Hw t Install a Slate Tile Flr By See Jane Drill TM Cpyright 2014, All Rights Reserved Resurces Needed t Cmplete the Jb Tls & Supplies Pwer drill with mixing want (a bucket trwel can als be used fr mixing) Acrylic thinset (als called mrtar) that is frmulated fr use with natural stne Paint Scraper Ntched Trwel Piece f chalk fr marking Large bucket with plenty f clean water Large spnge r tw (Be sure t get gd spnges fr this jb) Spacers that are at least ¼ inch Sealer fr natural stne flrs Knee pads Grut, in the clr f yur chice Trwel flat Margin trwel flat Rubber glves Special Requirements It is advisable t apply an anti-fracture membrane befre installing the tile, if yu are wrking with a cncrete r cement substrate. This membrane is available in paste, sheet r liquid frm. The liquid frm is the easiest t apply. 1
Yu may als cnsider applying this membrane fr an added layer f prtectin with ther types f substrate, such as brick r sheetrck. Steps t Lay a Tile Flr 1. Strike Yur Line and Lay the First Tile: T review hw t strike yur line and determine where t lay yur first tile, watch the vide Hw t Lay the First Tile. 2. Make sure that yu are laying tile dwn n a clean sub-surface. Apply an antifracture membrane t the sub-flr if it is cncrete (see Special Requirements, abve) 3. Mix yur thinset in a bucket, per the manufacturer s instructins. 4. Dry-fit the first few tiles alng yur chalk line t make sure they are prperly spaced and even. If yu are wrking with un-gauged tile, yu may ntice slight variatins in height between tw adjacent tiles. If the variatin is nticeable, mark the tile that is shrter with yur chalk, s that yu can make up the difference by applying additinal thinset t the underside f the crner f that tile (als called back-buttering the tile) 5. Apply yur mrtar generusly t the subsurface f the first few tiles that yu will be laying dwn. Take a big scp f it with yur bucket trwel, and apply it. First, spread it ut with the smth side f yur ntched trwel. Get it as clse t the chalk line as yu can withut ging utside the chalk line. Yu d, hwever, want t spread it ut beynd the area f the first tiles that yu will be installing int the area where the next rw will be. 6. Next, turn the trwel arund s that yu are using the ntched side f the trwel, t put grves int the thinset. The air in these grves will create a suctin that helps t secure the tiles firmly in place. Be sure t draw yur
trwel acrss the thinset in the same directin in which yu spread ut the thinset with the smth side f the trwel. 7. Nw, yu are ready t lay the first tiles. Be certain t take nte f any tiles that yu have marked with yur chalk as requiring back-buttering, and apply additinal thinset t the backside f the crner f the tile right befre laying that tile. 8. Lay the first tile in place. Put a bit f pressure n it with yur hands and wiggle it back and frth a bit t ensure t set it. 9. Befre setting the secnd tile, be sure t spread ut any verflw f thinset frm the first tile with the ntched side f yur trwel. Lay the secnd tile in the same manner as the first. 10. Install spacers t separate the tw tiles. 11. Make any adjustments needed t ensure that the tiles are as even as pssible. 12. When yu have finished installing yur first rw, be sure t clean up any thinset that has spilled ver the line nt the sub-flr, befre it dries, s that the next rw f tiles will lie flat. 13. Cntinue n until the entire flr is tiled. Gruting and Sealing the Slate Tile Flr 1. Ensure that yur tile flr is dry and clean, and that there is n thinset anywhere n the tiles. 2. Treat the tile with the sealer and allw t dry befre beginning t grut. This very imprtant, as the sealer will act as a release fr the grut which gets n tp f the tiles, making the clean-up prcess g much easier and mre quickly. 3
3. Wrk n a small area at a time. This is very imprtant. The largest area yu will want t wrk at a time is abut 3 x 3. 4. Mix the grut per the manufacturer s instructins, t abut the cnsistency f tthpaste. 5. Add a cuple f scps f grut t the tile surface. 6. Hlding yur trwel flat at a 45 degree angle, wrk the grut int the tile jints by mving the trwel acrss the tile. Be sure yu are mving the flat diagnally int the jints, t ensure the best cverage. 7. Once yu have frced as much grut as pssible int the jints, it is time t remve the grut frm the surface. 8. Hlding yur flat at a 90 degree angle, begin scraping ff the excess grut. Cntinue t wrk diagnally acrss the jints, as yu did when applying the grut. Remve as much surface grut as pssible, as this will make it much easier fr yu t clean the surface with yur spnge later. 9. T remve grut frm the natural crags in the surface f the stne, use the small margin flat. 10. Next, clean up the remaining grut frm the surface f the tile with a damp spnge. Be certain that yur spnge is damp (wrung ut) and nt saking wet, as yu dn t want t remve the grut that is inside the jints. Yu will have t g ver it several times, and als change yur water several times. 11. Once the grut has set (it desn t have t be cmpletely cured yet, just dry) and the surface f the stne is dry, yu will need t buff the surface f the stne t
remve the remaining haze. The best clth t use fr this is an ld terryclth twel. 12. After the grut has set fr 24-48 hurs, yu will need t seal the grut lines with yur sealer. And if yu are wrking with natural stne such as slate, yu will need t seal the entire surface f the stne. Just fllw the manufacturer s instructins fr the sealer that yu are wrking with. And that s it! Yu did it! Yu have just installed a slate tile flr! Fr further infrmatin abut the task described in this wrksheet and the tls and materials needed t cmplete this jb, refer t seejanedrill.cm Due t differing cnditins, tls, and individual skills, See Jane Drill assumes n respnsibility fr any mistakes, damages, injuries suffered, r lsses incurred as a result f fllwing the infrmatin published n ur website and in the vides and written instructins published thrugh ur website. Befre beginning any prject, review the instructins carefully, and if yu still have any dubts r questins abut hw t cmplete the prject, cnsult with lcal experts r authrities. Als, because cdes and regulatins vary greatly by lcatin, yu shuld check t ensure that yur prject cmplies with all applicable lcal cdes and regulatins. Always read and fllw all the safety precautins prvided by any tl r equipment manufacturer, and fllw all accepted safety prcedures. See Jane Drill is dedicated t prviding accurate and helpful d-it-yurself infrmatin. We welcme yur questins, input and feedback abut the infrmatin prvided n this website. 5