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Tim Carter shares some tips for installing ceramic tile on concrete using thinset mortar.
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If you need more help with your floor tile project, be SURE to watch my How to Grout Tile 4-part series. If you want to talk with me on the phone so I can coach you to a successful outcome, I offer that service. Go here to set up the call: shop.askthebuilder.com/products/15-Minute-Phone-Conversation-with-Tim.html
I'm in the process of doing over my shower but don't know how to put the tiles in the shower
How do I put tiles on an uneven concrete floor ?
@@user-ux2yz2ch2y With great skills and magic. I offer a phone consult service should you need help. See above.
Using a knee-pad is a great idea! I have exactly the type of knee pad you are using. The hand-holds allow you to get up more easily. It becomes a seat if you turn it over, with the hand-holds becoming the legs of the stool. It was given to me by someone who had no use for it. Seeing you use it, I'm so glad to have received this "vintage" item to do my tile-setting project.
it is good but don't use it anywhere that you can slip, it's just metal....no rubber or anything. i want to say there are suppose to be rubber feet for it but his nor mine have those. i slipped trying to get up with just water on concrete, it was horrible. put down anything, a old towel or something to give the legs some grip.
Great question! Because my old one is in Cincinnati, OH at my other house. I need it there for a project that starts in two months.
Thanks for the video between helping a friend last week do my shower and your video I felt confident enough to do my basement bath floor tile. Things went well , got the whole family involved ,and after my next step of adding a 4 inch kick plate and grouting I think it'll look sharp. I watch a lot of your video's as I try to learn to do it myself, thanks,
Tim, I made a suggestion previously. Here is another. The more parallel your lines of thin set are, the more air that can escape. The way you are doing that, there will be areas where air will not be able to escape. Try this. Take a 1 foot square of clear plastic should be sort of thick. Make your lines completely parallel and drop the tile on it. Then slide it with the lines, then against the lines. You will notice there is no air under... Try both ways and see what ya get...
That is a good tip, especially for tile that has a matte finish on the underside. Thanks for sharing.
Very informative, direct and to the point, ......less hype ,more basic down to earth advice, delivered by an experienced builder.....
Great question to ask the Thinset manufacturers!
Thanks for the wet-floor-first tip. I laid 33 tiles, replacing tiles laid by a professional, which had not adhered. Moistening the concrete, and the back of each tile, as recommended in a posted comment, really paid off. Every one of the tiles adhered. Every one. Thanks, again.
cant you just vacuum the floor?
Try it. Then wipe the spot you just vacuumed with a damp paper towel. Tell me what color the paper towel is.
Great video.. although my tip would be to lay your thinset with the strokes going in the SAME direction. It is proven that when the tile is pressed down, the thinset will cover the most surface area on the tile. In end, making the tile less likely to crack or break. I hope I could help ;)
The issue with the direction of the thinset lines is complex. It depends on the pattern on the underside of the tile. It's best to defer to the tile manufacturer should they have written instructions for exactly how to spread the thinset for a given tile.
Doesn’t matter with the uncoupling thinset he’s using.
There os no complexity - the point is that the lines have to be in the same direction, as per this video, which every tiler should watch: m.kzhead.info/sun/isWyZcaFn1-bjJ8/bejne.html#bottom-sheet
Yes. Make sure the floor is clean. You better go to my AsktheBuilder website and read ALL my past columns about installing tile.
Absolutely brilliant video. Thank you Sir.
You're most welcome. Be sure to sign up for my FREE Newsletter there. Also, be sure to Subscribe to this channel. MANY new videos are coming out soon. Finally, be sure you use the cement paint when you do the overlay. PRACTICE first. Do a small section to get the feel of how to work with the overlay. Spread the word about Ask the Builder!
@echtconservative I've done it both ways for years. In this case, I chalked lines every three or four rows to ensure I was running straight. It's best to use a combination of spacers and chalk lines in my opinion.
Great demonstration!
USG makes a self-leveling underlayment compound for this exact purpose.
Good starting point. Like he said many more details for a good installation. Always back butter the tile for the best adhesion. The correct trowel notch for the particular size tile you are using is important for the correct bond to the floor. The bigger the tile the greater the amount of thinset under it there needs to be... to keep it simple.
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just invested in some snickers duratwill work trousers with built in kneepads and would highly recommend if you spend much time on yer knees good vid thanks Tim
Awesome video! You did a great job at demonstrating Thanks !
Water is a great idea! I have used it in between layers of stucco on a wall, and it makes a big difference in how the stucco adhears and dries, and minimizes cracking. I hadn't thought of it for tiling, but it's the same principle.
