How to put up Bathroom Tiles

If you're thinking of giving your bathroom a new look by investing in some new tiles, don't immediately call in the experts to lay them for you. Instead, follow our simple guide to tiling your own bathroom, which will save you plenty of money, as well as allowing you to enjoy a fun and fulfilling DIY project. After all, even if you have little or no tiling experience, most bathrooms can be easily tiled in the space of a weekend.


Choosing your Tiles


You should find a wide selection of tiles in any good hardware store, so you'll be able to choose from a variety of different colours and patterns. The amount of tiles required ultimately depends on the size and shape of your bathroom, so use your common sense to find out how many you require. Just remember, it's always better to buy too many tiles rather than too few, as you might damage tiles during fitting.


Preparing to Tile


Before you start to tile, you should ensure that the walls of your bathroom are clean and dry. It's essential that the walls are stable and as flat as possible, so you'll have to remove any old bits of wallpaper, as well as coating any peeling paint with a primer. When preparing to tile and grout your bathroom, it's also essential that you protect your bath and sink to ensure damage is kept to a minimum.


Positioning your Tiles


When you're sure that your wall is ready for action, you can then begin to plan where you'll fit your tiles. Using a gauge stick, you should mark the position of tiles onto the wall using a pencil. When you've marked the bottom row of tiles, you should nail a temporary wooden batten there and use it as your starting point. However, if you happen to be tiling a wall with an object such as a window, it's best to use that as a starting point and tile around it.


Putting the Tiles Up


You should use a specialist tile adhesive to stick the tiles up onto your wall. If the tiles that you're using don't have lugs, you should put a plastic spacer between each tile to make sure that you will have enough space for grouting.


Grouting the Tiles


After the tile adhesive has been allowed to harden for 24 hours, you'll be able to grout the gaps using a silica sand grout. Using a rubber bladed spreader, apply the grout and ensure that any excess or spillages are wiped off the surface of the tiles. When the grouting has dried, you can use a dry cloth to polish up your tiles, before standing back to admire your handiwork.


There are a number of specialist grouts available; you can buy coloured silica sand grout that will blend in better with your tiles and take longer to get dirty. Also, if you're grouting around a tile or bath, it's essential to use a waterproof grout.


Author: Leah Bransko

Leah is an expert on home DIY projects including bathroom and kitchen tiling. Minerals Marketing is a supplier of mineral fillers. Tile grout is made from silica sands and calcined kaolinte is often used in decorative paints.