How to lay tiles on the wall. How to lay tiles on the wall: instructions for independent work. Preparing the wall surface for tiling

Each of us has a moment in life when, after evaluating the interior of such important rooms in the house as a bathroom, toilet or kitchen, we have to conclude that it is time to make repairs. Of course, this horrifies many millet, but is it as problematic as it seems at first? Of course, the cost of an event called “Repair” immediately frightens, but in this case, emotions should be set aside, but you just need to take a calculator and roughly calculate the upcoming costs. And if the amount received seems too scary, then you need to think about how to reduce it. For example, a lot of work can be done independently, even those that have never been done before. And as a result, the planned repair costs can be reduced by 30 percent, or even halved. And if you don’t know how to lay tiles on the wall when facing surfaces, then read this article to the end, we guarantee you will not have unsolvable questions.

Laying tiles on the wall - video instruction

Alignment of walls for tiles - surface preparation

In fact, everything is not so difficult - preparing the walls for laying tiles does not require serious professional skills. If a bathroom is taken into development, then we remove the old plumbing and arm ourselves with a hammer and a chisel - it is necessary to knock down the old tile. Of course, we must not forget about the safety of performing such work, therefore, we are taking certain measures:

After all the tiles are removed from the surface of the walls, we get rid of the remnants of the tile adhesive with the same chisel. It should be noted that this work refers to the initial stage of surface preparation.

Attention! It is important to learn that laying tiles on the wall will be done correctly if the surface is well prepared beforehand - 80% of success belongs to a flat surface.

The verticality of the walls and the correctness of the angles

So, we need a perfectly flat wall surface, how to make it so? First, we determine the quality of the plaster. If its main ingredients are sand and cement, and in some places it is swollen and disappears, then again you will have to use a chisel and a hammer. Nothing can be done, it is necessary to clean the surface to the brickwork. If the resulting wall area is strong enough, then you can begin to determine the geometric parameters.

For measurements, you will need a plumb line, which, in fact, is a simple device consisting of a heavy weight attached to a cord. We use the body kit to check the verticality of the walls. This procedure is performed as follows: the cord is unwound to the height of the room and fixed under the ceiling close to the wall - we determine how far the wall goes to the side. In the case when the deviations exceed a few millimeters, then it will not be possible to do without leveling the wall surface by plastering.

Attention! In no case should you think that you can do without leveling the walls. The principle “and so it will do” in this situation is categorically unacceptable.

A tile is not a wallpaper and a littered corner simply cannot be pulled out in the right direction. If you skip the stage of leveling the walls, then after laying a whole row of tiles to the ceiling, at the exit you can find that a gap has formed a few centimeters wide, and you can’t close this with anything.

The next operation is to measure the mutual perpendicularity of all walls. If the angle is not equal to the cherished 90 0, then you will also have to plaster. Here, perhaps, it is worth explaining the importance of this circumstance. The thing is that if there is supposed to be a washing machine in the corner, then there will be no special problems, although one side of it will closely adjoin the wall, and the other will stand at a decent distance. But if a bathroom is located in a crooked corner according to the project, then a gap will form that will constantly let water through.

Now it remains to check the walls for the presence of concavities and bulges. Here you need to use the water level. It is very important that it be at least 1 m long. If, as a result, minor deviations are found (a couple of millimeters per 1 running meter), then it is also better to get away from them by leveling the surface.

Note! You can not ignore the floor - irregularities are unacceptable. Yes, and horizontal is also worth finding out with the help of a level. If it is found that the floor is falling to one side, then if it is not leveled, this will lead to a large gap between the wall and floor tiles, and this is at least unaesthetic.

Wall alignment

To do this job, you will need the following set of tools:

If the preparation of walls for tiles will be carried out using a sand-cement mortar, then it is thrown onto a small section of the wall and, using a grater, disperses it in a circular motion until an even layer is obtained. If a solution based on special ready-made dry mixes is used as a working material, then with a large spatula we simply apply it to an area equal to the length of the spatula. And then, slightly pressing, we stretch along the surface of the wall. The result should also be a uniform layer. In the process, do not forget to control the evenness of the wall with a water level.

floor leveling

We purchase materials

Naturally, before you go to the store for tiles, you need to measure the room and decide what area is to be finished. When choosing a tile, it is worth considering the fact that there are 2 types of it: floor and wall. Even a non-specialist with a visual inspection can easily determine this difference. Floor tiles are stronger and have a rougher top surface.

Important! When choosing a tile, it is better to give preference to the material of the 1st grade, since the tile of the 2nd-3rd grades may have a heterogeneity in color and other minor defects.

