a water level.
  • Many people often have a question about whether it is necessary to soak tiles before laying. Previously, this was the norm, since sand-cement mortar was used instead of glue.

    Do not wet the tiles if they are glued, as this will only cause harm. But the question of whether it is necessary to wet the tiles before laying them on cement-sand mortar is left to the discretion of the person who will install them. It all depends on how quickly the facing material absorbs water.

  • A question may also arise as to whether it is necessary to putty the base before gluing the tiles. This should only be done if there is a need to level the walls.
  • Before putting ceramic tiles on the wall, it is recommended to rub the adhesive mixture into its working part. Such actions will greatly increase its adhesion to the wall.
  • Glue is applied to small area walls, otherwise it will dry out and have to be removed.

A professional tiler will show you how to lay ceramic tiles on a wall - video

Now let's look at how to lay tiles on a wall with your own hands. In case you already have it on your wall old tiles and it holds securely, then it is permissible to lay tiles on tiles. How to do it right.

Seam to seam

This method is the most popular, it is even called traditional. With this layout, one tile is located exactly above the other, so the rows are even in both horizontal and vertical positions.

During installation, you need to make sure that not a single tile is turned upside down, as this is not the most in the best possible way will affect appearance coverings. It is very important that all gaps are same size, and the rows were laid strictly horizontally, otherwise in the corners it will become very noticeable, since each new corner tiles will be different in size from the previous one.

Running

If you decide to glue the tiles onto the wall staggered, then you need to take into account that there may be several patterns. Layed tiles may resemble brickwork, and then the surface will look like brick wall, or each new tile is laid with a slight offset to the side.

If you plan to make the covering multi-colored, then it is better to first lay out the tiles on the floor in the same way as they will be laid on the wall, and look at what happens. When laying, the main attention is paid to horizontal seams.

Diagonally

If you want to lay tiles diagonally on the wall, you should take into account that this is the most the hard way. Installation begins from the visible part of the room. The main difficulty lies in accurately cutting the tiles diagonally, because the slightest deviation will become very noticeable.

No matter how the tiles are laid, it must be located in the same plane, so you constantly have to check it and level it according to the rule. There are very convenient device, which is called the “Tile Leveling System” (SVP).

After purchasing this facing material, you need to sort it by size. Periodically, until the glue has dried, you need to clean the seams between the tiles. Now all that remains is to rub the seams with a fugue, and then rub the surface with a soft cloth so that the coating takes on a presentable appearance.

Video - laying tiles on the wall with your own hands. Step-by-step instruction

Finishing with gypsum elements

You also need to figure out how to glue gypsum tiles to the wall, because the material itself and installation technology have their own characteristics. What are gypsum tiles and what are they used for? This is a rather fragile material that easily absorbs water, so it is not recommended to use it for cladding wet rooms.

The tile itself has the shape of bricks, and its surface is uneven, which creates the feeling that the room is decorated with brick or stone, which makes its own adjustments to the installation technology. Taking these and other features into account, we will describe how to correctly lay gypsum tiles.

Before laying tiles on the wall, the surface must be prepared in the same way as for tiles; you may have to putty the walls.

  • Installation begins from the visible part of the room. Sometimes there are elements different sizes, and then you need to put aside those that have maximum thickness to use them for mounting on another wall.
  • Glue is applied to the wall so that 4 elements can be glued.
  • The thickness of the tile adhesive is adjusted with a notched trowel, and if the wall is poorly leveled, you can increase the layer of the adhesive mixture or use the thick elements that have been set aside.
  • Glue is also applied to the underside of the gypsum die.
  • The tile is slightly pressed against the wall and its position is adjusted, and if there is glue in the seams, it must be carefully removed, and if the composition gets on front part facing material, it is removed with a brush dipped in water.
  • Each subsequent row is laid offset so that the surface resembles brickwork.

The work continues in this order until complete completion. Having learned all the intricacies, all that remains is to test your abilities in practice by covering the walls in your house or apartment.

