How to lay tiles on the wall: instructions for independent work. Types of ceramic tiles and how to put on the wall

Each of us has a moment in life when, after evaluating the interior of such important premises in a house like a bathroom, toilet or kitchen one has to conclude that it is time to make repairs. Of course, this horrifies many millet, but is it as problematic as it seems at first? Of course, the cost of an event called “Repair” immediately frightens, but in this case, emotions should be set aside, but you just need to take a calculator and roughly calculate the upcoming costs. And if the amount received seems too scary, then you need to think about how to reduce it. For example, a lot of work can be done independently, even those that have never been done before. And as a result, the planned repair costs can be reduced by 30 percent, or even halved. And if you don’t know how to lay tiles on the wall when facing surfaces, then read this article to the end, we guarantee you will not have unsolvable questions.

Laying tiles on the wall - video instruction

Alignment of walls for tiles - surface preparation

In fact, everything is not so difficult - preparing the walls for laying tiles does not require serious professional skills. If a bathroom is taken into development, then we remove the old plumbing and arm ourselves with a hammer and a chisel - it is necessary to knock down the old tile. Of course, we must not forget about the safety of performing such work, therefore, we are taking certain measures:

After all the tiles are removed from the surface of the walls, we get rid of the remnants of the tile adhesive with the same chisel. It should be noted that this work refers to the initial stage of surface preparation.

Attention! It is important to learn that laying tiles on the wall will be done correctly if the surface is well prepared beforehand - 80% of success belongs to a flat surface.

The verticality of the walls and the correctness of the angles

So, we need a perfectly flat wall surface, how to make it so? First, we determine the quality of the plaster. If its main ingredients are sand and cement, and in some places it is swollen and disappears, then again you will have to use a chisel and a hammer. Nothing can be done, it is necessary to clean the surface to the brickwork. If the resulting wall area is strong enough, then you can begin to determine the geometric parameters.

For measurements, you will need a plumb line, which, in fact, is a simple device consisting of a heavy weight attached to a cord. We use the body kit to check the verticality of the walls. This procedure is performed as follows: the cord is unwound to the height of the room and fixed under the ceiling close to the wall - we determine how far the wall goes to the side. In the case when the deviations exceed a few millimeters, then it will not be possible to do without leveling the wall surface by plastering.

Attention! In no case should you think that you can do without leveling the walls. The principle “and so it will do” in this situation is categorically unacceptable.

A tile is not a wallpaper and a littered corner simply cannot be pulled out in the right direction. If you skip the stage of leveling the walls, then after laying a whole row of tiles to the ceiling, at the exit you can find that a gap has formed a few centimeters wide, and you can’t close this with anything.

The next operation is to measure the mutual perpendicularity of all walls. If the angle is not equal to the cherished 90 0, then you will also have to plaster. Here, perhaps, it is worth explaining the importance of this circumstance. The thing is that if in the corner it is supposed to stand washing machine, then there will be no special problems, although one side of it will be closely adjacent to the wall, and the other will stand at a decent distance. But if a bathroom is located in a crooked corner according to the project, then a gap will form that will constantly let water through.

Now it remains to check the walls for the presence of concavities and bulges. Here you need to use the water level. It is very important that it be at least 1 m long. If, as a result, minor deviations are found (a couple of millimeters per 1 running meter), then it is also better to get away from them by leveling the surface.

Note! You can not ignore the floor - irregularities are unacceptable. Yes, and horizontal is also worth finding out with the help of a level. If it is found that the floor is falling to one side, then if it is not leveled, this will lead to a large gap between the wall and floor tiles, and this is at least unaesthetic.

Wall alignment

To do this job, you will need the following set of tools:

If the preparation of walls for tiles will be carried out using sand- cement mortar, then he pounces on a small section of the wall and, using a grater, disperses it in a circular motion until an even layer is obtained. If a solution based on special ready-made dry mixes is used as a working material, then with a large spatula we simply apply it to an area equal to the length of the spatula. And then, slightly pressing, we stretch along the surface of the wall. The result should also be a uniform layer. In the process, do not forget to control the evenness of the wall with a water level.

floor leveling

We purchase materials

Naturally, before you go to the store for tiles, you need to measure the room and decide what area is to be finished. When choosing a tile, it is worth considering the fact that there are 2 types of it: floor and wall. Even a non-specialist with a visual inspection can easily determine this difference. Floor tiles are stronger and have a rougher top surface.

Important! When choosing a tile, it is better to give preference to the material of the 1st grade, since the tile of the 2nd-3rd grades may have a heterogeneity in color and other minor defects.

When purchasing a tile, it is worth buying it with a margin, because during the laying process individual elements may be broken, improperly cut, etc. And later buying a small amount of tiles can be problematic - it simply may not be in stores. Immediately with tiles need to buy decorative tiles with a pattern, borders and other interior details. Wall cladding with ceramic tiles involves the use of special adhesive dry building mixes, which are prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions. In this case, we are talking about mixtures specially designed for laying tiles. Also, when choosing, pay attention to the fact that one type of mixture is suitable for rooms with high humidity (for example, a bathroom), and a mixture for outdoor work is intended for wall cladding on the street. Do not forget to find out the maximum allowable layer thickness, it is also indicated on the package. With a very limited budget, tiles can be laid using the "grandfather" solution - on cement with sand.

For facing work, it is important to make the correct calculation of the tiles. On the example of a bathroom, we will help to make correct calculations: .