When purchasing a tile, it is worth buying it with a margin, because during the laying process, individual elements can be broken, cut incorrectly, etc. And later buying a small amount of tiles can be problematic - it simply may not be in stores. Immediately with tiles, you need to buy decorative tiles with a pattern, borders and other interior details. Wall cladding with ceramic tiles involves the use of special adhesive dry building mixes, which are prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions. In this case, we are talking about mixtures specially designed for laying tiles. Also, when choosing, pay attention to the fact that one type of mixture is suitable for rooms with high humidity (for example, a bathroom), and a mixture for outdoor work is intended for wall cladding on the street. Do not forget to find out the maximum allowable layer thickness, it is also indicated on the package. With a very limited budget, tiles can be laid using the "grandfather" solution - on cement with sand.

For facing work, it is important to make the correct calculation of the tiles. Using the example of a bathroom, we will help you make the right calculations:.

Tile laying technology

The beginning of laying tiles on the wall begins with the preparation of glue. A dry mixture is added in small portions to a certain amount of water and mixed with a pre-prepared mixer. The result is a composition of medium density: not too liquid - so as not to float along the wall, not too thick - so that it is not difficult to stretch it over the surface.

Now you can start styling. The work is carried out in the direction from the bottom up, that is, the first row is laid out on the floor. And then one by one, and so on for each wall and up to the ceiling. To obtain strictly even rows, a rail is placed on the floor, which is leveled. Just the first row lies on this rail. In order for the next rows to lie evenly and beautifully, slats are vertically nailed in the corners, which are aligned with a plumb line. At the level of the 2nd row and above, in subsequent rows, nails are stuffed onto the slats, between which a nylon thread is pulled. This will allow you to lay the rows of tiles strictly horizontally.

We apply adhesive on the tile with a notched trowel and apply it to the wall surface. We slightly press down its tile and make sure that the solution is evenly distributed over its surface. The same manipulation is carried out with the next tile, and then crosses are inserted between them. It is recommended to leave a seam with a thickness of 2-4 mm. Such a grout is not only a decorative feature, but also has a very practical meaning. It will not allow the tile to remain cracked or chip off the wall surface during thermal expansion. The quality of the masonry is constantly monitored by the level, and if a whole number of tiles does not fit in a row, then we adjust the dimensions using a plikorez. The final stage of laying tiles on the wall is to grout the joints by applying a fugue with a rubber spatula. Next, the surface is cleaned and on this the process of laying tiles can be considered completed.

We hope that the whole process of laying tiles is described in an accessible and understandable way. And the question of how to put tiles on the wall no longer causes fear and skepticism. If you have any doubts, we recommend that you watch a training video that will help you fully understand the information received. As the reviews of visitors to our site show, most of them managed to clad the premises in their homes with their own hands. You will get it too - no doubt!

Laying ceramic tiles on the wall must begin with the installation of lighthouse tiles in the upper lower corners of each wall.
These tiles must be placed strictly vertically, in the same plane with each other. The quality of the entire coverage will depend on how accurately these beacons are set.
Laying ceramic tiles with their own hands starts from the lower left corner. The tiles must be laid in such a way that the top row does not have to be cut,
To do this, we calculate in advance the number of rows that fit on the wall. If this number is not even, then a row with cut tiles is laid near the floor.
As for the vertical rows, in the case of non-multiplicity of rows, we cut and lay the tiles of the extreme right row as evenly as possible.

Calculate the area of ​​the surface to be tiled by multiplying its width by its length. Then multiply the resulting number by the number of tiles laid per 1 m2 (this information is usually given on the packaging). And add another 5% for marriage.
For external corners, tiles with rounded or glazed edges are used. Make sure you buy enough tiles.

materials

• Tile
• Spirit level Wooden rail 50×25 mm Nails and hammer Marked rail Plumb bob
• Moisture resistant glue
• Notched trowel for glue
• Crosses for tiles
• Forceps or pliers
• Corner Tape
• Vise and cutting tool
• File
• Mortar and spatula
• for solution
• Sponge
• Stick or pencil Sealant

Before laying tiles, we recommend dry laying on the floor. To do this, it is necessary to lay two perpendicular rows of tiles in their center of the room on a dry one.
In order to do the job as efficiently as possible, thin wooden planks or profiles are strengthened along the perimeter of the walls.

We nail the horizontal bar and check it with a level We nail the vertical bar

First, a horizontal bar is set, according to the level, at the bottom of the wall, so that the ceiling would fit between it
multiple rows. In order for the tile to hold firmly on the wall, before laying the tile on the wall, a notch is applied over the entire surface where the tile will be laid.

We apply the profile in a horizontal line along the wall Cut off the remaining foam with a construction knife

Tiles must be soaked in water for 20 minutes before laying. Well, now you can set beacons.
In the lower left and upper corners, we lay one tile each, using the rule, so that the tiles are in the same plane. Exactly
we also set beacons in the lower and upper right corners. The beacons of the right and left corners should also be one plane.
Now we lay along the previously reinforced horizontal bar - the bottom row. We constantly make sure that each new tile ends up in the same
the same plane as the lighthouses. The adhesive is applied to the wall with a notched trowel at a distance of no more than one tile in height, and no more than three
tiles wide. Using a smaller spatula, glue is applied to the tile, then the tile is pressed against the wall and gently smoothed.

