Laying Tile

[nickhead69]

Do you have to use backer board when doing this tile? Or is it a personal preference? Also if so what is the purpose, for a moisture barrier?

[MrStrictlyStock]

@nickhead69 If you don't use a mud bed, or a properly installed backer board, you'd best follow TCA specs for any alternative.

Dissimilar materials have different coefficients of expansion & contraction. The substrate should have a similar coefficient to the tile/stone. Otherwise, the tile may well separate from the substrate.

Only a waterproofing membrane truly resists the passage of moisture.

[inbetweentheday]

That's a cool tip... Thanks!

[mission762008]

Anyone know what you would use to level the floor underneath the new tiling? I just bought a house and will try to tile a room that currently has that linoleuim(?) sheeting that looks like garbage. Only problem is that the floor doesn't seem to be perfectly level and dips in a few spots along the wall creating spacing between the floor and moldings which is extremely noticible. Just really wwant to fix this that way it's done right the first time!!

[AsktheBuilder]

@mission762008 Yes, I cover this at my AsktheBuilder website. Type: leveling floors into the search engine you'll see at the top of every page.

[jimmym1a1]

Couple of Queries:

Why not just use a chalk line? (snap a line with chaulk)

And is it OK to lay tile OVER tile?

[AsktheBuilder]

@jimmym1a1 We did chalk a line. That's what the pencil marks were for. Yes, you can tile over sound tile.

[jimmym1a1]

@AsktheBuilder Thanks Mr. Carter, what I meant by a chaulk line though, is snapping one on the floor, like you would across a piece of wood prior to cutting it, and about tiling over tile, thanks, it'll save me time breaking up the old tile

[MrStrictlyStock]

@jimmym1a1 If you are setting tile, you want to trowel mud past where the tile will go to preclude voids. In so doing, you will cover any chalkline.

[55022RSG]

thanks tim! this was extremely helpful :^)

[jordache54]

Hey Tim, thanks for the videos! I have all the tile down and they are ready for grout. I have found conflicting info, do I grout beween the tile and wall? And since I'm putting tile trim on the wall, does that change anything? Thanks!

[AsktheBuilder]

I usually do. But it's not mission critical unless the gap is not covered by a baseboard of some type. You surely don't want an ugly unfilled gap showing.

[MrStrictlyStock]

@jordache54 If you don't have some kind of base, the sheetrock will get battered when mopping the floor. I try to sell clients on tile base because the mopping eventually lifts the paint on wood base. If you're using a "stack on" base, rather than a cove base - no issue. The cove base (set prior to the field tile) needs bearing.

If you find a need to fill at intersections of planes (showers, tubs) or at dissimilar flooring materials (wood), grout manufacturers have sanded & unsanded caulk.

[ChefTips]

Great video Tim. We are planning on setting some tile for a free standing wood burning stove. We have to cut away a 4'x4' section of carpet first. Is it possible to do this ourselves, our should have a flooring company do this. Or maybe when you come out at the end of the month you can bring your tool belt. lol! ;-)

Jason

[AsktheBuilder]

You can cut the carpet yourself and install the tile, but the carpet will lose it's tension. The right way to do it, in my opinion, is to have a carpet installer come out to give you a quote. Confirm that the best way is to pull back the carpet now from the wall folding it back on itself. Do NOT cut it. Then install the tile. Let the tile cure for a week. The installer will then come out and cut the carpet carefully to fit the tile re-stretching it at the same time.

[ChefTips]

Thanks Tim, that makes a lot of sense.

We definitely want to do the tile laying process ourselves. I have a buddy that used to lay carpet. I'll give him a call to see if he can do the finish work.

[ssenssel]

Nice tips! I'm gonna change my floor to ceramic tiles and the previous floor was a kind of rubber mat glued to the floor. What do you suggest to removed the glue before I start laying those neat tiles?

Thanks in advance!

[AsktheBuilder]

I suggest you go to my AsktheBuilder web site and read all my past columns about Adhesive Removers.

[iaceit]

Thank you for this video! One question: My concrete has been painted previously. Will that be a problem, or can I just proceed? Thank you!

[AsktheBuilder]

Proceed! Tell us how it turns out.

[haskella45]

Does the floor have to be mirror smooth to lay tile?

I have a concrete floor to tile, but it has a rough finish with a few nicks. Will the thinset compensate, or do i have to pour cement to fill the imperfections?

[AsktheBuilder]

Not mirror smooth, but certainly in the same plane that there are no voids under a tile and no bumps that cause the tile to pivot.

[5tonyvvvv]

thats ridiclious!!..tile will move a liitle..u dont need perfect lines..tile was always made to fit the floor however..broken tile floors are popular in greece..every tile is crooked,and misalighined..who cares.

[AsktheBuilder]

Your last phrase says it all......

[CaliforniaTravelTips]

Great tips! I want to do this in our bathroom. I'd like to put tile all the way up the wall for a walk-in shower. Do you think Jason could handle the job?

[AsktheBuilder]

Veronica, um maybe..... There's a ton you have to know to do wall tile. The key is the walls need to be smooth and sound and the first horizontal row must be level. I rarely start the first row off the floor. I start with the second row setting them on a straight piece of wood screwed to the wall.

[CaliforniaTravelTips]

OK. Maybe we'll leave the wall tile job for a pro! Thanks Tim!