Tile laying technology

The beginning of laying tiles on the wall begins with the preparation of glue. A dry mixture is added in small portions to a certain amount of water and mixed with a pre-prepared mixer. The result is a composition of medium density: not too liquid - so as not to float along the wall, not too thick - so that it is not difficult to stretch it over the surface.

Now you can start styling. The work is carried out in the direction from the bottom up, that is, the first row is laid out on the floor. And then one by one, and so on for each wall and up to the ceiling. To obtain strictly even rows, a rail is placed on the floor, which is leveled. Just the first row lies on this rail. In order for the next rows to lie evenly and beautifully, slats are vertically nailed in the corners, which are aligned with a plumb line. At the level of the 2nd row and above, in subsequent rows, nails are stuffed onto the slats, between which a nylon thread is pulled. This will allow you to lay the rows of tiles strictly horizontally.

We apply adhesive on the tile with a notched trowel and apply it to the wall surface. We slightly press down its tile and make sure that the solution is evenly distributed over its surface. The same manipulation is carried out with the next tile, and then crosses are inserted between them. It is recommended to leave a seam with a thickness of 2-4 mm. Such a trowel is not only decorative feature, but it also has practical implications. It will not allow the tile to remain cracked or chip off the wall surface during thermal expansion. The quality of the masonry is constantly monitored by the level, and if a whole number of tiles does not fit in a row, then we adjust the dimensions using a plikorez. The final stage of laying tiles on the wall is to grout the joints by applying a fugue rubber spatula. Next, the surface is cleaned and on this the process of laying tiles can be considered completed.

We hope that the whole process of laying tiles is described in an accessible and understandable way. And the question of how to put tiles on the wall no longer causes fear and skepticism. If you have any doubts, we recommend that you watch a training video that will help you fully understand the information received. As the reviews of visitors to our site show, most of them managed to clad the premises in their homes with their own hands. You will get it too - no doubt!

The extensive choice of floor ceramics does not affect the basic rules for its installation. There are many characteristic features, technological nuances, without the knowledge of which you can get something completely different from what you expect.

Start with preparation

Absolutely all manufacturers of ceramics insist: it is necessary to start not at all with testing the base for compliance with standards, but with checking ceramic finish and development of a laying plan.

Your first task is to choose the right design and caliber of the product. As a rule, stands in stores are tiled with tiles of one collection in the optimal, according to the designers of the plant, layout. Approximate variations can be found in professional catalogs on manufacturers' websites or in trading floors.

You can change, supplement or completely reshape the proposed design to your taste. To do this, ask to provide you with several samples of the main tile and its components (borders, decors, panels, etc.) and form a layout suitable for your room.

But keep in mind - upon entering the room, the center of the room or the area that is completely free from furniture and equipment (the so-called free patch is popularly called) is the first thing that catches your eye. In small kitchens and bathrooms, this is usually no more than 1-2 m². Therefore, laying tiles on a concrete floor should be planned in such a way that the center falls exactly on the visible square meters area. Thanks to this simple technique, solid elements will be glued in the “empty” area, and cut ones - only around the perimeter. This is especially important in the presence of uneven walls.

Offset design planning.

The next stage is the choice of floor ceramics installation scheme. There are several basic types:

Due to the wide variety of formats and types of tiles (elongated planks, polygonal, oval products, etc.), installation of floor ceramics can be carried out according to parquet patterns (herringbone, wicker, deck, squares), randomly or modularly (combination of different-format facings).

If it is intended to use decorative elements or a combination of colors, then do not be too lazy to make a drawing to scale. You can also request the development of similar sketches from ceramics of the same series, thickness or manufacturer from consultants in shopping malls specializing in ceramic cladding. As a rule, factories provide not only the relevant computer programs, but also special devices (outwardly resembling ATMs), on which even an inexperienced user can create their own floor design, and in a two- or three-dimensional version. BUT! If you want to arrange tiles of different manufacturers and calibers, then be sure to make sure that the thickness matches perfectly, down to a millimeter. Otherwise, laying the tile on your own is absolutely even, without flaws, it will not work.

It is better to think over the layout in advance in order to purchase the required quantity facing material. The calculation of the required quadrature is based on:

Surface areas

The indicated value must be divided by the area of one element, taking into account the inter tile joints. If the tile has a complex shape or ceramics of different sizes are used in one design, then it is better to draw a drawing.

Tiles sizes

The number of whole and trimmed elements in one row depends on this. To calculate the first value, you can ask consultants to make calculations in special programs (provided to sellers by manufacturers) or use the formula:

If, in accordance with the project, it is necessary to lay out a frieze and embedding along the perimeter (a wall section of the main or complementary tiles), then the overall pattern must be designed in such a way that the curb strip is laid out of whole elements, and full-length or trimmed tiles can be used on the embedding border.

Tiled floor with border frieze.

At the time of buying ceramic tiles be sure to take a small margin, that is, you need about 10-15% more than required. Partially finishing material will go into trimming, a possible battle or useful in the future to repair damaged elements.

Styling techniques

In what cases are tiles laid with a gap or a seamless method, with a straight or zigzag seam? It does not depend on your desire, but on the characteristics of the floor material. Firstly, a monolithic canvas looks, of course, beautiful, but it is made only from rectified porcelain stoneware. That is, the most stable and resistant to temperature extremes lining with edges processed on special machines. It is very difficult to lay this material yourself without solid work experience.