Putting glue on the wall Applying glue to tiles

The thickness of the adhesive layer will depend on the quality of the wall. The less even the walls in the room, the greater the consumption of glue.
Plastic dividing crosses 2-3 mm are installed between the tiles. Sometimes, instead of crosses, an auxiliary bar is used - a flexible cord.
We constantly make sure that the upper edges of the tiles form a straight line. The installation of the second row should also begin with the installation
tiles in the left and right corners.

Excess glue must be removed immediately, otherwise, later, when the glue has hardened, remove the glue from the front side.
tiles will be very problematic. Similarly, we lay all the upper rows of tiles to the ceiling. When the top row is laid, you can remove
bar and start laying the bottom rows. The lowest seam requires more attention, since it is he who is most exposed to moisture.

Installing the tiles of the first horizontal row Laying the second row

In order to protect the coating from moisture, a sealant is applied to the bottom seam and carefully leveled.

Laying ceramic tiles from top to bottom

You need to understand that this type of installation is a more time-consuming process than the standard bottom-up. However, in some cases it is justified, for example, when laying an apron in the kitchen, when
you know exactly what level the shelves will be at.
Laying from top to bottom implies such laying of ceramic tiles on the wall, in which the top row is laid first, and then all the others. In this case, it is especially important to make a dry layout on the floor, as well as
choose the right glue, because if you make a mistake, the tiles will slide under their own weight. The heavier the tile you are using, the faster the adhesive should dry.

Laying tiles from top to bottom For a better grip, press the tile against the wall

The glue is applied to the wall in an even layer over a small area - one that you can tile with high quality during the drying time of the glue.
It depends on many factors: the brand and speed of drying of the glue, your laying skills - the speed of work, the temperature and humidity of the air in the room.
The degree of drying of the glue should be constantly monitored. If you leaned your finger against the glue applied to the wall and it did not stick to your finger, the glue has dried up, its use is no longer recommended.
If the tiles will be laid on all walls, then the top row should be laid out first around the entire perimeter of the room. This is the most important part of the work - from the top row, in this case
depends on the quality of the walls throughout the room. Next, we lay the remaining rows - constantly checking the horizontal level of the upper or lower edge of the laid tiles.

We check the horizontalness of the cladding using a level

In addition, tiles laid on one wall must be in the same plane - this parameter is checked by the rule. If some tile turned out to be higher than the plane, it is carefully knocked out with a rubber mallet, if lower,
it must be removed and a layer of glue added under it. If the tile still slips, use pieces of plasticine to fix the freshly laid tile before the glue hardens.
It is necessary to plan the laying of tiles in such a way that whole, and not cut tiles, adjoin the door and window openings, otherwise, an undesirable optical effect “mosaic” occurs

Surface cladding of non-standard configuration

When laying tiles on a wall, sometimes you have to face the need to clad complex non-standard surfaces. When performing this work, you should be extremely careful, laying no more than 4-6 tiles at a time, as well as carefully control all the main parameters.

Facing the fireplace, we use a special adhesive mixture If the pipes and plumbing can be removed, then bypassing them will not be difficult.

If you are faced with the task of facing the fireplace, you should also take into account the special temperature regime in which the tile will be used. This factor must also be taken into account when choosing tiles.

Seam rubbing

Until recently, it was believed that tiles should be laid in a joint - that is, without seams. However, this requires that the tile be perfect.
shape, which is far from always the case, otherwise there will be gaps between the tiles, which will affect both the aesthetic side and
practical - moisture will get into the cracks, and our coating will very soon begin to collapse. To avoid these problems, use
laying tiles in the seam. And the seam itself is then sealed with special grouts. Moreover, the grout does not have to be the same color.
just like tiles, you can sometimes achieve interesting optical effects using contrasting grouts. The grout should be rubbed into the seam with effort.
The drying time of the grout is 2-4 days. For bathrooms and showers, in rooms with high humidity, one grout to protect the coating from ingress
moisture inside is not enough.

We process the seam at the junction of the ceramic coating and the countertop with silicone sealant Apply the grout with a rubber-based spatula

The seams, among other things, must be treated with a sealant, which is applied using a special syringe.
The grout is applied using a special rubber spatula. It is not recommended to do this with your fingers or with a metal spatula. In the first
In the second case, you risk that the grout will corrode your fingers, in the second case, there is a risk of damaging the surface of the cladding with a metal spatula.
The grout is applied at an angle of 45 degrees. to the seam. After application, the seams are wiped with a damp sponge, removing excess grout, then the seams are profiled.
After the grout has completely dried, a matte coating may remain on the wall - it is removed with a damp cloth, in some cases
special detergents must be used. In order for the grout to serve you for a long time, it is necessary to make sure that the seams are dry and clean before applying.

Ceramic tiles have a lot of advantages over other finishing materials. This is what made it so widespread and popular. Most often it is used for lining the bathroom, kitchen and corridor. Products resistant to moisture, easy to care for, and the finish will last a long time. It remains to find out the answer to the question of how tiles are laid in the bathroom.

