You have all the tools and the tiles and everything is off to a great start. Before tiling, you will need to prepare the space. In this article, we will discuss what you will need to do to prepare for the tiling process.

Preparing your substrate which you are adhering the tiles to is one of the most important tasks to get right. If you don’t get the surface flat, clean and firm, the tiles could break, jut out or lift up. Below are the steps to follow to prepare your substrate:

Step one will be to remove old floor coverings such as linoleum, vinyl, carpet and any old tiles before you can lay the new tiles. A tip for removing tiles is just to rip them off using a hammer and chisel. This process can sometimes be very helpful, especially to relieve some stress. But beware, it could sometimes lead to more stress if you do not do it correctly. If your floor and walls are solid you could hire a jackhammer for a day, just to save some time.

If you want to save the old tiles, a subtler approach will be needed, by taking your time to remove each tile as carefully as possible, making sure that you do not break the tiles as you remove them. Note that this will increase your time spent on the project significantly, depending on the size of the area.

An alternative option would be to use special grout and to tile onto existing tiles, although this would depend on whether increasing the height of the floor by an additional 10mm is possible.

Step two will be to thoroughly clear the surface of excess dust, moisture, mould, oil and grease. Believe it or not, but you will actually make quite a mess when removing the original coverings from the surface. If you have a damp problem, it will be best to treat the surface with a waterproofing compound before thinking of laying any new tiles.

Step three, will be to ensure all surfaces you will be tiling are smooth and level – Check this with your spirit level. Uneven concrete floors can be made smooth and level with a layer of mortar (self-levelling screeds are also now available); and uneven walls, with a layer of plaster. This might incur extra costs, as you will probably need to hire a professional to get the plaster or mortar just right.  But if you are feeling confident, you can do this yourself – Just make sure to get the correct products and advice for the specific area you need to level out, as all surfaces aren’t created equally.

Once you have levelled your surface make sure all mortar or plaster has dried properly before moving on to the next step.

Step four will be to cover your surfaces, like countertops and fixtures, if tiling walls, with a sturdy material like old carpet or thick cardboard, as tiles and tools may drop and cause damage. It is also a good idea to tape over your cupboards with masking tape to stop dust from getting in. When tiling your floors, there is not much to cover, but as a precautionary measure, make sure to tape the base of your fixtures/skirtings a couple centimetres up from the floor, to prevent the tile adhesive from staining such.

Here are some tips on what to do if you decide to tile over existing tiled or painted surfaces:

Painted surface:
When applying tiles to a painted surface, strip the paint all the way back or simply cover it with cement sheeting before applying the new tiles.

Existing tiles:
You can tile over existing tiles if they are still solid. If applying to high gloss porcelain, you may need to grind the tiles which creates a rough surface, or paint on a bonding agent prior to the adhesive. On most other tiles, a good adhesive will work fine. But be aware that this will reduce the amount of space available in your room.

Now that you have prepared your surface for tiling, the next step is: “planning the layout.” This will be discussed in the next article which will be posted on Monday, 24 October 2016.

Should you not have the inclination, patience or experience to tile yourself, do not despair, we are proud to announce that Valuetec has added Tiling, painting, plastering and light renovation work to our service offering in Pretoria. If you require assistance with a renovation project, give us a call or email us for more information and let’s add value to your home the professional, correct and affordable way.