Laying tiles yourself is not an easy task, and therefore many people trust it to professionals. But such a solution is quite expensive, and therefore doing the work yourself is far from uncommon. This is exactly what helps step by step installation tiles

An important factor in this case is strict adherence to work technology. In total, the entire process can be divided into 7 stages. More specifically, laying ceramic tiles on the floor is carried out in the following sequence:

  1. First of all, materials are calculated, purchased and tools are prepared.
  2. Next, you need to prepare the surface; in this case, the base is leveled and primed.
  3. The next step is marking, which involves rough laying out the tiles and making marks, in some cases, support stops.
  4. The next step begins laying, in particular the first row.
  5. Next, the entire area is laid with solid tiles.
  6. The next step is cutting the tiles and laying them.
  7. And finally the joints are grouted.

Thus, for correct execution Laying tiles on the floor with your own hands, detailed instructions are simply necessary. And then we will look in more detail at each of the stages of work.

Preparation of tools and materials

If you are laying tiles yourself, you will need the following tool:

  1. Master OK.
  2. Several spatulas, in particular, serrated, regular and rubber.
  3. You should also arm yourself with several levels, small, up to 50 centimeters in size, and medium, up to 1 meter.
  4. Next up is a rubber mallet.
  5. One more necessary tool becomes a grinder or, since in most cases it is simply necessary to cut tiles. Here it can also be noted additional accessories, such as wire cutters, sandpaper and a file.
  6. And the last device will be a container for glue mixture.

We've sorted out the tools, now we should pay attention to the materials, or more precisely to their calculation and purchase.

In particular for correct calculation It is not enough to simply measure the surface area, here important role Factors such as:

  1. Tile size.
  2. Thickness of the adhesive mixture layer.
  3. Tile type.
  4. Base material.
  5. Presence of obstacles.

All these factors simply need to be taken into account. In addition, if it is necessary to cut tiles, you should also pay attention to the size of the pieces. Because if they are more than half the size of the tile, then for one such row you will need to purchase twice as many tiles.

Usually, when making calculations, 10-15% is added to the resulting number, which is mostly enough to cover cutting costs, as well as cases of defects (damage to tiles, incorrect cutting, etc.).

Speaking about the adhesive mixture, here the calculation is carried out based on the type of tile, the type of the mixture itself, size, and required thickness layer, which is usually indicated on the packaging.

For calculation required quantity grout and glue, you can use the calculators on our website:

This issue has been sorted out, now you can move directly to the technological process.

Preparing the surface for installation

The first issue is preparing the foundation. It is very important to ensure that the surface is as smooth as possible, otherwise perfect styling will not work. The main mistake is the myth that a slightly larger layer of glue can hide unevenness, which is not true. High-quality installation is only possible on a flat base, and nothing else.

Before laying, it is first necessary to dismantle the old coating, if any, down to the very base. The next step is to form and.

The method of leveling the floor does not play a role here. This could be either the installation of a “warm floor” system, etc. The main factor is full compliance with the technology of work.

Also, all thresholds, baseboards and other obstacles that may interfere with laying the tiles flush against the wall must be dismantled.

In some cases, it is possible to lay tiles on the floor without dismantling the old covering (in particular, provided that it is also tile).

Surface marking

And the next step is marking the floor surface, which is especially important when laying uneven tiles. It is carried out as follows:

  1. Noted straight line first row of tiles. Since the installation is carried out starting from the far corner of the room, the markings are accordingly done as well.
  2. Next, markings for the location of the material are made. In cases where tiles are laid without seams with a pattern, a complete drawing of the arrangement of elements is necessary.
  3. An important factor is the placement at the entrance; in this case, the marking should be carried out in such a way that solid fragments lie at the door; accordingly, it may be necessary to make an indentation from the far wall.
  4. An important factor when marking is taking into account which also plays a role.
  5. You can also pre-lay out the tiles on the surface for more accurate marking.

Laying tiles diagonally

Beginning of laying and filling the area with solid fragments.

After the markings are completed, you can begin laying ceramic tiles with your own hands. To begin with, we will directly analyze the arrangement of the first row and the further laying of solid fragments, after which we will move on to cutting and final laying.