[AsktheBuilder]

Veronica, now wait. Let's not give up so easy. :-> If you have the tools and the time, I might be able to talk you through it.

[CaliforniaTravelTips]

Thanks Tim. It's a project I've wanted to do for a while, but I wasn't sure how complicated it was. I want to do the same with our fireplace surround under the mantel and along the floor, which might be an easier job to start with. Right now we have some crummy ceramic tile, which I'd like to replace with a rustic flagstone or something like that. When we get ready to do the job I'll drop you a line. Thanks so much! Veronica

[cait206]

i LOVE this dude!!!!!!!!! he explains it so simply and its really not hard to do any of this. you just got to do it right!

[yyccc1618]

tim , you are really good. i've learned a lot from your web site. thank you so much.

[Reverseflush]

Repect. Ok now I see this dudes skills.

[gowylde2]

just put the same tile in my bathroom

[DoidleProductions]

AWESOME! Drawing on the floor, never something I did as a kid with parents...

[hotsox7]

Thanks for the great info here! I am a novice DIYer working with tile (Travertine) laminate. Mine came in 51" x 13 sections. I am getting a lot of waste becasue when I get to the end of a row, I am having no use for the rest of that section. Unlike real tile, laminate can only go in one direction because of the tongue and grooves. Also, any side that is cut, is useless because it will not connect (no tongue or groove) to anything. Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks again!

[stilln68la]

or why not keep the chalk in the line run it to the end of the room mark and weight go back to existing tile work finger down and strike the line.

[AsktheBuilder]

If I understand your method, the concrete is lower than the existing tile. Chalk works best in one plane.

[richzap]

Stop saying "Check this out"

[AsktheBuilder]

Thanks for the suggestion. Do you have another one about how to invoke ESP between the videographer and myself so he knows exactly when to zoom in?

[ironlungs33]

No thanks or anything? Come on, constructive criticism is one thing, but richzap is simply being rude in my opinion. You've made some great vids here, I could care less the exact wording as long as the idea is conveyed and I'm sure most of your audience would agree. Don't feel the need to respond to ungrateful jerks like that !

So I'll say it for me (and him) THANK YOU! You do a really nice job on the vids, please keep em coming.

[AsktheBuilder]

Many thanks. I try to let those negative comments bounce, but sometimes they do get under my skin.

[richzap]

yes it is called rehearsal!

[1doi3]

question.... please answer

how do you make so the tile adhesive wont get on ur line but still have enough adhesive under the edge of the tile??

[AsktheBuilder]

Great hand-eye coordination

[7seveng7]

Great job with the new videos Tim. I watched them all and look forward to watching even more. It will be interesting to follow you as you work on that new house.

- Paul Seveng

[AsktheBuilder]

Thanks Paul! Many new videos are coming. This is not being done at the new house. We haven't broke ground yet.

[rickey5353]

Awesome tip. Thanks.

[willphule]

Well done video - great camera work,easy to follow!

[Catnipsta]

A laser guide will be more effective, since the laser line will always be visible during the 3 main stages :sub-floor, tile adhesive and on the newly laid tiles. You may need to raise/tilt the laser guide so that the beam reaches the sub-floor that is to be tiled.

[AsktheBuilder]

Great idea if you own one. Not everyone does. I try, as often as possible, to use accurate, but inexpensive ways to do things. Thanks for your comment.

[Catnipsta]

you can pick up a laser guide on ebay for around $15 to $20. What percentage of cost is that to the overall tiling expenditure...convenience = better job = no need to retile an entire floor due to an untrue pencil line.

[AsktheBuilder]

Commander, I've tested over 30 lasers. All produce a fuzzy line 3 times wider than a pencil line. In this video, I was just producing a line 7 feet long, not 30. And even then, I would snap a chalk line that was 50% less in width than the fuzzy laser line. You seem to know lots about this topic, but I went to your channel and not one video where you share what you know. Many here would love to see you focus all your energy on your own videos instead of making comments on others.

[h2oreactor]

Right on the spot!

BTW, thanks for sharing.

[usafireandrescue]

Great tip! Thank you for posting!

[seanseanseanseansean]

Awesome to see you again imparting wisdom to the dudes like me whom don't have a clue. I will use that tip when I lay tile in my kitchen next year.

[AsktheBuilder]

Give yourself more credit! After all, you're very resourceful to be researching the topic BEFORE you start. All too often I deal with people who guess at what they should do and guess wrong. Then they email me begging me to get them out of the mess.

[drummerdude6485]

That is really cool! Thanks for posting Tim.

[jefferyb304]

Grand !!!

[Mandalorx10]

Most exelent.

[ronsonbrown]

Thank you for sharing this perfect trick with us.

[AsktheBuilder]

No worries. That's my job. Dispensing Abundance Juice.

[shoefrmperu]

awesome

[torontomapleleafer]

So, I guess this wouldn't work if you had to put in sub flooring eh?

[AsktheBuilder]

Sure it does. Watch my Ceramic Tile and Wood Floors video.

[MadBadVoodo]

Five Stars!!

[DIEBUNNYHATER]

PERFECT TILE TIMIMG! My husband and I were JUST talking about our next projects last night! :)

THANKS DUDE!

[AsktheBuilder]

You're most welcome Dudette! :->