Bathroom Tile Installation Prep

If you are about to get involved with bathroom tile installation, you will want to prep the job properly before laying tile. Taking the time to do this goes a long way towards the success of the job overall. Here are a few things to consider about bathroom tile installation prep.

Remove Toilet

Before you install any tile in the bathroom, you are going to need to make sure that the toilet is out of the way. You could potentially try to install the tile around the edge of the toilet. However, in most cases, this is going to lead to problems. The best option is to simply remove the toilet and put it back on top of the new tile when you are done. Make sure to turn off the water before you unhook the supply line to the toilet. Then put something underneath the toilet and take it out of the bathroom. Use something to cover the drain while you are working.

Remove Flooring

In many cases, you may have to remove old flooring before you can proceed with the job. For example, if you have existing tile or vinyl on a concrete subfloor, you will want to pull it up before going forward. Taking up tile can be a difficult project. The adhesive that is used to install tile sets up like concrete. This means that you are going to have to chip it up with a small jackhammer or a hammer and chisel. If you have vinyl on a concrete subfloor, you need to scrape it up off the floor. This can be done with a sharp scraper blade. It can help to wet the floor a bit so that it will loosen the adhesive. Make sure that the floor is completely clean before moving forward.

Concrete Board

If you are working with a wood subfloor, you are going to need to install concrete board before you can install your tile. Wood subfloor is not strong enough to support tile sufficiently. If you install the tile on top of a wood subfloor, it is going to start to break when you walk on it. Concrete board is strong and it will thoroughly support the tile. In order to install concrete board, you are going to need to apply tile adhesive to the backside and then stick it down to the ground. You will then need to adhere it with nails or screws. Cover any joints between boards with seam tape to create a smooth surface. 

Layout

You will also want to spend some time creating a layout for your tile. There are many different ways that you could potentially lay your tile. You should create a diagram so that you can draw the exact layout of your tile. You might then want to lay the tiles out on the floor without attaching them. This will allow you to see what the job is going to look like before you are done.