How to tile grouting on bathroom wall tiles | how to grout ceramic wall tile - HOMESLIBRO

TILE AND GROUT BATHROOM WALLS

The sequence below shows how to tile around two sides of a bathtub, but the principles can be applied to creating a backsplash around a sink, and other simple tiling jobs. After the old tile is removed, check the concrete board for any cracks or chips; either ﬁll in the cracks or replace the concrete board, if necessary.

WHAT YOU NEED

Drop cloths

Masking tape

Wall filler and sandpaper (optional)

Dish detergent and soap or tack cloth

Sponge

Wall paint

Small- or medium-sized paintbrush

Roller and tray

PLAN THE PLACEMENT

PLAN HOW TO ARRANGE the tiles by propping the first row up against the wall around the edge of the bathtub. Use whole tiles, placing tile spacers in between, and ascertain whether these will fill the space. If you will need to add cut tiles, leave a gap in the corner.

SET THE FIRST TILES

1. APPLY THE ADHESIVE with a serrated hand trowel. (If the applied adhesive is flat and smooth, the tiles won’t adhere to it properly.) Work in sections of approximately 3ft square (1m square) or, if the area you are tiling is small, apply adhesive to each tile.

2. STICK THE FIRST ROW of whole tiles to the wall. Place a tile spacer between each tile so that the gaps are all equal.

3. ADHERE THE NEXT ROW of whole tiles to the wall, working in the same direction (toward the corner). Place two tile spacers along each horizontal gap between the tiles to ensure that they stay level.

4. STICK THE REMAINING TILES to the whole section of the wall before applying more tiles elsewhere.

MEASURE AND CUT THE CORNER TILES

1. MEASURE AND MARK the length of two tiles with a straight pencil line to fit the corner space. Use a light-duty tile cutter to score the tile along this line.

2. CUT THE TILE in half with the tile cutter. (Alternatively, you could use a wet saw for this step.)

TILE THE CORNERS

1. STICK ON THE FIRST cut tile in the corner of the wall.

2. APPLY TILE ADHESIVE to the adjoining wall and stick on the adjacent half tile so that it overlaps the other, but don’t push it right up against the other tile; you need to leave a slim gap for the grout. (Since wall corners can be uneven, it is better to do this by eye rather than use a tile spacer.)

How to tile grouting on bathroom wall tiles

TILE THE ADJOINING WALL

1. SET A ROW of whole tiles along the bottom of the adjoining wall, inserting tile spacers between the tiles.

2. APPLY SOME MORE TILE ADHESIVE and stick the remaining whole tiles to the wall in ascending rows.

3. MEASURE, CUT, AND STICK the remaining tiles to the corner area. Then allow the tile adhesive to dry (see manufacturer’s instructions).

FILL THE GAPS WITH GROUT

1. ONCE THE ADHESIVE IS DRY, remove the tile spacers. Then load the grout spreader or spatula with grout and spread it in a diagonal direction across the surface of the tiles. Work in small sections (3ft square/1m square), pushing the grout into the gaps and smoothing it down with the spatula.

2. GROUT DRIES QUICKLY, so sponge away any residual grout on the tiles before working on another section. Again, move in a diagonal direction as you wipe down the tiles.

3. SPREAD GROUT evenly over all the corner tiles using the grout spreader or spatula.

4. USE A FINGER, if necessary, to smooth the grout between the cut tiles in the corner for an even finish.

5. WHEN THE GROUT IS DRY, polish the tiles with a clean cloth to remove the last of the excess grout.