The most common mistakes in the installation of ceramic tiles

6 common mistakes when laying tiles

If you are a bit of a handyman, you may decide to tile your home without calling in a professional tiler, either as part of a new construction or a renovation. However, you need to pay attention to certain points before starting your work. Here are the 6 most common mistakes to avoid when laying tiles.

Mistake 1: tiling a fresh pavement

Before starting to tile, you must wait until the pavement is completely dry. If the surface is still too cold, there is a risk that the tiles will come loose or move.

Mistake 2: tiling an uneven pavement

During a renovation, the floor can be uneven. Therefore, before you start tiling, you must make sure that the surface is level, flat, and even. If you wait to lay the tiles and find that you need to level the floor, it is too late. To check that your floor is flat and even, set up a straight board and level the corners and the center of the room. You can correct irregularities in the pavement with mortar.

Mistake 3: not degreasing old tiles before laying new ones.

Sometimes it is not possible to remove the old flooring when the house is renovated. Then it will be necessary to place the coating directly on the existing coating. A common mistake is not cleaning and degreasing these old tiles before gluing the new ones on top. However, if the tiles are not laid on a clean surface, their new coating can peel off.

Mistake 4: grouting too fast on an old, pre-existing tile

When tile is laid on an existing floor during a renovation, it will take longer to grout. This involves filling the joints with mortar.

In fact, the old tiles on which the new coating has been laid are not absorbent. This is why the glue takes longer to dry. Thus, the joints can be made after 36 hours of drying if the tile has been laid on a floor, while on an existing floor, it will be necessary to wait at least 48 hours.

Mistake 5: not cleaning the tiles after installation

When the tiles are laid, a veil of cement remains attached to their surface. To remove it correctly, it will be necessary to carry out the first maintenance of the tiles with a suitable stripper product, a special cement remover, a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid or a mixture of water and vinegar, depending on the nature of the tile and the joints.

Mistake 6: doing the wrong type of tile laying

There are several types of tiles: straight, diagonal, checkers, etc. You will have to choose the type of installation depending on the style you want to give the room, but you will also have to take into account the type of tile chosen: square or rectangular, solid color or not, etc. The wrong choice will have an impact on the performance and appearance of the room. It may appear cramped or overloaded. 

Therefore, some thought will be needed before you start laying the tiles. If you can't find the best option for your room and your tiles, maybe you should consider hiring a professional tiler.