Once the cement boards are cut and fastened to the woooden floor beams, we must make sure the floor is level. Any in-congruency will be apparent once the ceramic tiles are laid down. Grab a bucket and a bag or mortar. Pour the mortar into the bucket along with water. Mix to a consistency of similar to peanut butter with a point trowel or a mortar mixer if you have the money to buy the tool. Let the mix sit for about 10 minutes. If you're working around a toilet flange or pipes coming up from the floor, make sure you have your ceramic tiles pre-cut to fit around the floor protrusions.
Scoop the mortar from the bucket onto the floor, starting in an area opposite of your bathroom entrance. Once you place a heap of mortar onto the cement board, use a groat float to spread the mortar evenly. Once the mortar is evenly spread, you can use a laser level or just eyeball where to place the ceramic tiles. After the ceramic tiles are placed onto the mortar like a grid, place tile spacers between each ceramic tile. Use the level to see that all the ceramic tiles are level. If one is stick up above the rest, hit the tile down with a rubber mallet. Let the ceramic tiles and mortar sit. If there is any mortar on top of the ceramic tiles, swipe away with a wet sponge.
After a day, come back the project. Remove all the tile spacers. Pour groat and water into a clean, empty bucket. Mix with a pointed trowel. Spread the mix across the ceramic tiles, making sure the spaces between each ceramic tile is filled with groat. This process must be down quickly. Take a wet sponge, and wipe off excess groat. Wipe the ceramic tiles about 3 times, until the film of groat on top of the ceramic tile is gone. The may be a ceramic tile polish or shine that can be used once the groat has set between the ceramic tiles for a day.
Materials:
Groat
Ceramic Tiles
Mortar
Water
Tools:
Sponge
Rubber Mallet
Tile Spacers
Level
Chalk Line or Laser Level
Tile Nibbler
Grout Float
Pointed Trowel
Bucket
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