Tiling Basics...
My first tiling project was a bathroom. It wasn't the easiest first job to do, but the quotes from professional tilers semed very much out of line with the money we had available to spend. We needed a working second bathroom. So, training myself with a $9.99 Hometime how-to video I picked up at Hechinger's and watching it 200 times, I took the plunge.
Planning and preparation is key to every job. Tiling a floor is no exception. While the task may appear daunting to most novices, attention to detail, following the rules, and, above all, patience, will get you through.
Before we pick the tile, let’s look at the surface in which you will be installing it.
The subfloor ...
It has to support a lot of weight.
It must be flat.
It must be rigid.
Any subfloor underneath tile really should be one-inch thick or more. If it is thinner, the floor will likely move when you walk on it, meaning that cracks will start appearing the grout between the tiles and that will likely result in cracking or chipping of the tiles themselves.
A simple test for subfloor soundness ...
Walk on the subfloor. Does it feel a bit “spongy?” The likely reason is that the flooring has pulled away from the joists in places over time. The solution? More nails — or screws — to hold the subfloor tighter to the joists.
Bathroom subfloor and concrete tile backing.