How to Caulk Around Ceramic Tiles?

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Caulk is a waterproof joint filler used to finish off the edges of floor tiles installations, and help make transitions between two surfaces like a marble tile wall and a bathtub. Most caulks come in color and texture similar to the grout used with the rest of the floor tiles; when applied properly the caulk will blend right into the rest of the installation.

Wipe down the edges of the ceramic tiles with a clean cloth. Remove any dust, debris or construction materials that may prevent the caulk from forming a good seal around the tiles. If the design tiles or surrounding area is wet, allow it to dry completely.

Cut the tip of the caulk tube off at a 45 degree angle. Make this cut only as large as the grout joints that surround the polished porcelain tiles; this will provide the right amount of caulk for the space.

Insert the tip of the caulk tube into the caulking gun. Push in the plunger on the back of the caulking gun and tighten down the gun so minimal pressure will release the caulk. Start at the top right of the installation and work down and to the left.

Squeeze a thin bead of caulk in a continuous line around the wood tiles to be caulked. Try to keep the caulk in the center of the joint. Wet your index finger and use it to smooth the caulk into place in the joint. Lightly press down on the caulk and drag your finger along the edges of the floor tiles. Let the caulk dry for 24 hours before using the wall tiles space again.

How to Taking Care of Your Ceramic Tiles?

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Clean the grout regularly. Grout is used to fill the spaces between your ceramic tiles and keeping it clean is an important part of tiles maintenance. Once dirt settles into the grout, it can be difficult to clean and eventually compromise the durability of your kitchen tiles. You can use acid and ammonia free products to give your grout a good clean.

Clean off dirt and dust from the surface. Use a broomstick or vacuum to remove any type of dirt and debris that has accumulated on the surface of your tiles. Do this 2 to 3 times a week to make sure that your  small tiles remain dust free.

If you choose to vacuum your marble tiles, make sure to use a vacuum cleaner that does not have a beater bar as this can damage the surface of your wall tiles over time.

Wash your tiles once a week. You can use a gentle detergent and warm water to give your tiles an overall clean. Be careful not to oversaturate your cement tiles with water during this process and allow enough time for them to dry completely.

You can also use a cleaning product that has been approved for ceramic surfaces. This ensures that you are using a product that is safe for your tiles. Avoid using oil-based cleaners as they can often leave residues that can trap dirt and cause damage to your floor tiles.

How to Applying the Stain on Your Tiles?

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Whether you have just moved into a new house with outdated tile designs and colours, or you just want to change the ambience of a room, staining tiles is a good alternative to removing and replacing them. However, this can be a pretty big job so you need to be prepared to set aside a lot of time for the whole process to be completed. Follow these steps to successfully stain your ceramic tiles and give your home a new look.

Sand the primed home tiles lightly. For good measure, it is recommended to lightly sand the floor tiles after both coats of the primer are dry. Again this will give your tiles a nice and smooth finish, as well as help the longevity of the stain.

Coat your tiles with your chosen stain or paint colour. Apply the stain evenly on the wood tiles surface using a clean roller brush. Do the same up and down motion as when you applied the primer and also work in small sections. For the finishing strokes, work in one direction from top to bottom to smooth out the surface.

Let the stain dry for at least 6 hours before applying the next coat. You can also do some light sanding in between coats. Use an oil-based or latex stain that contains urethane resin, which is an adhesive that sticks to ceramic surfaces very well. Allow some time between 24 to 48 hours for the stain to fully dry before moving on to the last few steps.

Remove dust and dirt. Once the stain is dry, take a cloth and wipe off any accumulated dust or dirt on the surface of the garden tiles. This will allow you to closely inspect the stain and make sure that you are satisfied with the work that you have done before applying a finishing coat.

Apply polyurethane coat to your tiles. This will protect your newly stained wall tiles and prevent them from getting chipped. Apply only the recommended amount by the product manufacturer to avoid over coating. Wait at least 4 hours in between coats.

How to Stain You Floor Tiles?

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Work out how much stain or paint you will need. Measure the area that you want to cover in sections. This will give you an idea of how much you need to purchase and prevent you from buying too much or too little. Multiply the length and height of each section and divide the product by 12. The total should give you the exact amount of stain needed to cover the entire area in litres.

Use masking tape on areas that you want to avoid. Staining ceramic tiles is a very meticulous process that yields long lasting results. It is recommended that you prevent getting any stain or paint on places where you do not want it. Applying masking tape along the edges of the area that you want to stain will also help you achieve clean and crisp lines.