The principle of working with tiles

Laying tiles is not just sticking products to the surface. The work is carried out in stages, according to the instructions and other recommendations. Before laying tiles on a wall in a bathroom or other room, you need to determine the amount of work and its sequence. Although a beginner can cope with the work, he needs in advance:

1. Make sure you have the right tools.
2. Make drawings of the future layout of the tiles.
3. Perform preparatory work in the room.
4. After that, you can start laying the tiles in the bathroom with your own hands.

This set of works will allow you to complete the task for any room. It remains only to deal with each stage.

Stage 1 - selection and calculation of material for work

Ceramic tiles for the bathroom should have some features. The main criterion is resistance to moisture. The second point is the surface. It comes in matte and glossy. On sale you can find plain products and with patterns, in the form of mosaics and large sizes. What to be guided by when choosing?

1. The tile should fit into the interior of the room.
2. Be chemical resistant.
3. Characterized by high quality.
4. Be easy to care for.

Having settled on a certain type of product, you need to calculate the amount of material. What is needed for this? First, measure each wall. Secondly, determine the area of ​​​​the walls. Thirdly, add 10% of the stock to the resulting number, since the technology of laying tiles on the wall involves fitting and marriage. For example, to determine the area of ​​walls, you need to know the sum of the widths of all walls. For example, the width of one wall is 3 m, and the other is 4 m. Since there are 4 walls, the total length of the walls will be as follows: 3 + 3 + 4 + 4 \u003d 14 m. It remains to multiply the length by the height of the walls. Suppose it is 2.3 m. As a result, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe walls will be equal to: 14 × 2.3 \u003d 32.2 m2. We add 10% to this amount and get 35 m2. It remains to clarify in the store that you need wall tiles for 35 m2 of walls.

Note! The sizes of bathroom tiles on the wall are different. The most popular are 10x10 cm, 20x10 cm, 15x15 cm, 20x20 cm, 20x50 cm, 30x60 cm.

Stage 2 - preparation of tools

The good news is that high-tech tools are not required to perform the work. They are simple and a beginner can work with them. So, before you put the tiles on the wall, you need to stock up on such tools:

• building level;
• notched trowel;
• tape measure, marker and pencil;
• dowels;
• rule;
• Bulgarian;
• mallet (rubber mallet);
• tools for cutting ceramic tiles in the bathroom;
• brush or roller;
• rubber spatula.

As for the materials, the work will require a tile, glue or cement-sand mortar, a primer. Some people ask, should the walls be primed before tiling? The primer will improve the adhesion of the solution to the surface, which will extend the service life.

Stage 3 - markup

Wall tiling is based on the following rule: visually important places are finished with solid tiles, and trimmed material is used in areas that are not conspicuous. The number of tiles is calculated before leveling the base.

Vertical marking is based on the following rule: the whole tile is at the top. This takes into account the height of the floor and ceiling, the seams between the plates. There are different types of product layouts, the most popular are:

For beginners, it is better not to use the last method, it is complicated. The second method can be used to create an imitation of brickwork, it is simple. However, the first option remains the most popular. It is important to observe the vertical and horizontal. A slight deviation is easy to notice.

Laying tile tiles begins with 2 or 3 rows. The fact is that 1 or 2 rows are sometimes made from floor tiles. Ideally, the walls are finished first, starting from the top, leaving room for laying the floor material from below. It will look better, water will not flow into the contour seams. When the floor is already laid, the tiling in the bathroom starts from the bottom. Having decided where the lighthouse row will be, you should break through the marks of the upper edge of the starting row using a water level. With a laser level it will be even easier. The horizon is marked along the perimeter. After that, a beacon cord is pulled or a solid line is drawn.

Stage 4 - preparatory work

Now consider how to lay tiles on the wall. For this, two types of mixtures are used:

• tile adhesive;
• cement-sand mortar.

Each of them is used for certain circumstances. For example, tile adhesive is suitable for walls with a perfectly flat surface. To do this, they need to be plastered or sheathed with drywall. Do drywall need to be sanded before tiling? Experts say that this must be done, since without this layer the tile will not adhere well to the drywall sheet.

As for the cement-sand layer, it is suitable for curved walls without prior alignment. In this case, the layer thickness increases, as does the flow rate of the mixture. Since the thickness of the adhesive when laying tiles is less (5–7 mm) and the technology itself is simpler, we will consider this particular installation option.

Now about preparing the walls for work. It is performed as follows:

1. Removal from the walls of the previous finish.
2. Cleaning the surface from dust, debris and dirt.
3. Putty cracks.
4. Plastering uneven surfaces.
5. Waterproofing works.
6. Primer before laying tiles.

I would like to pay special attention to alignment. For working with glue, this is an important step. It can be implemented in several ways:

• gypsum is used for living rooms;
• for bathrooms, kitchens and other wet areas - cement mixture;
• for concrete and brick - plaster;
• if surface defects are large, then drywall is used.

