Tiling a Kitchen Floor
How To Tile a Kitchen Floor
Knowing how to tile a kitchen floor is an essential home improvement skill that can help you transform a tired kitchen into a project to be proud of.
When learning how to tile a kitchen floor, you must be aware of the tools needed:
Tools and Materials Needed to Tile a Kitchen Floor
Materials Needed
- Backer board
- Mortar
- Square Notched Trough
- Spacers
- 1.25 Inch Backer Board Screws
- Margin Trough
- Fibreglass Backer Board Joint Tape
Tools Needed
- Carbide scoring knife
Backer board panels are used before tiling a floor and it is important that you get this aspect of your tiling right.
See our guide on how to lay backer boards when tiling a kitchen floor.
Now you are ready to plan out the layout of the tiles on graph paper.
NB: For the technically savvy, there are also floor planning software programs available.
Tiling a Kitchen Floor Step by Step
- Find out where the centre of the room is
- Measure the longest wall, and find the mid-point. Do this for the parallel wall, and mark the centre-most points
- After snapping a chalk line between the two mid points, repeat the process for the other two walls
- Using a stick of wood against a wall, lay out tiles with spaces next to it. Mark the edges of the tiles. This will make the tiling process much easier
- Set the stick along each wall, making a mark where the edges of each tile will go
- For larger areas, it is recommended that you snap chalk lines to show where your tiles will go. For smaller rooms, you can just lay out the tiles
- Without using mortar, use spacers and layout tiles from the middle of the room, and work out in both directions
- If the space left at any point is less than half a tile, manipulate the layout line as much as needed, until the tiles at each end are of equal length
- Starting with the middle of the room, use your notched trough to spread and comb mortar up to the edges of your layout line
- Using a spacer, put two tiles next to each other, and press into the mortar
- Using a small block of wood, after a few tiles have been placed, knock a hammer or mallet lightly onto the tiles (through the wood). This will help to firmly embed, and level the tiles into the mortar
- Continue laying, setting, spacing, and levelling all the tiles, until you reach the edge of the layout section
- Using a damp sponge as you go, wipe of any mortar that sticks to the top of the tiles
- When reaching a point where you have to cut a tile, place the tile you are intending to cut, directly on top of the nearest tile to the wall
- Now, place a second tile upright, and level, against the wall. Place a third tile against the wall tile, and on top of the tile to be cut
- With a pencil, trace a line along the edge of the third tile, onto the intended tile to be cut
- Proceed to cut the tile, which will fit perfectly into the allocated space
- Continue until the floor is complete. Let the mortar dry completely
You have now finished the tiling process, and are ready for the final step of the job
Grouting the Floor Tiling Step by Step
- Lay plastic sheeting on any areas you don’t want to get messy
- Remove any extra mortar between the tiles with a razor blade, or something similar
- Using a margin trough, you are to mix the grout with liquid, and then apply it to the spaces in between the tiles
- Moving it diagonally, skim any excess grout off of the tiles with the edge of the grouting float.
- Now, wait for the grout to set. This should typically take 5-10 minutes
- After it has set, use a damp sponge and wipe the tiles in a diagonal motion
- Cure the grout. You may now wait until it has thoroughly set before applying a sealant to the tiles