You can also use masking tape on grout lines if you do not want to stain them. This can be a very tedious task, but often the end result will be worth the effort. Clean the area thoroughly. This is the most important step when preparing your ceramic tiles for staining. Make sure that the area that you want to stain is free of dirt, grease and soap scum. You might have to use stronger cleaning products for more stubborn stains.

Having a clean surface before starting the staining process is important to avoid any build up of old bacteria from affecting the new stain. Use a cloth or cleaning brush to scrub the floor tiles in a circular motion. Aim to remove as much debris as possible then wait for the tiles to dry before moving on to the next step.

Scrub the tiles lightly with sand paper. Sanding the cement tiles is essential for bonding the primer and the stain. It will also improve the overall finish of the stain and ensure that the wall tiles are nice and smooth after staining. Use 180 to 200 grit sand paper and remove as much shine from the tiles as you can. Rinse off any dust particles and debris created from sanding and allow the small tiles to dry.

Use primer made for ceramic surfaces. The primer will help the stain or paint to stick better and last longer. Stir the primer before applying it on the tiles to make sure that it has not settled. Apply the primer in even coats using a roller brush, making smooth up and down strokes. Work through small sections at a time until you have covered the entire area.

Allow 2 to 4 hours for the initial coat of primer to dry before applying another coat using the same procedure. Try to find a primer that also has protective properties for your ceramic tiles. Some primers that are available on the market can protect tiles from mould and fungus.

How to Applying Grout to the Tiles?

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Remove the spacers before you apply grout. While the thinset adhesive is still slightly wet, pull the spacers out from between the floor tiles. This should be about 1.5 hours after you applied the adhesive and added the spacers. Make sure you collect all of the spacers before you start the next phase of tiling.

If you leave the spacers in the adhesive for too long, they can become stuck. Adhesive dries and sets quickly compared to grout, so you may only need to wait about an hour, depending on the brand of adhesive you used.

If your marble tiles came with spacers on them, you should still be able to pull them out of the adhesive. However, some of the spacers are permanent and meant to be left on the wall and covered with grout. Check the packaging for the polished tiles to see if you can remove them.

Mix the grout and apply it to sections of the wall. Grout fills in the space between each tile, protecting and securing them onto the wall. Choose a grout that matches your cement tiles and color scheme, and mix it according to the package directions. About 15 minutes after you remove the spacers, use a grout float to spread it over one section of the wall before moving on to the next section.

The grout will cover up the tiles completely, but don’t worry. You’ll wipe away the grout from the surface of the tiles design once it begins to dry. It’s especially important to work in sections if you’re grouting a larger wall. This will prevent the grout from drying too much before you get the chance to wipe it off.

Use a wet sponge to wipe the grout off of the wall tiles after 30 minutes. Set a timer after you finish the first section, and set another after you finish the second section. Once the timer goes off, dip a sponge in water and wring it out, then wipe it over the first section to remove most of the grout from the tiles.

After you finish the first section, wait for the second timer to go off so you can wipe the grout off of that section as well. Try to work with only 2-3 sections at a time to prevent yourself from getting confused.

Go over the tiles with a dry sponge after an hour to remove haze from the grout. Let the grout dry further after you wipe it off of the ceramic tiles. Then, take a dry sponge and rub it over the tile size surface to ensure that each tile is clean and doesn’t have any grout residue on it. If you can still see a film of residue, apply a tile cleaning solution over the tiles after letting it dry for an additional hour.

Apply a sealer to block out moisture. Follow the directions with the sealer to apply it correctly to the wood tiles wall with a brush, sponge, or sprayer. Make sure all of the tiles are coated, including corner and edge tiles. Let it dry for 6-8 hours before getting the tiles wet.

If you want to test that the sealer worked, put a drop of water on a sealed polished porcelain tiles to see if the water beads up. If it does, the sealer worked. If not, make sure the sealer isn’t expired and apply another coat. Let it dry for an additional 6 hours before retesting.

What Should We Pay Attention to Tiling Tiles?

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Add spacers in between each of the floor tiles to ensure even grout lines. As you’re hanging up the tiles, position plastic spacers in between them to make room for the grout later. The spacers fit between the marble tiles and stick into the adhesive. Some tiles have built-in spacers. Be sure to check yours before you buy spacers.

Cut your tiles with a wet saw or nippers. Gather all of the wall tiles that you marked with the wax crayon during your dry-lay, and measure the length again to ensure that it’s in the right position. Put on a pair of safety goggles and carefully align the tile with the blade of the wet saw or the shears of the nippers. Then, move the tile through the blade or close the nippers to cut the tiles.

