4 Steps for Retiling your Home Shower Floor
Posted on: 21 March 2016
Ceramic tiles are vulnerable to mould and mildew. This may result to staining of your tile shower making them look worn and unattractive. In addition to this, allowing the growth of mould in your bathroom due to poor tiling is unhealthy and may cause diseases. Worn out shower floors may also lead to seeping of water through the tiles and development of cracks. To avoid such complications, you must ensure that old tile bathroom floors are removed, well cleaned, repaired if possible, and replaced to serve effectively. The job is not quick and easy like painting; however, with patience and some professional guidelines, you will be able to complete it. Here are some guidelines to get you started.
Removing Old and Worn Out Tiles
Using a putty knife, start by pilling off the grout that holds the tiles tight together. This allows you to remove your old bathroom tiles without breaking them so that they could be used elsewhere. When done, gently dislodge the ceramic tiles off by inserting your putty knife deep enough beneath the tiles. You can tap the handle of the knife using a small hammer to apply some force on the tiles. It becomes easy to remove the rest of the tiles once the first one has been removed.
Levelling and Smoothing of the Shower Floor
After removing the old tiles, examine the floor to remove pieces of tile adhesives that remain. You can apply a paint remover and scrub off the adhesives. Clean the floor thoroughly and let it dry. The floor should be smooth, well level and free from any loose materials to allow proper connection with incoming tiles. In addition, you might check the condition of your existing water barrier system. If need be repair or replace it before carrying on.
Application of Thinset Mortar
New tiles come with clear manufacturer's instructions on how to mix the thinset mortar. Make use of this to evenly coat it to the area you have to install new tiles. The thinset mortar should not be applied to the entire area all at once to keep it from setting. Tiles work best with thinset mortar that is coarsely applied compared to one that is flat. Therefore, you might think of using an old comb to comb once it is applied.
Installing the Tiles
Gently place your first row of tiles on the combed thinset mortar and tap on top using a small hammer. You can also use a flat board placed on top of the tiles to ensure evenly placed tiles. Allow the thinset mortar to fully dry then apply grout in between the tile spaces based on manufacturer's instructions. Finally, use a wet sponge to remove excess grout.
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