Laying ceramic tiles

The tiled floor is a remarkable coating that not only has an extremely attractive appearance, but also has tremendous performance characteristics. Ceramic tiles are capable of withstanding heavy loads, it is not afraid of water, it perfectly withstands multiple moving heavy furniture along it, has a long service life. It has long been successfully used as a floor covering in toilets, bathrooms, vestibules, kitchens, and in the latter it has become fashionable to make ceramic tile floors in living rooms and even bedrooms.

Laying ceramic tiles on different bases

From the quality characteristics of the base surface on which the floor tiles are laid , depends not only on the appearance of the surface, but also on its performance. New flooring will serve for many years only in cases where its foundation was previously carefully and competently prepared.

The most traditional method is the laying of ceramic tiles on the screed. There is another type of base coating - a concrete base, the use of which as a basis for the ceramic floor gives amazing results - flooring in such cases is simply ideal, but concrete floors are not so common in practice, especially in old houses and apartments. The screed, as a rule, always is in the bathrooms, toilets, vestibules and kitchens, so when constructing a new floor it is enough sometimes to fix the existing defects locally or to cover the entire old floor with a self-leveling mixture.

At carrying out of cosmetic repair on time on a floor already there is a covering from a tile. If the old ceramic floor is strong, the tiles on it lie thoroughly and are not covered by multiple cracks, then it is often difficult to remove without causing great damage to the screed. In such cases, the old floor covering can be left, it is enough to treat it with a special primer that will make the surface of the base rough and thus ensure a better grip of the new tile with the old one.

Laying tiles on a wooden floor is not particularly welcomed by specialists, but - in case of acute necessity - it is possible. True, the floor in this case should be strong and stable, as he will have to withstand a very impressive additional weight of their adhesive layer and the tile itself. Therefore, quite often before the beginning of the cladding, the wooden floor is sewn with plywood sheets that will not only strengthen the base, but also make it more even.

Selection of tiles and glues

Laying ceramic tiles on the floor will be durable only in those cases if a high-quality adhesive composition is chosen for the facing, which corresponds to the type and type of the lining material. Available as ready-to-use glue, which, however, is quite expensive, and special dry mixes. Adhesive for tiled flooring can be universal (it is used most often), basic (it is intended only for perfectly flat bases), reinforced (for large floor tiles), as well as special - this product is well suited for lining metal, glass, old tiles .

Ceramic tiles today are produced in multiple variations and vary in size, thickness, surface appearance, color, manufacturing method, purpose and some other parameters. Therefore, her choice should be approached very thoughtfully, taking as a basis an immutable rule - floor ceramic coating must be made only from a specially designed material for these purposes. Ceramic wall tiles are not suitable for use on the floor, because it is much thinner and unable to withstand heavy loads.

The modern construction industry provides future owners with all the possibilities for not only selecting but also directly laying ceramic tiles to not cause special problems and difficulties.