- 1). Examine the subfloor material. For concrete, fill any dips or depressions with thinset, scraping it flat with the trowel, and checking with the level for an even surface; let dry before applying backer board. For plywood, and after thinset is dry on concrete, cut the backer board to size with a utility knife, then apply construction adhesive to the back and set in place. Screw the backer board down with a drill, one screw every six to eight inches, on center. Use non-corrosive screws for long-lasting results.
- 2). Measure the area to be tiled with measuring tape and draw a line through the middle of the width and length of the room with a pencil or chalk to give an approximate center at the cross point.
- 3). Dry-fit the tiles, starting from the center of the quadrants, and spacing them with tile spacers. Mark any tiles that need to be cut.
- 1). Lay a 2-foot area of thinset, around 1/8 inch thick. Furrow the thinset with the notched edge of a trowel, so it has ridges all over it. Gently press the tiles into the thinset, placing them as you did in the dry-fit, with tile spacers between each one.
- 2). Level the tiles every three or four you set. Add a touch more thinset under tiles that are sitting too low, and gently tap down tiles that are sitting too high.
- 3). Continue laying tiles in this way, working your way out from the center, until only the tiles needing cutting are left. Cut these tiles with the tile cutters. Fit these tiles individually. Leave the tiled area to cure for 24 hours.
- 1). Mix your grout as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Take out the tile spacers, then push the grout into the tile joints with the grout float held at 45 degrees to the tile joints.
- 2). Work the grout into all the joints, making sure to sweep the grout float across the tiles, so as not to uproot any.
- 3). Wipe away excess grout from the tiles with the sponge, then let cure for 24 hours. Do a final wipe over with the sponge to remove any grout film left on the tiles.
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