Dry mixes for ceramic tiles. Laying tiles on the floor using cement mortar. Cheap. Special adhesive solutions - liquid nails

Each person who decides to lay the tile with his own hands must first think about how and with what help to fix it on the surface. The main role of the mortar for ceramic tiles is the installation of a tile coating by fixing it to the floor or wall. It is not at all difficult to prepare it yourself, at home.

The first thing to do is to decide on the composition. Mortar for ceramic tiles is of two types:

• cement-adhesive mixture, made by hand. It is the most versatile and most reliable material;
• ready-made dry mixes sold in stores and markets. They are intended only for smooth, plastered surfaces made of concrete, brick, wood.

The first option is the most popular. The composition of the cement-adhesive mixture does not depend on where the tile coating will be glued, on the floor or on the walls. For its manufacture, it is desirable to use purified, coarse sand and cement. The higher the brand of cement, the better the quality of the mortar, but in any case it should not be lower than 300. If you use cement grade 300-400, then its ratio with sand will be 1:5, and if you take cement grade 500-600 - then 1:6.

In order to achieve a good adhesion of the surface with the solution, you can dilute it with PVA glue.

The sand used, if it is wet, must be dried, because. wet will not penetrate through a fine sieve when sifted.

When purchasing cement, it is imperative to check the release date. If the expiration date has expired or is close to it, then for sure he has lost half of his properties. If the purchased cement does not have a package, then its suitability can be established as follows: you need to pick it up in a handful and squeeze it, while the fresh one will come out between the fingers, and the expired one will get into a lump.

cement mortar

To make a cement-adhesive mortar for ceramic tiles, the following technology is used:

• First of all, you need to sift the sand. If this is not done, then various pebbles, fragments of shells, pieces of clay that may be in it will fall into the solution and the tile laid on it may subsequently crack;
• The sifted sand is mixed with cement in the above proportion, adding water until it resembles dough in density. After that, the solution is ready for use.
• To ensure good adhesion, PVA glue can be poured into it - 1/2 liter of glue is taken per 10 liters of solution.

An excellent replacement for the cement-adhesive mixture is a ready-made dry mix (tile adhesive) purchased at the store. It consists of cement, sand and a huge number of various chemical additives that give it properties appropriate to its purpose. Subsequently, a mortar for ceramic tiles is made from this mixture. The price depends, as a rule, on the manufacturer and on the quality of its components.

Dry mix solution

Working with such mixtures requires strict adherence to instructions. The adhesive properties of ready-made suspensions are better, moreover, they are diluted with special antifungal additives. But all this is true only if the solution is made correctly:

• during work, it is imperative to protect the respiratory tract using a respirator or gauze bandage;
• pour three liters of water 22-24 C into a clean ten-liter bucket;
• Pour the dry mixture into the water gradually, stirring constantly. The finished volume should be approximately 2/3 of a bucket;
• mix thoroughly so that no lumps remain. This can be done with a special whisk;
• to enhance adhesion, dilute the solution with PVA glue at the rate of 1/2 liter per 10 liters of composition;
• the prepared solution must be allowed to stand for ten minutes and mixed again.

Types of ready-made dry mixes (tile adhesive)

• Versatile mix. It is the most popular, used to fix small tiles. Usually it is used for interior decoration with ordinary tiles.
• Reinforced blend. Its main purpose is to fix large tiles on the floor and walls. A characteristic feature of this type of mixture is to provide good adhesion to the surface and high resistance to various kinds of loads.
• Pool mix. With its help, pools and baths are finished with mosaic tiles. This mixture is moisture resistant and includes components that prevent the appearance of mold.
• Frost resistant mix. Designed for outdoor work. With its help, plinths of buildings, stairs, terraces, etc. are covered with tiles. This mix is ​​steady against repeated freezing with the subsequent thawing.

These are the main types of ready-made dry mixes from which mortar for ceramic tiles is made. Photos of them can be viewed on the Internet on the websites of enterprises selling building materials.

