The Home Depot
How to Tile a Kitchen Floor 2
To begin the actual layout, start by finding the center of the room. Measure the longest wall, calculate its mid point and mark it. Do the same on the opposite wall and snap a chalk line between the two mid points. Repeat the process for the other two walls.
The two guidelines you snapped called layout lines must be squared to each other. If they are not, the tiles will not be centered and the room will look unbalanced. Here is how to measure per square.
Starting at the inner section of the lines, measure and mark one of the layout lines at three feet. Measure and mark the other layout line four feet from the intersection. If the two lines are square, the distance between the two marks you made will be exactly five feet. If it is, you are ready to go. If it is not, draw out a diagonal line on the floor with the pencil for reference.
To fix the problem, move the end of either of the layout lines. Whichever line you choose, move the end closest to the pencil line you sketched on the floor. If the diagonal measured more than five feet, move the end of the line toward the 90-degree angle. If it measured less than five feet, move the line away from the 90-degree angle. Snap a new line.
To make the process of actually laying off the tiles and mortar easier, it helps to set them in sections or grids. To layout the sections, make a jury stick. Layout a section of tiles with spacers and place a piece of one inch stock along one edge. Mark the edges of the tiles on the stick. Set the stick along the wall and mark the floor at each mark on the stick. Repeat this for each one.
If you are working in a smaller area, you can set out tiles to check your layout. On a large floor, snap chalk lines to create a layout grid then you are ready to set your tiles.
Without mortar, layout a row of tiles along the chalk lines in both directions starting at the center point and working out. Insert spacers between the tiles. Stop when the remaining space is less than a full tile. If the space between the last full tile and the wall is less than half a tile wide, move the layout line parallel to that wall until the tiles of both ends have equal width. Repeat the process for the tiles along the other layout line. Re-snap the lines and measure it to be sure they are still square. Starting at the center of the room, use a trowel to spread and comb mortar up to the edge of one your layout line.
Put two tiles in place next to each other with the spacer in between and press them firmly into the mortar. If mortar squeezes up between the tiles, the bed is too thick and the ridges need to be shorter. Lift up one of the tiles and look at the bottom. The mortar should cover the entire surface. If you see parallel lines, the mortar is too dry. If the ridges of the mortar have left solid lines on the tile, the bed is too thin and you need to increase the height of the ridges. Place spacers beside the first tile and set the second tile in place, twisting it slightly.
After you have installed three or four tiles, place the two by four or beater block on top of them and tap lightly with a hammer or rubber mallet. This will level the tiles and embed them firmly in the mortar. Continue setting tiles in the same way until you reach the end of the layout section. Use a damp sponge to clean out any mortar that sticks to the top of the tiles. Do not let it dry. After you have finished the first section, we are going to the neighboring section in the same quadrant. Spread mortar on the grid and lay the tiles. Keep laying tiles in this pattern until you reach a point where the space between the tiles and the wall is less than a full tile width. To cut the tiles along the wall, place the tile you are going to cut directly on top of the last full tile near the wall. Place a second tile upright against the wall and place a third tile against it and on top of the tile to be cut. Trace along the edge of the third tile to draw a line on the first tile. Cut the tile, and it will fit perfectly into the space. It is a good idea to measure, c
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