Secondly, almost all ceramic products for the floor must be installed with a gap. How larger size products, as well as the load, the wider the seam should be, otherwise in the future due to seasonal deformations there will be various defects(cracks, etc.). Recommended values:

For tiles of caliber from 5x5 to 30x30 cm - 1-1.5 mm;
For ceramics with sizes from 30x30 to 60x60 cm - 2-5 mm;
For products of large formats from 60x60 cm and more - 5-10 mm.

Intertile seams: zero, narrow and wide.

The choice of seam option - straight or curved - also depends on the shape of the tiles, design features. Some collections involve laying the base with inserts, joining the pattern in a certain order, etc. This information is on the box.

So, we have come to the finish line. The cladding is selected, the layout option is approved, you can proceed to last stage- selection of flooring material for quality. When buying, pay attention to the following:

Tiles of the highest grades must have a uniform thickness, width and length (limit deviations, as a rule, do not exceed 0.5 mm), as well as the same shade, without streaks, stripes, foreign inclusions, stains, chips, small cracks, scratches, bumps and other design defects.
The glaze should be uniform, without smudges and sagging, the surface should be as even as possible with a minimum of negative (concavity) or positive (convex) deviations from the plane, and the side edges should be free of burrs, bumps, and crevices. This is easy to check - connect two tiles to each other at the ends and front sides, inspect carefully. Any deviations negatively affect the evenness and aesthetics of the future floor.
The purchased kit must be from the same batch and one tone, which guarantees the absolute identity of all elements in color, caliber and other parameters. This information is indicated on the box.
Tiles should be cleaned of packaging and paraffin or wax protective coatings, which are applied to the surface of some collections to prevent scratches during transport.

Tools and materials

To mount the tiles with your own hands, prepare the necessary set.

Including tools:

tape measure and metal ruler;
rail and moisture meter;
level and square;
a marker for marking on facing elements (main and complementary tiles, decors, borders, etc.);
dyeing cord marking;
electric tile cutter or manual tile cutter, special saws for ceramics for forming curly cutouts or a drill with nozzle cups for drilling round holes under pipes;
a plastic bucket and a construction mixer for mixing glue;
trowel and notched trowel for applying the mortar. The choice of the number of the last tool depends on the dimensions of the tile, and the larger the facing element, the larger the size of the spatula teeth;
pliers;
mallet and spatula for grouting;
sandpaper for processing tile slices;
mounting gloves and knee pads;
bucket, sponge and soft fabric to remove excess adhesive that has come out.

From the materials you will need:

Ceramic tiles with a full set of shaped elements;
The adhesive mixture is cement or polymer, corresponding to the specifics of the base (mineral screed, wood, plywood, etc.), as well as the operating conditions of the cladding. That is, allowing you to put tile on the floor in a heated or unheated space, on a heated base, in showers or pools;
Priming emulsion;
Waterproofing of a suitable type (in wet rooms);
Cement or polymer grout and water-repellent impregnation for joints;
Silicone sealant. It will be needed in order to process joints, internal and external corners;
Crosses for tile joints or tile leveling system (SVP).

Because for internal works mainly non-frost-resistant ceramics are used, manufacturers recommend mounting at a room temperature of at least +5 ° C and not more than +30 ° C at a humidity of 40-60%. Exterior finish, including facing of facades, steps, is carried out only in the warm season.

Step by step instructions

The service life and ease of use of floor ceramics depend on the quality of installation work. This axiom, unfortunately, is often neglected, and the result is a fragile, unaesthetic or defective coating. Therefore, we recommend that you follow all the rules, from the preparation of the base to the grouting time.

The process can be roughly divided into 6 stages:

Foundation preparation

The quality of the subfloor should ensure the possibility of creating a layer under the tile coating of adhesive cement mortar with a thickness of 2-15 mm, under a mosaic - up to 20 mm. Therefore, the following actions are required:

The foundation must be;

By the beginning of work, pipelines and other types of communications laid in ceilings must have outlets in accordance with the design of the premises. Do not forget that on large areas, uniform expansion joints are required to compensate for temperature and hygroscopic deformations of the base. When laying tiles on concrete or mineral screed indoors, it is recommended to arrange thermal gaps every 20-25 m² of area, with outer cladding– 16 m².

In small rooms, the role of temperature-shrinkage joints is played by a gap of 4-5 mm wide around the perimeter between ceramic coating and walls.

Once again, we recall that the floor must be monolithic. Many masters believe that irregularities are easily leveled. tile adhesive- the layer will be thicker than it should be. However, they forget that the cement-polymer mortar shrinks, so a perfectly even coating will not work. All recesses, cracks and bumps more than 5 mm must be eliminated - filled with repair mixtures or scraped off, and dust and debris removed. Treat the surface with primers with the required properties - hardening, adhesive, etc.

Applying a primer to a concrete base.

If you are thinking of laying tiles in a shower room, bathroom or toilet, Special attention provide waterproofing. To create a reliable water barrier, you can use polymer paints, coating penetrating agents, impregnations, membranes, or any other material available to you. The main thing is to correctly form a layer with an institution on the walls 10-15 cm in height and carefully sealing the corners.

markup

When marking, the center lines of the room serve as the basis. Connect the midpoints of the more closely spaced walls to get the longitudinal axis, and the center points of the farther ones to calculate the transverse line. On the walls, mark the level of the future finishing floor. This will help to correct minor flaws in the tiling process. It is better to apply a marking drawing with an alcohol marker or with a coloring cord.

First, check the correct geometry of the room. This will allow you to adjust the plan for tiling the floor with ceramic tiles and significantly speed up the work.