How to choose a good quality dry mix

There are several criteria that you need to rely on when choosing a finished mixture:

• when buying a ready-made mixture, you should always check the expiration date and compliance with storage conditions. If they are violated, this material may partially or completely deteriorate;
• it is better not to purchase a mixture that was produced more than six months ago, because. it has the property of caking, and may later petrify;
• where and by whom the mixture was released also matters. There is a myth that says that when buying expensive materials, people overpay for the brand that is depicted on the package, but this judgment is far from the truth. Manufacturers who have been on the market for a long time, in order to stay afloat in the face of fierce competition, are constantly researching the properties and composition of mixtures, improving their products.
• When choosing the type of this material, you should not buy the same one for walls and floors. they will be loaded differently. It is better not to save and buy a reinforced mixture for the walls.

With the help of this guide, any beginner in matters of repair and construction will be able to independently prepare a mortar for ceramic tiles. See the video below for more detailed instructions.

Tip: despite the fact that the optimal composition of the ingredients has already been selected in all mixtures, there are several additional additives that will make the glue even stronger. Manufacturers do not add them, as it is not cost-effective and greatly complicates the production process. Such additional substances include PVA glue (added to the diluted mixture) and cement (above grade 50).

There are quite a lot of different companies on the dry mix market, but not all of them offer decent products. Among the time-tested and customer reviews are:

• Ceresit,
• Optirok (Vetonit),
• atlas,
• sopro,
• Bolars,
• Eunice.

The most famous of all manufacturers is without a doubt Ceresit products. This brand is part of the Henkel concern, which also produces goods under the brands Thomsit, Metylan and Moment. The main capacities are located in Ukraine, but the products fully comply with the requirements and technical standards. The range offers a lot of different compositions, which differ from each other in the composition and method of operation of the tile. There are frost-resistant mixtures for outdoor work and various compositions for porcelain stoneware, thin tiles and other types of tiles.

The Finnish corporation Optirok offers the domestic consumer a Vetonit product range. Considering the harsh Finnish weather conditions, adhesive mixtures are made with an additional margin of safety, so Vetonit adhesives are suitable for use in all regions of Russia.

Polish Atlas is also quite high quality, but it is cheaper than analogues. The company specializes specifically in adhesive mixtures, therefore it offers a lot of compositions designed for specific loads. This allows you to optimize the process of installing tiles so as to maximize its service life.

Sopro is a German company that has repeatedly been awarded in international construction competitions. Of course, the quality of its products is at the highest level, in connection with this, domestic distributors significantly overestimate the cost of goods. It makes sense to stop at the choice of this company if a large amount of work is required and a wholesale purchase is possible. Then the price will be acceptable.

Of the domestic companies, Bolars and Eunice are worthy of attention. Both companies have their own factories in Russia. Products comply with GOST. Since there are no customs clearance and delivery costs, the goods of these manufacturers are cheaper. But little experience in this industry allows us to recommend companies exclusively for interior wall tiling. Also, it should be added that the Moscow company Eunice does not yet have a wide network of distributors, therefore it is available only to residents of the Moscow region.

Before starting any repair work, it is worth deciding on the choice of materials, which will greatly simplify the process of preparing and purchasing all components. Laying tiles requires determining the type of mixture that will ensure high-quality fastening of ceramics.

To do this, it is important to know what mixtures for ceramic tiles are, then the result of the repair will delight for many years of operation.

Types of existing mixtures

On the market, manufacturers offer two types of mixtures:

1. ready to use;
2. dry mixes.

1. They differ not only in composition, but also in quality. Ready mixes are based on latex or refined petroleum products, they are convenient to use by reducing labor intensity. The composition of latex-based mastics includes purified water, it evaporates during the curing of the glue. And as an additive in mastics from petroleum products there is a solvent, which, like water, evaporates when the solution dries completely. The consumer is offered in buckets of various capacities.
2. Dry mixes for laying ceramic tiles are considered more reliable, the cement base provides reliable fastening of the coating for a long service life. Due to the high compressive strength, the adhesive mixture withstands heavy loads, which is ideal for working with surfaces inside and outside the building.