Note! The advantage of drywall is that it can be used to insulate the room. And if you use it for wet rooms, you will need a moisture-resistant GKL.

When the preparation of the bathroom for laying tiles is completed, you can proceed to the main process.

Stage 5 - wall cladding

Work begins with laying the first row. As mentioned above, it is not made from the floor, but from the intended line at a height of 2 or 3 rows. For the convenience of marking, a metal profile for drywall or another even guide support is installed. On it, you need to lay out the first row. It should be perfectly even, as subsequent rows are guided by it.

Next, you need to prepare the adhesive composition according to the instructions on the package. Then, with a trowel, the mixture is applied to a small section of the wall. It is not necessary to treat the surface completely, the mixture should be enough for laying 2-3 tiles. The thickness of the adhesive layer on the wall is 5–7 mm. It remains to take a notched trowel and stretch the applied layer.

Before attaching the tile to the wall, it must also be treated with glue. A thin layer is applied to the surface of the tile and also stretched with a notched trowel. These irregularities will improve the adhesion of the material. Now the tile needs to be pressed with force into the layer of glue that was applied to the wall. Using the level, the correct position of the tile (horizon and vertical) is checked. The first tile must be perfectly level.

Important! Laying tiles on drywall is done in the same way. Only before the work of the GKL it is required to putty.

The surface of the tile wall will be even and beautiful if there is an even distance between each tile, a perfect seam. For this, crosses are used, which are inserted into the seam for the same gap. Their thickness is 1.5 mm, which is enough for a good seam. And how to lay tiles on the wall in the corners? To do this, you need to cut it to the desired size and use the corner element.

When performing laying work, you must not forget to check the evenness of the surface. When the first row is ready, you can proceed to the next. It is easier to do this, as it will focus on the first row. To create a seam, all the same crosses are used. Glue is applied to the wall, a stretch is formed with a notched trowel, glue is applied to the tile and it is applied in its place. The bathroom has pipes and other elements in the walls. For laying in such places, the tiles are cut to the desired size.

Advice! The glue protruding from the seams, during indentation, must be removed before it hardens.

When the surface of the walls is processed, grouting can be done. For this purpose, a special dry mixture is used, which is diluted with water. The solution is applied to the seams with a spatula, and the excess is removed with a damp cloth.

We looked at how to lay tiles on a wall. The work consists of certain stages, namely the purchase of material, the preparation of tools, the creation of an ideal surface and the laying process itself. If you follow the instructions, the room will be processed correctly. This finish will last for decades.

Ceramic tiles are one of the best materials for finishing rooms with special operating conditions. Such a lining is not afraid of exposure to high humidity, temperature extremes, abrasion load, in itself is very attractive in appearance, easy to clean. In a word, for kitchens, bathrooms, bathrooms - it’s better not to find it. And what is even more important - it is quite possible to cope with the process of laying it yourself.

Why does it make sense to try to do the cladding with your own hands? It’s just that even if the laying surfaces are perfectly even, you will have to pay about the same amount for the services of the master as the material itself costs, and this is even at best. Such expenses can be completely avoided. By getting to know our instruction article how to lay tiles on a wall, the reader will have a clear understanding of all stages of work, from surface preparation and tile selection - to grouting. And for sure he will be convinced that there is nothing supernaturally difficult in performing such a finish.

Preliminary steps

Preparation of surfaces for finishing

It is completely pointless to start facing work on an unprepared wall for this. Some novice home craftsmen naively believe that a layer of ceramic tiles will reliably hide all the "ugliness" of the surface, and as a result you will get 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. Will not, for example, hold adhesive tiles on a painted surface. Or even their small fragments are completely excluded. If previously there was a tile on the wall, then after its dismantling, all sagging and drops of hardened glue should be removed.

• Be sure to check the quality of the plaster layer, if any. All problematic, crumbling areas are removed immediately. It is necessary to tap the entire area, to identify places of instability, which are also subject to removal. And most often it happens that if an exfoliating 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 is it ignored if traces of their biological damage are found on the walls - mold spots, fungal colonies, etc. Antiseptic priming is carried out on all surfaces without exception, but if this microflora has already settled, then you will have to carry out a preliminary “treatment” of the wall

• There should be no gaps or cracks on the surfaces. If they are identified, appropriate repair work is carried out to ensure their high-quality sealing.

• The wall must be flat, that is, it must be a plane, and not a twisted, littered, protruding or concave surface. On the aligned walls, the tiles fit without problems. Yes, there are methods for leveling walls precisely by installing ceramic cladding. But, believe me, not even all experienced craftsmen like to do this, since this task is extremely difficult. And if a newcomer has a "debut", but there is nothing to even think about it. It will be much easier to align - and the finish will definitely turn out to be of high quality.

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

Prices for moisture resistant drywall

moisture resistant drywall

How to independently align the walls for decoration?