Yes it is. To get unlimited tips each week, subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
Tim, one thing i would sugest is that i would also wet the back of the tile also. is there an adhesive that also seals the concrete so moisture and mustyness cant infiltrate the room? . thanks, jeff
Yes that's correct. Just follow the written instructions that come with the membranes. Usually sold at tile stores, NOT home centers.
Great video. I'm currently working on a basement project in which i've decided to take on the task of tiling it myself. My friend recommended that i lay down some self leveling concrete over it before I tile. The floor is pretty level and i thought the thinset would take care of any small divots. What do you recommend?
Thanks, Tim!
Great video! I've seen a lot of people putting down a board first and not direct to the concrete, when is that needed? I am doing a kitchen and dining area soon and would like to do it how you've done here, great method!
Go to my AsktheBuilder website when you have questions. The dot com one. I have columns there about concrete overlays. READ each of the columns. You do NOT have to rip out the concrete.
You should also wipe the bottom of the tile to make it damp before you place it on the thinset in the same way and for the same reason you wipe the floor it makes a stronger bond.
I dip mine in water sometimes
Do NOT do this with porcelain tile. It will not adhere to thin set if the tile is wet at all.
I have some great columns at my AsktheBuilder website about vapor barriers. You want one that meets the ASTM standard I mention. Just use the search engine at my website. MORE videos are being uploaded very soon.
Great video and tips on cleaning the concrete right before applying thinset.
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Thanks for that tip!
I recommend that you either read all my ceramic tile columns at my AsktheBuilder website, the dot com one, or you schedule a 500-Second phone call with me. At my website, look at the top. See the Shop icon? Click it. Look for the Consult Tim category. Good luck!
Great tip on damping the concrete before the thinset. This same rule applies putting the 2nd or 3rd coat of drywall mud over freshly sanded joint compound. The fine dust will prevent the new layer from sticking well and could chip off.
Hi Tim, i am getting ready to lay some tile on a concrete bathroom floor and my question is..when to i install the little plastic spacers? do you do it as you lay each individual tile?. This is going to be my first time doing this so i am watching your videos to gain experience. Thank you, very informative videos.
thanks Tim 👍🏻
If you want a crack isolation without any added thickness, use redgard roll on membrane, although not as good as a uncoupling May, it will help with crack isolation and will allow for some flex if the concrete cracks.
I have to disagree. If you roll on red guard to 25 mms,it is as good if not better than any other product. For the simple fact that it's more rubberized. Still great knowledge on your comment. I just didn't agree with the not as good part. Lol have a good one
@speezguy Could be hot tar. It's not easy to remove. Chip it away with a sharp chisel.
wonderful. you explain with passion. Thank you so much. You are a great guy
This is exactly what I'm doing. Clean concrete (no bumps, no previous floor paint and filled carpet tack holes) and applied thinset then ceramic tile. Looking at all these videos confuses me. Some are saying to primer floor before tile yadada. I'm keeping it simple like this video so I hope I don't regret my work.
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Thanks for the video!
its needfull and usefull, thanks for you and for your support team if you have.
thanks for the video. i like to know if this technique appliess on smooth concrete. i am about to start tilling my basement floor and i wonder the smooth slab is going to be a problem. if this is a problem, what you recomment?
At a garden supply place or on Amazon. Just enter gardeners kneeling stand
Go to my AsktheBuilder website and read my columns about epoxy crack repair for concrete slabs. Then read my columns about self-leveling floor compounds.
Mr. Carter, What if i have a problem with water vapor/moisture in slab? i think my house was built without vapor barrier underneath the slab. sorry if i missed that in your video. thanks!
hey thanks for this video. i'm about to do my entire kitchen today in ceramic tile
How did it go?
Thanks! Please help spread the word about them.
@akmrmike How about it? You've got two choices: Get some and test it doing a video of the process. Or, you go to my AsktheBuilder website, the dot com one, and click Shop. Once there, you find the 15-Minute consult and I share with you my skills and magic.
Does crack isolation membrane offer any warmth? My brother is concerned with the concrete slab/ceramic tiles being too cold during winter. Thank you
Good luck! You'll need to watch my Grouting Ceramic Tile Video Series to do the job right. Go to my AsktheBuilder website, the dot com one. Look at the top. See the Shop icon? Click it. Look in the left column. See DIY VIDEO GUIDES? Click it. Look for the Grouting Floor Tile one.
Thanx for the video. It was recommended to me to put plywood down underneath the ceramic tile to make the floor level. What do you think? Personally your way is a lot easier
Yessir. ive been a suscriber for some time now. i enjoy the vids. if you have a video on Topical Vapor Barriers where there are vapor issues. i would love to know. thanks again!
Thanks Tim. I had difficulty how to spread the thin-set you made sound easy . of course I need hand skill and practice plus natural dexterity. I am putting in 18 inch , filling back of tile. Took me a while to learn how to fill the tile back fast and clean. Still can not do it clean. I think i got it from your instruction : how to spread the thin set. thanks millions. Aram from N. California, Sacramento.
