Tips for Tiling Bathroom Walls during Remodeling Project

by | Feb 28, 2017 | Augmented Article®, Ceramic Tile, Demolition, Dumpster, Junk Removal

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Remodeling Bathrooms with Tiled Walls

An ordinary bathroom in Michigan can be transformed by installing easy-to-clean ceramic tile. Properly applied tiles last for years, and a newly tiled bathroom adds value to an older house.

Wall Tile

One of the rewards of renovating a bathroom with ceramic tile is the ease of keeping it clean and sanitary. Beautiful and durable ce­ramic bathroom tiles come in a wide selection of colors and fin­ishes, and with specially designed accent and accessory tiles. Most standard wall tiles mea­sure 41/4×6 inches or 3×3 inches square, in thicknesses ranging from 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch.

Wall tiles are lighter and thinner than floor tiles, making them easy to handle. Glazed ceramic tiles — those with a hard, kiln-fired finish —are waterproof. Tiles made of un­glazed clay absorb moisture and should not be used in bathrooms. If you plan to install tiles over new or finished drywall, it must be prepared to withstand mois­ture. First, check that the drywall tape along the joints is sound and tight. If necessary, replace loose tape and fill dents or scratches in the walls with drywall compound.

If you replace drywall, use a type called green board, which is water resistant. Otherwise, water­proof the wall with a liberal coat of drywall sealer compatible with the tile adhesive you plan to use, or install sheets of waterproofing membrane.

You must then determine whether or not the walls are abso­lutely square. Since most house walls are not, you may need to es­tablish vertically plumb and hori­zontally level guide lines for the tiles. A carpenter’s level and straightedge will help you lay out a working grid on the wall. The grid starts at the intersection of a vertical and a horizontal line. By following the grid, you can lay tiles in perfectly even rows.

To lay tiles, begin by applying a waterproof cement-based or ep­oxy-based adhesive to the wall. Af­ter the tiles are in place, let the ad­hesive harden for at least 24 hours; then apply waterproof grout to the seams to seal out moisture. If the grout you are us­ing is not already water resistant, mix in a latex additive. Cure the grout by covering it with plastic sheeting and keeping it damp for three days.

Preparing to Tile

1.Remove towel racks and other fix-tures. Cover seams and nails with drywall tape to seal out moisture.

2. Use a paint roller to apply sealer or waterproofing compound to the existing drywall.

3. To establish a grid for positioning the tiles, mark a vertically plumb line from floor to ceiling.

4. Using a carpenter’s level as a guide, mark a horizontal line that intersects the vertical line.

 

