Many homeowners decide to renovate their homes, especially the bathroom, to improve functionality, make it more spacious, and update rooms’ style. Accordingly, one of the reasons why remodeling works need to be conducted on homes is that materials used to build a building can experience wear and tear and have a limited life expectancy. Therefore, it is worth considering for people to remodel their bathrooms, as water and time can damage toilets, sinks, bath fitters, and even tiles
Homeowners often do a full bathroom remodeling project, updating countertops and cabinets, replacing sinks and toilets, and changing their bathtub to shower. Many have considered installing a bath fitter shower to save space in the bathroom, which allows them to place more of the bathroom units they want to have
Consequently, a full room makeover includes changing the wall and floor tiles. And like other bathroom units, removing and installing tiles can be expensive; hence, many homeowners choose to do the job themselves to save money. Doing a DIY is not difficult in this modern era, where everything a person needs to know can be searched on the internet. Thus, with proper research, homeowners can start home renovation projects at any time.
Furthermore, homeowners who do sufficient research and invest in the right tile installation tools can manage the task. People need to know that there is a lot of necessary equipment when installing tiles, and many depend on the type of tiles installed. However, here are the commonly used tools when installing tiles:
- Hammer
- Diamond blade wet saw
- Hammer drill
- Caulk gun
- Notched trowel
- Margin trowel
- Grout float
- Level
- Measuring tape
- Fiberglass tape
- Wooden block
- Sponges
- Foam brush
Homeowners also need to have safety equipment, such as safety glasses, knee pads, dust mask. Moreover, after having the right tools to be used, they should now proceed with the first step in remodeling the bathroom floor. Installing tiles is not an easy process. A lot of things have to be considered, including the area of the bathroom. Hence, people need to calculate the square footage of the bathroom using the measuring tape. It will help them decide how many tiles and materials, such as the cement, to order.
However, before ordering materials, homeowners have to be specific with their decisions. They have to get samples of different tiles and determine the tiles’ layout to get a feeling of how they will look like on the bathroom floor. When they are already decided on the type of tile they want for their bathroom, how its layout will look, and have already gotten the materials needed, they can now start the tile installation process.
They must install cement boards, which ensures proper floor thickness and a smooth and seamless transition between rooms. It also helps prevent mold in areas that have a lot of moisture. Subsequently, homeowners need to use the trowels to smooth out amounts of mortar, where the tiles will stick. After the tiles were installed, people have to put a spacer and let the mortar dry. After 24 hours, they should remove the spacers and apply the grout to fill in the lines between the tiles. It is recommended that people let the grout sit for a few minutes before wiping off the excess.
Bathroom renovation, particularly tile installation, may seem easy through words, but the execution of the process can be challenging and risky. There would be some homeowners who will try to do the tiling of the bathroom to save money. Still, others will leave the work to professional contractors to ensure quality craftsmanship and installation. This infographic from Duracare Baths details the process of installing tiles on bathroom floors.