Comparative analysis of the proposed formulations

Compared with ready-made mastics, the second option has many advantages, as it differs not only in cost, but also in characteristics.

1. The price of dry mixes for ceramic tiles is lower than for adhesive mortars in buckets. When comparing the cost of the same volume of finished and prepared glue, the difference will be significant.
2. Products in bags are designed to work with various surfaces - concrete, brick and plastered with cement-sand or cement-lime mortar.
3. Dry glue is ideal for simultaneously leveling surfaces, so it is possible to work with walls of any curvature. And before applying the mastic, the surface requires careful alignment and processing.
4. Dismantling of prepared cement-based mortars is much easier to dismantle. A perforator will help with this, and the mastics will be removed from the walls with part of the base. Although people do not always think about the future dismantling of tiles when laying.

The choice of material for the intended purpose

Choose an adhesive for work depending on its purpose, the technology for the production of a mixture for ceramic tiles involves the addition of components for the possibility of use in interior and exterior work. The second type usually has a more expensive cost due to additional water-repellent components.

Defining properties of a quality product

High-quality adhesive composition has the following properties:

• moderate plasticity; for wall cladding, the mortar should not spread. Because the mixture is laid in a layer of a certain thickness, which is not possible when it spreads. Plasticity should not change when mixing a rare or thick solution;
• for flooring, the mixture should spread well, thereby filling all the voids. The absence of a tightly laid mixture under the tile is fraught with a violation of the integrity of the entire coating, as well as damage to individual tiles even under small loads;
• have good adhesion, that is, have sufficient adhesion to the material. This is relevant for working with ceramics, especially in our time, when one element has large dimensions, respectively, and weight;
• normal drying rate, while working it should be possible to correct the location of the tiles. It has been proven that with slow drying of the solution, the bond strength increases significantly, the resulting surface then has excellent performance properties.

Before choosing a mixture for ceramic tiles, you need to find out about the characteristics of the proposed options. A consultant in the store or a familiar specialist who regularly encounters this type of work will help with this.

Examples of manufacturers in the market

Many manufacturers produce products under various brands, mixtures from companies are popular on the market:

1. Ceresite;
2. Hercules;
3. Brigadier;
4. Kreps;
5. Bolars.

1. Ceresit brand offers a variety of products for construction, mainly mixtures for finishing work. This company is known in many countries, the quality of its products allows you to perform a wide range of work at the best cost. Ceresit SM 115 is a universal mixture for working with tiles. It is suitable for laying marble and glass tiles, mosaics indoors and outdoors, ideally attaches the material to any surface.
2. The Hercules company produces mixtures for wall and floor tiling, suitable for use in rooms with high humidity and outdoor work. The manufacturer gives a guarantee of the quality of the adhesive composition, the shelf life of the prepared solution is 3.5-4 hours. After the mixture has completely solidified, it has high moisture and frost resistance.
3. Foreman glue has excellent properties, good for working in various conditions. A distinctive feature is its economy, you can work with the prepared mixture for 4 hours. But after applying a layer of glue to the surface, you need to lay the tiles in 10 minutes.
4. Kreps is a little cheaper than Ceresit, but the quality is similar. They do an excellent job with the task, but the fineness of the grinding of the mixture is slightly larger than that of analogues. Due to this, the solution is less mobile, but this does not affect the work much.
5. Bolars mixes have mixed reviews, both professional craftsmen and ordinary buyers. Mixtures are produced cheaply, but the prepared mortar slides over the surface, so it is not always possible to lay tiles with high quality. For examples, you can see photos of mixtures for ceramic tiles.
Before you start laying tiles, it is important to properly prepare the solution, for this you should read the instructions from the manufacturer in advance and adhere to the process technology. And with experience, the master always gets a positive result of work, although everyone gets used to working with materials from certain manufacturers.

Tiles are the best material for bathroom cladding, where there is always high humidity and temperature. But in order for the finish to be strong and durable, you need to choose the right composition for fixing the tiles. Once it was “planted” on an ordinary solution of cement with sand, and real craftsmen added PVA glue there for strength. True, such a mixture still did not provide good adhesion, so the tile often lagged behind.