So, let's look at how tiles are laid, step-by-step instruction in this case it will be the best helper:

  1. First of all, you need to prepare the adhesive mixture. There shouldn't be any difficulties here. We do everything according to the instructions on the package. In this case, the amount of kneading should not exceed that required for an area measuring 1 square meter.
  2. Now, armed with a notched trowel, apply a layer of glue to the floor surface. For greater reliability, you can also apply a layer to the tile itself; in this case, the grooves of the mixture on the surfaces should be perpendicular to each other.
  3. We place the first tile on the glue, and then press it down, lowering it to the required level. Next, you need to level it to an ideal horizontal position, which is checked using a building level.
  4. For leveling, a rubber hammer is used, with the help of which, with light tapping, the tile is pressed more tightly to the surface.
  5. It is important to do everything quickly and carefully. After installation, it is highly undesirable to remove the tiles from the surface.
  6. So, the first tile is laid and leveled. Now you can start laying the next ones.
  7. In the same way as in the first case, glue is applied and the tiles are laid on the floor. Next, alignment is carried out at the level of the first element. If necessary, you can add a little glue.
  8. After the final shrinkage of the tiles, the excess mixture is removed.
  9. It is important not to forget about or special ones to form identical seams over the entire surface.
  10. It should be placed either in the corners, at the intersection, or with an indentation of 2-3 centimeters from the edge of the tile.
  11. All gaps between the tiles should be immediately cleaned of excess adhesive, since once it dries, cleaning will be almost impossible.
  12. Large tiles are laid in the same way.
  13. Next, the base area is completely covered with whole fragments.

At this point, this phase is completed, and you can move on. Before that, you need to let the glue set and harden to such an extent that you can walk on the coating. It is advisable to leave the masonry for a day, and then continue working.

Cutting tiles and laying the remaining fragments

The next step is to cut the missing pieces of the coating. Several tools can be used to cut tiles, depending on the type and thickness of the tile. In some cases, it is permissible to use a glass cutter, in others you can only cope with it using a grinder. And for porcelain tiles you will need already.

Having chosen a tool, you must first carry out everything necessary measurements and make marks on the tiles. All marks are drawn from the back. Having marked the tiles, you can start cutting. Since the process is quite dusty, it is advisable to carry it out outdoors.

If it is necessary to cut uneven fragments, for example, arched ones, use a machine with a diamond wheel or a special tile cutter-nippers.

The cutting process itself is carried out as follows:

  1. The tile must be firmly fixed so that it does not wobble or vibrate when cutting.
  2. After which, following the applied marks, cutting is performed.

In the case of using a special tile cutter, it includes a special platform for fixation and limiters, with the help of which you can indicate the direction of cutting.

Grouting tiles

And the last stage is grouting the joints. It cannot be carried out only in the case of seamless laying of tiles.

To start, you need to wait until the adhesive mixture has completely dried, and then completely remove crosses and other crosses from the surface. auxiliary materials, if any were used.

Before we begin, we thoroughly clean the surface, which can be done with a vacuum cleaner, and then proceed. The process itself is carried out as follows:

  1. We glue the edges of the tiles masking tape. This is done if the tiles are matte and the pores are large and to avoid contamination and reduce the amount of work required to clean the tiles when using epoxy grout.
  2. The next step is to dilute the grout and apply it using a rubber spatula.
  3. Movements are performed perpendicular to the seam, with pressure in order to completely fill the seam with the composition.
  4. After which the excess mortar is removed, the seam at the same time is slightly deepened and leveled.
  5. After complete drying, the tape is removed and the surface of the tile is wiped with a damp sponge.

Probably no renovation is complete without tiles. Ceramics have many advantages over others finishing materials in many situations. And when it comes to decorating a bathroom, tiles are the absolute leader. However, laying tiles is not a cheap pleasure, and it’s also creepy interesting activity. These factors provoke many home craftsmen to work with their own hands. If possible, practice should be preceded by theory, so we tried to ensure that the article gives an idea of ​​how to lay tiles on a wall.

We are not considering floor cladding here, but we assure you that if you master laying tiles on a wall, the floor will seem like an easy base. Vertical surfaces involve fighting gravity, the need to manage complex geometry and take into account many more parameters. However, it is not the gods who burn the tiles, and it is not the inhabitants of Olympus who do the finishing of the tiles...

