When it comes to laying tile floors, you must have a stable surface on which to install the tile. If you attempt to install tile over an uneven or weak floor, such as a soft mobile home floor, the lack of support from beneath will cause the tiles to eventually crack when you walk on them. To prevent tiles from breaking after installation, you should lay an appropriate underlay over the soft floor surface before installing tile. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Install plywood underlay or backer board to the floor before attempting to install tile. While either of these types of underlay will work to create a solid surface for the tile, backer board also insulates, which can be beneficial in a mobile home. Put the plywood or backer board down in mortar and screw it to the floor every 3 to 4 inches, according to the manufacturer's directions.
2. Measure the length of the floor's surface at one edge against the wall and make a mark at the center. Move to the opposite wall and measure and mark the center again. Measure the other two sides of the floor to get the width and mark each side of the floor at the center as well. Snap a chalk line from the mark on one side of the floor to the other in both directions to make a cross through the floor's center.
3. Apply thinset mortar to the floor where the center lines meet. Lay the first tile down in the mortar so that it sits in the corner where the lines meet with its edges lined up along both the center lines.
4. Set tiles spacers along the sides of the first tile and press more tiles into the mortar on all sides of the first tile. Continue to lay tiles in that manner, spreading more mortar over the floor and adding tiles around the outside of the tiles already laid.
5. Use a tile saw to cut the tiles when you get to the outside edges of the floor where full-size tiles won't fit the space. Once cut, lay the tiles in the same manner as the full-size tiles, with tile spacers along all the sides.
Tags: backer board, first tile, install tile, along sides, center lines, down mortar
