Marc Bartolomeo: Check out the stunning kitchen floor, it's porcelain tile planks and it's not that hard to install and I'm going to show you how. Choosing a pattern or design is purely up to the individual and that's you. I would definitely recommend physically laying out some tiles in the space, so you can get a visual feel for the overall outcome. I am using a running bond pattern here on this floor, essentially that means staggered scenes.
We want to begin the measuring out the floor space to determine how many tiles in each row, where to begin the installation and to check the square. If your room is out of square as most rooms are, chances are you'll have to snap a chalkline. A chalkline will keep the installation square across the floor with uneven cuts only around the pyramid of the room where they'll be hidden under cabinets or baseboards. Here's two tips, always order about 20% more than you need and don't forget to pack there in the grout spacing because that's going to eat up square footage as well.
Depending on your pattern, you may have to cut the very first tile and that's exactly what I have to do for my installation. I am going to do that using our Wet Saw. A wet saw is designed specifically to cut any type of hard tile surface, what makes a wet saw efficient for cutting tile is the use of the water. The water is spread onto the tile surface keeping that cool from burning, it also prevents the diametric from wearing down. You don't want to make all your cuts at once, just enough to get started. To avoid mistakes, make the rest of your cuts one or two at a time as you go.
To install the porcelain tile, I am going to be using thin set mortar and to mix that mortar, we are going to do that in a five gallon bucket here. So, once you have added a bit of water to cover the base of the bucket, then you pour the mortar and we are looking for creamy consistency, not too loose, not too thick. After it's mixed right, you should be able to lift the tool up and the mortar should just stay on the tool as they'll want to drip really slowly and at that point, you are ready to use it. Now, it's time to spread the mortar along the chalkline for the first row of tile that you are going to be installing.
Spreading area that can be worked with in 15 to 20 minutes. This is the allowed working time for the mortar before it starts to set up, in essence don't get too far held this up. Traditionally a quarter inch notch trowel is best use on floor installs, but for floors that may be rolling or uneven, it's a bit wiser to use a larger notch trowel, that will allow for more pressing of the seams and the corners to even out those tiles. Begin with your cut tiles in the corner of the room, making sure to follow the chalk guidelines you have marked on the floor. Continue your rows, the entire length of the wall, tiling your way across the room. Never lay tile at opposite ends and work your way in, this causes pinching and tightness in grout joints.
As you lay each tile, you need to make sure that the corners of that tile are even with the neighboring tile. Continue laying your tiles side to side, always working your way out of the room. After your tile floor is fully laid, it needs to dry for at least 24 hours before grouting or walking on and it's also a really good idea to close off the doorway, so no one mistakenly walks on a wet tile floor. That was not too tough and look, you have fantastic new kitchen floor!
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