How to Lay Tile on Wood Subfloor
- 1). Evaluate the wood subfloor. A solid base provides you with a key component of a successful tile floor installation. Test the wood flooring for firmness by jumping up and down. Check for flexion, which can cause the tile floor to crack and come loose in the future.
- 2). Prep the subfloor. Remove fixtures such as a toilet or pedestal sink and the wood base from the cabinets. To remember where the base trim goes, make a rough drawing of the room, and number the pieces. The subfloor surface must be clean and free of dust, oil and debris or you will not get a good bond with the adhesive.
- 3). Plan the tile layout. You will find that your room dimensions do not allow enough space to fit your tile perfectly to the edges. You will likely have to cut the tiles in last row near the wall to fit. To avoid an uneven fit, take your measuring tape and calculate the center point of the room; use your chalk line to mark a line on the subfloor. Pull the line out of the chalk container, and have a helper kneel at one end of the room and hold the string tight to the floor. Go to the other side of the room and line up the chalk string to your measured marks. Holding it tight to the floor, lift up the string and let it snap to the floor. This will provide you with a visible line to lay your tile by. Start laying out your tile without adhesive from the center of the room toward the wall. If your last tile measures less than 2 inches, adjust your center line to allow for a wider-edged tile. Use plastic grout spacers between each tile. Continue to lay tile until you reach the last, narrow row. You will cut the tiles for this final row.
- 4). Cut your tile. You can use a snap cutter tool (which you can find at a hardware store) or rent a wet-cutting saw to cut tile pieces straight. If you run into a situation where you need to notch out a piece of tile to go around an obstacle, try using a nibbling tool to make the cut-out.
- 5). Mix in a bucket a batch of thinset mortar, following the instructions. Apply the adhesive mixture directly to the wood floor with the straight side of the trowel first. Flip the trowel over to the saw-toothed edged side and spread the mortar evenly. Work in small areas.
- 6). To set the tile, begin on your center line, applying tiles firmly into the thinset. Try to avoid sliding the tiles too much once you have placed them. Take a straightedge and periodically confirm that tiles you placed are straight in relation to one another. Place plastic grout spacers as you move along to keep the grout width even. Let the mortar harden for eight to 24 hours.
- 7). Mix a small batch of sanded grout per the manufacturer's instructions. Most grout will set up within an hour, so mix up only enough for that period of time. Pour it on the tile and spread it with a laminated grout float. Use a squeegee to remove the excess grout.
Let the grout set for about 30 minutes. Use a bucket of water and large sponge to carefully wipe over the grouted tile. Rinse and squeeze out the sponge, and wipe the tile and grout continuously until just a haze remains on the tile. Cover the tiled area with paper to allow it to dry slowly. Let the area dry for at least three days. After grout has set, use a dry cloth to polish off the leftover haze.
Unless you have uses an epoxy-based grout, apply a grout sealant to help keep the voids of the grout from absorbing mold, mildew and dirt. - 8). Put the room back together. After the grout has cured for 24 hours, reinstall the room's fixtures and wood base.