This site was developed to assist you in learning how to install and lay ceramic tile, natural tile or marble tile

Initial Steps

1. Determine the Amount of Tile You Need to Buy: Take a look at the area that you are going to install the tile on. You’ll need to measure the room from one side to the other with either a tape measure or laser tape measure, write down the number, and repeat the measurement for the other two walls. Multiply those two figures together to get the total area you will be tiling. If the room is not exactly square, you’ll have to ensure you buy enough extra tile to cover those areas, but you’ll have a close estimate to start on by using this measurement technique.

2. Choose Your Tile Color, Size and Layout: The total number of tiles you will need will vary according to what size you buy, and how they are laid on the floor (or wall). If you choose a grid pattern 100 square feet in area, you’ll know to buy about 100 square foot tiles. It is best to buy some extra tiles (10-15%) to account for “waste” or inaccurate measurements.

3. Choose a Grout Color: Grout is the material that fills the spots in between each tile, and which binds it together permanently. This is important to choose correctly, as a color that does not look good along with your tiles may ruin your project. Make sure to take some time in choosing the best grout for your tile installation

4. Prepare for Tile Installation: It is critical to have a flat, smooth surface before you begin to install your tile, or tiles will likely crack later on. To fill any dips in the floor, buy some floor leveling compound to create a uniform height.

Beginning the Tile Installation

1. Find the Starting Spot: The most important part of how to install ceramic tile, is making sure you find the very center of the area you are working on. This is critical to get right because the center point determines where the first, second, and even last tile will go. If you make a mistake, it can cause huge problems down the road. For a square room, you’ll mark each wall at it’s mid-point and snap a chalk line connecting these points. After you repeat for the other two walls, you will have a large “X” going across the room. The middle of this X shows you the center point/starting point for laying your tiles.

2. Practice Laying Tile: After creating your “X” with your chalk line you will have what looks like a giant four-square court. Start at the center of this quadrant design, and lay tiles out without any mastic or adhesive on them, one quadrant at a time. Make sure to leave a little space in between each tile where the grout would go (you will put in spacers to help you with this when you actually install the tile, which come in different sizes). After you are done laying all the tiles, you will notice that the tiles running up against the walls will probably have to be cut, or may require adjusting your center point a bit. Cutting is usually a good option, unless it will be noticeable that one tile is much different than the other. Most people decide to cut rather than realign, depending on whether or not those tiles will be visible to the eye. Repeat for the other quadrants. Note that you will probably need to drill out holes to fit over bath pipes, radiators, and perhaps outlets or switches if you are tiling walls as well. Once your entire floor is planned and all the tiles are cut to size, you are ready to apply the mastic or glue to the tiles!

Applying the Adhesive to the Tiles

1. Spread your adhesive: On your smooth, level surface with a trowel. Start from the mid-point and apply small sections in one quadrant at a time. Once the adhesive is on the surface in an even thickness, use the trowel’s grooves to rake over it gently. This motion will create grooves in the adhesive that will help the tile stick. Put the first tile down firmly, but don’t press too hard. Put a tile spacer in between that tile and the area where you will lay the next tile, and repeat. From time to time, check whether each tile is level. If not, adjust it so that it is level. Follow this technique for the entire floor, and then wait for about a full day to ensure the adhesive is fully dry.

Apply Grout to the Tile

1. Spread the Grout: Use what is called a “float” (made of rubber) to apply grout a small area at a time. Here you are pressing the grout in between each tile and raking over each tile to make sure the grout is level to the tile, and then skim over each tile to remove excess grout. It is ok if you notice your tile getting dirty from the grout, but make sure to use a wet cloth or sponge to clean it off before it dries. Repeat for the entire floor, except for where the tile connects to the walls. It is best to use caulk here to allow for some contraction and expansion due to temperature fluctuations. Wait for the entire floor to dry out for several days, then mop to remove any remaining grout.

2. Seal the Tile or Grout: It is sometimes a very good idea to apply grout and tile sealer to the entire floor or wall to ensure that dirt does not discolor or penetrate your tiles, which can discolor them permanently. Also, sealer can prevent water from seeping through natural tiles and damaging walls or floors that rest behind them.

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For extra, detailed, step-by-step video guidance on how to install tile, take a look at the links to the far right of this page.