Estimating the Cost of a Tile Project
The tile itself will be your biggest cost, therefore startle by measuring the square footage of the deck. then add 10 percentage for cutting godforsaken. If you choose a more complex layout than the simple grid convention we used, your thriftlessness will be greater .
Most tile sells for $ 5 to $ 15 per square foot, but you can spend equally little as $ 3 or more than $ 50. If you have to install a angel board, add $ 2 per square infantry to the monetary value of the tile. other materials will cost about $ 90, regardless of bathroom size. The tile tools you ’ ll need ( including a tile stonecutter ) will total $ 60 to $ 80.
Reading: How to Tile a Bathroom Floor
Assess Your Floor
The success of any tile job depends on a solid base — a floor that flexes very fiddling as you walk across it. If you have a concrete subfloor, this international relations and security network ’ t an issue. You can lay tile directly over the existing vinyl american samoa long as it ’ second well adhered .
If potential, avoid tearing out vinyl flooring. Leaving it in topographic point saves meter, of run, but it besides reduces asbestos gamble concerns. Asbestos was used in sheet vinyl and vinyl tile until the mid-1980s. By leaving the vinyl undisturbed, you won ’ thyroxine risk sending asbestos fibers into the air .
If you have a wood subfloor, there ’ s a estimable probability you ’ ll have to install a angel board over your vinyl to make the floor thick and stiff enough for tile. The easiest manner to see floor thickness is to pull off a floor register. Otherwise, search for bathymetry passageways through the floor. As a last recourse, drill through the floor with a one-inch or larger spade bit ( your new floor will cover the hole late ) .
To prevent asbestos dust from becoming airborne, mist the bit with a spray bottle as you drill. In addition to floor thickness, you ’ ll motivation to determine joist spacing. If there ’ s an bare basement or crawlspace below the shock, plainly measure the spacing. If there ’ s a ceiling, probe for joists with a exercise bit .
If the joists are spaced 16 inches apart, the layers of structural flooring beneath the vinyl should add up to at least 1-1/8-in. With joists every 24 inches, you need 1-1/2-in. If your floor is excessively thinly for tile, add a blockheaded layer of tile angel dining table. Our floor required 1/4-in.-thick angel. Yours might need 1/2-in. angel to reach the minimum thickness.
If your floor is already thick enough, you can just prep the vinyl floor ( Photos 1 – 4 ) and skip the angel facility ( Photos 5 – 8 ). then tile directly over the vinyl, following the lapp steps we used over the angel board .
regardless of the type of subfloor, there are two situations where you can ’ t leave vinyl in place .
first, if big areas of the vinyl are easy, wear ’ thyroxine set tile or angel over it. Small loose spots are acceptable and easy to deal with ( Photo 4 ) .
moment, “cushioned” sheet vinyl must be removed before you can set tile. Cushioned vinyl has a foam back that makes it perceptibly thick and softer than standard vinyl floor. It ’ s excessively spongy to support tile or angel board. Before removing it, call your local health department for instructions on how to check for asbestos and proper procedures if asbestos is stage.
Gather Advice While You Shop
home centers carry everything you need for this project, but begin shopping at a tile store, where you ’ re more likely to get adept advice on how to lay tile .
Make a quick sketch of your floor plan and jot down all the dimensions. besides, take a photograph of the floor at the doorway. This will help the tile store staff recommend a “ passage ” to neatly join the tile to the hallway deck. Transitions come in different styles to suit any position .
When you choose the tile itself, ask if it requires any special installation steps. Some tile should be coated with grout publish before grouting. besides, ask about cutting techniques for the tile. You ’ ll consumption sanded grout for the floor. Ask if sanded caulk is available in a coloring material that matches your grout for the floor/tub and floor/wall tile joints .
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- Pro tip: When learning how to install tile, understand that cement products like thin-set and grout draw moisture from the skin and can even cause burns that require medical attention. While most pros work bare-handed, wear gloves if you have any special sensitivity. Also, wear eye protection while mixing thin-set and grout.
