Cement consistency when tiling?

**Jesus Jones** · 13-01-2012, 08:36 AM

Over the weekend i'll be tiling the living room floor which is quite a large area. I have done two small areas already at home with small tiles however this job will be with 60cm tiles, 200 approx.

I would like to know the following:

When i apply cement to the floor, should i lay enough to lay 3 tiles at one time, is their an ideal?

When i lay the cement should i let it stand a moment before applying the tile?

One error i made last time was making the cement a little too sloppy which was a bastard to clean when it squeezed through the grouting gaps. What kind of consistency am i looking for?

Any tips much appreciated.

Thanks

**ralphlsasser** · 13-01-2012, 10:08 AM

It's fine to lay enough to lay 3 tiles at a time. Mix your cement kind of stiff, a little less than clay, so it doesn't squash out to the joint, but if a little does, it's okay. You'll have to tamp it down with a rubber hammer and it may seem too stiff, but it'll be fine and you won't have a mess to clean up. The grout will be to fill the joint. Just make sure your lines are square to start with. Good luck.

**expattaffy** · 13-01-2012, 10:34 AM

Why the hell are you bothering to do it yourself. Thai labour is very cheap and I can assure you there are some real experts here in THailnd. You should see this local guy we have, the floors are perfect,he don't use a spirit level he just uses a thin plastic tube,water level to mark the walls all around andnworksmfrom that. What he does is just use a small bucket to mix a small amount of cement and just applies it to one tile at a time. His work is faultless, and all for 200 baht a day.

**DrAndy** · 13-01-2012, 10:51 AM

agreed, except mine charges B80 a sq m

**Loy Toy** · 13-01-2012, 11:33 AM

I use a special tile cement supplied by Weber which is already mixed, easy to prepare and lasts for hours after being mixed. There are clear written user directions on the bag.

1. Make sure your floor is completely clean of dust and other debris.

2. Soak the tiles in a large water container for at least 30 minutes.

3. Calculate the best first line of tiles along the longest length of your room so you limit your tile cutting around doors and walls. Drive a nail into the cement base at each end of your first tile run, attach a string line working out your correct tile height the entire length of your first tile course run.

4. I always lay one tile at a time. This may seem laborious but you have a better chance of achieving level flat tiles especially the larger tiles.

5. I always mix the cement so your trowel stands up rigid in the cement mix.

6. Buy yourself a decent rubber hammer for tapping the tiles down to the correct level.

7. Don't forget to use those plastic moulded tile spaces that fit on the tile corners to make sure you maintain even tile gaps and I always spray a little water on the floor before laying the cement.

Good luck.

**boloa** · 13-01-2012, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I use a special tile cement supplied by Weber

I used this product to re-tile my bathroom floor,I tiled on top of the old ones and they stuck like shit to a blanket ...Highly recommended

**DrAndy** · 13-01-2012, 12:15 PM

I will be using the tile cement that hardly needs any, more like a glue

if you have good flat floors, all you do is spread it on the floor thinly, then run a toothed comb across it to remove lots, leaving small parallel ridges of the adhesive; plonk the tile on and put into place

this is normal in the UK but not here yet

**nigelandjan** · 13-01-2012, 12:23 PM

Go with LT's sound advice looks good to me.

Don't know if you can get it there but I used ready mixed quick set cement when I did my kitchen floor last xmas , marked up found the centre of my floor and layer the first tile there , spread about enough cement for around 4 tiles at a time .

Tip don't skimp on cheap grout , you only wanna be grouting the one time its a poxy job . I laid black tiles with black grout and it came up a treat.

**DrAndy** · 13-01-2012, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

I laid black tiles with black grout

nice, spot the cracks

**dirtydog** · 13-01-2012, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by DrAndy

if you have good flat floors, all you do is spread it on the floor thinly, then run a toothed comb across it to remove lots, leaving small parallel ridges of the adhesive; plonk the tile on and put into place this is normal in the UK but not here yet __________________

Thats because in the UK you start with a level floor.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

2. Soak the tiles in a large water container for at least 30 minutes.

Only wall tiles generally need to be soaked.