Laying the Tiles

1. Lay a dry run of tiles on the floor. 1 Note any pattern placement and confirm that end pieces are even.

2.  Use a notched trowel to spread L. enough tile adhesive on the wall for about half an hour of installation.

3. Determine the position of the center tile from the grid. Use a ruler to double-check.

4. Place the first tile at the intersec-tion of the working lines. Insert spacers along the edges.

5. Continue setting a complete row of tiles, cutting one to fit a corner if needed at the end of the row.

6. After completing a row, measure V to make sure the height is uni­form along the length of the wall.

7. Affix the second row directly un-der the first, lining up any pat­terned accent tiles.

8.  After several rows have been set, the accent tiles emerge as a com­plete pattern.

9. Continue applying adhesive to the wall with the notched trowel, keeping it off areas already tiled.

10. If you need to cut tiles, measure the tile size at the end of each row. The sizes of corner tiles will differ.

11. Using a tile cutter, trim the cor­ner tiles to fit. Apply firm, steady pressure on the cutter handle.

12 Rather than sliding tiles into place, set them in corners with a slight twisting motion.

Fitting Tiles around Pipes and Wires

1. To pass a pipe or wire through a tile, measure its position carefully and mark the location on a tile.

2. Transfer the mark to the back of the tile, where you will drill a hole for the pipe or wire to fit through.

3. Use an electric drill with a ce­ramic-cutting bit turning at a very slow speed to make the hole.

4. To enlarge the hole, make small, gradual cuts with tile nippers, or use a saw with a carbide blade.

5. After the hole Is completed, press the tile firmly into place around the pipe or wire.

6. To make holes at the edge of a tile, cut the tile with a hacksaw or coping saw with a carbide blade.

7. Use tile nippers to cut away small bits of the tile until the holes are the appropriate size.

8. Install the tile as before, making sure it lines up evenly with the other tiles around it.

9. To make holes at the edge of a tile, cut the tile with a hacksaw or coping saw with a carbide blade.

Working around Windows

  1. Spread adhesive around the win­dow area and set tiles. Cut them to fit as needed.
  2. Measure the space between windows and walls carefully, Since these spaces are often not square.
  3. You may need to cut some tiles to fit around windowsills or to shape them to fit irregular spaces.
  4. When using tile nippers, make small cuts and check the tile often for fit and placement.
  5. Continue tiling around the window, cutting individual tiles as necessary to fit the space.
  6. After cutting, press the corner tile firmly into place, with the beveled edge facing the corner.
  7. Use a ruler to determine the width of tiles that go inside recessed window openings.
  8. When working in tight spaces, apply the adhesive to the back of the tile instead of to the wall.

Fitting tiles in a window opening is exacting work. Go slowly and discard tiles that are not cut precisely.

 Preparing the Tiles for Grout
  1. Scrape excess adhesive from be­tween the tiles with a putty knife. This provides room for the grout.
  2. Clean the tiles with a sponge and L mild detergent solution. Wait 24 hours for the adhesive to cure.

 

Applying the Grout
  1. Spread grout liberally over the surface of the tiles with a grout float, working it between tiles.
  2. Press grout firmly into the joints. Meticulous work now prevents moisture damage later.
  3. Wipe off the grout float and run it diagonally across the tiles to re­move excess grout.
  4. When all the joints are filled and no grout remains on the surface, wipe the tails with a damp sponge
  5. Gently scrape any grout off the ailed surface with a putty knife. Finish the grout joints.
  6. Repair uneven areas in the grout joints with your finger. Let the grout cure as recommended.

 

Caulking the Tile Edges
  1. After grout has cured thoroughly, apply masking tape along the edge of the ceiling and the tiled walls
  2. Use a caulking gun to apply a thin bead of silicone caulk. Do not al­low bubbles or gaps to form.
  3. Smooth the caulk by gently run­ning a wet finger along the bead without pulling the caulk away.
  4. Mask along the tiles on each side of the corner joints, and apply a thin bead of caulk
  5. Scrape off excess caulk with a small putty knife. Carefully re­move the tape from the joints.
  6. If necessary, smooth the caulk with a wet finger and wipe any re­maining caulk off the tiles.
TIPS

To allow grout to cure properly, cover the tiled wall with plastic sheeting for three days. Spray the grout lightly with water to keep it damp while it cures.

Before using a colored grout, rub some of it on a scrap piece of tile to make sure it will not cause the tile to discolor.

When applying grout around a drain, plug the drain hole with a rag: This will prevent bits of grout from entering the drain pipe

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If your in Lake Orion, Clarkston, Oxford Oakland County, Michigan and would like a free quote please contact us at 248-701-9328, for the best rates in Clarkston, Lake Orion and Oxford.

We hope you the very best best in your bathroom remodeling project. Perhaps you desire the best bathroom remodeling rates for tiled bathroom walls in Oakland County, Michigan call 248-701-9328 for a free quote.

Service areas include: Metro Detroit, Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, Washtenaw, Genesee, Troy, Auburn Hills, Madison Heights, Bloomfield, Birmingham, Washington, Clarkston, Orion, Oxford, Flint, Saginaw, Davison, Novi, Wixom, Plymouth, Ann Arbor and Michigan.