To make sure that the walls are mutually perpendicular, pull two cords diagonally from opposite corners, measure their length with a tape measure. If the corners do not correspond to the ideal 90 °, and the sides have different lengths, then various tricks can be used to visually level the effect. For example, move the picture or lay out friezes around the perimeter, and between it and the wall - a background tile with trimming.

The principle of marking formation depends on the chosen design.

Standard seam-to-seam or corner installation

If the room has an even rectangular shape, then the laying starts from the corner. The first element is mounted in the corner of the room, the rest - in different directions from it.

Corner layout.

In a run or with an offset

For tiles produced in the form of elongated strips, it is not correct to use the simple corner method. Installation should be carried out from the center of the room. The method is quite laborious, requires care and accuracy in work.

First, the reference point (central) is calculated, the first row is laid from it, then the subsequent lines are formed as shown in the figure below.

Laying pattern with offset or from the center.

Laying scheme from the center of tiles of different calibers.

The shift coefficient of each subsequent row relative to the previous one depends on your desire - by 1/2, 1/3 or more. Since it is not a laminate or parquet board, here tying of seams is not required. It's rather decorative effect, which allows you to create decking, brick or typical for laminate.

In two perpendicular rows

To lay tiles in a room with irregular wall geometry (including various ledges, bay windows, etc.), this method is used. We mark the center of the room, from it we set the first element. With respect to this cladding, we apply two perpendicular central lines, along which we lay the floor covering up to the wall. From the finished rows we lay the remaining ceramics. This is very convenient for forming panels and various decorative or accent inserts.

Diagonally

In addition to the finished centerlines, you need to draw diagonal lines from opposite corners. The layout is carried out either from the center or from the far corner of the room. The pattern can be anything.

Scheme diagonal laying tiles.

After the necessary marking lines have been applied, lay the ceramics on a dry floor surface. This is necessary for fine-tuning the general layout scheme, as well as cutting edge tiles or shaped elements with a tile cutter (including for forming figured cutouts for various plumbing fixtures, water pipes and other communications).

The instructional and technological map for facing work, developed back in 1973 and updated in 2003 by the Design and Technological Institute of Industrial Construction, recommends craftsmen to make landmarks for themselves over large areas: either from a mooring cord stretched between extreme reference points (for example , along long wall or diagonally) or install the so-called beacon tiles. These are single ceramic elements or a series of facings laid along an extended surface, which allow you to control the level of finish and the correct formation of stripes.

Preparation of the adhesive mixture

The solution must be perfectly homogeneous and fluid enough to be easily applied to the surface and distributed. The dry mixture is mixed with water in the proportion recommended by the manufacturer, thoroughly mixed with a mixer until a homogeneous mass without lumps is formed. Remember that the finished adhesive can be used for a certain time (20-60 minutes), so for large laying areas it is better to prepare the mortar in batches.

Elastic polymer mixtures for ceramics are one- and two-component. Mix them thoroughly before use, and apply with a notched trowel.

Installation of the cladding starts from the reference point located in the corner farthest from the entrance, or from the center of the room. Floor finishing is recommended to be done in stripes or small squares, gradually moving towards the doorway. If the design assumes the presence of a frieze and panels, then laying should begin with decorative elements.

Laying from the corner and from the center of the room.

Some types of tiles with a highly porous structure are recommended to be soaked before use. This is done so that the ceramic does not "pull" moisture out of the solution before it polymerizes. But most of products on the market do not require such an operation, so carefully read the information on the package before use.

If you are laying floor finishing material with a thickness of more than 12 mm or with a side of more than 50 cm, then carefully consider the recommendations of the manufacturers. The adhesive solution must be applied not only to the base, but also to the underside of the tile with pre-wetting.

Do not lay ceramic cladding on the floor with the heating turned on or with the room heating system running. It should be turned on only after the complete "seizure" of the adhesive solution.

Apply the adhesive mixture to the base with a spatula with an average thickness of 2-5 mm (polymer - a layer of 2-3 mm) and spread over the surface in 1 m² or in an amount covering one row. Next, lay out the tiles in accordance with the chosen scheme, align them, lightly tap with a mallet or press down with your fingers. Clean the seams of excess glue and insert spacer crosses or SVPs. Next, apply glue to the surface as needed and mount the cladding, periodically checking the evenness with a hydraulic level, as well as the geometric correctness of the laying - horizontal, drawing, laying scheme.

Application of adhesive mixture on the floor and installation of tiles.

If required according to the plan - at the end, mount the wall plinth from the curb elements or trimmed tiles of the main background using dividing crosses.

Grouting

Filling gaps can be carried out only after the coating has been laid completely and the adhesive has hardened. As a rule, 24 hours is sufficient.

Mix dry cement grout with water in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, apply with a spatula and fill all joints without exception. After 15-30 minutes, collect the remaining color mixture with a damp sponge. After an hour, rinse the surface again with a wet cloth, and the next day, treat the seams with water-repellent impregnations.

Coating cleaning

Ceramic tiled floor after completion trowel work has a whitish coating, which must be removed with a solution of special acid-based ceramic cleaners (Pramol Ceracid, Pufas Glutoclean acid, Italon A-CID), then rinse clean water until all foreign liquids and dirt are completely removed. In the future, it is recommended to use neutral detergents or weak soap solution, and to remove stains or heavy dirt, purchase professional concentrates that do not damage the surface and do not leave streaks (Litokol Colored Stain Remover, Bellinzoni Mangia Macchia, etc.).

Do not use abrasive cleaners that may cause scratches, especially on polished, lappated or high-gloss ceramics.

It is possible to load the finished coating with furniture and other household items after 48-72 hours.