Today, kneading the solution yourself, accurately calculating the proportions, is not at all necessary - there are special compounds that ensure the reliability of the finish. They also include fractionated sand and cement, and in addition, special modified additives - thanks to their characteristics, tiles can last for years. The range of such mixtures on the market is very large, so those who are going to tile the bathroom need to know some product selection criteria.

There are several criteria to consider when choosing a tile fixing mix.

1. The basis on which the tiles will be laid: old tiles, drywall, concrete, plaster, etc. Particular attention should be paid to features such as underfloor heating and thin walls that are subject to increased vibration - in this case, you need to think carefully about the choice of glue, otherwise the tile will quickly fall off.

   Ceramic tile base - tips and tricks

2. The area of ​​​​one tile and the size of the entire surface that will need to be faced. It is better to lay a large-sized tile on glue with increased adhesive characteristics - the weight of such a tile is much greater than that of a regular tile, so it can not only fall off, but immediately “float” along the wall surface.
3. Dry or ready-mix: Most often, consumers choose dry formulations, since wet formulations are more expensive, and in addition, the latter can only be laid on a perfectly smooth surface.
4. Cement-based mixtures dry out faster, that is, it is better to work with them with some experience, as well as at moderate air temperatures.
5. If the cement mixture contains a large amount of plasticizers, it will dry out much faster.
6. Plasticizers in the composition of the adhesive are necessary if the tile will be laid on the floor, since in this case the coating must withstand sufficiently large loads.
7. If the person who will be laying the tiles is not very experienced, it is better to choose mixtures that do not dry too quickly, as the installer will need a certain amount of time to level each unit well. In this case, one-component adhesive (for example, dispersion), sold in the form of a paste, can be called the best option.
8. Two-component mixtures must be made independently, but at the same time they are considered the most reliable or durable.
9. If the question arises of using a universal adhesive or a specialized one, it is recommended to give preference to the second option. Universal adhesive can be safely used in the simplest cases, that is, when laying ordinary ceramic tiles on a flat cement or concrete base. In addition, it is better to use a separate type of adhesive for walls and a separate one for the floor - this approach not only saves money, but also increases the reliability of the finish (the floor is usually subjected to high loads, and also suffers more from moisture).

   Tile adhesive K-11 "Universal"

10. Product shelf life. Even for the sake of economy, you should not buy glue that has expired, broken packaging, or one that has been stored in improper conditions (at high or low temperatures, high humidity, etc.). Such mixtures lose their qualities, so the tile will not hold well and will eventually fall off or crack.

In addition, when buying glue for laying tiles, it is important to consider the type of mixture, since the final result, that is, the strength of the future coating, depends on this.

Types of tile adhesive

There are not so many types of adhesive mixtures for tiles (unlike brands and manufacturers): these are cement, dispersion, elastic and epoxy mixtures, however, each of them has its own characteristics and characteristics.

cement mixtures

As the name implies, these mixtures include cement. They are considered one of the cheapest on the market and are sold in the form of powders that need to be diluted with water, and sometimes other components (liquid latex, resin, etc.) are added. In the first case, the mixtures are called modified, since all the necessary ingredients are added already at the production stage.

What you need to know about the choice of cement mixtures? Packages of such products may be marked "thin-layer tile adhesive" or "thick-layer tile adhesive". The first option is suitable when the tiles are laid on a flat surface with differences of no more than 10 mm. But thick-layer mixtures are used when the walls or floor are uneven, with large gaps or cracks.

knauf tile adhesive

Dispersion mixtures

Dispersion solutions have increased adhesion, therefore they are excellent for working with complex surfaces, as well as with those that do not absorb various substances too well: drywall, painted surfaces, old tiling. But for concrete bases, it is better to choose another option. They are mixtures of acrylic with binders and artificial resins.

