To make your kitchen shinier and cleaner, you can install tiles on the countertops as well as on the floors. Ceramic tiles have different designs so you can easily choose the style that will suit the architecture and motif in the kitchen. If you are in a tight budget and you want to save money, you can install the tiles by yourself. By following the simple procedures discussed below, you can learn how to install kitchen tile easily and efficiently.
Materials Needed
Before you begin this project, it is beneficial to get all the materials, which include the ceramic tile that you will use and sink rail tiles. In addition to these, you need caps and corners for the countertops as well as tile spacers. The other materials that you will find useful for this project are mastic, a wet saw, a backer board, a corse thread, chippers, a wax pencil and a mortar trowel. Aside from these, you also need a grout trowel, a bucket, a sponge, a soft cloth, a tri square, a thin set mortar, a grout, a grout sealer, a coarse sandpaper and a chalk line.
Procedures
Cover the floor and the countertop with the backer board. Use the coarse thread to secure the board. Make a chalk line from the corners of the floor and the countertop to the center. Mark the center with an X. Mix the mortar based on the instructions in the packaging of the mortar. Get a tile and lay it on the center of the floor or the countertop. Apply mortar on the portion where you are about to install a tile. Get the spacers and use these to keep the tiles in line. Follow the instructions on the packaging to mix the grout.
Be sure that there are no dust and dirt in the grout lines. Apply the grout using the grout trowel. Get a sponge and remove excess grout. To make the tiles shinier, get a soft cloth and wipe the tiles with the cloth.
Additional Tips and Other Important Information
When installing the tiles, it is best to wear safety glasses to prevent the chemicals from causing eye infections. Secure the gout after three days. Get a sandpaper to remove the sharp edges of the tiles. When you cut excess parts of the tiles, keep your fingers away from the saw’s cutting blade. To maintain the tiles, you should clean these everyday using a wet rug.