It is easy! For unlimited tips subscribe to my FREE weekly newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com
thank you good information
I recommend we talk on the phone. Too much to type. Go to my AsktheBuilder website, the dot com one. Click the SHOP icon at the top. Once there, find the 500 Second Consult.
Wow Tim you really get excited spreading thin-set... Good for you :D
hahahahahahahaha
Lol Yeahhhhh
I feel it! I did my first floor tile job a few months ago and sold the house, can’t wait to buy another and do some more tiling. It’s hard ass work, but there’s nothing more rewarding than tiling a floor
Uh, yeah.... :->>>> I show in the video applying it to a concrete floor. On your monitor does it look like wood? I'm asking as I thought it was very obvious that the substrate was concrete.
I install them vertically and remove them just before I grout. Frequently I'll not install them just chalking a grid of lines. If the tiles are cheap and not the exact same size, the lines will NOT be straight with the plastic spacers. They only produce straight lines if the tile is perfect.
Great work sir.
Many thanks. Speaking of that, click the *THANKS* text link and see what happens.
The Man the Myth the Legend 🤙🏼
In my best Elvis voice, "Thank you...thank you very much."
i love your videos! and for some reason i also love when you finished applying the thinset and it made that cool pattern hahaha
Thinset is not supposed to have cool pattern for best coverage. It needs to be straight rows.
Buttering can be a huge mistake. Any void spaces under the tile lead to tension when loaded with weight. Too much weight and you get cracks. Had you installed a self-leveling compound so the entire floor was in the same plane before you started, you could have spread the thinset as I show in my videos. Spread evenly the tile floor would have been perfect as the tile would then be parallel with the leveling compound.
Thank you Tim for the reply..and you are absolutely right about defective tiles. I had not thought about them not being the proper size..And i like the grid line idea. Best wishes
If you want to see all my latest step-by-step videos, you need to go to the shopping cart at my AsktheBuilder website, the dot com one. You'll see the cart icon at the top of the page. Once there, look on the left at the DIY Video Guides. Hundreds of new detailed videos are there waiting for you! I'm taping new videos all the time. In fact, I'm about to tape an entire series on How To Install a New Front Door. There will be 12 videos in that series.
Good advise...
Rarely. Usually out of the box they are squeaky clean.
Another great video!
Thank you, this was helpful.
Happy to help. Join my Discord: discord.gg/u89GyDjBdr
That's what I needed to know! Make the concrete wet first! That make sense. Thank you! I like how you are exited about your job 😀👍
It's so easy to get excited about thinset! Watch my NEW live stream videos! Subscribe to get my FREE newsletter here: www.AsktheBuilder.com
your so wonderful thank you
I have removed ceramic tile floor and I am having a very difficult time getting the thin set off the concrete. A scraper was not nearly able to remove it and then I tried a hammer and concrete chisel. This was nearly impossible too. Any suggestions? Thanks, Jim
Thanks for that demonstration, Tim. If you allow some expansion room on your edges, do you have to be very concerned about expansion joints in doorways if you're tiling about 300 square feet? I don't have any expansion joints in my concrete slab and I don't have cracks in my slab. Also, I want to tile and then put in a small kitchen cabinet over the tile. Is that okay to do it that way?
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Very Sound opening in advice concerning knee protections
Yes, I should have done more over the years to protect my knees. Way back when, we didn't have the fancy kneepads one can currently get. Look at some. They're amazing: amzn.to/3CMd85u
ALWAYS back butter the tiles with thin set. That will make sure it is a 100% bond. Its especially important with porcelain and stone.
Hi, what exactly is back butter? and thank you ...
@@favour8194 adding an extremely thin layer of thin set directly on the tile before placing it down.
Very good video. My only quibble is that you need to get as much of the thinset out from between the tiles as you can before you grout, or the grout may not be deep enough to hold properly. It may crack or otherwise come loose. May not be as important for fresh tiling an entire floor but might be an issue where you a replacing a broken tile and can't get all of the old grout off an existing tile without damaging it..
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Way to go Tim!
Thanks! You might want to do two things: 1. Subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com 2. Start watching my LIVE streaming videos! Lots of fun and you get to ask me questions in real time. Be sure to turn on NOTIFICATIONS about when I go LIVE.
Hi, great video. I'm going to tile a bathroom floor that at 1 time had linoleum flooring . When the linoleum was ripped out ,some of the the adhesive remained and was unable to be removed off the floor . The floor at that time was stained using a concrete stain product. It looked ok but know I want to tile over all of it . What do you suggest I use to get a level playing surface ? What about that self leveling product ? Thanks for your advice
I know this is an old comment but I see that it hasn't been answered. Heat! I've used a hairdryer and a paint scraper to take up linoleum and it works fairly well.