Do not be afraid of this task in advance. There are many technologies available that are quickly mastered even by beginners. Moreover, the laying of tiles does not require the ideal smoothness of the surface - the correctness of the geometry is enough. are discussed in detail in a special publication of our portal.

• Ceramic tiles are most often installed in rooms with high humidity, so you should also think about reliable waterproofing. To a greater extent, this applies, of course, to the floor, but it also makes sense to provide for walls waterproofed"belt" at least 100 ÷ 200 mm high from the floor along the entire perimeter. In addition, it is desirable to reinforce with waterproofing sections of the passage through the walls of water and sewer pipes, the area 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 perform waterproofing solid. Approximate dimensional standards for these sections are shown in the illustration:

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

If the absorbent qualities of the material are high, then the primer treatment is performed twice, always waiting for the first layer to dry completely. As a rule, the primer is applied immediately after the 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 desirable to apply the primer again - a day before the start of the installation of the tile. So a quality result will be guaranteed.

Wall primer prices

wall primer

Drawing up a project and choosing the necessary 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 focus only on some practical aspects.

Planning the location of tiles on the walls

Of course, the owners must already imagine what they want to see in the end. Surely familiar 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 premises.

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

• In horizontal rows, you can start with a whole tile from one of the corners, that is, the cut edge will fall 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 eye of the incoming, such an arrangement will also look very ugly. Therefore, it often makes sense to choose such an arrangement to start from the center of the wall - aafterfrom it is laid to the edges with the same trimming on both sides.

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

Undercut edges are easy to hide by laying solid tiles from a corner on an adjacent wall. If two cut edges converge in the inner corner, then this can also be solved by grinding one of them. On the outer 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 laying does not look particularly advantageous, which under the ceiling will end in a narrow section. It is better to plan a solid tile for this place, especially since its upper edge is very often covered by a suspended or stretch ceiling.

But it is quite possible to start a narrow section first from the floor - there it is hardly noticeable, and the cut edge of the tile will become completely invisible. visible in the corner between the floor and the wall. To be more precise, then this bottom row is generally recommended to be laid out last, so no problems with precise trimming are foreseen. All this will be shown below.

However, other circumstances may influence the choice of the starting horizontal line. These can 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 tiles near the bathtub so that the horizontal seam is hidden below the rim by 20÷30 mm. This will not violate the aesthetics of the installation, and will bring the vulnerable seam out of the most “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.

Excessively thick seams when laying on the wall 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 schemes, it takes into account the number, size and location of inserts - friezes, borders and other decorative elements. If a fully-fledged plan for each of the walls is constantly at hand, then there is much less chance of making a mistake during the laying process.

Some nuances of choosing ceramic tiles for walls

With tiles designed for walls, it is much easier than with floor tiles. The 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 issue. But some important points still need to be emphasized.

Prices for ceramic tiles

ceramic tile

• There is a wide variety of formats available for sale. But you should not immediately chase large tiles. Firstly, it does not look appropriate everywhere. Secondly, when laying it, a lot of waste can remain, and since it is usually not cheap, it turns out to be expensive. And thirdly, the installation of such a cladding requires a certain amount of experience, and a novice master may not be able to cope with the task - any mistake will be in sight.

If the first independent laying of tiles is ahead, then it is better to proceed from its average dimensions, for example, up to 300 ÷ 400 mm along the long side.

• should have a water absorption of no more than 3% - this is usually indicated on its packaging.
• If wall cladding is planned in unheated rooms or even on the street, then you should look for a material marked with a snowflake pictogram - it is not afraid of freezing.
• Without fail, all purchased packs of tiles of the same type are checked for batch matching. The fact is that the same article, but released in different shifts, may slightly differ in tone of color. Visually in the store, this is most often not noticed. But after laying on the surface, even a small difference can spoil the overall look.

• Of course, they try to purchase tiles of the highest grade possible. Even at the factories, products are sorted, and products with shape distortions go on sale as second- or even third-rate. With them, you can be exhausted when laying.
• 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 specificity of ceramic production does not yet allow achieving a unique match in the size of all tiles without exception. On the packaging of the tile, its caliber can be indicated - an alphabetic or numerical designation, and a plate with its decoding can be attached.

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

• In any case, it will not be possible to do without tile waste. And sometimes it becomes impossible to acquire the missing quantity - the desired batch may not remain on sale. That is, the stock is made in advance. Usually they start from 10% - with a competent layout and high-quality cutting of the material, this is enough. If a diagonal layout is assumed, then the stock can be increased to 15% - there will be more waste anyway. But we note right away that it is not recommended to get involved with diagonal mounting without a good work experience. Therefore, in this article, intended more for beginners, it will not be considered.
• Feel free to ask the store to check all purchased tiles - there is no guarantee that they will not be damaged during transportation. Yes, and explicit marriage sometimes comes across.

