How to tile a bathroom floor

Installing tiling in your bathroom is an excellent way to make a statement about your personal tastes.

Although tiling a bathroom has traditionally been regarded as a difficult DIY operation, it is entirely possible to obtain a professional finish with careful planning and following the procedures outlined in this article. 

Bathroom tiles are long-lasting and easy to clean, making them a low-cost option for installation. Apart from regular cleaning and the occasional repair of sealant or grouting, bathroom tiles require little upkeep. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the entire process of installing bathroom tiles, from planning to cutting and laying tiles and finishing with sealant and grout.

Bathroom floor preparation

Thorough preparation is essential if you want your tiles to be correctly installed and survive a long period of time. Before you begin installing tiles, your floor must be sturdy, level, clean, and dry. 

If you’re considering tiling over existing floor coverings, the general guideline is don’t! Durable tiling requires perfect adherence to the floor.

Your new tile floor may be secure, but the old floor beneath it is unlikely to be, resulting in long-term concerns. 

Depending on the style of the floor, you may need to lay a subfloor; good exterior-grade plywood is great for this. Plywood flooring is typically put on top of outdated or uneven wood floors.

Use huge sheets of 18-mm plywood secured with countersunk screws, and remember to prime the plywood before you begin tiling.

Some existing surfaces, such as a flat concrete floor, do not require a subfloor, so you can install tiles directly on top as long as the surface is level, clean, and clear of previous glue.

The sort of glue you use depends on the surface on which you are installing the tiles. Typically, a flexible adhesive is appropriate for plywood, while a strong, high-bond glue is ideal for concrete floors.

Furthermore, natural stone tiles such as limestone, marble, and slate will require sealing beforehand. This is normally done after the tiles have been laid but before they are grouted. Most ceramic and glazed porcelain tiles do not require sealing.

How to determine the Number of Tiles Needed

To determine how many packs of tiles you’ll need, calculate your surface area in square meters (length x breadth) and compare it to the pack’s coverage. Allow at least 10% for inevitable waste and offcuts. 

Tiles are normally assigned a batch number, so attempt to purchase all of your tiles from the same batch to ensure perfect color matching.

How to tile a bathroom floor