Whether you are tiling the bathroom shower or
the bathroom floor on your own, don't fall for these common pitfalls of tiling.
Keep the following common mistakes in mind as you work to make the process
easier and your results professional. Remember to consult a professional tiler
if you need help.
Choosing the wrong adhesive
Use a waterproof adhesive for any tile around a bathtub or shower. Even the best-fitting tiles can let some water seep into the adhesive, and the non-waterproof adhesive will break down and crumble, eventually causing the tiles to crack and break. Do not forget that water can reach the adhesive in the form of condensation.
Buy too few tiles
You must buy more tokens than you think you need. The best compromise between cost and practice is to get 15-20% more than you expect to use. This insures against breakage, miscalculations and difficulties in cutting to size. You can keep reserve tokens in reserve in case any of them break down in the future. Alternatively, some retailers may allow you to return unused tokens for a refund.
Skip the prep
You need to clean a bottom and smooth the surface over the tile location, be it a floor or shower wall. Otherwise, it increases the difficulty of placing them evenly. If you are tiling a wall, remove any wallpaper. Use a light sander on the surface. An exception to this is if you are laying new tiles on specific tiles or different floors. This can be done, but you need to clean the old tiles first and dry them, and then scrub them gently to get a better grip.
Forgetting the slats
A batten is a thin wooden rod periodically attached to the cutting during the laying of the tiles. You should use 2 slats, 1 vertical and 1 horizontal, so that you have the tiles that are located in a straight line. The slats can also be used for spacing and measuring - you can place your tiles on the floor to check the required space and then mark the position of each tile on the batten. These marks help you detect any positioning errors while placing chips.
Spreading the adhesive too gently
Before laying the tiles, make sure the adhesive has horizontal edges. This ensures that you can level the tiles easily by flattening the ridges. Your trowel must have a ridged surface to do this, but an old fork will do it if necessary.
Dotted corners
You may think that adding dots of adhesive to the corners of the leaks creates a stronger bond, but this actually increases the likelihood that the leaks will break because the adhesive encodes itself as it dries. If the adhesive is thicker in some areas, such as the corners, the shrinkage puts additional pressure on the tile.
Uneven spacing
If you don't evenly space your tiles, they will make some tiles more prone to loosening. After laying each tile, you need to measure an even space with a spacer. This can be a professionally made plastic stick, or something as simple as a thick cardboard border or a large matchstick.
Grouting too fast
Once you've finished laying the tiles, you should wait until the adhesive is completely broken, which is typically about 24 hours, before grouting.
Uneven grouting
Spread the grout evenly with a squeegee, working a small area at a time. Otherwise, it may dry out before you have it firmly in place. Remove excess grout before it sets as it will be much more difficult to remove when dry. Also be sure to push the grout all the way to the bottom of each gap by lightly running a dowel over it.
Sealing of bathroom covers
If you don't tightly seal the space in a shower between the bottom row of tiles and the top of the tub, water can leak as it runs down the tile. With most sealants, it is best to fill the bath before application. Bathtubs move a surprising amount when filled with water and this can leak and crack the sealant if you don't plan.
After knowing all this you decide to call a professional who will take care of the tiling in your bathroom shower or bathroom floors with all the guarantees, do not hesitate to contact us and talk to us about your idea.
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