Repair in the bathroom in most cases involves facing ceramic surfaces. After all, it is this material that has all the necessary properties that allow it to withstand such a harsh microclimate.
Laying tiles in the bathroom can be carried out by hired specialists or carried out by hand. In the latter case, you will be able to save a decent amount in the budget. And even if you have never done such work, do not despair. The information in our article will help you deal with the repair yourself.
Where to begin?
First of all, you need to purchase all the materials and tools necessary for the work. Immediately you need to decide on what composition you will put the cladding. For these purposes, a special tile adhesive or cement mortar can be used.
The first option is considered more modern and optimal. It is made on the basis of the same cement, but has additional modifying components. The composition quickly sets, which allows you to fix several rows of cladding on the wall of the rhinestone.
If your budget is too limited, give preference to cement. It costs less, but working with it requires certain skills. If tile laying in the bathroom is carried out using cement mortar, then more than 3 rows of cladding cannot be fixed in one day. This slows down repairs.
Next, select the tile. In shops you can find glossy, matte and rough options. For walls, it is better to choose even varieties. They are easier to wash. As for the floor, then you need to give preference to wear-resistant varieties with a minimum slip rate.
Inspect your favorite products for microcracks and chips. Pay attention to the evenness of the elements. If the tile is curved (which is very common recently), then it will be very difficult to lay it evenly. Attach two elements to each other and move. If the tile is playing, it is curved.
Choose a pattern and color depending on your taste preferences.
How to determine the right amount of material?
In order for tile laying in the bathroom (it is quite possible to do such work with your own hands) without stopping due to lack of material, you need to correctly calculate its quantity.
To do this, measure the width of each wall and determine the height of the tile. Based on this data, calculate the area that will need to be tiled. The resulting number of square meters and will indicate how much material you need.
However, pay attention to the fact that the finish needs to be purchased with a margin. If during the work there will be a lot of pruning, then a certain amount of material will go to garbage.
If laying tiles in the bathroom will be a direct method, take a margin of about 10%. If the arrangement of the elements is non-standard (diagonally, with revenge, etc.), then make a margin of 15% of the total volume.
Possible tile layouts
To date, there are several ways to lay ceramic coating. All of them can be used both for flooring and for wall decoration. The most popular are the following tile laying options in the bathroom:
- traditional;
- diagonal;
- apart
- combined;
- modular.
The traditional method is used in 80% of cases. This is a classic circuit. The coating is even, without the slightest displacement. The seams are smooth. Such a masonry is the most economical, since a small part of the material goes to waste.
The diagonal scheme is considered more attractive, but also time-consuming. If you decide to lay the tile diagonally, pre-mark the surface. All corner elements you will need to crop. The material consumption in this case increases by 15%.
Laying apart involves shifting the seam of each row by half the element. This cladding method resembles a brick wall. Most often, such a scheme is used when facing walls with rectangular tiles.
Modular masonry is used in cases where the pattern forms a large number of tiles of different sizes. Such options for laying tiles in the bathroom are rarely used by beginners due to the complexity of execution.
The combined styling method involves the use of several schemes at once. For example, the middle of the surface can be faced with a direct method, and its edges - diagonally. The figured combination is used in fairly spacious rooms. If the surface is made with furniture, the pattern will lose its appeal.
What tools are needed in the process of work
With your own hands, laying tiles in the bathroom is easy, but first you need to take care of the availability of all the necessary tools. This will save you time.
The standard list is as follows:
- notched trowel;
- containers for mixing glue;
- drill with mixer nozzle;
- tile cutter or angle grinder with a diamond wheel;
- alamase crowns for drilling holes;
- measuring tool;
- building level;
- plastic crosses for the arrangement of seams;
- rubber trowel for grouting;
- soft sponge;
- paint brush.
Do not forget to purchase a primer for walls and a composition for grouting. The latter is selected depending on the color of the cladding.
If you need to remove the old finish before laying the tiles, prepare a hammer drill, a hammer and a chisel.
Getting started: surface preparation
Repair in any room begins with the dismantling of old coatings and the preparation of the foundation for laying a new cladding. From the room you need to take out all the plumbing, remove the shelves, hooks and other objects.
Having placed the chisel in the seam area between the tiles, begin to hammer on it. Thus remove the entire coating. If the ceramic finish is too strong, use a hammer drill.
If the laying of tiles in the bathroom will be carried out for the first time, then you can immediately proceed to check the evenness of the walls. Surfaces with a large number of defects need to be plastered. To do this, the wall is treated with a primer, with the help of a level, beacons are installed, cement or gypsum mixture is applied.
Relatively even walls simply need to be primed, to fill up existing cracks and depressions with putty. The influx of the solution should be carefully knocked down.
If the bathroom has uneven floors, they should be smoothed with a small layer of a new screed. For these purposes, you can use modern leveling compounds. They are easy to operate and dry quickly enough. You can even the floor by increasing the layer of tile adhesive, but this option will lead to increased waste. Tile glue is several times more expensive than screed.
