How to lay tiles on the floor

matter how diverse or pleased today range of available finishing materials, ceramic tiles, although of the venerable "veterans" of the construction market, did not rush to take the leading position in popularity.It occupies a very specific "niche» - this material, due to its unique performance characteristics, is used for external and external work , for residential and technical facilities, for finishing floor and walls, facades and waterworks, adjoiningbuildings, and even elements of garden design.

Tile has virtually no competitors in the field of decoration with expressed high levels of humidity - toilets, bathrooms, kitchens and etc .The strength of ceramics enables it to withstand high loads, so the lining floors in rooms such preference is given most often was it, as with all its positive qualities, it has is very affordable.And has one important advantage - the relative ease of installation: if properly understand the intricacies, ka

to a region of the tiles on the floor, a little bit to get the hand, to show diligence, that such work is quite possible to cope on their own .

But before undertake tiling questions, it would be logical to consider the problems its proper selection.

How to choose a tile floor

Going to the store to select and purchase the necessary materials, the owner of the apartment should be "armed" basic knowledgeabout which tiles usually presented commercially.

Choosing tile floor with an eye solely on its decorative qualities - this is an extremely light-headed approach.Well a shop can provide great assistance to trained sales consultants who will prompt, what tile model for any purposes intended.But better still to be able to navigate the icons and pictograms, which can in themselves a lot to tell.The most common characters that may be encountered are shown in the table:

1 - This is a tile with severe frost resistant qualities.She suitable floor porch, veranda, balcony or loggia.Spend on the purchase of such a tile flooring for further in a heated room - it makes no sense.

2 - Leg on to inclined plane - a symbol of anti-slip kaches tv pl itki.For rooms with high humidity (bathroom, kitchen) or for hallways, which are often on a shoe moisture entered from the street - a very important criterion.Often this is accompanied by an icon and a digital indicator - a coefficient reflux rhenium.For the mentioned facilities the best choice will be slightly rough tile with the specified ratio of not less than 0.75.

3 - The sign in the form of a diamond (sometimes with a picture of drill) - tiles in increased surface strength characteristics, resistance to the accented beats.Good quality for the kitchen floor - not accidentally fallen dishes cause serious damage to the coating.

4 - This icon is always accompanied by a numerical value - is the thickness of the ceramic tiles.For laying on the floor usually acquire the material thickness of about 7 - 8 mm.

5 - Strength of a single tile on a bend.This parameter is determined by the results of bench tests and than it is, the better quality material (eg, ceramic granite, this figure is much higher than a conventional tile).However, the tiles should be laid on the floor so that the bending load was minimal - tightly and uniformly to the surface, without air bubbles, cavities and the like .

6 - An icon in the form of palm says that this ceramic tiles designed exclusively for the walls.No matter how beautiful and strong it may seem , laying on the floor can not acquire it .

7 - But the next image of the shoe speaks for itself - this tiles designed specifically for sex.

8 or 16 - a performance of ceramic tiles resistance to abrasion, abrasive loads.In accordance with the international standard PE1 (EN ISO 105645.7), there are 5 endurance classes:

Class iznostostoykosti on PE1 (EN ISO 105645.7)	Scope
I	This tilesuitable for rooms with minimal load, which is never an intense movement of people (eg, bathroom, toilet).In these areas do not wear street shoes, and they do not have a close proximity to the exit to the street.
II	This tiles - for rooms, which also go in slippers, but traffic volume has slightly increased.
III	wear resistance of this class allows you to use tiles in the hallway or in the kitchen.
IV	high strength tiles for rooms and halls with heavy - entrances, shops, public places, offices, etc.In terms of apartments or private homes does not make sense to apply
V	upper class abrasion resistance, applicable to coatings with extremely high intensity of movement of people and even some types of transport.Scope - stations, large supermarkets, warehouses, production facilities, etc.

9 - This icon indicates that the ceramic tile has passed the double firing procedure.Such material typically has a glazed surface glossy and more suitable for installation on the wall.In addition, double-fired ceramic technology involves increased porosity - which is a decrease its mechanical strength and high water absorption.

10 - An icon in the form of a chemical flask speaks highly resistant tile surface to acids, alkalis, and other corrosive materials, including - for all types of household chemicals.Alphabetical index of the material properties - "AA".

11 - If you met such an icon, the need to be careful in the choice of tile - in one box may be different shades of the tiles.

12 - not that expensive types of tile can be made to include them in the composition of precious metals: silver (Ag), gold (Au) or platinum (Pt).

Icons 13 ÷ 15 informed about the parameters of the original container of ceramic tiles.Thus, in the above example symbol 13 indicates that, that the gross weight of the box is 19,00 kilograms , 14 icon - on that, that one pack is enough for 1.42 m² of floor space, andsymbol 16 - that packed in a box 24 tiles.

Some specific properties of the material will prompt icon, shown in the table, numbered from 17 to 21. Such a ceramic tile is designed for specific operating conditions.This can be the station's and and the airports, medical facilities, industrial plants, hotels, sports facilities.Acquire a tile for the flooring in a private home or apartment - it makes no sense.