• Even first-class tiles of the same batch and the most accurate caliber should still be carefully sorted into several groups at home. The highest quality, with perfectly matching dimensions, is best set aside for facing the most visible critical areas. The tile is a little worse - push it "to the periphery". And the one with the most significant size distortions or with minor defects should already be used for cutting to fill sections along the corners or the floor.
• The number of tiles is usually calculated by the piece. This can be done if a qualitative 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 supposed to cover the entire area with one type of material, you can also use the calculator, which is located below. There it will be necessary to indicate the area of ​​\u200b\u200bfinishing, the dimensions of the tile and the width of the tile joint. Reserve 10 or 15 percent will be taken into account when choosing the layout principle.

Before laying a new tile, knocking down the old one is a matter of course.

In fact, this time-consuming step is not necessary at all.

It is quite possible to lay tiles on tiles, and further we will tell you how this is done.

On untreated ceramic tiles, the facing does not adhere well due to low adhesion.

The latter is due to the following surface properties:

• smoothness;
• lack of pores (does not absorb glue).

To fix the lining on such a base, you will have to tinker with its preparation. But this process is less laborious than dismantling the old cladding, followed by garbage disposal and leveling the wall, so this decision is fully justified.

Its only drawback is that double cladding will “eat up” a large amount of space, which is unacceptable for small spaces.

Surface preparation for laying

First you need to make sure that the old tile is holding firmly. If this is not the case, the material will fall off under the weight of the new cladding. Proceed as follows:

1. Tiles are inspected for chips and cracked spots. When found, they are marked with a marker.
2. The coating is tapped and places with a booming sound, indicating the presence of voids, are also marked.
3. With the help of a hammer and a chisel, cracked and exfoliated areas are knocked down and empty cells are laid with a cement-sand mortar. If it is intended to use cement-based tile adhesive, then it itself can act as a leveling mixture. The maximum layer thickness of such an adhesive is 30 mm, the package should be marked "thick-layer".

• completely remove the gloss;
• make notches;
• primed the surface with special compounds.

Work on dismantling tiles is carried out in goggles: there is a risk of splinters getting into the eyes.

Removing the glossy layer

The glaze covering the tile is cleaned off with a grinder armed with a circle for working on stone or concrete. The exposed base material of the tile is rough and porous, which is required for good adhesion. This operation is also performed in protective glasses, as it happened that the circle was torn apart by centrifugal forces and its fragments injured the eyes of the master.

A drill armed with a grinding nozzle is also suitable for stripping.

Processing tiles with abrasive tools is accompanied by the formation of a large amount of dust, so you should wear a respirator and cover appliances and furniture with plastic wrap.

After processing with an abrasive tool, the surface of the cladding is cleaned of dust and degreased.

Laying tiles on the floor

Creating notches on tiles

If the new facing material is small and thick, and therefore light, the glaze can be peeled off and partially - in the form of strips with a step of 2 cm. With such a notch, the adhesive force will be sufficient, and labor costs and consumables (abrasive wheels and nozzles) will require much less than with continuous stripping. The total area of ​​the notches should be at least 60% of the total area of ​​the base.

Perforation

Instead of removing the glossy layer, many holes can be drilled into the old coating.

A similar method is used in the manufacture of bricks - round recesses are squeezed out in it.

The advantage of the method is the absence of dust.

Flaws:

• laboriousness;
• low strength: also only suitable for light tiles.

After the holes in the tile are drilled, it is cleaned of dust and degreased.

primer

The concrete-contact primer, which consists of the following components, helps to make a smooth surface rough:

• acrylic (base);
• cement;
• sand;
• modifiers.

The old lining is washed, degreased, dried and a layer of thoroughly mixed primer is applied with a roller or brush.

Protective equipment required: goggles and gloves.

After 2-4 hours, the primer dries and hardens, turning into a rough crust.

The disadvantage of this method is the cost of buying a primer. In the absence of "Concrete-contact", it is replaced with a quartz primer.

It is recommended to cover furniture and equipment near the place of work with a cloth or plastic wrap: the primer "Concrete-contact" is difficult to wash off.

Technology for laying new tiles

For laying tiles on tiles, glue with increased adhesive strength (adhesion) is used.

The latter is measured in MPa, its value is indicated on the package.

For adhesives of different brands, this indicator varies from 0.2 to 1 MPa.

According to the strength of adhesion, they are in the following order (from weak to strong):

1. cement;
2. dispersion;
3. epoxy.

The latter variety is expensive and is used in special conditions: for flooring in places with high traffic, and structures subject to constant direct exposure to water. There are also polyurethane adhesives - for "warm floors" and structures prone to deformation and vibration. Under normal conditions, a dispersion adhesive is sufficient. It is supplied only in finished form, has a pasty consistency.

For cladding with glass mosaics or tiles made of marble or other light stone, white glue is used. In other cases, the color does not matter.

To work, you will need tools:

• metal spatulas: straight and notched;
• rubber spatulas: ;
• tile cutter or glass cutter;
• bubble level.