For large tiles, you may need to rent a polished tile-cutting saw, also called a wet saw, from a local home and garden store. You can cut tiles smaller than 2 inches (5.1 cm) with nippers, which are shears that are used for cutting small pieces of glass.

Hang edge tiles by applying adhesive to the backs of the wood tiles. Take a tile for the edge of the wall and apply the adhesive to the back, as if you were putting butter on a piece of toast. Then, position the tiles where it needs to go, and add the spacers. If the tiles design has been cut, make sure you’re placing it in the right spot.

If your ceramic tiles fit perfectly in the space and you don’t need to cut any of them, you should still use this method to do the outer columns and the top and bottom rows. This prevents the adhesive from getting on other surfaces or the pre-layed tiles.

How to Hanging Tile for a Wall?

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There is nothing as beautiful as a well-designed tile wall tiles. Tile walls are normally found in bathrooms or the splash guards of kitchen cabinets, but they can be used decoratively anywhere you want to tile a wall. Although the idea of installing a tile wall on your own may be daunting, you can break down the process into parts to make it seem less overwhelming, including measuring and cleaning the walls, deciding on a pattern, hanging the tile on the walls, and applying the grout.

Apply a 1⁄8 inch (0.32 cm) layer of adhesive to the wall. Start applying the adhesive in a bottom corner, about 1 tile length away from the bottom and side of the wall, leaving space for the edge floor tiles. Scoop out a golf ball sized amount of adhesive onto a notched trowel, and spread enough adhesive in a thin layer over the wall to hang 2-3 tiles at a time.

You may need to move the trowel over the adhesive a few times to ensure that it’s thin and level. Pre-mixed adhesive tends to be less expensive and work well for wall tiling. If you purchased a powder adhesive, mix it according to the directions until it’s the consistency of peanut butter.

Use the trowel to add grooves to the adhesive. Hold the trowel at about a 45-degree angle from the wall. Move the trowel horizontally across the wall to make the grooves, applying consistent pressure as you spread. This will create the necessary ridges in the adhesive to allow for the tile design to stick to the wall.

Check the packaging of the adhesive to make sure you’re using the right sized notches for the ceramic tiles to stick to the adhesive. Most trowels will have 2 sets of notches that are different sizes.

Hang the first marble tiles and continue the row with more adhesive and  tiles. Carefully line up your first tiles, and press it into the adhesive, wiggling it slightly to create suction before positioning it in its spot. Then, continue adding tiles in rows or columns following your pattern. Once you’ve covered most of the adhesive on the wall, apply more and continue hanging tiles in your pattern.

Remember to work in small sections at a time, only applying the adhesive where you’re tiling. You may need to wipe off adhesive that oozes out from between the polished tiles with a damp cloth.

Deciding on a Pattern Before Tile a Wall

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If you’re working on a very large wall, you may need to replace the water after a few passes of the sponge to ensure that the water is clean and the sponge is picking up the dust.

Roll waterproofing sealer over the walls if you’re tiling in a bathroom. Pick out a few rolls of waterproofing sealer to cover the areas where you’ll be hanging wall tiles. Roll it out over the walls, and use waterproof adhesive to attach it to the walls. Make sure all of the area where you’re hanging the  tile is covered, and wait 2-3 hours for the adhesive to dry. The sealer prevents the water from seeping into the grout and the wall boards, which can cause rotting.

Pick a checkerboard pattern if you want a classic look. This pattern involves rows of  black and white tiles lined up like a checkerboard. Every-other floor tile is the same color, but the rows and columns are aligned in straight lines. You can pick any two colors to achieve this pattern, so don’t be afraid to get creative. This is one of the easiest patterns to create, but it can look busy if the room is already full of designs and colors.

Use a running board pattern for a less traditional look. Create an imaginary vertical line in the center of the pattern and organize the other floor tiles on this line. Place tiles of the same color along the line in each row so that the vertical line is going between two tiles, or it goes through the center of one tile. Overall, the appearance is that each tile is offset slightly but creates a staggered line. This is the pattern used for laying bricks and the popular “subway tile” pattern.

Use a stacked pattern to protect the walls from moisture. This is an extremely simple design that makes hanging the  tile and applying grout extremely simple. Just align rectangular tiles so that they form straight lines vertically and horizontally in the space. This pattern can have a stunning effect when done in large scales because it looks so natural and clean. If you’re using small tiles with one color, this is a great choice for making a bold statement.