Thanks! You might want to do two things: 1. Subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com 2. Start watching my LIVE streaming videos! Lots of fun and you get to ask me questions in real time. Be sure to turn on NOTIFICATIONS about when I go LIVE.
thanks!
Great video.. thank you. I am preparing to tile my smal bathroom in my basement. I noticed you did not back butter the tiles...I have seen others swear by this. What are your thoughts? Thanks ---
It's not necessary. Recall your high school physics class about tension and compression. What happens to tile that is under tension? READ THIS: www.askthebuilder.com/ceramic-tile-crack-prevention/
Great video Tim! Just subscribed and gave you a thumbs up! Getting ready to tile over some epoxy with acrylic flakes in my shop that's being converted to a casita. How do I prep for thin set over epoxy? Thanks so much!
Aaron Smith You make sure the epoxy is bonded. If you're going over a slab, you may want to use an isolation material. Let's see if this link to it works: amzn.to/1ULmlwB
Get it off.... Use adhesive remover. Good luck to you. Clear on your final.
You could put a crack membrane down. I don't know what you use, but put a coat of Mapelastic HPG on the cement and you would never notice it in the height difference. Second if your going to put directly on concrete it's best to score that concrete with a crisscross pattern using a grinder with a diamond blade at least. Just some ideas
Are you saying that a crack isolation membrane should be installed (and allowed to dry) before spreading the thinset and installing the tile? I guess these products are available at the home improvement store?
OK, there's no problem with the tiles, they aree clean (if new) but what about the mastic residue left on the floor after pulling up linoleum? Is it a problem if I don't get it completely off?
I hate to tell you this, but thinset is rated for wood floors. You're correct about wood being hygroscopic. Just follow the guidelines set out by the Tile Council of America. They approve tile over wood if you do it the way they say.
Hi There. I like your video. thanks. QUESTION ? I am doing a small tiling job. only x 2 square meters bathroom floor. I want to know ? Is there any multi purpose adhesive which I could use for both - sticking on waterproof decoupling membrane onto a concrete subfloor and also using the same adhesive for sticking tiles on top of it ?
Yes, it may exist.
Thanks for the great video, Tom Silva!
Tom is a poser - we all know that. :-) Watch my NEW live stream videos! Subscribe to get my FREE newsletter here: www.AsktheBuilder.com
Good advice about the kneepads. I have knee bursitis from not using them.
Thanks! You might want to do two things: 1. Subscribe to my FREE newsletter at www.AsktheBuilder.com 2. Start watching my LIVE streaming videos! Lots of fun and you get to ask me questions in real time. Be sure to turn on NOTIFICATIONS about when I go LIVE.
should i apply eurobond concrete weld before applying the thinset mortar? and if so how long should i wait? what is the reason for using it? thank you!
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Thank you very much
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I have dusty concrete at the moment, should I apply a hardener or dustproofer to my slab, to ensure the thinset will grip, or would that application further reduce the effectiveness of the thinset?
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hows does this thin set compare to Versa Bond??
Tim ur da coolest
Another great Video Tim, keep up the good work!! Does ThisOldHouse know you stole their theme music? lol
no...not really, I'm asking this because many of my friends telling me that I should make some holes on the cement floor before installing the tiles. According to them, this will make the tiles more firm as well as crack proof. I wondering is that true?
Hello Tim - I have uneven floor in the basement where tile was ripped out. I need to install carpet and was told that the floor has to be levelled. A tile guy recommended using Mapei porcelain tile mortar to level the floor. Other folks have told about self leveling concrete. Can you suggest if Mapei porcelain tile mortar can be used for leveling the floor and then I can install carpet?
You should read the column about this on my website. Get unlimited tips each week in my FREE newsletter. Subscribe at www.AsktheBuilder.com
If back of tile is not flat you can flat trowel thin set to fill indentations on tile. Very good .
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What do you call that kneeler? You call it a "kneeler," a garden kneeler, which Amazon sells at around $23.00. My lucky day. I do a lot of gardening, and, being 85, have a hard time getting back up when I kneel. The kneeler is just the thlng. My lucky day.
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I am going to be using porcelain tile that looks like wood planks 6 x 24. All the videos I've seen show to back butter. Would your instructions be the same for that type of tile? This is my first attempt at tiling. I'm going directly onto a concrete basement floor.
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I have this 2" stone that i want to install outdoors on a rough stamped concrete floor, the stone is natural porous , used at the resort as stepping stones in the garden! ?? Do i use the standard method with thin set or are there any other tricks i need to know to get the result im looking for?
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Water vapor coming through a concrete slab will not hurt thinset that's mixed properly and installed correctly.