Experience Ceramic Tile contractor?????

Question

1. How to lay Ceramic Tile ?. 2.How to mix sand & cement for the base? 3.Flooring Layout about 80 ft (L) x 20 ft (W). Outdoor. 4. Quantity Sand & Cements ? 5.All answer will be very much appreciated.thanks. 6.No issue for manpower & time waste.

Answer 1

Check out this page http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-install-ceramic-tile.htm
it will tell you everything you need to know.

Answer 2

First, if it's tile for exterior use, you need porcelain tile in lieu of ceramic. Ceramic will not hold up in cold and wet weather. The layout depends on the size of your tile: 6x6, 12x12, 16x16? Also what size grout line: 3/16", 1/4", 3/8"? It boils down to good ole arithmetic to determine how to layout the tile to minimize possible cuts. You can lay the tiles down and dry space the grout line and measure your width, length to see how to layout the tile. Concerning the adhesive, you don't use sand and cement to lay tile. You need the proper thinset mortar mix for exterior use. It is already pre-mixed for you and all you need to do is add the proper amount of water and follow the instructions on the bag. Use the larger notch trowel to spread the thinset. If you've laid out your tile and popped your red chalk lines and determined your lines are square, then spread the thinset in a smaller area, not covering your chalk lines (guide for keeping your tiles straigth). The thinset should look like circular rows of crops if put down properly because of the notches in the trowel. Start laying the tiles at the inside corner and work your way across and away so that you don't literally work your way into a corner. Once the tile is set in the thinset, use the plastic spacers (the size you have determined) as you place the adjacent tiles beside them keeping the tiles straighth and square. There are cutting tools you'll need. I prefer a wetsaw and I make my cuts before I begin work, especially along the walls if I need to start off with say an 8" piece in lieu of a fullsize 12" tile (you have to determine this). After the tile dries for a day, then you have to grout the joints. This also is premixed in the color you select. This stuff is tough on your hands, so use gloves. Have several buckets of water ready and change water often. Mix and follow directions on the grout. Take the grout applicator and apply the grout liberally filling the joints. Work the entire area and go back to your starting point and begin washing with water and a sponge. Ring the sponge each time. The first washing is messy and takes the longest. DO NOT wash too hard and remove too much of the grout. It typically takes 3-4 washings before you have completed the grouting. Give it a day to dry and then apply spray on sealer to all of the grout lines. This is NOT an easy job and typicaly NOT for the novice. Good luck!

Answer 3

Tiles are glued with a cement based glue.

If you need to put a concrete slab down you should wait until it has cured (min 6 weeks), the best way to put a slab down is to get a ready mix delivered.

if you are tiling onto existing concrete, and it is not level, self leveling compunds are available for shallower areas. for more extreme repairs to a surface you must mix river sand and cement at 3parts sand to 1part cement, then you wet the concrete and spread neat cement creating a slurry. The sand cement mix should be damp but not runny, it should stick together when you squeeze it like good sandcastle sand, the best way to acheive this is mix sand and cement dry then dampen up with watering can.

then spread the sand cement over the slurried area, first go around the edges creating a level strip, you may want water to fall so make one side lowerabout 5mm per meter, then make level strips across to brige the circumference, when your are satisfied that all the strips are at equal hights with fall toi your drainage area you fill in the gaps using a long straight edge (box section aluminium) then make sure you pack it down hard and use a fibreglass float to ensure the surface is smooth, you can check for convex or concave with your straight edge. Fall for drainage is about a third of a bubble in your spirit level.

This should cure for at least 24 hrs and shoul be no thinner than 1 inch, to calculate your quantity times your area by the thickness eg 80ftx 20ft x 2 inches = the cubic measurement for sand.

Tile shops will tell you how much coverage your glue will have.

for layout start at the most prominent or visible edge eg the edge of the patio that steps to the garden lay down 3 dry tiles at each end use a pencil width for grout, measure the tiles distance in when you have the measurement cut two pieces of wood at this lenght. Now ping chalkline stringline do the same at one end of the balcony so you have a right angle drawn on the floor, now measure 4m or 16ft from the corner down the longst line make a mark, then measure 3m or 12ft from the corner down the shortest line make a mark, mow use a tape measure and measure mark to mark making a right angled triangle this distance should be 5m or 20 ft this is the pythagorus way if it isnt then you wont be starting straight, if it is then this is how you will ensure that your tiling stays square, if you rely on the slab being square you are bound to get problems.

So mix your glue till it peaks and use a notched spreader. lay one row of tiles along the right angle line you pinged then get the sticks you cut and put one at each end ping a line then tile back to the line you may use your straight edge to keep them straight.

I hope this is enough info for you, its fairl easy, i suggest finding a construction site where tilers are working, watch them for an hour and youll understand how to measure and cut.

i wouldn reccomend porcelain for out doors as it is pourus and stains, choose a tile that has an outdoor rating. Cross spacers are available but they do not allow for expansion and contraction, and most good tilers dont use them ( we stopped using them on floors in 1991) when grouting spread about a quater of the job ar a time then rough wipe it then clean wipe it, if you spread the whole job and the sun hits on a slip resistant tile you will need acid to remove the grout, i once grouted 600m2 of sandstone outdoores it took 2 months because we could only do about 1m2 at at time as the sun hit it and it dreid very quickly onto the pourus sandstone (This was in a harsh australian summer for Juniper constructions owner)

Answer 4

You can pick up a reference book on ceramic tile at your local library. You definitely need some background and it would be good to ask someone local like your friendly flooring dealer. They might even have a referral (contractor) who could come over and give you some good advice.

Answer 5

Go to a local Home Depot or RONA and ask, it's free

Answer 6

Go take a free class at Home Depot......hands on, learning tips is the best way to do it

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0213130225.1169270784@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccfaddjmemmffmcgelceffdfgidgkk.0&CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=Know%20How&MID=9876&pos=n28

Answer 7

another web site

www.easy2DIY.com

good luck

Answer 8

ehow.com or howstuffworks.com
very useful.