When all surfaces are smoothed and leveled, proceed with laying the tiles. The bathroom should be clean and dry.
Technology for mounting wall cladding
You can start laying the cladding both from the floor and from the walls. Most masters finish the walls first, since during the work the floor tiles are sprayed with glue, the seams are clogged with garbage.
Laying tiles in the bathroom begins with the processing of any large wall. At first smooth surfaces are revetted, and only then - boxes and niches.
If you decide to place the first row above the bath, then first you need to install a support for the cladding. It is made of a metal CD profile. The strap is screwed to the wall with screws. Fix the cladding from bottom to top.
Then proceed according to the following technology:
- Take the first tile and use a notched trowel to apply a uniform layer of glue to its back. For laying tiles in the bathroom on the wall, a 4 mm layer will be enough.
- Place the tile on the metal profile and press it against the wall. Remove excess adhesive immediately with a damp sponge.
- Apply glue to the second tile and place it next to the first. To create a uniform seam, use plastic crosses. They need to be installed on each edge of the product. Thus lay out the entire first row.
- Using the building level, check that the cladding is correctly positioned. It is along this line that you will be guided in the process of all work. It should be performed as correctly as possible. The width of the adhesive layer under each element should be the same. If a tile sticks out, push it against the wall harder.
If you use a sufficiently large and heavy cladding, do not lay out more than 3 rows per day. Otherwise, the finished trim may slip down.
In the places where sockets and faucets are installed, make holes in the tile. To do this, use a drill and a diamond core of a suitable diameter.
Ways to design exterior corners
If your bathroom has niches or ducts, during the work you will need to lining the outer corners. For beginners, this process can cause difficulties. How to do this job correctly?
Today, different options are used for laying tiles in the bathroom in the area of external corners.
In the budget design, you can use the "butt" method. This is when the element of one wall is shifted in an angle by the thickness of the tile, and the element of the second wall abuts against the displaced tile. Such an arrangement of the corner is the fastest, but the appearance of the surface can not be called perfect.
You can make an outer corner with a plastic corner. It is installed in the process of wall cladding at the corner itself, covering the ends of ceramic tiles. This option is considered the most popular.
If you do not want to use plastic, you can dock the tiles at an angle of 45 degrees. However, note - this process requires special care and accuracy. Photos of laying tiles in the bathroom with this method indicate that the corners in this case look the most attractive.
The essence of this design is to file the inside of the tile end with a grinder at the above angle. In this case, the front part of the element must be intact. The joining of tiles processed in this way is perfect. The angle looks very attractive.
Technology for laying tiles in the bathroom on the floor
When all the walls are covered with tiles, you can proceed to finish the floor. Facing should be started from the most visible corner of the room. Perform the work as follows:
- Apply tile adhesive to the underside of the ceramic. Layer for fixing on the floor increases to 6 mm.
- Lay the tile in a corner and push it to the base. Place crosses between the ceramic and the walls. Install them in 2 pieces on each side of the tile.
- Check the correct installation of the first element using the square and level.
- The second tile is laid in the same way. So lock the entire first row.
- In most cases, the last item in a row needs to be trimmed. To do this, step back from its edge the desired distance and draw a line. According to the marking, cut the tile with a diamond-coated disk. Fix it on the floor and proceed with arranging the second row. In this way, veneer the entire base.
If you have chosen a more complex method of laying tiles on the floor (in the bathroom), then pre-mark on the surface being trimmed.
The diagonal and combined arrangement means the start of work from the center of the floor. All extreme elements are subject to trimming.
How to grout?
The final step in laying tiles in the bathroom is grouting. It makes the appearance of the cladding more complete and protects the walls from moisture.
The grout mixture must be diluted in the manner indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer. The finished composition should have a thick consistency.
You can start overwriting the seams from anywhere, but first it is better to finish the walls. Grout to fill the seams between the tiles. First you need to remove all the crosses. Press the compound into the voids with a small rubber spatula. Remove excess mixture immediately with a damp sponge. If the grout hardens, removing it will be much more difficult.
30 minutes after applying the last solution, rinse the tile with a damp cloth. On this, the installation process of the ceramic coating can be considered completed.
Draw conclusions
As you can see, laying tiles in the bathroom with your own hands is not a very difficult task. If you have a desire to make repairs yourself, do it! Moreover, this will help you save a couple of tens of thousands of rubles in your wallet.
The cost of the services of professional craftsmen today varies from 750 to 850 rubles per m 2 . If you do not live in the Moscow region, the price tag will be slightly less (about 650 rubles).
With a complex method of arrangement and use of small products, the cost increases by 50%. The price tag for installing mosaic tiles starts from 1300 rubles per m 2 .
The information on the technology of laying tiles in the bathroom and the photos posted in our article will save you from unnecessary waste. The main thing is to have a desire and the necessary amount of free time.