Tiling the walls of bathrooms, restrooms, and kitchens with ceramic tiles is considered a classic and effective method of interior finishing. Ceramic is not afraid of moisture, requires no special maintenance, and is quite durable. Tiles do not conduct electricity because they are an insulating material, and they do not emit any harmful substances, which makes them an environmentally friendly finishing material. If you want to have high-quality tiling work done in your apartment and are still looking for an experienced specialist, we recommend contacting the specialists on the Varpet platform, who will inspect the area, provide consultation, and carry out the tiling work.
Despite the fact that tiles are a fairly “old” method of wall finishing, they are still in demand thanks to a number of their characteristics and are even indispensable for certain areas of apartments and other spaces. The technology of covering walls with ceramic tiles or their modern analogue, porcelain stoneware, has remained almost unchanged for many decades. Only the adhesives used for tiling have changed; the rest is a technique that has been tested over the years.
Types of Ceramic Tiles
Ceramic tiles are made from natural components, the main ones being clay and sand. The components are mixed, pressed several times, and fired at a high temperature. By adding pigments and applying glazes, patterns, and reliefs to the tiles, they are given their final decorative appearance. Depending on the type of coating the tile has, it is divided into two types.
How to Choose Tiles
Tiles must meet certain criteria. There are several basic selection rules that are quite simple to follow but are also essential. If you start the tiling work with these rules in mind, the result will be better than you might expect.
For small areas of the home, choose light-colored tiles. They will visually make the space appear larger.
Keep in mind that wall tiles should be thinner than floor tiles and also much lighter.
Pay attention to the quality of the tiles and the manufacturer: inexpensive tiles may have different dimensions, which can complicate installation.
Always compare the color shades of tiles from different boxes. In some cases, they may look different, which will prevent you from achieving a uniform finish.
Use the adhesive recommended by the tile manufacturer.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Ceramic Tiles
To understand whether or not you should tile the walls, you need to consider the characteristics of this type of covering.
The technology used to create ceramic tiles makes the material extremely hard and dense, which greatly affects the wear resistance, durability, and service life of the covering.
The raw materials used in ceramics are environmentally friendly and do not harm the environment or human health.
This type of covering does not burn and is considered fire-resistant.
Tiles are not damaged by almost any chemical compounds and are resistant to abrasive cleaning products. This means that you can use almost any cleaning product to wash them. The smooth, water-repellent surface of the tile makes maintenance even easier.
Ceramic does not conduct electricity, which is an important characteristic of a material used for interior finishing.
The material is available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. The diversity of the range allows you to choose ceramic tiles for any design and style. The cost of wall tiling with ceramic tiles also varies greatly, meaning that everyone can find material within their budget.
The dense and hard surface of ceramic makes it resistant to physical stress and mechanical damage. The material can generally only be broken into pieces by a strong impact, for example, by dropping something heavy on it.
This type of covering can be used for renovating any area, including spaces with high humidity.
With the help of tiles, you can easily conceal minor imperfections on wall surfaces.
Ceramic tiles are suitable for both interior and exterior finishing.
Let us also mention the disadvantages of this type of covering.
Tiled floors and walls always feel cold to the touch, and while this is not a significant disadvantage for walls, the floor in the tiled areas of a home should definitely be covered with rugs.
Another disadvantage is the fragility of the material. To prevent ceramic tiles from breaking, they must be transported carefully. However, once attached to the wall, the covering becomes very durable, and in this case, it is quite difficult to damage.
A minor but still significant disadvantage of ceramic covering is its low sound insulation. When tiling a floor, it is better to install a soundproofing layer on the concrete screed beforehand.
How to Prepare the Walls
Walls should be tiled with ceramic tiles on a leveled and plastered base. For interior wall finishing, it is better to give preference to glazed tiles, as they are decorative and more durable. Before starting the work, you should calculate the approximate cost of the work. The required number of tiles can be calculated as follows: first, measure the total surface area, then divide the resulting figure by the size of one tile. The cost of the tiles should be supplemented by the price of the necessary tools, equipment, and consumable materials. The walls are prepared as follows:
The first step is to disconnect the electrical wiring and seal all sockets, junction boxes, and fittings in the walls.
Painted walls are cleaned and uneven areas are removed. If the surface is painted with an oil-based material, horizontal and vertical cuts are made on it.
The strength of the plastered surface is checked. Cracks, holes, and uneven areas are removed and plastered again.
A concrete or brick wall is plastered beforehand. You can simplify the work by simply leveling the surface, repairing defects, making notches, and covering the surface with a cement mixture. To do this, remember to wet the wall with water beforehand, then apply the solution by spraying and leave it to dry.
How to Cut Tiles
During the work, you may sometimes need not whole tiles but certain pieces of them. To cut a tile, you need to:
Mark the line on the reverse side along which the section should be divided.
Place a ruler along this line. Run a glass cutter along the ruler, applying firm pressure to the tile.
Bend the tile and tap it lightly.
Turn the tile face-up, place the cut section on the edge of the table, and strike the tile to divide it into two pieces.
Technology for Tiling Walls with Ceramic Tiles
Once the floor is ready and it is possible to walk on the tiles, it is time to start tiling the walls. It is recommended to begin with the wall opposite the entrance to the room.
Ceramic tiles can be installed in several ways.
Edge-to-edge: With this tiling method, the tiles form rows in horizontal and vertical directions. The tile lines should be even. Tiles can be installed in both horizontal and vertical rows.
Staggered: In this case, each tile in the upper row is positioned so that its middle lies over the joint between the tiles in the lower row. Tiles can only be installed in horizontal rows. In this case, laying the tiles is much easier, and slight deviations from the vertical are not as noticeable as with the “edge-to-edge” method.
Diagonally: This is the most time-consuming installation method and is usually used when covering large areas. The joints between the tiles form vertical lines. The joint lines relative to the floor or walls should be at a 45-degree angle.
Wall Tiling
Let us examine tiling with a cement mixture.
First, guide beacons are installed on the wall, taking into account the thickness of the mortar, which is 10–15 mm. The distance between the beacons should be approximately 60 cm.
Along the edges of the walls, bars measuring 2 m in length and 4 × 4 cm in cross-section are secured. A horizontal string is then attached to these bars to mark the position of the tiling.
Tiles can be laid either from bottom to top or in the opposite direction. Before starting the work, the tiles are immersed in water for several hours, and immediately before installation, each section is thoroughly moistened again.
Immediately before installation, a small amount of mortar is applied to each tile, and the tile is pressed against the wall while slightly rotating it in different directions. When securing the tile, make sure that its edge touches the stretched string.
To create even joints, special plastic crosses are placed in the spaces between the tiles. Once the tiling is complete and the mortar has hardened properly, the crosses are removed, and the joints are filled with decorative grout.
At the end of the work, the tiles are cleaned of excess plaster and thoroughly washed.
