When the tile floor in your bathroom looks worn and dingy, you could hire a professional to replace it; or, you could do the job yourself and save a ton of money. The following steps along with the necessary tools, elbow grease and some time are all you need to get the job done.

Preparation and Removing the Old Floor
Gather your supplies and tools. You’ll need the new tile as well as thin set mortar, a trowel, grout, float and grout sealer; tile spacers, a tile saw and nippers; safety goggles, chalk line, pencil, square, crow bar and a supply of clean rags and paper towels.

Remove any furniture and accessories from the room and unbolt and remove the toilet. Pull up the tile starting in an area where there is a gap by sliding a crow bar into the gap. You might find a gap in a corner, where a pipe runs through the floor or beside the toilet opening. Pry the floor up and pull it loose, but take care not to damage the subfloor. Clean up all debris and vacuum thoroughly with a shop vac.

Plan the Tile Layout
Find the center of the room, mark it with a pencil and square, and snap a perfectly square chalk line at right angles. Without adhering the tile, lay the tile out in each direction to see how the tile will “break”. It is likely that you will have to cut one row of tiles lengthwise and widthwise in the room, but you want these cut tiles to be against a back wall, not at the entry to the room or at any location where they will detract from the look of the room; cut tiles should also be about 1/3 or 1/2 the width of a full tile, not tiny little slivers. If necessary, readjust the start position at the center of the room until the break of the tiles is aesthetically pleasing.

Lay the Tile
Starting at your adjusted center point and working a manageable area at a time, spread a thin layer of thin set mortar over the subfloor with the trowel. Set the first tile into place so that it is aligned with your square center line; press it down to set it in place and set the tile spacers around it. Lay your next tile and spacers, and continue in this fashion, working in both directions outward from the center, staying aligned with your guideline.

Remember that thinset mortar typically dries in less than two hours; if you don’t believe you can complete the project this quickly, you can use a slower drying mortar that takes 24-48 hours to dry.

Grouting the Tile
The grout can be applied after the tile has thoroughly dried. Use the float to work the grout between the tile lines, pressing down so the grout fills the space all the way to the subfloor. Carefully scrape away excess grout with the float. When the grout surface begins to dry, usually in fifteen to thirty minutes, wipe off the excess with a damp sponge, taking care not to disturb the placement of the tile. After the grout is completely dry, the sponge and clean rags can be used to remove any residue.

Seal the Grout
After a day or two, seal the grout to protect it from dirt and stains. Once it is dry, re-install the toilet and bring any furniture and accessories back into the room.

Author Bio: Jessica Ackerman of WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, is an interior designer who illustrates how simple it can be to use decorative floor art sculptures and decorative art love sculptures.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: wallpaper, floor, bathroom, paint, living room, carpet, home office, bedroom, improvement, remodel