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Laying tiles on the wall is one of the most popular types. finishing works for bathroom or toilet. The surface of the tile is easy to care for, does not lose its attractive appearance over time, and subject to high-quality cladding, subsequent repairs in the bathroom may be required after several decades. Moreover, this type of finishing work can be done quite independently, if you first learn how to properly lay tiles on the wall.

Tools required for work:

Tile cutter;
Level;
Roulette, marker, square;
Marker thread;
Small spatula and spatula comb;
Rubber mallet;
PVC crosses and matches;
masking tape;
Edged board with a smooth edge or an unnecessary metal profile;
Dowels and a regular hammer.

A laser level on a tripod will help speed up and simplify the work. It differs from the usual level in that it can be installed motionless in the center of the room and simultaneously create a projection with light rays immediately on the entire wall.

Considering that the walls will be faced with ceramic tiles, and not the floor, in the process of work it will be necessary to drill and cut holes in the tile for sockets, switches and communication pipes of various diameters. You can find out how ceramic tiles are cut and drilled and what tools are needed for this from another article on our website.

Wall surface preparation

by the most the best option, preliminary plastering is also considered according to profile beacons. The solution for plastering walls in the bathroom is made in proportions of 1 to 3 or 1 to 2.5. In rooms with less humidity, for example, in a hallway or kitchen, a solution is used for plastering in proportions of 1 to 4. After plastering, the surface of the walls is additionally treated with a penetrating primer that reinforces the top cement-sand layer and increases surface adhesion with tile adhesive.

Gypsum surface preparation

The preparation of walls for tiles in the bathroom from gypsum tongue-and-groove blocks should be carried out at the lowest possible air humidity. Either a temporarily forced exhaust is installed, or it is necessary to refuse to carry out such work in neighboring rooms as: plastering, floor screed, wallpapering. Since the performance of these works significantly increases the overall humidity in the apartment.

Initially, carefully sweep from dust with a brush or broom. This is very important, otherwise crystallization will form on the surface of the walls - a glossy film, on the contrary, reducing or nullifying adhesion altogether. Next, the entire surface is primed with 1 layer of penetrating primer betoprimer or its equivalent. When the penetrating primer dries, a layer of waterproofing is applied to the surface of the walls with a roller, for example, a Knauf flehendicht or its other analogue. When the waterproofing layer dries, the HWP walls can be considered prepared for cladding.

Preparation of drywall surfaces

The seams between the sheets of drywall are pasted over with a fiberglass tape mesh and puttied with moisture-resistant fugenfüller-hydro gypsum putty. When the seams are dry, the surface of the moisture-resistant drywall is well wiped with a piece of slightly damp cloth to remove dust from the surface. Next, the entire surface of the GKLV is primed with a roller with a moisture-proof primer, for example, an aquastop. After the primer layer has dried on the entire surface of the GKLV walls, using a construction stapler, a fiberglass mesh with a cell of 5-7 mm is grabbed with metal brackets. On top of the mesh, the entire surface of the drywall is puttied with tile moisture-resistant adhesive.

The process of tiling prepared walls

In the center of the room, an optical level is installed on a tripod and adjusted in such a way that it displays the projection of a horizontal beam on the wall surface. This horizontal beam is transferred to the very bottom of the wall and the highest point on the screed is found, in the area where the screed is connected to the wall. In this place, a tile is applied to the wall, after which the horizontal projection of the beam is raised to the level of the upper edge of the applied tile. At this height, it is necessary to mount an edged board with an even edge or an unnecessary even metal profile strictly according to the beam projection to the wall.

Optical laser levels appeared not so long ago, and even today, not everyone has them on the farm. Without a level, before laying the tiles on the wall, marking is done using a long bubble level- spirit level. With a spirit level, you need to walk along the perimeter of the floor in the room and determine the highest point where the transition of the wall to the floor is located. From the screed along the wall, either the height of 1 tile is measured with a tape measure, or a tile is applied directly to the wall and a mark is made on the wall along the upper edge of the tile. Next, a level is leaned horizontally against the mark, set to a horizontal position and a solid line is drawn along the level, along which in the future it will be necessary to mount the edged board on the wall with anchors.

Before laying the tiles on the wall, a working adhesive is made. About 3-4 liters of water are poured into a container with high sides, for example, into a basin or a wide bucket. Dry tile adhesive is slowly poured into the water so that it slightly covers the poured water. Further, all the contents in the bucket are mixed to a homogeneous state using a mixing nozzle installed in the cartridge of a powerful drill or perforator. Having received a homogeneous mass without lumps, it is left for about 5-10 minutes at rest, after which the tile adhesive is re-mixed with a mixing nozzle.

After mounting the stop in the form of a board and making glue, they begin to directly glue the tiles on the wall. Initially, using a small spatula and comb, tile adhesive is applied to the surface of the wall from the board. Using a comb allows you to remove excess glue from the plane, while the same thickness of the adhesive composition is formed everywhere. In a similar way, a uniform layer of glue is applied and formed on the back of the tile.

Laying tiles on the adhesive begins from the opposite corner from the entrance to the room on the wall. The tile attached to the glue is initially set exactly on the nailed board, after which a level is applied vertically to the tile and, gently pressing or tapping on the tile rubber mallet, it is placed in an even vertical position. After that, 1-2 more tiles adjacent in a row are laid, exposing each one at a vertical level and forming seams of the same thickness between the tiles using PVC crosses. Having laid 3-4 tiles on the wall in a row on the wall with your own hands, a level is applied horizontally to the surface of the entire tile with an edge, and, if necessary, a certain tile is adjusted with gentle blows of a rubber mallet.