Do a dry-lay of your pattern to see which tiles will need trimmed. Lay out the tiles on the ground in your desired pattern with grout spacers in between them, and then measure the width of the wall. Compare the width to the width of the marble mosaics tiles,and then mark which ones will need to be trimmed with a wax crayon. Consider shifting your pattern slightly if you need to trim any of the pieces to be smaller than 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide. It will likely be too difficult to cut these accurately with a wet saw or nippers.

What Should We Do Before Tile a Wall?

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Measure the width and height of the wall to find out how many marble tiles you need. Use measuring tape to take precise measurements of the area of wall you’ll be tiling. To find the area of your wall, multiple the length times the width, and then divide this number by the area of 1 box of the tiles you are using in order to determine how many to purchase. When you’re purchasing the floor tile, buy an extra package of tiles in case some get damaged while you’re hanging them.

For instance, if the wall is 10 by 12 feet (3.0 by 3.7 m), it is 120 square feet (11 m2). Then, if each box of tiles has 10 square feet (0.93 m2) of tiles, divide 120 by 10 to find that you need 12 boxes to cover the wall exactly. Then, you should add an additional box to account for potentially damaged wall tiles. Since the grout doesn’t take up much space between the tiles, and your small tiles likely won’t fit in the space perfectly, you don’t need to account for it in your calculations.

Use a chisel and hammer if you need to remove existing polished tiles. Put on a pair of safety goggles before you start removing the tiles. Then, place the chisel at a 45 degree angle between the tiles and hit the end of the chisel with the hammer to separate the tiles from the wall. Use the chisel to scrape between the tiles and the wall until they’ve all been removed.

It’s easiest to start removing cement tiles from a corner or from the top of the wall so you can place the chisel directly on the grout, which tends to be weaker than the tiles. Be careful while you’re removing the ceramic tiles. It’s easy to accidentally make a crack or hole in the drywall if you’re not holding the chisel at a 45 degree angle while you work.

Fill any cracks or holes in the wall with spackle. Once you’ve exposed the drywall underneath any existing common marble tiles, you’ll be able to see any problem areas. Use a scraper to apply the spackle and let it dry according to the package directions, which is normally about 4-6 hours.

For cracks and holes larger than 4–5 inches (10–13 cm), you may need to patch them with drywall. If you’ve never hung drywall, ask a professional for a quote to see how much it will cost to fix that area. If the wall doesn’t have tiles, it is probably painted or wallpapered. You can use the same method for repairing the drywall without removing the paint or wallpaper.

Sand the walls with coarse sandpaper to smooth any bumps. If you had to remove pre-existing tiles design or fix holes and cracks, there are likely bumps in the wall. You can tiles over it, but it needs to be smooth to prevent your new tiles from laying crooked. Look for 100-grit or 80-grit sandpaper, and wear a mask to protect your lungs from the particles in the air. If you’re sanding a large area, it might be easier to use an electric sander.

Wipe down the walls with a damp sponge to clear the drywall dust. Drip a sponge into a bucket of clean water. Then, starting at the top of the wall, drag the sponge all the way down the wall to clear off the dust. Rinse the sponge in the bucket and continue wiping until you’ve rinsed the entire wall. Wait at least an hour for the wall to dry completely.

How to Using a Wet Saw for Straight and Corner Cut a Ceramic Tiles?

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Measure and mark your marblre tiles where you want to cut them. Use a measuring square to determine how much you need to cut off and make a strong mark with a pencil or where you would like to cut so the water doesn’t erase the mark. Then make the marks in any direction you’d like, such as horizontal, vertical, or even diagonal. This method is suitable for bigger jobs that involve a great amount of wall tiles. You can also use wet saws to cut tile trimmings with a bullnose or quarter-round shape.

Set up the wet saw according to the saw’s instructions. Each wet saw will be a little different, so be sure to follow the instructions closely. In most cases, you will need to fill the tub with water and turn the saw on. Make sure the water level doesn’t get too low, and be sure to replace it when it gets dirty so the saw operates properly.

Cut the floor tile according to the saw’s instructions. Each saw will be a little different, so read the instructions carefully. For the cleanest cut, avoid pushing or forcing the tiles into the saw. Instead, gently guide the ceramic tiles towards the saw, and let the saw do the cutting for you. Make sure that the water is covering the blade when cutting.


Smooth down any roughness with a wood tile. Even if you took extra steps to ensure the cleanest of cuts, there may be some roughness on the cut edges. If this happened to you, simply rub the cut edge of the tiles across a brick or a piece of concrete a few times. Avoid using a brick or piece of concrete with jagged edges, as this could break the tile design.