Notched spatulas differ in tooth height - from 6 to 12 mm. This parameter determines the thickness of the adhesive layer. Since the spatula is held at an angle when leveling the composition, followed by pressure on it with a tile, its thickness as a result is 0.3-0.5% of the height of the spatula tooth. Accordingly, a spatula No. 8 is used to apply a layer with a thickness of 2.4-4 mm.

On a flat base, the adhesive layer varies from 2 to 6 mm and depends on the mass of the tile: the larger and thicker it is, the greater the adhesive layer. For convenience, adhesive manufacturers do not indicate the thickness of the layer, but the number of the spatula recommended for laying tiles of one size or another.

Stages of laying tiles:

1. When facing the wall from below, a starting rail is strictly horizontally attached to it with dowels, which prevents the facing material from slipping. The position of the rail during installation is controlled by the level.
2. Wall cladding starts from the far bottom corner. There are no unequivocal recommendations for the floor: they start from the walls, from the corner or from the center.
3. A layer of glue is applied to a small area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe wall or floor with a straight metal spatula. Large facing products are also recommended to be coated with a 1 mm layer of adhesive mixture.
4. Use a notched trowel to level the surface and give the desired thickness.
5. Glue the tile, pressing it down, and controlling the position with a level. Tiles are positioned so that the seams in the new and old facings do not match.
6. Remove excess glue with a rag: this is done immediately, until the composition has hardened.
7. The next tile is glued in the same way, placing a plastic cross between it and the previous one to give the seams an equal width. The position of the lining elements is constantly controlled by the level. The optimal width of the seams is 2-3 mm. With a larger width, grout crumbles from the joints, with a smaller one, the coating looks unattractive, since it is difficult to fill such gaps with a fugue.

If the starting rail was not installed, when pasting the wall, the tiles are laid in no more than 3-4 rows, and then they are interrupted for an hour while waiting for the glue to set. With more rows, the coating will slide under its own weight.

For laying at the end of the row, the tiles are cut. The procedure is as follows:

• measure the width of the remaining gap;
• measure this size on the tile and mark with a marker;
• having attached an even rail to the drawn line, they are drawn along it with a tile cutter or glass cutter, pressing the tool;
• lightly hit the tile flat on the floor - it will crack along the cut line.

Having completed the wall cladding, the starting rail is dismantled and the trimmed tile is glued in its place.

After the glue dries, start grouting the seams. The ceramic tile base does not absorb water well and the glue on it dries longer than usual, therefore it is recommended to start grouting no earlier than 3-4 days after finishing work.

The joints are filled with a rubber spatula. Such tools with different widths are usually sold in a set, more often the widest one is used.

After 15-20 min. after the start of work, they return to the first seam and erase traces of grout from the tile with a rag or damp sponge. By this time, the solution will dry enough so as not to fall out of the seam with careless manipulations with rags, and at the same time it will not harden so much that it cannot be washed off.

How to lay tiles on tiles in the bathroom?

In the bathroom, the tiled flooring is mounted according to the same technology, only glue and grout are used moisture resistant and with the addition of an antiseptic. Such compounds are also called fungicidal. Their use is due to high humidity: colonies of mold and fungus develop on ordinary grout.

Cement based adhesives are moisture resistant by mixing with liquid latex instead of water. Moisture resistance is inherent in dispersion, polyurethane and epoxy adhesives.

Moisture resistant grouts are also divided into:

1. cement with latex mixing;
2. epoxy.

The latter are highly reliable, but extremely difficult to install. In everyday life, they are usually used only with expensive tiles: silver or gold powder is added to the epoxy resin, which gives the cladding a spectacular look.

Finished Finish

Silicone and acrylic sealants are not used as grouts: they are poorly washed off the tiles and often turn yellow over time. They fill the gaps between the cladding and plumbing fixtures (bathroom, washbasin, etc.).

In places where splashes hit the jointed joints, it is advisable to apply a special sealant for grouting.

Since moisture-resistant tile adhesive is expensive, they prefer to limit themselves to using moisture-resistant fungicidal grout. With high-quality filling of the joints, moisture will not penetrate under the tile.

When not to tile on tile

The use of old tiles as a base is not allowed in the following cases:

1. The room is small: a thick two-layer finish will steal a lot of scarce space.
2. The old coating does not hold well, as evidenced by a booming sound when tapped.
3. The surface of the old cladding is uneven, with bulges and depressions.
4. When finishing the floor: if with a new layer of tiled flooring it will be above the threshold. This is especially true for the bathroom: here the floor should be lower than the floor in the corridor, so that when flooded, water does not spill out of the room.
5. Pipelines are laid under the old lining and access to them is not provided. Old pipes will soon require replacement, for which new tiles will have to be knocked down. It is more correct to knock down the old cladding, replace communications and lay new tiles on a clean base.

Also, the old floor cladding is knocked down if necessary to change the slope of the floor.

Installing tile on tile saves a lot of work and time, so if conditions allow, this solution is quite reasonable. It is only necessary to properly prepare the base, strictly adhering to the recommendations of experts, and then the new cladding will be strong and durable.