how do i tile over cement floor?

Question

i recently removed the tilling from my basement floor and now my basement is just plain cement flooring. What are the steps i need to take to tile over it?

Answer 1

Check for leveling first.

The varying degrees of off level will dictate how you should level it. If it is off pretty bad, you will need a cement floor leveler and I would suggest looking online or referring to your local DIY center as it would take up a page of explanation.

If the level is slight, you can just level as you go along with the thin-set or mortar.

Obviously at this point you have already made a tile selection. Since you are a novice, it would be wise to use 12"x12" tile (although, I am in the business, my store sells alot more of the larger tiles, 18"x18" & 20"x20" because they are more easthetically pleasing) as it is easier to work with.

Buy yourself these items :
~tile cutter (I would actually recommend buying a tile wet saw if you plan on doing future tile projects, or you can rent one at your local DIY store)
~5 gallon empty bucket (for mixing the thinset)
~paddle (big egg beater looking bit for drill to mix thinset)
~3/8"x3/8" notched trowel
~level
~grout float
~rubber mallet
~chalk line
~big sponge
~knee pads

Additional Materials List :
Tile adhesive (Thinset)
Grout
Ceramic tiles
Grout sealer
Tile Spacers

* Now, in order to save me time in typing all this, I copied and pasted this from a website (all material hereafter is not my own and do not claim ownership). If you wish to visit the website to get more detailed information, please go here :

http://www.easy2diy.com/cm/easy/diy_ht_3d_index.asp?page_id=35750428


IMPORTANT: Read this before you start


Introduction
Ceramic tile floors offer a very attractive and durable alternative to other floor finishes. They come in many different sizes and colors to match the décor of any room and they can provide years of maintenance-free use. Additionally, ceramic tiles are fairly easy to install.

Ceramic tiles have one major prerequisite – you must have a smooth and rigid sub-floor to support the installation. Ceramic tiles are not flexible in the least, so they can crack if installed over a rough surface or thin sub-floor. Consider putting down ½-inch plywood to provide a better surface for the installation.
Skill Level & Time To Complete
• Beginner - 8 to 10 hours
• Intermediate - 7 to 9 hours
• Advanced - 6 to 8 hours

Cautions
Always wear eye protection when working with power tools and striking tools.



1. We will begin this project by creating guidelines for the tiles on the sub-floor and doing a “dry run” – laying down the tiles without adhesive to see how they fit. Using a chalk line, snap a line perpendicular to the main entrance into the room. Use a square to make sure the line is perpendicular to the door. You will start laying out the tile from the main door into the room because you want a full row of tiles visible when someone enters.

2. From the door, lay tiles on the floor along the line you snapped. Use a spacer in between each tile. The spacer can be the side of another tile or another uniform object that will enable you to maintain identical spacing on all your tiles.

3. When you reach the other end of the room and can no longer put down a full tile, take a long 1” thick piece of wood and lay it perpendicular to the row of tiles. Use a screw gun to tack it in place. Now lay tiles next to this board going across the room in both directions.

4. Based on the amount of remaining space on the sides of the room, determine how much you need to shift the rows to achieve equal borders on both sides of the room. Snap a second line based on this measurement. The intersection of second line and the board will become your starting point. The first snapped line is no longer needed.

5. Using the notched trowel, apply a 2-foot square area of tile adhesive in the starting corner.

6. As you lay down each tile, work it into the adhesive. Use the spacer to make sure the tiles are spaced evenly. Use a level to make sure the tile faces are flush. You can use a rubber mallet or a block of wood and a hammer to gently tap down tiles that are too high.

Work your way back and forth across the room, covering 2-foot square areas at a time. Let all the full tiles set overnight. Once the adhesive has set up, you can carefully walk on the tiles to cut and install the border tiles.

7. To cut the border tiles, lay a tile exactly over the last full tile. Place your 1/2" wide spacer against the wall. Now take another full tile and place it against the spacer with the edges lined up with the other loose tile. Make a line across the first tile. This is the line you need to cut.

8. To cut the tile, you can use a tile cutter or a glasscutter. To use a glasscutter, put a straight edge along the tile and score the line only once with the glasscutter.

