How to Install a Ron Hazelton Ceramic Tile Floor
- 1). Make sure any old flooring is removed, and you are starting with the subfloor. Pry away any baseboard trim with a small crowbar or a paint scraper, and set it aside in a safe place. Use a paint scraper to scrape away all residue left by the adhesive of the old flooring.
- 2). Create a template out of cardboard if you are going to make an insert of contrasting or patterned tiles in your design. Make the template as large as the layout of special tiles, plus the width of each grout seam. Use this template to decide where you will create your design.
- 3). Sketch around the template's final position with chalk to show where the special tiles will be laid. Make a guide grid for the surrounding tiles with a chalk snap line, using the template outline as a reference. Spray all the chalk lines with hair spray to set them while you work.
- 4). Combine the thin set mortar mix and the amount of water required for your particular product in a 5-gallon bucket. Mix the mortar well using a drill fitting with a paddle attachment. Trowel a thin, level layer of mortar over the area of the floor where the special tiles will be laid, holding the trowel at a 45-degree angle.
- 5). Lay the special tiles as desired in the template area that you previously outlined. Press firmly down on the surface of each tile, twisting them back and forth minimally until they are perfectly straight. Place tile spacers around each tile to allow for uniform grout lines.
- 6). Apply thin set to the rest of the floor in moderately-sized areas at a time, and lay the regular tiles. Work from the first area you tiled toward each wall. Tile as close to the edges as you can; if you need to cut tiles to make them fit, save these until the end.
- 7). Measure the distance between the edges of the laid tiles and the wall, so you know how wide to cut the trim tiles. Remember to account for grout space. Mark the backs of the tiles to be cut with a pencil, and make the necessary cuts with a wet tile saw.
- 8). Create a template for any oddly shaped cuts you may need to make around fixtures. Make the template a mirror image of the cut that you need, so you can trace around it onto the back of the tile with a pencil. Use the wet saw for larger cuts or starter cuts, and finish round or interior cuts with a pair of tile snips.
- 9). Lay the cut and prepared tiles just as you did the others. Let the mortar dry well, and remove any spacers. Apply grout over the tiled floor with a rubber grout float, pushing the grout deeply between the tiles.
- 10
Hold the float at a 45-degree angle, and scrape the edge across the surface of each tile diagonally in both directions. Let the grout dry, and use a lightly dampened sponge to clean each tile and level any uneven grout joints. Replace the baseboard trim and any fixtures that you previously removed.
Source...