Originally Posted by Jesus Jones

When i apply cement to the floor, should i lay enough to lay 3 tiles at one time, is their an ideal?

1 at a time.

**DrAndy** · 13-01-2012, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Thats because in the UK you start with a level floor.

true, they tend to put a screed on top of the Thai type floor

Originally Posted by dirtydog

1 at a time.

yes, you don't have enough hands, unless of course you meant the amount of cement to lay

sabaii sabaii · 13-01-2012, 02:55 PM

Go with Taffys advice you cheap bastard.

You knOw you have to start tiling from the middle of the room, right ?

**DrAndy** · 13-01-2012, 03:01 PM

no, start at the door and work your way in

sabaii sabaii · 13-01-2012, 03:03 PM

If you wanna be even more thrifty Jesus, you can use matchsticks instead of the plastic spacers lt is telling you about

If you wanna be tighter still, don't bother tiling at all, get 2 tiles and tie them to your feet, it works with carpet too

sabaii sabaii · 13-01-2012, 03:14 PM

^^ haha. You are joking right

I had a friend who did a tiling course Jesus. He wanted 200 quid a room in the uk, to fit.

Go look in a good tiled area you will see all the edges have partly cut tiles, and are the same size, due to being well measured from the centre of the room before hand

Sorry for the piss taking Jesus, good luck with it, take some pics for us

**dirtydog** · 13-01-2012, 03:28 PM

If the living room is the only one being tiled then start from the door, if the whole ground floor is being tiled start from the center of the main room.

sabaii sabaii · 13-01-2012, 03:52 PM

If u start from the door, you will walk all Over the tiles

**boloa** · 13-01-2012, 06:55 PM

This is how not to do it though

Google is your friend

How to Tile a Floor : How-To : DIY Network

**OhOh** · 13-01-2012, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

1. Make sure your floor is completely clean of dust and other debris.

2. Soak the tiles in a large water container for at least 30 minutes.

Would you not recommend wetting the concrete floor as well?

**Jesus Jones** · 13-01-2012, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by expattaffy

Why the hell are you bothering to do it yourself. Thai labour is very cheap and I can assure you there are some real experts here in THailnd. You should see this local guy we have, the floors are perfect,he don't use a spirit level he just uses a thin plastic tube,water level to mark the walls all around andnworksmfrom that. What he does is just use a small bucket to mix a small amount of cement and just applies it to one tile at a time. His work is faultless, and all for 200 baht a day.

Because two companies, one being Buntawon center let us down on the day they were supposed to start. Money isn't the issue, getting the job done is.

**Jesus Jones** · 13-01-2012, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by DrAndy

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Thats because in the UK you start with a level floor.

true, they tend to put a screed on top of the Thai type floor

Originally Posted by dirtydog

1 at a time.

yes, you don't have enough hands, unless of course you meant the amount of cement to lay

Yes, i meant enough cement to lay 3 tiles, one at a time.

Thanks for tips.

Re: Soaking, i also heard not to soak floor tiles as DD said.

**Jesus Jones** · 13-01-2012, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

Go with Taffys advice you cheap bastard.

You knOw you have to start tiling from the middle of the room, right ?

The room is shaped like a cross. So in this case i think it is best to start from the edge center. The living room and kitchen are open plan. I'm tiling from the living room edge to the kitchen end where cabinets will be built over the tiles anyway.

Thanks though.

sabaii sabaii · 13-01-2012, 09:40 PM

Good Luck bud, it's always satisfying doing it yourself,

I wonder if youre like me, and get the missus, neighbours, paperboy, and anyone who comes to the door, or listens, to come look

**nigelandjan** · 14-01-2012, 12:49 AM

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

it's always satisfying doing it yourself,

I'm gonna explain to your dear wife when I meet her MOST Englishmen don't behave like this after the age of 14

sabaii sabaii · 14-01-2012, 01:04 AM

^Please don't, she caught me the other night...... Oh the shame

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