When done correctly, tile in a home can be a beautiful finish product. Not only does it make for exceptional flooring, it can extend to walls and backsplashes, bring rooms together with a texture change, and can elevate an ordinary space into an extraordinary space. Installing tile in a home remodel, however, isn’t the easiest of tasks, but with a little knowledge and some proper planning, you might be able to take on this project yourself.

Pre-Planning

The first step with any type of remodeling project is planning. Before you start tearing down your old tile, you’ll want to gather as much information as possible about your space. You’re going to need to know the approximate square footage that needs to be covered by tile, be it on the floor or on the wall, and you’re going to have to make some decisions as far as the aesthetic you’re looking for. Aside from these two very basic preparation metrics, you’re also going to want to know how level or plumb your surface is, and if the current backing will support the tiles you want to use. Bathrooms, for example, will need a water-resistant surface behind the tiles. While it’s nice to assume you already have one in place, sometimes getting into a remodel means making unpleasant discoveries about those who worked on the home before you. Walls and floors that are not level will need to have filler or have backing replaced. You might not fully know the extent of work the backing for your tiles will need until you enter demolition, but placing a level on your desired tile surface will tell you quickly if you have unevenness to address.

Demolition

Once you’ve purchased your tile, grout, tile adhesive, caulk, grout sealer, and the tools to go with these products, you can start the demolition process. Carefully remove old tile or old finish material. Remember, you want to only remove what’s needed. If you can reuse the backing or subfloor, doing your best to avoid damage in the demolition process will only serve you in the long run.

Prepping The Surface

Be it the floor or the wall, once all the old finish material is removed, your next goal is to create as level and smooth of a surface for tile application as possible. One truth about tile is that it does not hide imperfections well. If you install it over a wavy surface, for example, over time the grout will crack and the tiles will break. Smoothing your wall may involve the use of drywall filler, sanded smooth, or the installation of a new backing board. Floors can be slightly more demanding; extreme unevenness often means adding plywood or special filler. In some cases, minor level imperfections can be negated by the use of heavier grout application, though this is a trick most effectively used by tile contractors with ample experience.

Planning The Layout

Laying tiles down on your desired surface isn’t as simple as slapping on adhesive and puzzle-piecing it all together. Before you even start this process, you must find the middle of your project area; tiles will be laid from the middle point outward, this way the surface maintains an even pattern to the edges where tiles can be cut to size. For floors, find the center and divide the floor into four equal quadrants. For walls, first create a plumb chalk line at the top of your work area to account for the fact that very few walls in homes are actually plumb at the time of a remodel. Once you’ve established your top line, this wall space can be divided into four quadrants as well.

Setting The Pattern

Set your tiles out in another room in a mock pattern so you can be certain of your layout before you place the tiles into the adhesive. Use the quadrant lines as guidelines for those first few rows. This is particularly helpful if you are trying to achieve straight rows.

Installing The Tile

Now, you are ready for your tile installation. Starting at the center point, apply your tile adhesive to the surface using a square-notched trowel. Set the first tile on the center point, giving it a slight wiggle, or twist, to ensure a tight bond with the adhesive. Place your spacers at the corners and seams and work your way out from this point. To achieve the most symmetrical appearance, try to work in each quadrant evenly, moving out toward the walls. Once your tiles are down, abide by the adhesive manufacturer’s recommendations and wait the appropriate time before applying the grout between the seams. After 20-30 minutes, remove the spacers.

Applying Grout

Grout is applied using a smooth, blunt trowel; you don’t want to scratch your tile during the application. For this part of the project, there is no need to work from the middle out. Set up your work space so you finish at the edge where you can escape into another room without disturbing your work. Apply the grout generously, being sure to use your tools to push the grout into hard-to-reach corners and joints. Pay careful attention to the dry time on your grout packaging. After you’ve gone through the grouting process, you will need to wipe down your tiles several times during the course of an hour to remove all residue. Unfortunately, this is the stage many DIY-ers struggle; failure to clean the tile properly means the almost impossible task of trying to remove dry grout from the finish surface. Many professionals recommend doing small portions of a large tile job at a time. This prevents a significant lapse in attention to one spot while another is being wiped down. OR, enlist the aid of several friends to help you keep up on this mission-critical part of the tile project. If you’re successful with the cleaning stage, seal your grout as per the product directions to protect it from moisture and microbes.

Consider A Professional

Due to the amount of technical expertise required for a beautiful finished tile remodel, hiring a professional tile contractor is always recommended.