Doing your own construction at home not only saves money but also allows you to customize and be creative as much as you want. Those DIY projects may be great to handle on your own, you still need a clear step-by-step guide on how to do it. Wasting your time and resources because you’re doing it wrong is a major disadvantage in this kind of undertaking.
Follow these steps in installing cement tiles for your home.
- Just like with the all other processes, preparing your space should be the first step to do.
Before laying your tiles, use a cement board as a substrate to prevent future flexing which can lead to cracks in the grout or in the tiles itself. Dry fit the cement board before proceeding.
Find the center of your room or space and mark with them perpendicular lines to use as a guide when laying out your tiles. Make necessary adjustments to the layout or pattern before proceeding to the next step.
For a precise and accurate cut of cement tiles, use a tile cutter machine for this task.
Soak the cement tiles in water for atleast 30 seconds before laying them into the mortar. This prevents the tiles from absorbing too much moisture from the mortar. It is one of the most important step in the installation process.
- Installation
Starting from the center of the room, lay your tiles down on a thinset mortar. Use a trowel to comb the mortar before laying down the tiles. Make sure that the mortar is completely covering the back of the tiles. If it doesn’t, your mortar consistency may be too dry.
Do not lay more than a few tiles at a time. After the first ones were set, insert spacers. Make sure that the tiles are level and same height. Clean off the top of the tiles with a damp sponge.
Install the tiles in small groups.
- Sealing
Seal the tiles before grouting them. Before sealing, make sure the tiles are completely dry. One trick of testing the tiles for moisture is to lay down a piece of plastic on the tiles before installing. If there is moisture underneath the plastic the following day, then the tiles aren’t dry enough. Wait for them to dry up or else you’d risk discoloration of the tiles.
Sweep off any debris using a bucket of warm water with one drop of dish soap as a cleaner.
Let the tiles dry.
- Grouting
Apply the grout in the spaces in between tiles. Immediately wipe off any excess with a damp sponge. It is important to get all the excess grout off the tiles or you risk the grout staining or settling. After the grout has cured, clean your tiles with a mild cleanser.
- Maintenance
To protect your cement tiles, clean up any spills immediately. Never leave anything sitting on the floor that could stain or scratch your tiles.
You can apply a top coat to protect the tiles and at the same time, make it shinier.
Installing cement tiles may take a lot of hard work but doing it step by step makes it manageable. Seeing the finished project will also make you feel accomplished.