If you have ever wondered as to how you ought to prepare a wall before you tile it, you are in the right place. The first thing to understand is that hiring a tile installer in NY, the professional will help you thru every step of the installation procedure. He will describe the tasks that must be performed as well as the specifications of the wall’s surface. Discover the basic precise steps you should take to prepare your home various surfaces for tiling. This will equip you with the proper knowledge you need to properly prepare your walls. You will also be much less likely to make some of the most common mistakes that occur during this process.
First of all, you have to realize that there are a lot of basic steps you will need to take before you can start tiling your wall. These include:
- Making sure to get rid of any stuff you may have on your walls like photo hooks, screws etc
- You will have to get rid off all loose plaster
- Make sure that you get rid of older wallpapers
- Make sure that any large cracks or holes in the wall has been properly filled
- Make sure that wall is level and if you need to, sand it
- Get rid of all the dirt on the wall and make sure to wipe it clean
How to make sure that the wall is level
The easiest way to do this is to use a piece of timber that is long and flat in order to see if there are any bumps on the wall. If you have any bumps that are longer or thicker than 5mm, you will need to make sure that it is sanded in order to make sure that the adhesive will stick properly.
Understanding the surface
When it comes to tiling, there is no such thing as one size that will fit all. When you are tiling, you have to really take a look at what type of surface you are laying the tiles on. It is just common sense that different types of surfaces will require different types of approaches when it comes to tiling. For example, fresh plaster normally takes around 30 days to properly dry and if your surface is wooden, then you will need priming.
How to tile on top of existing tiles?
When you are tiling over older tiles, you will basically have just two options. You can try and get rid of the previous tiles completely but it is an extremely time and energy consuming course of action. Otherwise, you can just tile over the existing tiles that you have. The older tiles will need to be treated properly with a grinder in order to make sure that the new tiles have proper adhesive to attach themselves to.
Preparing a wall for tiling
One thing to remember that is very important is to make sure that you don’t have any “hollow” tiles before starting the process of installing the new tiles. You can check this by simply knocking on the tiles and properly listening to the sound that it produces. You will be able to tell if a tile is hollow or not. If you find some, make sure that you get rid of them and then also to properly fill up the cavity. You need to make sure that the surface has been completely cleared of dust or any chemical products that may be there before you can proceed to applying the adhesive on to it.
Preparing a Dry Wall for Tiling
If you have fresh plaster, then it will take up to at least a month in order for the material to be set in and then fasten. Once it has been prepared and is ready to be tiled, there really is no apparent reason for taping the joints. You have to pour in the final layer of skim coat and then you will have to make use of a sand paper in order to get the rough texture that is needed. This is needed for the adhesive to properly bond.
How to Get Old Plaster Ready for Tiling
A lot of time, old plaster will simply not be able to do the job required. It completely depends on both the age of the wall and also what condition it is in. It is always a good idea to get a professional in order to confirm if the plaster is good enough to be tiled over. They will be able to tell you if you need to remove the plaster in order to put new ones on it.
Proper way to set up a textured drywall or a painted one to be tiled
First of all, make sure that you get rid of all the signs of paint that are not properly in place and proceed to filling in all the holes and cracks which can be seen. Make sure to use sandpaper in order to fix all the uneven areas. After this step has been completed, proceed to making sure that there are no dust or large particles that are present on your walls. You can do this by using a vacuum cleaner and then using a dry cloth in order to make sure that it has been cleaned properly.