Such products are sold ready-made, in sealed plastic containers, and cost a little more than cement ones, but at the same time they have a number of valuable advantages:

• do not require self-preparation of the mixture, that is, they allow you to avoid mistakes when observing proportions and save time;
• work is carried out without excess dirt and dust;
• a sufficiently large "setting" interval, so that individual tiles can be well aligned.

Elastic blends

This type of adhesive mixture is the best option for laying tiles on surfaces that are completely devoid of the ability to absorb moisture, as well as on moving bases. They are often used for facing underfloor heating, as the adhesive withstands the expansion and contraction of surfaces due to high temperatures.

Epoxy mixtures

Epoxy glue is the least commonly used for laying tiles in residential areas, since, firstly, it is quite expensive, and, secondly, it requires some experience. In addition, there are some conditions that must be observed during operation: maintaining a certain temperature regime, strict adherence to proportions, etc. Most often, epoxy mixtures are used for lining saunas, swimming pools and other similar premises, as they allow laying tiles on any surface, including metal. After hardening, they become absolutely waterproof, and also resistant to acids and chemical solutions.

Ceresit CM 74. Technical information. Download file

How to choose glue for different types of tiles?

A variety of different types and colors of tiles today also exists a lot, and this is another criterion for choosing an adhesive mixture. The simplest and most affordable option is gray glue, which is suitable for porcelain stoneware and ordinary ceramic tiles.

If the bathroom is planned to be lined with glass mosaic or marble, it is recommended to choose white mixes. Contrary to popular belief, it does not have the best performance, but marble can absorb adhesive and subsequently change its color. When using white glue, the lining darkens much less, which means it will look much better.

But the composition for the mosaic should have a fairly fine grain size, since this material is laid on a thin layer of glue, and for a better appearance, this layer should be compressed even more.

The most common and high-quality (according to consumer reviews) brands of adhesive mixtures for tiles include:

• Ceresit (Ceresit);
• Knauf (Knauf);
• Kerakoll (Kerakoll);
• Sopro (Sopro);
• Litokol (Litokol).

How to calculate glue consumption?

Glue consumption is usually indicated in the instructions for a specific product, but in reality it is not so easy to calculate it. The amount of mixture that will have to be spent on laying tiles is influenced by a number of factors and conditions.

1. Glue type. All of the above adhesive mixtures and their varieties have different characteristics: some are thicker, while others are more liquid. For example, the consumption of cement-based adhesive, which is diluted with water, is from 1 to 1.9 kg per square meter.
2. Tile features. The surface of porcelain stoneware absorbs the least amount of glue, glazed tiles absorb a little more, and the facing material called cotto and handmade tiles absorb the maximum amount.
3. Surface to be tiled. The ideal surface for tiling should be absolutely even and smooth - in this case, a minimum amount of glue is needed. In addition, the surface of the base on which it is planned to lay the tiles has a different ability to absorb moisture: the higher the porosity of the material, the more it absorbs the adhesive mixture.
4. Weather. The optimum temperature at which tiles can be laid is from 18 to 25 degrees. If the room is too hot, then the moisture from the solution will evaporate too quickly, and the consumption of the mixture will increase. At sub-zero temperatures, it is not recommended to veneer surfaces at all, since the adhesive may lose its characteristics.
5. Technique of work and qualification of the stacker. The amount of glue mixture consumed is largely influenced by the laying technology, the experience of the master (a person with the appropriate skills and qualifications will use less glue than a beginner) and even the type of spatula with which the work will be performed. Skilled installers claim that the best way to lay mortar is with a V-shaped tool, followed by a U-trowel in terms of economy. But most often spatulas with square teeth are used for work, which, in turn, come in different shapes. The required size of the teeth of the tool must be selected depending on the size of the tile - accordingly, the consumption of glue in each individual case will be different.

Glue consumption

However, there is one caveat here - when using this table, you need to take into account the characteristics of the surface. If the base is uneven, it makes sense to slightly adjust the above parameters: for example, when laying tiles 30 by 30 on a surface with a lot of cracks and potholes, it is better to take a spatula with not 8, but 10 mm teeth. In addition, the tool must be held in a certain way: an angle that is as close to perpendicular as possible will allow you to create a thicker layer of glue.

