3 Laying Tile Dilemmas And What You Can Do About Them

By Steve McIntyre

Laying tile is a complex task and there are many issues to be resolved along the way. Here are 3 tile laying dilemmas you may have to face.

Should You Buy Cheap Ceramic Tiles?

Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. Why are they so cheap? Did the manufacturer cut corners? Check if the tiles are the uniform size claimed on the box. Measure 6 to 8 tiles. Remember that even a difference of one-sixteenth of an inch could affect the quality of your tile laying.

Are your skills up to handling such a problem?

Should You Lay New Ceramic Tile Over Old Tile?

Yes, provided the old tile does not have a sealant on it and is clean. Add latex additives to your thin set. Use a tile scriber to score the old tiles. Remember you will be increasing the wall or floor thickness. This can cause problems at doors and window frames.

You will always achieve a more professional laying tile finish if you remove the old tiles and correctly prepare the surface before beginning to install tile.

What Color Of Grout Should You Use

This one is really down to personal choice. Buying tiles is expensive both in terms of dollars and your time and effort in laying tile. You don’t want to spoil it by choosing the wrong color of grout for the look you are trying to achieve.

A light colored grout against a dark tile really highlights the grid pattern. This is eye catching but might also make the tiled area look too busy depending on the size of tiles you are laying.

You can add color to grout by adding a measure of dye to the grout mix. If the grout color is a close match to tile color this gives a more blended look to the tiled area.

Additional Resources and Related Articles:

How To Lay Ceramic Floor Tile – Tools And Materials Required

How To Lay Tile – 7 Sure Fire Ways To Mess Up

Discover how to achieve a professional finish when grouting tile using the [http://tiletechnique.com]top tricks of the tiling trade.

When laying tile get in right first time with this [http://tiletechnique.com]set of how to tile videos.

Find out [http://tiletechnique.com]how to avoid lots of mistakes when installing tile.

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