HOW TO INSTALL CERAMIC AND PORCELAIN WALL AND FLOOR TILES: INSTALLATION GUIDE AND MATERIALS SHOPPING LIST

Are you installing wall and floor tiles on your newly built home? Are you doing a DIY? Read on to learn how to prepare and lay tiles on your walls and floor STEP BY STEP and what materials you will need to finish your DIY project.

TILE TYPES AND CHARACTERISTICS:

• TYPES OF TILES:



There are many types of tiles used in building construction to cover different surfaces such as roofs, floors, walls and other objects. Tile names vary according to its core material and there are many available types of tiles in the market today: from glass tiles to cement, marble, mosaic, granite, limestone, travertine, quarry, metal, resin and many more. In this article, however, we are going to focus on the two most popularly used tile types for residential floor and wall tiling: Ceramic and Porcelain Tiles.



• HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE CERAMIC AND PORCELAIN TILES?



Ceramic Tiles are the most commonly used floor and wall tiles in residential homes because it can be applied to many different surfaces. However, ceramic tiles are characterized as porous and therefore absorbs water. This makes it unwise to use in wet areas where water pooling is common.

Porcelain Tile is a type of ceramic tile but is denser in character. Just like ceramic tiles, it can be used and applied in almost all types of areas in the house. It is sturdier than ceramic tiles and has less water absorption properties and thus, can be used in areas with heavy foot traffic such as commercial stores and lobbies. However, Porcelain tiles are difficult to cut because of their sturdy property, thus resulting in more labor man-hours.

When buying tiles in a shop, you can identify porcelain tiles from ceramic tiles by looking at its sides to see its core. Ceramic tiles have a clay body with a glazed top while Porcelain tiles have a through body wherein the color of the tile is consistent from its surface to its back.

 

• TILE SIZES:



Tiles come in many different sizes. Commercially available tiles come in sizes of 20x30cm, 30x30cm, 40x40cm, and 60x60cm. Lately, bigger sized tiles are on trend, with dimensions of 120cm and more.



• TILE FINISHES:



Tiles come in many finishes. However, the most popularly used finishes are: Glossy, Matte and Textured. Glossy finished tiles are recommended to be used on walls because it is easier to clean. Matte and Textured tiles, on the other hand, are used on floors. Textured tiles are mostly specified on kitchen and bathroom floors and other wet areas requiring slip resistance.



• TILE GRADE:



Tiles also vary in price according to the grade of the tiles. Tiles are sorted by grade by manufacturers according to their quality. Grade A tile boxes carry top quality tiles while Grade B and C boxes may have defects ranging from minor scratches, uneven shades and uneven v-cuts.



• NUMBER OF TILES PER BOX:



The number of tiles per box varies according to the size of the tile you purchased. Knowing the number of tiles in a box will help you double-check and verify the quantity of the tiles given to you when you order.



• WHY ARE TILES SOAKED ON WATER BEFORE INSTALLATION?



Not all types of tiles are needed to be soaked on water before installation. This step is only recommended on tiles with higher water absorbant or porous qualities. Tiles such as ceramic and porcelain tiles have pores in their body that absorb water. If tiles are not soaked before installation, the tile will absorb the water from the mortar or adhesive mix, thus resulting in tiles that easily pop out.



• DRYPACK MORTAR MIX:



Dry pack is a tiling process wherein less water is used to hydrate the cement mortar. Dry pack mortar mix is a mix of sand, cement and water. Tiles are less likely to pop-out when dry pack is used because the tile adhesive is not mixed with the mortar but applied directly at the back of the tile. However, dry pack is not always the best choice to go with. Using dry pack mortar mix depends on the site conditions, the tile material you are using and the type of surface you are going to install your tiles in.

Advantages of Dry Pack Mortar Mix:


• Easier and faster to apply and generates less labor man-hour
• Easier modification and reapplication of tiles when you want to change or adjust them



DRY PACK MORTAR MIX PROPORTION
Material	Proportion
Sand : Cement	3 : 1




TILE ADHESIVE MIX PROPORTION
Material	Proportion
Tile Adhesive : Cement	1 : 1/2



• TILE SPACING



Using correct tile spacing is recommended to make sure the tiles will not pop out easily after installation since tiles expand in response to temperature. The minimum recommended spacing is 2-3 mm. However, the bigger the tiles are, the



• TILE TRIM:



Tile Trims are available in many different materials and shape:


TILE TRIM MATERIAL TYPES
Stainless Steel
Aluminum
Brass
PVC





CERAMIC AND PORCELAIN TILING INSTALLATION
STEPS FOR NEW CONCRETE SURFACES

A short tiling guide for new concrete surfaces using dry pack mortar and tile adhesive paste.

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Total Labor Man-hours for 2 skilled workers with 2 helpers: 30 mins. per square meter
Total Labor Man-hours for 1 skilled worker with 1 helper: 60 mins. per square meter
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Materials Checklist

Do you need help estimating the quantity of your materials? Use Veria's Free Tiling Works Material Calculator to compute the materials you need.


Tiles (soaked in water for 20-30 mins.)
Tile Adhesive
Tile Grout
Sand and Cement (to be used for dry pack mortar)
Tile Cutter or Tile Grinder (for cutting tiles)
Metertape
Concrete Nail and Nylon (for marking the slope or straight level of your tiles)
Trowel
Rubber Mallet / Tile Vibrator (used to evenly adhere the tile)
Tile Spacer
Tile Leveling System
Grout Squeegee / Foam
Tile Trim (to be placed on terminations and edges)




Installation Process

1. Buy and prepare your materials.
2. Soak your tiles on the water for 20-30 minutes.
3. Clean the work surface and create your level markers using nylon and concrete nails.
4. For floors with drain, make sure the floor level is sloped towards the drain. Pour down water on rough-ins to make sure it's not clogged before tiling.
5. Mix sand and cement with water to create dry pack mortar. (Proportions)
6. Mix tile adhesive with water.
7. Apply dry pack mortar evenly on the work surface.
8. Apply tile adhesive paste on the back of the tile.
9. Make sure the tile shade and design orientation are correct before placing the tile on the dry pack mortar. Gently tap the tile with a rubber mallet or use a tile vibrator to evenly adhere the tile with the dry pack mortar. Use tile spacers to space the tiles evenly and tile leveling systems to level the tiles correctly. For wall tiles, start placement at the bottom of the wall and work your way to the top.
10. If applicable, apply the tile trim.
11. Let the tiles set for 24 hours before applying grout. Avoid stepping on the tiles while it is setting.
12. Mix grout powder with water.
13. Use a grout squeegee or foam to apply grout on the tiles. Clean excess grout with wet foam and let the grout dry.




Quality Assurance Checklist

BEFORE TILING APPLICATION

When buying tiles, check and verify the quality of the tiles by checking for scratches, uneven shades and v-cut.
For floors with drain, make sure the marker for the floor level is sloped towards the drain. For normal floors, make sure markers are leveled correctly.
Pour down water on rough-ins to make sure it's not clogged before tiling.




AFTER TILING APPLICATION

Make sure the tiles are aligned and spaced correctly.
For floors with drain, conduct a flood test to make sure the tiles are sloping toward the drain.




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