There are three options for calculating the amount of glue required for wall and floor cladding, from which you should choose the best option in a particular case.

Option number 1. This solution is suitable for those who already have experience with a mixture of a particular brand. To calculate the consumption of glue, you can look at the instructions or go to the company's official page and use a special calculator: enter data on the size of the consumable, the surface area to be lined, and the type of adhesive mixture.

Option number 2. This option allows you to calculate the amount of cement-based adhesive - it is not very accurate, but will give at least some point of reference for inexperienced installers.

Initial data: weight of the ready-to-use adhesive mixture, tile dimensions, layer thickness, conditions (temperature, base surface) that are most favorable for tiling. For example, the weight of the adhesive is 1.5 kg, the size of the tiles is 30 by 30, the standard layer thickness is 4 mm. It is necessary to multiply 1.5 by 4, the result will be 6 kg - this will be the required consumption of glue per square meter. Accordingly, under other conditions and parameters, the amount of the mixture may increase or decrease.

Option number 3. It allows you to find out how much glue is needed for a particular type of tile - it is best if the material is already available. Half the thickness of one tile in millimeters must be multiplied by the average consumption of a particular brand of glue (you can find it out from the instructions or on the manufacturer's website), but the result can be very approximate.

Step by step instructions for laying tiles

Today, when it is very easy to prepare tile laying mixes, it is quite possible to lay tiles with your own hands even without experience and relevant knowledge. However, in order for the tiled surface to turn out to be even and attractive, you must clearly follow the appropriate instructions.

Stage one. Tile preparation

• the length of one row does not always coincide with the total length of the tiles (especially where there are niches, sinks, pipes, etc.), it will need to be cut - this is done using a tile cutter or glass cutter;

• after determining the required number of tiles, it is recommended to add 10-15% to them - in case any tiles are damaged, for future repairs or in case of defective products.

Before starting work, it is necessary to determine the technique for performing the work and draw up a laying scheme (especially if you plan to lay out any pattern or ornament). If you need to tile the walls, work starts from the far lower corner, but in the case of flooring, the cladding options can be different (from the middle, from the walls, from the corner).

Stage two. Foundation preparation

This is one of the key points on which the final result largely depends. Skilled craftsmen divide surfaces into simple and complex: the first type includes smooth surfaces that practically do not absorb glue, and the second type is uneven, with serious differences, as well as those made of porous materials. Accordingly, the preparation of the base for the tile depends on its type and features.

uneven surface

Laying tiles on an uneven surface is the most expensive, sometimes not only in the amount of adhesive, but also in future repairs if the work is done incorrectly. Before proceeding with the cladding, you need to inspect the base well, remove the old finish from it and clean up the problem areas - for example, if there are pieces of concrete or brick on the wall that can fall off along with the tile, it is recommended to remove it and seal the holes with putty.

As soon as it dries, the surface must be well cleaned of dirt and dust. After that, treat the surface with a primer (the choice of brand depends on the adhesive for the tiles) and make markings.

An important point: if the wall is very uneven, a thick layer of glue will have to be applied to some areas, because of which the tile may slide even before the mortar “grabs”. In this case, you should use a rail that will hold the tiles in place - it is screwed with screws in the place where the bottom row will be.

Concrete

If the concrete base is even, then laying the tiles will be a fairly simple process - you need to clean it well, put a primer, and then go directly to the cladding.

Dye

It is best to remove old paint from walls, even if it is a laborious and time-consuming process. Today, there are many solutions that allow you to get rid of the finish - just treat the wall with them, and then remove the paint with a spatula, scraper or building hair dryer. If the surface is painted, as they say, in good conscience, that is, it holds very firmly, there is an alternative option - to make notches with an ax with an interval of 2 cm.

Plaster

It is possible to lay tiles on plaster only under the following conditions: it is applied with high quality, with preliminary cleaning of surfaces and coating with a primer, laid at least two weeks before the start of work, and the height difference does not exceed 3 mm.