What more points can not be overlooked:

• If the tile is planned for laying on the bathroom floor, shower room, kitchen or other rooms with high humidity, the material needs to a minimum (no more than 3%) water absorption coefficient.
• linear dimensions (length and width) tiles also have value.Of course, larger than tiles, the faster it can be laid.However, in areas with a small area and the complex forms of the floor tiles too overall not suitable - it is very much to be waste.And look large tiles in such small rooms will be somewhat ridiculous.Also, do not forget that neatly stack large tiles - much more difficult.
• If sold as packages of ceramic tile, it is necessary to pick up the goods of one party.

This is necessary for two reasons:

- Firstly, even in exactly the same model of the tiles, but the various parties may have slight variations in shade.The store environment is, it may not even be noticeable.However, after installation of the cover on the floor and in normal lighting conditions, this difference can be great spoil conceived interior look of the room.

- Secondly, the fluctuations are not excluded by the linear dimensions of the tiles.It is understood that the cutting material production conducted under precise electronic control.Yet ceramics remains ceramics , and small errors can be carried out so be sure to calibrate the finished product.In the one party must always be a single calibration tiles, and difference between different batches can be even a few millimeters.When laying such tiles on the floor, especially in a large area of ​​the room, there may be noticeable to the naked eye inconsistencies.

• Be sure to check the packaging to the absence of broken, cracked tiles or having chips on the surface.Sellers may argue that marriage - is an inevitable phenomenon, and this is necessary to reconcile.No, it is not necessary, you pay your money for a quality product.
• accepted that you must purchase a certain reserve, 10 % greater floor space.It will take to "gouge" and to cases of refund of any misunderstandings.It must be remembered that later buy more tiles to make up the missing amount is not always possible - this has already been mentioned, when it came to games.

By the way, if you plan to laying tiles diagonally, the reserve can be increased even more - up to 15%.When this technology is more difficult to perform adjustment of material along the walls is greater waste and, in addition, much higher probability allow inexperienced but some errors.

As laid flooring on a concrete floor

process of facing ceramic tile floor can be divided into four main stages:

• Surface preparation for laying.
• carry out the necessary markup, drawing up of the scheme.
• Laying ceramic tiles on the adhesive solution.
• Grouting completion.

Surface preparation for laying floor tiles

Surface requirements for laying tiles, in principle, is simple - it has to be strong, stable, providing good adhesion with the adhesive.How this is achieved?

Kohl it is on a concrete base, you must first make a thorough revision of the old ties, which is planned to laying tiles.There is no need to be lazy - should rattle every centimeter of the floor to make sure there are no unstable areas.

• First of all it is checked horizontal - if this condition is not satisfied, then fill the new ties simply can not be avoided.If evenness satisfactory (no more than 2 drops - 3 mm), the old coating can still serve, provided, of course, it is stable.
• If the control examination revealed delamination place tie, crumbling concrete, deep oiling, you must remove them even so "healthy" surface, and the width and depth.Wide cracks and crevices need to cut the width of up to 10 - 15 mm.
• The surface should not remain traces of paint, oils, grease, old coating residues - all scraped to bare concrete.
• All projections necessarily felled - if a slight indentation still can sometimes look "through fingers", as it is in the process of laying, all still filled with glue, even the slightest bump will make a smooth stylingsimply impossible.
• After that provide a thorough cleaning with dedusting surface.To repair Sosa well lay , must be primed with all the places to be repaired, and let the primer dry completely.
• Prepares repair mortar - this may be a "classic" of cement-sand mixture in the ratio of 1: 3, but it will be dry for long enough.

good repair composition can be a tile adhesive cement-based, but such an approach would be reasonable only if small defects - on extensive or deep areas very expensive glue leave too much.

• All dents, cracks and crevices of the split is necessary to fill the repair mortar and align with a total floor surface.The point is not perfect smoothing down, and in the most dense filling of voids.
• After repair mortar dries, produced complete priming of the floor surface with a special compound, which hardened surface, and provide excellent adhesion.

soil on sale a lot, and there is always the opportunity to acquire the best price and quality.Excellent reputation, for example, are « Serezit CN 94 », « Betonokontakt », « Plitonit - priming superkontakt ».

soil application is best carried out in two layers, with the obligatory drying of the first. After ground completely absorbed and dries, the floor surface can be considered fully ready for laying tiles.

Any worker engaged in repair, confirm that very often there are situations when the repair, it would seem, a small section of the old ties, begins the "avalanche process» - detachment extends all further and further .The output in this case of one - to remove all the old paint completely to the floor slab.Processing, of course, not the most pleasant, but without her not do - tiles on the floor unstable long not will lie.

After old paint is removed, you must fill in a new tie, least 30 mm thick. (how to do it correctly - can be found in the relevant publications of our portal ).

finished and completely frozen and twice primed screed, after which you can proceed to further work.

Layout for laying ceramic floor tiles

Ceramic tiles should be room decoration, and it will possible only under the condition that its location on the floor plan the correctly.