Having lined the entire wall to the top with a whole tile according to the above scheme, the last row of tiles is cut to size with a tile cutter or a small angle grinder, so that the tile can be glued under the ceiling. At this stage, the tile joints are immediately cleaned from the glue with a knife. After that, it is necessary to pause for 1-2 days so that the glue between the tile and the wall grabs. After waiting a couple of days, the bottom stubborn edged board is dismantled from the wall. Before gluing the tiles of the bottom row, you need to stock up on thin wood chips.

The technology of laying tiles on the wall in the lowest horizontal row is the same as the previously produced cladding. The glue is applied and distributed on the wall and the back side of the tile with a comb, after which the tile applied to the wall is leveled and leveled. Between adjacent tiles, PVC crosses are placed in the seam. To prevent the tile from the bottom row from sliding down, wooden chips are inserted under the bottom edge of the tile, and the top edge of the bottom tile is temporarily fixed to the surface above the tile laid on the wall with paper masking tape.

A few days later, all unnecessary tape, wood chips and PVC crosses are removed from the lined wall and all seams are finally cleaned with a clerical knife. Cleaned no earlier than 7-8 days after laying the tiles, so that for some time the empty joints serve as a drain for the moist air evaporating from the tile adhesive.

The advantages of using tiles as a facing material have been discussed more than once. It is easy to take care of ceramics, it is resistant to mechanical influences and is able to serve properly for many years. However, ordering professional tile installation is not cheap, which is why many spend installation work on one's own. The article will discuss how to properly prepare the surface and how to lay tiles on the wall.

How to lay tiles on the wall: surface preparation rules

In order to start preparing the wall for laying tiles, you first need to decide what type of mortar will be used for cladding. There are two options: cement-sand mortar and special adhesives. Depending on which option is preferred, the preparation of walls for tiles will differ.

Many people want to make a choice in favor of glue, but in this case, you will have to work hard on leveling the walls for tiles. Usually, plaster is used for this purpose or the surface is sheathed with drywall. The smoother the surface, the better. If the decision was made to use cement-sand mortar, it will take less effort to align the wall under the tiles. How to choose the best option? The first method is much simpler and suitable even for beginners. But the "mortar" technique requires skills and experience.

Speaking about how to prepare the walls for tiles in the bathroom, do not forget about the presence a large number communications that may interfere with installation. The easiest solution to this problem is to hide all the pipes before gluing the tiles in the bathroom to the wall. The easiest way to do this is with drywall constructions.

Important!Before you start leveling the walls before laying the tiles, you need to make sure that the old coating is completely dismantled. This also applies to paint. If there are residues that can crumble, the life of the new tile can be significantly reduced.

What tools are needed totiling work

Before starting work on preparing the surface and laying the facing material, you need to make sure that all the tools necessary for this are available:

trowel and spatulas (regular, notched and rubber);
building level;
and cutters;
a grinder and a diamond wheel for her;
special crosses for laying tiles;
foam sponge.

Additionally, you will need a tape measure, a hammer and other tools that every home probably has. In addition, it is worth thinking in advance about how the adhesive solution will be mixed. It is desirable to have a special nozzle for a drill for this purpose, but this can also be done manually.

How to lay tiles on the wall

The first rule that you need to know before laying tiles on a wall is that all places that are important for visual perception must be lined with solid elements. The tile that had to be cut should be tried to be hidden behind pieces of furniture or in places where it will be least noticeable.

Calculation required amount materials is carried out even before the start of work and, in particular, leveling the base. This is done because it provides the opportunity to make some changes, for example, applying a slightly larger layer of plaster. In this case, some loss of area will result, but this is not as problematic as if you have to look at imperfectly laid pavement for many years.

Helpful advice! If all the corners of the room fall equally into the field of view, then the best option would be to trim all the corner elements equally.

As for vertical trimming, the rule of the whole tile at the top applies here. Although it is important to pay attention to individual data. It is perfectly acceptable to break the rules if it will objectively affect the situation positively. It is also worth paying attention to the size of the tile joints. On a surface small area in total they take up quite a lot of space.

The marking technique largely depends on which method of laying the tiles was chosen. The most popular are the following types: “seam to seam”, side by side and diagonally. The first method is the most popular. Its main difficulty is that in no case should vertical and horizontal boundaries be violated, as this will be very noticeable. The most difficult method proposed is the third one. It requires some skill and experience. But the second one is universal. He imitates brickwork and pretty easy to install.

How to lay tiles on a wall: general rules

Usually you need to lay tiles on the wall starting from the second or third row. This is due to the fact that wall tiles must cover floor tiles for a number of reasons:

visually, this solution looks better;

water that will flow down the surface of the wall will not flow into the contour seams;
it is much easier to cut wall ceramics.

Often you have to deal with situations where the flooring was laid in advance. In this case, you need to start laying wall tiles from the bottom row. But here another difficulty arises - it is far from always possible to do without trimming and place a solid tile in the top row.

The first thing to do is to decide on the lighthouse row and make marks on the top edge of the first row. It is important to use a level during work so that in the future the entire tile does not “float”.

Important!At the marking stage, it is very important to pay attention to all the difficult moments, such as laying tiles around pipes. Some offset of the marks is allowed if this avoids the need to make difficult cuts.

After that, you need to pull the beacon cord or draw a solid line along the marks. It is better to use the first option, as this will give you the opportunity to more accurately control the horizontal. To comply with the verticals, ordinary plumb lines are used.

