Steps
- Evaluate the base or subfloor. The floor must be in good condition, almost perfectly flat and not have any soft spots or high spots. If the floor is not in great shape, you should start by adding a backer board or plywood over the existing floor to create a firm flat surface to work on. (Keep in mind, adding a layer of backer board to the surface plus the thickness of the tile may make the floor quite a bit higher than it is now, so be sure that this will not impact the opening of doors or the transition from one room to another.) For this article, we will assume that the floor is prepped and in good shape for the installation.
- Determine the quantity of tile necessary. Measure the room width and length and multiply the measurements (rounded to the nearest whole foot) to get the square footage of the room. Add 20% to this result to get the total tile you should purchase.
- Determine the pattern you wish to install. Tile can be installed in several different layouts, square, diamond, pinwheel etc... For this example we will be installing square tiles in a diamond pattern. This pattern makes the room appear less linear and breaks up the "squareness" of a room.
- Find the exact center of the room. Measure each wall and mark the exact center of the wall on the floor. Then, using a chalk line, snap a line from the opposite walls to each other. The intersection of these lines is the exact center of the room, which is where you will begin tiling. Check your accuracy by measuring 3' in one direction from the center mark and 4' in a perpendicular direction from the center mark. Then measure the distance between these 2 points. The measurement should be exactly 5'. If it is not, check your measurements carefully as this is the most critical step in the preparation process.
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