Old plaster that has partially crumbled or is crumbling is best cleaned off.

Drywall

The main problem with tiling drywall walls is that the sheets can warp and the tiles fall off. To prevent such a defect, it is recommended to strengthen the surface - for this, special guide strips are used, which are stuffed at intervals of 40 cm (if the drywall is too thin, the distance can be reduced).

For similar purposes, a polypropylene mesh is used, which is glued to sheets or fastened with staples, and some craftsmen use both strips and mesh for reliability. Another option is to install another layer of drywall.

Important: you need to apply a primer on a drywall wall in two layers, and each of them should be allowed to dry for 40-60 minutes.

Old tile

As with old paint and plaster, old wall tiles are best removed. This is not the most technically difficult, but laborious and noisy process, for which you will need a small hatchet with a wide blade, or a hammer with a chisel (sometimes a puncher is used). You need to beat off the tile, starting from the top row and gradually going down. Sometimes the first tile has to be completely broken, after which the work will go easier - you just need to drive the hatchet blade or chisel between the tile and the glue, and then try to separate the tiles from the wall with strong but gentle blows.

If for any reason it is impossible to dismantle the old tile, a new tile is placed on top of such a finish. In order for the lining to hold firmly and reliably, a number of conditions must be met. First of all, carefully tap each tile: if the sound is deaf, it will hold well, and if it is sonorous, it is better to dismantle it. Before starting work, treat the surface well with a special primer, and use only elastic adhesive with a high degree of adhesion to fix the tiles so that the adhesion strength is as high as possible. If you use a hard mixture, the new lining will crack over time.

Wood and plywood

Laying tiles on a wooden surface is a rather difficult, but doable task. The first option for performing work is the installation of drywall boards on top of a wooden covering, after which the surface is prepared as described above.

The second method consists of several stages: first, the tree is treated with antiseptic compounds to avoid rotting. Next, ruberoid or roofing felt is laid on it so that the base does not crack and warp, after which the walls are sheathed with wooden slats, a plaster mesh is attached to the frame, cement mortar is applied and the entire structure is plastered (the layer of plaster should not exceed 20 mm). After complete drying, you can start tiling.

Video - Screed on a wooden surface

Video - Bathroom in a wooden house

As a base for tiling walls, it is not recommended to use gas and foam concrete bases, as well as chipboard. Aerated concrete and foam concrete are too porous, loose surfaces that need to be treated with expensive waterproof compounds, and the finish will hold very poorly even when using an expensive adhesive. If there is no other alternative, prefinished plywood sheets should be laid on the base. Chipboards also require careful processing, so finishing this material with tiles is not economically feasible.

Stage three. Preparation of the adhesive mixture

The first thing to remember when preparing the glue is that the rest of the mixture will have to be thrown away, as it will harden and will not be usable. That is, in order to save money, it is necessary to correctly calculate the amount of glue that will be required for work. If powdered adhesive is used, it should be diluted with water, sometimes with the addition of other components. On average, the proportions are as follows: 25 kg of the mixture per 5.5-6 liters of water (more precisely, you can see it on the package). Mix the solution manually or mechanically, vigorously enough for at least 5 minutes, until a homogeneous creamy mass is obtained.

Applying adhesive to the wall

It is not necessary to apply the mortar to the tiles, but some types of tiles (for example, bicottura) are recommended to be moistened with water before laying. Seams 2-3 mm thick are left between the tiles - so that they are the same and even, you can use forming crosses.

If the tile needs to be cut, then this is done as follows: it must be laid on a flat surface, mark the place of the cut, draw a glass cutter or tile cutter over it, then gently hit it flat on the floor. The tile should split at the cut point.

After laying each unit, it must be pressed with your hands or with some object and remove the remnants of the mortar until it has hardened. After finishing work with five rows of tiles, you need to take an hour break so that the glue grabs well and the lower rows do not slide down under the weight of the upper rows.

