The walls and floor of any residential building are unlikely to be perfectly square. It is important therefore to establish a straight line on a wall to be tiled and to carry the line all around other walls in the room if more than one is to be part of the tiling project. This first step also allows any tiles which need to be cut or trimmed to cover gaps at the edge of the tiled area to be positioned at the bottom of the wall where they will not be so obvious to the eye.
Start by measuring the width of one of the tiles. This will be the width in the vertical direction in which you plan to fix the tiles. Use this measurement and a spirit level to mark a line along the wall/walls to be tiled. Make sure that the line, at it's lowest point in relation to the floor, is a full tile width from the floor plus a 3 to 4 mm gap.
Apply ready-mixed tile adhesive to an area about the size of 4 tiles and below the marked line. Use a trowel with notches along the edges to spread the adhesive. This tool will leave a grooved pattern which will create just the right thickness of adhesive to fix and hold the tiles.
Place the first tile in position with it's top edge along the line you marked around the wall. Press the tile into the adhesive.
Use spacers to maintain an even space between each tile as you add more tiles to the wall. Press each tile into the adhesive. Check as you go that the work is even and all tiles straight.
If you need to cut a few tiles to fill a narrow space at the edge or bottom of a wall you will need a tile cutter to score the tile and a nipper tool to then break off the discarded section of tile.
Allow the adhesive to set well before proceeding to the nnext step. The length of time required may depend upon the adhesive used. Follow the directions on the packaging.
Remove all the spacers before applying grout.
Mix the selected grout with water to about the consistency of toothpaste. Use a squeegee to force grout into all the spaces between the tiles. Complete all the grouting before cleaning the surface.
Use a damp sponge to wipe excess grout off the surface of the tiles. Work across the surface with a diagonal motion to avoid removing grout. Rinse the sponge regularly and squeeze it out well. Allow grout to set.
Apply silicone to the gap at the bottom of the wall. The flexibility of silicone will create an expansion joint to deal with slight movements within the structure and minimise cracking.