Laying tiles right: step by step instructions for work

It is important to understand that the installation procedure may differ significantly depending on which surface and with what composition the laying will be carried out. Therefore, if you know how to glue tiles on the floor, this does not at all guarantee that you can handle wall tiles without problems. Consider what the laying procedure looks like in the case of using ordinary white tile adhesive for work, and what is the order of work in this case:

initially it is necessary to dilute the adhesive composition according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Best use for this construction mixer, as this allows you to quickly cope with the task;
using a spatula, a thin layer is applied to the base, as well as to the back of the tile. The excess is removed with a comb in such a way that reverse side the tiles remained even furrows;

after making sure that the layer of glue on the tile is evenly distributed, it must be gently pressed to the surface.

Important! The choice of notched trowel should be based on the size of the tile. The larger the dimensions of the tile, the larger the teeth on the tool should be.

The first tile must be laid along the horizontal and vertical marks. At the same time, if a cord was used as a guide during work, it is better to start from the corner of the second row and only then remove the cord. Fixation is carried out using special wedges that are inserted between the tile and the support bar.

First you need to lay out all the solid elements, keeping an equal distance between them. It is to facilitate this task that small crosses are used, which serve as a guide for creating uniform tile joints. Each stacked row must be thoroughly checked with the help of a building level.

Helpful advice! If the tile has a pattern that is not so clear that it is visually easy to determine the upper and lower parts, then you should pay attention to the special arrows that the manufacturer places on the back of each element. With their help, you can navigate the installation process.

As for laying tiles that require trimming, this task is best left for later. How exactly this procedure should be carried out will be discussed later in the article.

How to lay tiles on drywall

For a while there was controversy as to whether one could use drywall constructions as a basis for laying tiles. After all, the material itself is not very durable and the large weight of ceramic tiles can be simply overwhelming.

Practice has shown that, subject to certain rules, drywall may well be a full-fledged basis for laying tiles:

don't save on adhesive composition, it must be of high quality and suitable for this type of work;
Before laying, the surface must be thoroughly primed and completely dry;
laying should be done gradually - no more than 5 rows at a time. After that, you need to take at least an hour break, after which the work can be continued.

Related article:

Advantages and disadvantages of the material, product design from catalogs and photo finishes in the interior of the room, product prices.

Compliance with these simple rules will make the tile flooring more durable and reliable, and will also reduce the risk that after a short period of time some tiles will fall off.

How to tile on a wall: tile cutting technology

Trying to understand in detail the question of how to glue the tiles on the wall in the bath, many believe that the main difficulty that they will face is the fitting of the elements. This can indeed be a difficult task, but with the proper approach, even a beginner can easily cope with it.

It is often possible to cope with cutting tiles with a conventional tile cutter. Bulgarian is more often required for floor covering than for wall, due to the difference in the thickness of the material. But sometimes, for particularly difficult places, you still have to use this tool in the process of laying tiles on the wall.

Helpful advice! In the absence of a glass cutter, you can get by with even less, using, for example, a tile cutter or a scriber with a victorious solder. In order to cut off the desired part, it is necessary to draw a cutting line, and then draw several times over the fixed element with the existing tool as many times as necessary.

In order to achieve curly pruning, which is necessary for laying tiles around pipes, it is better to use a grinder with a diamond wheel. But if it is not available, and not too many holes need to be made, then it is quite possible to use a cheap alternative - a diamond-coated canvas. True, in this case, much more time will be spent.

How to grout the seams on the tiles on the wall

After all the tiles have been laid, the gaps between the elements must be wiped with a special composition, which is called “”. This mixture is designed to fill the voids between the tiles and provide reliable protection from penetration of moisture under the coating. In order for this procedure to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to adhere to the following rules:

you need to knead the grout in stages, usually this is done at the rate of 1-4 m² per approach. So the mixture does not dry out before it is used;
all excess must be removed with a foam sponge until the solution dries completely;
using the same sponge, the seams can be made smoother by evenly distributing the grout inside the seam;
during operation, the spatula must be held at an angle of 15-30 degrees to ensure the most dense filling of the space with the mixture.

Figuring out how to grout tiles is not difficult. If you have additional questions, you can always watch the video instruction or use it as a guide. step by step photos which demonstrate this process in as much detail as possible.

Another issue that deserves attention is the price of grouting tiles. It should be noted here that two options can be found on sale - a ready-made mixture and a dry powder, which you will need to dilute with water to the desired consistency yourself. Their cost will be different, for example, 2 kg of the finished mixture will cost about 259 rubles, and 2 kg of dry powder - 175 rubles.

What you need to pay attention to beforehow to tile on a wall

Immediately before laying tiles on the wall with your own hands, you need to once again pay attention to several important aspects:

all tiles must be carefully inspected for damage, scratches and chips. It is also useful to sort the elements by size. This will allow you to get the most even seams;
in order for the laying of tiles on the wall with your own hands to turn out to be no less high-quality than if it were done by a professional, you do not need to spare the primer and time for leveling and surface preparation;

if you have to deal with facing the outer corners, you should use plastic corners.

Often on specialized forums, users discuss interesting questions, for example, is it possible to lay tile on tile or on other old flooring without dismantling it. The answer to all such questions is unequivocal - you should not do this, and before you start laying a new tile, you need to remove the old tiles from the bathroom walls. How exactly to do this - we will consider further.