Performing work, you should regularly check the evenness of laying with a level. In order for the tile to be laid as evenly as possible, it is best to initially mark the zero level and mark it using the building level. After the surface is completely lined, you need to wait until the glue hardens well (usually it takes about 24 hours).

Mistake in laying tiles - uneven seam

Stage five. Filling joints with grout

Grout for joints can also be purchased at any store and prepared as follows: pour the mixture into a bucket of water in the proportions indicated in the instructions, mix well, let it brew for 5-10 minutes and mix again. Next, fill the seams with the mixture with a rubber spatula, wait 25-30 minutes and remove the excess mortar with a sponge. Grouting plays a special role - it not only gives the surface an aesthetic appearance, but also allows you to mask laying defects.

Tile grouting and technique, steps 5-8

Facing a bathroom with ceramic tiles is not an easy and rather time-consuming task. However, with the right choice of adhesive mixture and following the step-by-step instructions for work, the tile will hold firmly and reliably, and the appearance of the room will please the eye for a long time.

Video - How to choose an adhesive for ordinary tiles, porcelain tiles, natural stone or mosaics?

Before any finishing work, it is necessary to determine with what composition the ceramic tile will be molded to the base. Therefore, it is important to know how to prepare a solution for laying tiles?

There are two options: a cement-adhesive mixture is used as a lining layer, or modern dry admixtures with modified various additives.

cement-adhesive mixture

For cladding and for laying floors, the cement mortar is prepared in the same way. We recommend mixing mortars using coarse-grained washed sand and cement of at least version 300. The ratio of cement and sand particles in the final composition is necessary: ​​1:5 with cement of version 300-400; somewhere 1:6 with cement version 500-600.

To keep the tile stronger, you can mix 1/25 of the PVA glue in the cement mortar prepared for work, the glue will improve the contact of the ceramic tile with the wall and floor, as a result. The sand needs to be dry, or it will be very difficult to sow it through a fine sieve. It is imperative to sift the sand, otherwise unnecessary particles will remain.: pieces of shells and small pebbles, pieces of clay mass. They will interfere with the installation and if our tile is tapped to fix it properly, it will simply crack.

Cement is better to take fresh. When saved, every month it loses about 5% of its active ability (quality) and in a year - about 40%, in two - up to 50%. So, when purchasing, carefully look at the date of preparation indicated on the bag. If you did not find the date on the bag or the cement is sold in bulk, you can find out its quality yourself.

How to know the quality of cement: Take a piece of cement and squeeze it firmly. If it freely wakes up through your fingers, then it is fresh, and if it takes the form of a lump, the cement is old.

Cement mortar for floor and wall cladding

The solution is made as follows. Mix one part of cement and about 3-6 parts of sand (depending on the brand of cement). Then add water, and mix the composition again until it acquires the consistency of a pasty mass. If the specifics of the cladding force you to lay ceramic tiles on a thin layer of mortar, it must be made slightly liquid. To apply a thicker layer of the solution, the impurity must be kneaded thicker. For better bonding of ceramic tiles to the wall, PVA glue can be poured into the cement mortar.

Dry mix mortar

An alternative to our cement-adhesive admixture can be modern dry mixes. Previously, tilers were forced to prepare the mortar themselves. Its composition was prepared just before the beginning of the cladding, measuring the elements "by eye".

Important: The quality of self-prepared glue is directly dependent on the professional qualities of a specialist: it turned out to control the dosage - your tile will hold tight for many decades; sprinkled a little sand or cement mortar - you will do the repair again in a year.

Special dry tile adhesive will help us defeat all these troubles of cement mortar. Approximately ten years ago, these dry construction impurities only began to appear. The main product range was offered by Western firms, but soon it was supplemented by domestic brands.

Today, on the shelves of building supermarkets, dry mixes, mainly glue for ceramics, of imported production are available in equal proportions. The buyer has plenty of choice. Dry mixes differ from each other in properties, the percentage of various additives and of course the price.

Note: the more expensive, the better, not always true.

The classic solution of cement and sand can be equated to modern dry mixes, only within the limits of environmental cleanliness.