How to Lay Ceramic Bathroom Floor Tiles

Laying ceramic bathroom floor titles can seem to be difficult if you have never done it before. Home projects can be very rewarding and less expensive when you do it yourself. Surprisingly, you will find that after you complete the task of removing the toilet, the rest comes quite easy.

Step 1 - Remove Toilet

Remove the toilet and turn the water off, removing the water from inside the toilet. Remember to disconnect the water pipes and unscrew the bolts from the toilets base. Quickly place a damp rag over the hole to keep the gases from the sewer from coming into the house. If you are replacing old tile, begin removing it.

Step 2 - Find Joints

Now you need to find the joints in the bathroom floor. To do this, screw galvanized screws into the floor at the base of the walls. If the screws don’t hit anything, then keep moving until it does. Each time it hit something solid, you have found a joist.

Step 3 - Create Raised Floor

In order to create a raised floor, you will need to cut a backer board, two pieces of cardboard, and the tile. Place all these pieces close to the door and cut away the extra using your handsaw. If you removed your flooring, then give it a good sweep and mop. If you had to leave your old flooring, sand it or strip it to get rid of the wax buildup. If you are stripping the floor, follow the direction on the direction box. Any pipes or edges that you do not want grout in or on should be covered with tape. Apply thinset to small areas at a time and install the backer board, screwing each in place.

Step 4 - Laying the Tile

Start from the center of the floor and work your way out to the edges. To avoid cutting, try to adjust tiles to fit. Cover one side of your two guide boards that were placed at the door with tape. The boards should stay near the walls so the actual tile can be placed in the middle. Using the guides, set the tiles using a spacer to make sure they are at even lengths. After the thinset dries, remove guide boards. After the perimeter is set, cut the tile to fit as needed.

Step 5 - Grouting

Following the directions on the back of the grout container, apply grout to the floor. Make sure you give extra attention to the areas created by the spacers. Allow grout to fully dry. Using a broom and mop, clean off excess grout.

Extra Tip

It is important to let the grout completely dry before cleaning off the excess. If the grout is not dry, you will be washing away grout that should be holding the tiles together.