Floor Tiles (Supplied and Fitted) in West Calder

How To Tile A Floor

Are you interested in having a tiled floor in your residential or commercial space? There are so many benefits that comes with installing tiles and that’s why so many home or property owners are considering it. Not only do they increase the visual appeal of the property, but they’re also resistant to moisture helping to increase the durability of the house, whether it’s wall or floor tiles. So if you wish to lay tiles for your house, this guide will help put you in the right direction, ensuring you get it right, the first time.

Floor Tiles Installation Procedures

lFloor Preparation

• The first step is to prepare the floor by moving all objects like mortar, adhesives and more.

• Use concrete patching compound to fill ill low spots and cracks, until the floor is levelled.

• Ensure the floor is dry and clean.

lPattern Layout

• Take the measurement of each wall’s length while also taking into account the room’s diagonals.

• To help place the tiles in an orderly manner, make use of a chalk to mark down lines on the levelled surface in question and ensure it’s parallel to the walls.

lAdhesive Preparation

• Mix the appropriate amount of water with the adhesive (bonding agent).

• The mixture should be toothpaste-like thick to ensure the durability of the tiles.

lTiles Placement

• Depending on the tile’s size, evenly spread the mortar on the floor using a notched trowel.

• Lay the first tile on the bonding agent (adhesive or mortar) and apply a gentle and little pressure on the tile.

• Repeat the technique for other tiles using plastic spacers to ensure the edges and corners are properly aligned.

lTiles Cutting

• Cut the tiles (if necessary) with the help of a wet saw or scoring cutter featuring a diamond-tripped blade.

lGrout Application

• Filling of the tiles’ gap is done using the grout. It can be applied to the joints with a rubber float.

• After application, allow the grout to set up for some minutes.

• Use sponge and a bucket of water to clear out any adhesive leftover.

lGrout Sealing

• Use a foam brush or applicator bottle for the sealants’ application.

• Clean out excess sealer within 10 minutes.

Floor tiling can be a very tricky activity that can end up being disastrous, especially when done by a novice. Unless you have prior experience or well-trained, it would be advisable to employ the services of a seasoned professional - it’ll save you lots of time, money and guarantee a top quality job is done.

Removing floor tile is always a simple task until you get started. Then, you’d realize not only is it a tedious and time consuming task, but also one with multiple hidden challenges that’s only revealed once the project is underway. If you have no experience or perhaps you lack the confidence required to pull this off, we’d highly recommend you call in a professional who can guarantee the best outcome and save you some unnecessary spending. However, if you wish to tackle this yourself, this guide would be your perfect partner to ensure a successful outcome.

To get started, you’ll need the following tools; hammer, chisel, pry bar, scraper, trash can as well as a broom or shop vac.

1. Remove fixtures. Ensure the room is empty and remove all fixture that may get in the way.
2. Pick a starting point. Use a hammer and chisel to chip out a tile and create a starting point for the task. Depending on how the tile is affixed and the underlayment type incorporated, the tile may remove easily or require some effort. Use a hammer, chisel, pry bar or pole scraper to remove the tiles.
3. Remove the tiles. From the starting point created, proceed to pry up the tiles. Deposit then in a trash can or large bucket in order to reduce clutter.
4. Access underlayment. There are cases whereby the tiling is attached directly to a concrete floor or subfloor, however the common practice is having a plywood or mortarboard underlayment. The damaged underlayment should be detached to expose the subfloor.
5. Clear debris. Wipe out all debris from the floor using a broom or shop vac.
6. Remove nails. If you removed the damaged underlayment, you may have to either remove or pound in some nails to get a level surface.

Are Floor Tiles Expensive?

Are you considering installing floor tiles in your home or office? Just like many other home and property owners, this is one of the many questions that first pops up. Floor tiles can add colour and texture to your living space and comes in various shapes and sizes. The cost of floor tiles depends on a wide range of factors such as the type of floor tiles as well as the quality. The cheapest of them all is the vinyl tiles which can be easily cut through and waterproof when properly sealed. As a result, making them a better fit for bathroom floors. Other kinds of tiles include ceramic tiles, mosaic tiles, quarry tiles and porcelain tiles. Each of the types have their own unique qualities including the quarry tiles’ durability and the afore-mentioned vinyl tiles’ waterproof qualities.

Having in mind that the major part of your floor tiles cost largely depends on the type selected, you can then go ahead to contact your preferred tiling professional for an installation only quote ( this can go a long way to help control the overall cost). The quote provided will, of course, be based on the room’s size as well as your preferred choice of tiles. The average price of bathroom floor tiles installation ranges about £20 to £25 per square metre. Meanwhile for a kitchen floor tiling project of about 8 square metres in size, the cost should range between £500 to £600 ( this quote includes both installation cost and all the materials included).

Finding a tiling professional you can rely on to complete your project and delivery a top quality job while also offering a very competitive price can be almost impossible. The professional you use greatly determines the price of your floor tiling effort, so there’s the need to review various professionals before making a decision.

Can You Use Floor Tiles On Walls?

Some floor tiles are so lovely you just can’t help but wonder if its safe to be used on the walls as well. If you’re also thinking along the same line, you’re not alone! Several other home and property owners are busy finding answers to this particular question. Now let’s look at the possibilities.

Generally, any tile designed as a floor tile by the tile manufacturer can also be laid on the wall (vertical surfaces) as well as countertops. Due to the fact that the floors are usually subjected to greater use than the walls in terms of foot traffic, the durability required is also considerably greater. Therefore, a floor tile with Abrasion Resistance values ranging from I - V is suitable for wall installation. However, you should take note that exterior wall applications must be different from its interior counterparts and must only be incorporated on tiles that are frost resistant.

There are two other factors that must be taken into consideration before you install a floor tile on your walls which includes the weight of your tiles per m2 as well as the strength of the surface in which the tile is to be installed. If you don’t want your tiles falling off, the combined weight of the tiles with the adhesive and grout should not be more than the maximum weight required per m2 (20kg to 35kg depending on the wall substrates).

Now that you have an idea of the possibilities of installing floor tiles on walls, it must, however, be said that reverse is the case when it comes to installing walls tiles on the floor. Wall tiles are, generally, not suitable to be laid on the floor as they are mostly non-vitreous ( can not withstand excessive impact, abrasion or thaw cycling).