Kitchen Tiles Add Decorative Touch to Home

If you are thinking about in stalling a new floor to complete your kitchen remodeling, you’ll be confronted with a long list of choices.

Beginning with vinyl tile, the field expands to include both cork and rubber tiles, glazed and unglazed ceramic tiles, hardwood strips and parquet, slate, marble and even granite. Each choice has its advantages and disadvantages.

Quarry tile has long been the floor of choice in restaurant kitchens, and with a wide choice of new colors, textures and patterns, it can add a wonderful decorative touch to residential kitchens as well. About the only limiting factor affecting your choice in tile is your imagination, as you can create interesting borders and break up the filed tiles into many different mosaics.

In order to establish the tile layout lines, set out tiles across both the length and width of the room, allowing for proper spacing. Then balance the layout so there will be equal-size tiles along opposing walls. Mark the floor at the edges of the tile, one or two courses in from the perimeter.

Snap a chalk line, parallel to one wall, through one mark. Then snap another chalk line perpendicular to the first, through the second mark, to indicate the edges of the first course of tile.

Next, mix the tile adhesive according to directions on the container. Apply the cement to the floor using a one-quarter-by-one-quarter-inch notched trowel, holding the tool at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Fill any expansion joints in the underlayment with cement as you come to them.

Then, lay the first course of tiles along the chalk line. Inexpensive plastic spacers are available from your tile suppliers to help you align the tiles with uniform joints. Then add the border tiles and finish laying full tiles that will fit beyond the border.

Most tile supply houses will either loan or rent tile-cutting equipment when you purchase tile. Straight cuts near the center of the tile are easily made by scoring with the tile cutter, and snapping the tile on the score line. Irregular cuts, or straight cuts near an edge, must be made with a tile nibbler.

After the tile has set for at least 24 hours, you can grout the joints. Mix the grout with water, according to package instructions, and let it set for 10 minutes before using.

Be sure all plastic spacers are removed from the joints. Then, work the grout into the joints using a rubber squeegee, also available at tile supply houses. Hold the squeegee at a 45-degree angle to the floor to remove excess grout from the tile surface.

When the grout has set for about two hours, use a damp cloth to wipe away any grout left on the tiles. Rinse the cloth frequently in clean water for the quickest and best results.

Because grout is actually a cement-based product, it requires a slow curing to achieve full strength. So, cover the floor with craft paper for several days to retard the drying process. You can use the floor after the grout has cured for at least 24 hours.