While it may not look like too difficult a task, there are several ways in which you can mess up your tile installation. Let’s take a look at them so you don’t.
Tiling may seem like a simple and even fun project that a homeowner may be able to pull off. You may even think that all that is required is some grout, mortar, rented tile saw and spacers, and you can have a breathtaking new flooring or backsplash.
Well, if that is the case, then your assumption is not totally correct. The fact of the matter is that the actual process of laying the tiles is not super complicated but that is only the case if you properly plan out the entire process and also pay very close attention to the basics. However, there are still a lot of ways in which you can completely mess up the installation of your tiles. For example, you may choose a type of tile that does not meet your requirements or you may not be privy to some of the many critical steps that are needed when you are prepping.
Let us take a look at some of the most common mistakes that people make when they are installing tiles. Being aware of these things will help you greatly in avoiding similar issues and will help you successfully navigate through the process of laying the tiles.
Buying Too Early or Too Cheaply
While the price of tiles may seem very steep, it is in fact the least expensive part of the whole job. So make sure that you do not skimp too much on the budget when you are getting the tiles.
When you buy the cheapest tiles possible, you are going to have to live with those tiles and also have to look at it as long as it sits there. When all is said and done, that is mainly all that shows. Therefore, it would be extremely prudent to think through your options before buying the tiles. Make sure that you get tiles that will last.
Another pro tip is to not to make a stockpile of tiles for a project which you are going to start in the future. Experts recommend to wait when buying tiles and to get it just before they are going to be installed. This will ensure that you do not but tiles which you love at the current moment but you may easily hate in the future. Our tastes do change as time goes by and you may not want the same type of tiles in the future. Also, if you get tiles way too early before the process of installation is due to start, keep in mind that tile trends change very quickly. What may be trendy at the moment can very well go out of trend in the future.
Prepping
There are a lot of things that need to be done before you actually set out to lay the tiles. This can include things such as refastening the subfloor to the joists and also mixing mortar on your own. While these may seem like easy things which you can skip, DO NOT DO SO.
You should plan on doing a lot of prep work. Installing the tiles actually is not that difficult and is in fact relatively easy and simple but it does require that you have some prior practice. The important point to remember here is that even the prep work will be very difficult for people who are not experienced with the whole process.
If you happen to be installing tiles on your floors, remember that you must pay close attention to the subfloors that you have. There are a lot of builders out there who use nails which are cheap and which tend to loosen as time goes on. Experts recommend that you renail your subfloor with the help of ring shank nails which are sturdy and durable in order to make sure that the subfloor on top of which you are laying the tiles does not shift.
If it is done properly, it will make a nice and a tight floor. If it is not done properly or, god forbid, is skipped completely, then you will have the very real risk of movement that happens underneath the floor. When it is not done properly, you will very likely see your tiles cracking over time and the grout lines cracking as well.
