- Plan your layout ahead of time. Where you place the first tile determines where the rest of the tiles will end up.
- Try to avoid thin or narrow cuts when you are close to the perimeter.
- The exact tile you are using may not be available in the future, so be sure you buy enough for future repairs.
- Leave about a quarter inch space around the perimeter of the tile floor to allow it to expand and contract.
- Don't let glue and grout dry on your tiles. Keep a bucket of water and sponge on hand to clean up any excess.
Safety Alert: Always wear protective eyewear when working near power tools.
To create a uniform surface and protect the tiles from damage, start on setting backer board onto the subfloor. After mixing a batch of thinset, load a liberal amount onto a grooved trowel and spreads it evenly onto the subfloor. Then, place cut segments of backer board onto the thinset and secure them with a series of screws (Image 1).
Next, again using a grooved trowel, spread more thinset onto the backer board (Image 1). Hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle to form uniform ridges, which helps keep the tile in place via suction.
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