Laying tiles
How to succeed in the bathroom
Preparations for laying tiles
Before you start laying the tiles, you need to make a few preparations:
Clean and level the surface
The entire area to be tiled must be cleaned. In particular, care must be taken to ensure that the surface is dry and that any unevenness is removed. If the substrate for the tiles is fundamentally uneven, this can be compensated for with leveling compound.
Deep primer or adhesive primer
Depending on the finish, a primer may be necessary next. For absorbent substrates (e.g., cement screed), use a deep primer; for non-absorbent substrates (e.g., concrete), use an adhesive primer.
Waterproofing coating or decoupling mats
The floor must then be sealed. This can be done either with a liquid sealing compound, which is applied in two layers, or with so-called decoupling mats, which are glued to the subfloor. In the latter case, a gap of 0.5 cm should be left between the tiles and the walls to allow for expansion.
Planning the installation pattern
There are different ways to lay tiles, with parallel and diagonal being the most common laying patterns. The latter is well suited to making uneven walls less noticeable.
Mixing tiles
Even tiles of the same color often vary slightly in color depending on the package. For an even color distribution, it is therefore advisable to mix tiles from different packages—this way, small color differences are hardly noticeable.
Laying the tiles
Once the preparations are complete, it's time to start the actual process of laying the tiles:
Mix tile adhesive & apply
Next, mix the selected tile adhesive. Only prepare as much as can be used in one step before it dries—usually enough for an area of about 1-1.5 m². Apply the adhesive in a layer 5-10 mm thick.
Tile adhesive
Next, the tiles are glued to the substrate. They are pressed down lightly, but not all the way to the substrate. Tile spacers can be used to ensure the correct spacing for the subsequent joints. It is important to proceed meticulously and to check repeatedly—corrections can still be made before the adhesive has dried.
Tip: When laying wall tiles, work from the bottom up. Tile wedges should always be used at the bottom. It is advisable to check the top edge of the tiles from time to time with a spirit level and make slight adjustments using the tile wedges if necessary.
Cut tiles to size (if necessary)
Edge tiles can now be cut to size. A special tile cutter is required for this. In this case, too, it is important to measure and cut very accurately.
After laying tiles
The steps are repeated until the entire desired area has been tiled. Afterwards, there are still a few important measures to take:
Grouting tiles
The tiled surface now needs grouting. When tiles should be grouted depends on the tile adhesive – it must be hardened. With flexible mortar, this usually takes around 12 hours, and with tile adhesive, 24 hours. In any case, the instructions on the packaging should be followed. The grout can then be spread with a grout board. When laying floor tiles, a rather thin mixture is required, but when gluing wall tiles, the grout should be thicker.
Cleaning tiles
Once the grout has dried slightly, it is time to clean the laid tiles. The grout should not be completely dry yet, so that it can still be washed off the tiles.
Installing expansion joints and silicone joints
The final step is to apply silicone joints to the edges of the tiles, at the transitions between the wall and floor, and in areas where a lot of water splashing is to be expected. You can find comprehensive instructions for this in our article: Removing & replacing silicone joints.
Frequently asked questions about laying tiles
Can tiles be laid without adhesive?
Standard tiles are always glued. However, there are now a few specialist retailers offering special adhesive-free tiles.
Can tiles be glued onto tiles?
Yes, you can glue tiles over tiles if removing the old tiles would be too laborious. Basically, the procedure is the same as when laying tiles on other substrates. It is important to choose a suitable adhesive: cement-based flexible adhesive or dispersion adhesive are recommended.
Can tiles also be glued to wood?
In principle, tiles can also be glued to wood. However, as wood is a much more flexible substrate, it is essential to use decoupling mats. For damp rooms such as bathrooms, these are also available with a polyethylene moisture barrier.
When can the tiles be walked on?
After laying the tiles, the drying time depends on the adhesive and the substrate. With flexible mortar, it usually takes around 12 hours before the floor can be walked on and around 3 days before it can be fully loaded. With tile adhesive, it takes 24 hours before the tiles can be walked on, and full loading should only take place after around 7 days.
What tools do you need to lay tiles?
You don't need many tools to lay tiles. However, you should definitely have a tile cutter and a grout board. A utility knife is useful for cutting decoupling mats, and you will need a bucket and a drill with mixing attachments for mixing the tile adhesive.