How to remove tiles from a bathroom wall: rules and guidelines

How easy it will be to remove the old tile from the wall surface largely depends on what surface it was laid on. For example, if the surface has been previously plastered, then the tile will be relatively easy to remove along with the plaster. But if it is attached directly to a concrete or brick base, then the task will become somewhat more complicated.

It is very difficult to work with drywall, as it does not have sufficient strength on its own and in the process of removing the tiles it will receive so much damage that it will have to be replaced.

You need to start dismantling the coating with soaking. To do this, you can use a shower or a spray bottle. After the surface is wetted, you need to walk the grinder disk along the tile seams. The better the grout is removed, the easier it will be to carry out all subsequent work. The resulting grooves are filled with water again to soften the adhesive a little, as a result of which some tiles themselves will begin to lag behind.

The top layer of tiles is tapped with a mallet. In those places where a thud is heard, it is worth starting the process. Using a chisel or chisel and a hammer, carefully chip off the first tile. After that, water is added again and the dismantling of the following elements continues in turn.

Helpful advice! If there is a need to carefully remove one tile in a row, then this will require a drill with drills. In the direction from the center to the edges, a lot of holes are drilled (about 10-20) and then the tile is neatly chipped.

Most fast way cope with the task - use a puncher. However, in this case, it is not necessary to count on the fact that at least some part of the old tile will be preserved. Yes, and the sound will certainly be loud, so it is better to warn the neighbors in advance about the upcoming repairs.

Having familiarized yourself with how to properly lay tiles in the bathroom on the walls, as well as learning about all the options for dismantling the old coating, you can safely proceed to self-repair. As for the choice suitable material, then the most important thing is that you like the characteristics, color and size of ceramic tiles for walls, and harmoniously fit into the interior, correspond to the operating conditions.

Lay tiles on the wall. This process requires your maximum attention and accuracy, otherwise the tile, which ideally should look beautiful and organic on the wall, will go wrong - at random and the work you have done will go down the drain.

So, you have already chosen a tile, decided in which room you will lay it, let's go further ...

Materials and tools

Before starting to deal with the question of “how to lay tiles on a wall correctly,” let's decide on the materials and tools necessary to ensure that the laying of tiles is carried out as professionally and efficiently as possible, even if you are going to lay the tiles yourself.

For laying tiles, we need first of all:

You can try laying tiles on a non-flat wall, but in this case, no one will guarantee that everything will work out for you and the tiles will look beautiful. Experienced craftsmen it is still advised to level the wall before laying.

Also, many advise soaking the tiles in water for a couple of hours before laying, which ensures the best adhesion to the base. I don't know if this is true, I haven't checked. I do not soak the tiles and the result is quite good. I know for sure: it will not get worse.

There are three types of laying tiles: “seam to seam”, “to dressing” and diagonally. In the first case, the tiles are simply laid out one after the other horizontally and vertically. When laying the tiles "in the dressing", each higher row is shifted horizontally by half of the tile so that its middle is exactly above the seam separating the ceramic tiles of the lower row.

The method of laying ceramic tiles diagonally is the most complex and time-consuming, you will have to cut a lot. But it looks the most original.

Preparing the base for laying

Direct laying process

How to cut tiles?

When we reach the other end of the wall from the corner, it is likely that we will have to cut the tiles. How to cut?

You can use a simple glass cutter. We draw them several times along the line, which must first be marked with a pencil. Then, putting on the table or any flat surface along the edge of the cut, hit the side that is in the air with the palm of your hand.

This method is not very effective, as it is often difficult to break a tile if it is thick or if it does not break along the cut.

In order to cut tiles, I use a special tool - a tile cutter.

It's pretty easy to use. Again, you need to mark the cut line with a pencil and put the tile in the tile cutter, draw it along the line from the bottom up, and then press the bar on the tile at the top and that's it. A tile cutter can be bought at any hardware store. Its price is from 1000 rubles.

Also, a grinder is useful for cutting tiles. This is if you need not just cut the tile in half, but cut out the shape, for example, of a switch.

top cover

Well, and secondly, pick up a special circle for the tile for the grinder. Not everyone will fit. There is no grinder, take a neighbor or a friend for a while. Further, if you want to drill holes in the tile, suppose under the wires, use a drill, just pick up the drill again under the tile.

If you need to cut the edge of a tile half a centimeter wide, that is, small sizes, then draw a line with a glass cutter and chip off the edge using pliers or pliers.

So, the first row is ready. At the end of the wall, also hide it in a special corner, especially if you had to cut the tiles.

And so sequentially one after another we lay out the rows of tiles on the wall one after the other vertically.

The main thing is not to forget to insert crosses between the tiles and check whether they lie on the same line with each other, otherwise, after grouting the joints, the masonry will look ugly.

You can also check the evenness of the tile by applying a level bar or level to the entire row and see if there are any gaps.

That's all wisdom. After the masonry has dried (about a day), you can remove your guides, which held the base of the masonry. The tile won't slide down.

We overwrite the seams

It is also already possible, by removing all the crosses that you inserted between the tiles, to start grouting.

To do this, we take a special grout to match the color of the tile, dilute it with water to a homogeneous mass (not liquid and not very thick) and rub evenly and tightly into the seams with a rubber spatula.

After that, you can wipe the tile with a damp (not wet) sponge.

Wait a few minutes and after the grout dries a little, take a piece of wire or cable a little wider than the distance between the tiles and push it through all the gaps with pressure. The grout will push in and level out, which will look much prettier.

And finally, a video from Alexander Tarasov. Everything is accessible and understandable…

Like he said everything. If I forgot something, then it's not important enough to mention here. Good luck.

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