How to lay the tiles on the floor yourself?

I was faced with a difficult task - repairing the floor in a Soviet apartment, where an old felt-based linoleum lay on the floor. Linoleum exfoliated, because of this, its surface was easily dismantled, but the base, together with the glue, was firmly glued. Here it is Soviet quality!))

I was able to peel off this glue somehow. It's time to lay the tiles. I will tell you how to do it correctly.

So how do you lay the tiles on the floor yourself?

Tiling is not easy. In my opinion, the most difficult thing to repair is after screed and leveling. But still it is within the power of every master. You just need to know the technology and some of the nuances that will facilitate the work.

1. Preparatory work. It is necessary to dismantle the skirting boards and old flooring. Using a spatula, and a hammer with a chisel, we pick out and beat off unnecessary elements, nodules on the floor and at the bottom of the walls, which will interfere in the future. Below are the tools I used.

2. Before laying the tiles, it is better to fill the floor with a self-leveling mixture to seal small cracks. Then you need to prime the surface.

3. Next, we calculate how many tiles are needed. In case of marriage, damage or trimming of tiles, be sure to make a stock.

4. We will begin to lay the tiles from the corner. The angle must be chosen correctly. I chose the corner, which is adjacent to the two sides of the floor, which are striking when entering the kitchen. There I laid solid tiles. It is worth calculating that solid tiles lie at the entrance and in prominent places. In less visible areas, you can make an undercut.

Check the floor level. If the floor is uneven and you plan to level it with glue, then you should start laying the tiles from the corner where the level is highest. But still, it is better to make a screed first, otherwise the glue consumption will be very large.

5. With the help of 3 mm crosses, I began to lay out the tiles so that at those edges that are most visible, the distance from the wall to the tile was within 0-15 mm. In the future, this gap will be closed with a plinth.

6. Spread the tiles 3 mm apart to make sure that the edges of the floor that will be visible are free of pieces. The other two sides of the kitchen will be occupied by furniture, so the presence of pieces there will not spoil anything.

7. We mark the exact position of the tiles that will be laid first. For beginners, I would advise you to note the location of other tiles for further control.

8. Cooking glue. Read the exact proportions on the instructions and follow them. There is no need to reinvent the "wheel". They did it for you!

9. Before starting work, the tiles should be slightly moistened. This will give better adhesion to the glue.

10. We apply the adhesive mixture using a notched trowel with a profile height of 8 mm. It is important to ensure that the thickness of the adhesive layer on the floor does not increase or decrease. If the floor surface is not too even in places, it can be leveled with tile adhesive.

11. In laying tiles, for convenience, use crosses and leveling systems. These are very useful tools to help you lay your tiles evenly and clearly. Control the evenness of the floor with a level.

12. At the end, the plinth is laid. You can use a ready-made PVC or MDF skirting board. Or you can make it yourself from cut wall or floor tiles.

13. Don't forget to rub the seams! Choose the grout to your taste. It can be of the same color as the tiles, or it can be of a contrasting color.

And how to lay tiles on the walls, foreman Andrey will tell in the video: