There are many DIY improvement projects you can do at home, and retiling your bathroom is one of them. If you would like to try and save some money by doing this job yourself, make sure you have done your research and purchased all the right equipment before you get started. Otherwise, you might find yourself with uneven tiles, messy floors, and will likely have to pay for someone to come and fix it. Here are a few steps you need to think about and do in order to tile your bathroom successfully.
Remove the Old Tiles and Prepare the Wall
Put down some old sheets in your bathtub or on the floor to protect it from the tiles you’re taking off. Once all the old tiles have been removed, you must then smooth out the wall and make sure it’s clean before you can start putting any new tiles onto the surface. For this stage of the process, you will need a hammer and chisel to remove the old tiles, a sponge and clean water to clear away any dirt, and you might need to replaster parts of the wall if there is damaged or uneven plaster.
Make Precise Measurements
Your tiles must go up evenly and spread out enough to allow for grout to be put between them. Make sure you are taking precise measurements in order to achieve the best results and to avoid having to start over again from scratch. Use a spirit level to help keep your tiles in a straight line, and have a tape measure and a pencil to hand to mark your tiles and the wall as necessary.
Get a Tile Cutter
While you will have selected certain tiles to go up on your bathroom wall, some will need to be cut to fit in awkward positions such as around corners or basins. You will need a quality tile cutter to do this properly, so shop around to find the best one you can afford. It’s also worth ordering a few extra tiles to practice cutting with, or at least to have in case a problem occurs during the project. If you don’t need them at the time, at least you have spares if any get damaged in the future.
Use Waterproof Adhesive and Grout
Always double-check the adhesives and grouts you’re planning to use for your tiling project. It’s essential that your purchase waterproof versions of these items, otherwise you will have numerous problems with leaks. Double-check that the product you’re using is waterproof and not just water-resistant, as the latter won’t have the same effect. You can ask about this at stores such as Tradefix Direct, who provide a range of adhesives, or at a similar store near you. Just remember to remove any excess grout on the edge of the tiles with a damp cloth so it doesn’t set and look like a messy finish.
It will take some patience and attention to detail, but you can retile your bathroom yourself rather than relying on someone else to do it for you. If you want to try and be more hands-on with your home improvement projects, this is a good one to start with.