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Surface preparation

Ceramics can be laid using two types of mixtures: tile adhesives and cement-sand mortars. There are other binders, but they are used in special cases and have no relation to everyday construction tasks. Preparation of the base depends on the type of solution. Having given preference to glue (and this is the most popular solution today), the walls are plastered or covered with plasterboard. In any case, the base plane should tend to the ideal.

Gypsum plaster Knauf Goltband Beacon profiles are leveled in a flat plane and fixed to the solution. The plaster is applied to the wall and smoothed using the beacon rule.


The use of cement-sand mortar requires large layers of the mixture and a lesser degree of preliminary leveling with your own hands. We will describe how to glue tiles onto a flat surface. This method is more modern, but the main thing is that it can be mastered quickly. The “mortar” technique requires much more refined skills, and even many tilers do not fully master it.
Make sure the surface is as smooth as possible. The pipes should be hidden, eliminating the need to be distracted while laying ceramic tiles on the wall. The flatness allows you to use a minimum of glue and speeds up the cladding several times. Prime the leveled base, especially carefully if the walls are plastered.

We are making channels for pipes.
We connect the pipes for the bath and hide them in the wall.


If the base has previously been prepared and painted, you need to remove the paint layer or make frequent cuts. Nothing should peel off or crumble. This is important because negligence will lead to extremely short-lived styling.

Tool

Wall cladding requires special tool. Make sure that before starting work you already have:

  • trowel or spatula;
  • comb (notched spatula);
  • bubble level;
  • hydraulic level or laser;
  • wire cutters;
  • tile cutter;
  • rule 1.5 m;
  • grinder with diamond wheel;
  • tile crosses/wedges;
  • foam sponge;
  • rubber spatula.

Roulettes and other hammers were not included in the list; it is assumed that every household already has them. When mixing glue, it is difficult to do without a drill with an attachment, so it is advisable to have one. You can knead with your own hands, but correctly - with the help of a tool.

Marking

The basic rule of cladding: visually important places should be given a whole tile. The purpose of the cut tiles is to be located where it will be less noticeable or hidden. Calculate the number of slabs before leveling the base. You may have to level with a slightly larger layer if the geometry requires too small a piece of tile in the corner. It’s better to lose a little space than to admire a two-centimeter “stub” for many years. If the corners are visually equal, it may be worth trimming to the edges, and to the same extent. Although there are certain design rules here, in reality the owner’s taste comes into play.

Vertical layout is based on the whole tile at the top rule. But again, there are exceptions, so use common sense. Do not forget to take into account the height of the floor and ceiling, as well as the joints between the slabs. Over a large area, despite their apparent insignificance, the latter play a large role, accumulating up to several centimeters in total.


The marking also depends on the type of ceramic layout. The most common:
  • “seam to seam”;
  • at a run;
  • diagonally;

It is unlikely that you will start with the last method, it is the most difficult. The second imitates brickwork; it is easiest to glue tiles this way. The most popular type is the first, it requires careful adherence to the vertical and horizontal, any deviation will be noticeable.
A good video about the correct layout:

As a rule, gluing should begin from the second or third row. This is due to the fact that it is correct to cover floor tiles wall:

  • it looks better;
  • water flowing from the walls does not flow into the contour seams;
  • cutting wall ceramics is much easier;

If you have already laid the floor (although this order is not according to the rules), start laying the tiles on the wall from the very bottom. But this option is unlikely, do not forget about the whole tile under the ceiling. Unless the height of the walls allows you to do without trimming.
Having decided on the beacon row, “punch” the marks of the upper edge of the first row using a water level. The presence of a laser will make the work easier, but the tool is specific, and there is no point in buying it specifically. Plastic tubing is much cheaper and if you don't have to lay tiles on large area, forget about the laser. Surely you know about the principle of communicating vessels, so we will not dwell on the operation of the hydraulic level.

