How to Apply Ceramic Tiles to Concrete

Co-authored by Ryaan Tuttle

Last Updated: April 21, 2021 Approved

Installing ceramic tiles over concrete can help to create a more inviting indoor or outdoor living space.

Steps

1
Prepare the concrete. Using an acid based cleaner or deep cleaner of your choice, clean the concrete and allow it to dry thoroughly. Examine the floor and see if there are any cracks or pits that need to be fixed and use the proper concrete repair kit to repair them.^{[1]
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- A muriatic or other acid-based cleaner is usually the best way to completely clean the concrete prior to installing tile.
2
Seal and level the concrete. Once your repairs have dried, take the time to seal the concrete. Once the sealer has dried, apply the concrete patch or leveler and make sure that you have a flat surface with no defects. The floor must be level or your tiles and grout will form cracks.^{[2]
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- Cleaning the concrete should be done before adding a floor leveling compound. A sodium silicate or lithium silicate based sealer will help to waterproof and strengthen the concrete. Because silicates work below the surface, they won’t interfere with adhesion.
Before installing the tile it is a good idea to lay out your design. Pre-plan which and how many pieces of tile have to be cut and where the cut tile will be placed. Chalk lines will become very helpful so make sure you mark the floor.^{[3]
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4
Mix the mortar. After you have decided where you want to begin, follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer and begin to mix the mortar. Don’t mix too much in advance, as it will begin to set up on you before you can use it. Using your grooved trowel, begin spreading the mortar over a small area. Never spread out more than what you can cover with three or four tiles at a time.^{[4]
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- Different kinds of tile require different types of mortar. Ask the sales representative who sells you the tile to help you choose the right one.
- A grooved trowel will be necessary to spread the mortar. They are available with different sized grooves, so be sure to read the package directions on the mortar to ensure that you buy the right size.
Lay the tiles into the mortar and using the spacers, make sure you are running even with the chalk line. As you move on to the subsequent rows, use the spacers to keep your pattern square. Once a tile is set, try to avoid touching it again.^{[5]
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Wash the tiles off with a damp rag as you go to prevent clumps of mortar from drying on the surface. As you get to the end of the room, make sure your cut pieces fit properly, and then leave the mortar to dry for the manufacturer’s specified length of time.
7
Apply grout. Mix the grout as specified on the package and begin liberally spreading it over the tile using the grout float. Use the float to make sure that there are no low spots, and then use a damp rag to wipe any excess grout from the face of the tile. Don’t worry at this point if the tile appears a little cloudy. Once the grout has had time to set up, repeat the process, again using the float to squeegee and extra grout off of the face of the tile.^{[6]
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- Aside from being available in many different colors, grout comes in two varieties: sanded and un-sanded. The sanded variety is used when the gaps between your tiles is bigger than 1/8″. The sand gives the grout additional strength. Anything 1/8″ or smaller will be just fine using un-sanded grout. You will most likely find that you want to use the un-sanded grout in the smaller gaps because it finishes much smoother. Working sanded grout into a small gap can be frustrating.
- One word of warning: if you are using marble tile on your floor, never use sanded grout! Make sure you install it with 1/8″ or smaller gap because you must use un-sanded grout with marble. The sanded grout will scratch the surface of the marble tile and it is not repairable.
8
Clean up. Once the grout is completely dry, take a wet rag and wash the surface of the entire floor. As the floor dries, you will probably notice a haze forming over the tile. Allow it to dry completely again, and then go back over it with a slightly damp rag – this should polish the haze right off.
- A grout float can be used to work the grout into the gaps between the tiles.
Once you have polished the remaining grout and mortar residue off of the floor and you are confident that the grout has fully cured, use the grout sealer to prevent stains and mildew from taking hold in the future.^{[7]
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How could you whiten dirty grout?

Ryaan Tuttle
Home Improvement Specialist
Ryaan Tuttle is a Home Improvement Specialist and the CEO of Best Handyman, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. With over 17 years of experience, he specializes in building home service businesses, focusing on creating scalable and efficient brands. With the help of his global team, the companies have achieved over 10+ million in sales and received recognition through magazine features, and enjoy partnerships with wikiHow and Jobber field service software. Boston Magazine and LocalBest.com have named Best Handyman Boston the Best Handyman in Boston. Ryaan holds Construction Supervisor and Home Improvement Contractor Licenses.

Ryaan Tuttle

Home Improvement Specialist

Expert Answer

They make these cool grout pens. It's like a paint marker that's designed to paint the grout lines. Instead of re-grouting an entire floor, you can buy a white grout pen, and go over all the grout lines. One tip is depending on what type of tile you're going to do, you may want to use some painter's tape or blue masking tape and tape off the grout lines.

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How can you remove grout?

Ryaan Tuttle
Home Improvement Specialist
Ryaan Tuttle is a Home Improvement Specialist and the CEO of Best Handyman, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. With over 17 years of experience, he specializes in building home service businesses, focusing on creating scalable and efficient brands. With the help of his global team, the companies have achieved over 10+ million in sales and received recognition through magazine features, and enjoy partnerships with wikiHow and Jobber field service software. Boston Magazine and LocalBest.com have named Best Handyman Boston the Best Handyman in Boston. Ryaan holds Construction Supervisor and Home Improvement Contractor Licenses.

Ryaan Tuttle

Home Improvement Specialist

Expert Answer

You can use a Dremel tool. It's an awesome tool for grout removal. They have a special grout bit attachment.

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How do I maintain tile height when installing with a trowel?

Community Answer

If I understand the question correctly, you are concerned with low or high spots from the application of your thin-set. By using a notched trowel to apply thin-set, you will be applying the same depth of thin-set across the floor. The notches spread the mixture to the same level with each spread so high/low spots cannot occur. Pay attention to the depth/size of the notches when purchasing your trowel.

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Tips

Choose the type and style you want to go with. Make sure you add 15% to your square footage measurements when ordering to compensate for mistakes and for cut pieces.

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