9. Place the tile on the edge of a workbench and snap off the cutoff piece. For complex cuts, you can use a tile saw or tile nippers.

10. Once all the tiles are laid and the adhesive has set, you can proceed to the grouting phase. Mix the grout according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Apply the grout with a rubber float at a 45-degree angle, working it into the spaces.

11. Wipe excess grout off the tile faces with a sponge. Be careful that you do not dig the grout out of the spaces. Once the grout has set up, you can go back over the tile faces and clean off any remaining grout residue.

To help the grout cure to a solid, resilient surface, mop the floor daily for the first 3 days. Allow the grout to cure for a full week. Then brush the grout with a silicone sealer.


Thanks,

I hope that this is helpfull to you.

~jaz~

Answer 2

I answer a lot of tile questions here, and a DIY can handle the job.

First CLEAN anything still on the floor, by scraping, etc.

Try to determine the LEVEL of the floor and certainly the SQUARE of the area in question.

I wonder if you might have taken a BEFORE picture???

Certainly to have studied the tile sizes and placement of the old would have helped, especially those areas needing cuts.

After you've squared the room snap two perpendicular chalk lines, to determine a middle point. That can be adjusted during the process, IF you lay out a course or two of new tile, following the lines, strictly to get an idea of how much you'll need and what cuts will have to be made at the perimeters and around things like poles/cabinets/ etc.

Depending on how much of the floor is going to be visible; IE: Every sq. ft. of tile, laying out the course first will allow that you may have no cuts? at the perimeters or can at least have EVEN cuts on opposing sides, OR again at your choice, have only one cut at a perimeter least noticable.

I save all cuts till the end.

I begin at that center, or off one way or the other depending on possible cuts. I lay out oh maybe 12 sq. ft. and mortar it in place, then begin moving toward a perimeter. One notion is to work from a far point to an EXIT point so you aren't stepping, or leaning on any newly set tile.

Work in a situation you can handle easily, possibly with two people. One mixing mortar the other setting tile. Use spacers in the grout lines. I use a Poly blend, exterior tile mortar. Mix the mortar to mashed potato consistency, and if alone don't mix 5 gallons at a time. check the level of each with any adjacent set tiles with your hand even. No need to MASH the tile hard into the mortar. Once adjacent pieces seem flush with each other, move to the next piece. I use a flate blade trowel with 1/4 inch notched teeth to apply mortar. Leave no voids but have a sense that you don't have a pile of excess at the end of a run. If you set a piece of tile and mortar squeezes up into the grout line, remove it with a spacer, and clean the face of the tile.

Once you reached the areas where the cuts need to be set, I STOP and let the floor set 24 hours then go back and install all my cuts. In a FINISH situation; most often cove base placed over the 1/4 inch space you'll leave at the perimeter, will hide that, as well as some OOOPS that might happen.

Another 24 hours then remove the spacers, and prep your grout, using the same basic process. I use a poly bled grout / SANDED/ a 1/4 inch line/space for grouting.

I mix and apply the mortar, work it into the space and with the proper rubber faced trowel squuegie the mortart INTO and away from the grout lines at ANGLES, not straight on to the lines.

Agian, in small areas at a time. Have a bucket of water and some grout sponges; initially wiping excess grout with a barely damp sponge. As the grout sets, you can wet the sponge more. By the third time you can probably quit. There will be a dusty residue the next day; easily mopped away.

Steven Wolf

Answer 3

If you removed a ceramic tile either bu sure to scrape /break off existing thinset to get a smooth surface. Or you can use a self leveling mortar to smooth it out. You need a smooth clean surface to start out with. Then you can tile it.

Answer 4

since you have concrete already you wont need concrete or fiber board. you can just lay right over it. go to the harware store, get your thinset,tile and grout. put down your thinset with an edged trowel,square your tiles with tile spacers(dont forget to square the tile run with the rest of the room) then sponge in your grout.

Answer 5

I would give a really good answer, but Jaz Iz Me already said it all!

Answer 6

go to a home depot or menards they can work wonders and teach you the right method and what to use

Answer 7

the first step is to have a woman do it while you watch TV and drink beer.