Mark the horizon immediately along the perimeter, make sure that there are no problems with possible trimming around the pipes. Sometimes it is necessary to shift the marks to avoid a complex cut. Further on the marks you can:

  • pull the beacon cord;
  • draw a solid line;

The first option is still preferable, as it allows complete control over the horizon and plane. Let’s make a reservation that wall cladding with mortar involves only this point. Plumb lines will help you control the vertical, or what is much more common when finishing tiles with glue, the same line, but already along the Y axis.


The use of glue requires a support strip that secures the beacon row. Usually used aluminum profile or wooden slats.

To prevent the tiles from sliding down, we attach a 27x28 mm profile according to the marks. In this bathtub, an even layout from the center was chosen to create 2 equal trims along the edges.

Laying tiles

You need to glue it with tile adhesive that suits the task. Kneading with your own hands does not allow you to quickly bring the mixture to the desired consistency, so use a mixer. Apply the composition to the base or tile using a spatula. After application, remove excess glue with a comb, as a result, an even layer of grooves will remain on the surface. Select a notched trowel based on the size of the tile and the plane of the base. How bigger slab and the worse the plane, the larger the teeth on the tool should be.




Align the first tile along the horizontal and vertical marks. If using cord, start from the second row from the corner; After you remove the thread, you need to lay the rest of the tile. Fix with wedges placed between the ceramic and the support bar. Lay out the row, excluding the trim. Leave space between the plates, achieving uniformity using crosses (a popular size is 2 mm).


After a day, the support strip is dismantled and the bottom row of tiles is laid.


Control the plane using the cord or, if you don’t use thread, using a rule. The edges of the tiles must coincide with the beacon string. Check each row using a bubble level to ensure it is vertical. This is how you decorate the walls with your own hands. Trimming can be done immediately, but it is more convenient at the end of the stage. Remember to follow the pattern and remember that ceramics can have a lackluster pattern. On back side tiles there are arrows that show the direction of laying; they should always be in the same direction.
Video on how to properly lay tiles on bathroom walls:

Tile cutting

When tiling with your own hands, you can do without expensive cutting tool. If you have a tile cutter - good, if not - use a glass cutter or scriber with Pobedit soldering. Mark the cutting line, fix the slab on a flat surface and run the tool along the line several times. Next, you need to place the tile with cutting marks on a couple of nails and gently press - you have a finished trim. If you use a tile cutter, run the roller once, repetitions lead to defects.

This way they cut straight, but tiling the walls also involves figured cut. Cut holes for pipes using a grinder with a diamond wheel. If there are few holes and there is no angle grinder, you can use a cheap diamond-coated blade. But this is a labor-intensive and time-consuming task, and is only justified economically.

Grouting joints

After laying the tiles on the wall and floor, the seams are cleaned of glue and rubbed special composition. The grout is applied to a rubber spatula and the gaps between the slabs are filled with the mixture. Depending on the material and skill, 1-4 are processed in one approach square meters. Residues are removed with a foam sponge. It is used to bring the filler to a smooth state, distributing the grout evenly along the seams.

Do-it-yourself wall cladding, which you have mastered at a basic level, requires an understanding of the nuances. Some of them:

  • Before laying the tiles, check their quality, geometry and compliance with the calibration. Sort by size to make it easier to get even seams.
  • Prepare the surface carefully, do not skimp on primer and maintain right angles.
  • Use on outside corners. Although it is not so beautiful, it is safe.
  • The tiles must be glued to a dry surface.

Expenses

Costs for tiling a bathroom with an area of ​​3.5 m²:

  • 2 guide profiles 27x28 mm - 90 rub.
  • (25 kg x 3 pcs) - 717 rub.
  • Strengthening soil Plitonit 1 l. - 98 rub.
  • 300 pcs of plastic crosses 2 mm - 60 rub.
  • Kiilto grout 3 kg - 320 rub.
  • Self-tapping screws, dowels - 20 rub.

In total, installation cost us 1,305 rubles + the cost of tiles and preparatory work(plasters). If you do wall cladding yourself, you will need to spend money on the missing tools. For tiling the walls in a bathroom of this size, a tiler will charge at least 13-15 thousand rubles, including grout. Buy a tool that will remain with you forever and do everything yourself, or pay for the work of a master and calmly sip tea while styling - everyone will decide for themselves.

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Laying ceramic tiles on a wall yourself is not difficult. This work is quite simple and does not require expensive special tools or specific skills. In order to install wall tiles efficiently, it is important to follow the installation technology. It will be discussed in detail in this article.

Before you start laying wall tiles, you need to check the geometry of the walls. This can be done using a long level. The level must be applied to the wall and the vertical position must be checked; there should also be no large gaps between the level and the wall. If the test results are negative, it is necessary to level the wall; if positive, you can begin preparing the wall for laying wall tiles.

Before starting installation, it is important to prepare the walls. The main task is to ensure good adhesion of the glue to the wall. To do this, it is necessary to either apply notches or treat the wall with concrete contact. It is important to pay attention to poorly secured wall elements and flaking areas; tiles cannot be laid on them. Problem areas it is necessary to remove the resulting depressions and fill them with putty.



Fig.1.

All wall tiles will lie flat if the first row (base row) is laid accurately. Therefore, the greatest attention is paid to laying the base row. There are two technologies: laying the base row supported on the floor and supported on a batten. The first option is the simplest. It is used if the floor is smooth and has no errors. Since a flat floor is quite a rare occurrence, in most cases the second option is used - laying the first row supported by a batten.

The support rail is installed around the perimeter of the room (relevant for the bathroom) at a distance from the floor equal to length tiles + 3 mm (width of the tile joint), or at the level of the beginning of the first row (relevant for kitchen apron). A profile for plasterboard is usually used as a rail; both a ceiling profile and a guide are suitable. The profile is fixed to the wall in increments of 50 cm. In this way, a supporting plane is formed for laying the first row of tiles.



Fig.2.

The preparatory work is completed and installation can begin. First you need to dilute the tile adhesive. When preparing tile adhesive, it is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the packaging. Properly diluted glue will greatly simplify the work. It is convenient to stir the glue using a special attachment on a drill or screwdriver. For stirring, it is advisable to use a special construction bucket with a volume of approximately 15 liters.

Next, the finished tile adhesive is applied to the wall and leveled with a notched trowel, with a tooth height of 6 mm. When leveling the glue, it is important that it is under the entire surface of the tile, so the tile will stick well. Therefore, the glue is applied with a small margin. Typically, tile adhesive is applied under 2 - 3 tiles at once.



Fig.3.

Lay the tile on the applied adhesive and press it lightly. The subsequent tiles are laid in the same way. To form a tile joint, it is important to install plastic tile crosses in a timely manner. They will ensure an even seam between the tiles. In this way, the tiles are laid along the entire support rail. After which, before laying the next row, it is advisable to wait for the first one to dry.



Fig.4.

An important stage in the technology of laying wall tiles is the formation of corners. In order to hide the tile joints, a special tile profile is used. It happens various colors, so choosing the right one won’t be difficult. When choosing a profile, you need to pay attention to its thickness. It should match the thickness of the tile. It should be noted that tiled corner profile there is both for internal corners, and for external ones.

After the first row of tiles has dried securely, they begin laying the second and subsequent rows. The installation technology is similar.



Fig.6.

In the event that wall tiles are laid on the entire wall, then the final stage is laying the first row. To do this, remove the support rail and lay the first row. Please note that the first row does not have an even support, so it is aligned with the second. For this purpose, it is convenient to use wedges rather than plastic crosses.



Fig.7.

The final stage of laying wall tiles is grouting the joints. Used for grouting joints special mixture. Mixtures come in different colors, in addition, they can be mixed with each other, thus choosing desired shade won't be difficult. The grout is applied to the tile joint using a rubber squeegee. It is important that the grout penetrates the joint by at least 2 mm. Excess grout mixture is removed with a damp cloth.



Fig.8.

We reviewed the entire technology of laying tiles and all the features. As you can see, in styling wall tiles there is nothing complicated. It is important to accurately install the support rail and lay out the base row. The remaining rows, based on the base one, will be smooth and neat, and small flaws will be hidden by a plastic corner profile for tiles and grouting.

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