Tiling is one of the most rewarding DIY jobs in a home renovation — but it is unforgiving of poor preparation. Badly set-out tiles, wrong adhesive, or grout lines that do not align will be visible every day. Get the basics right and the result is a professional-looking finish that can last decades.
Tools and Materials You Will Need
Tools
- Spirit level (600 mm and 1,200 mm)
- Tile cutter (manual score-and-snap for ceramics; electric wet saw for porcelain and large formats)
- Notched trowel (3 mm V-notch for wall tiles; 6–12 mm square notch for floor tiles depending on tile size)
- Rubber grout float
- Tile spacers (2 mm for small tiles; 3 mm standard; 5–10 mm for large format or rustic)
- Bucket and mixing paddle (or margin trowel for small areas)
- Sponge and clean water bucket
- Tape measure, pencil, chalk line
- Angle grinder with diamond disc (for notches around pipes)
Materials
- Tiles (add 10 % for cuts and wastage; 15 % for diagonal laying)
- Tile adhesive (see types below)
- Grout (cement or epoxy)
- Silicone sealant (colour-matched to grout)
- Tile primer (for glossy, non-porous, or problematic surfaces)
- Grout sealer (for cement grout in wet areas)
Adhesive Guide
| Adhesive type | When to use |
|---|---|
| Ready-mixed (pre-mixed acrylic) | Small areas, wall tiles only, dry conditions |
| Cement-based Class C1 | General walls and floors in dry areas |
| Cement-based Class C2 | Kitchens, bathrooms, floors with underfloor heating |
| Flexible Class C2/S1 | Wet rooms, external walls, floors with movement |
| Rapid-set | When you need to grout the same day |
| Epoxy adhesive | Chemical resistance, large-format floor tiles |
For any wall in a bathroom or kitchen splashback, use at minimum C2 flexible adhesive. Do not use ready-mixed adhesive in wet zones — it never fully cures behind tiles in humid conditions.
Step 1: Prepare the Surface
The surface must be:
- Structurally sound: tiles are only as good as what they are fixed to. Pull off any loose plaster, replace damaged plasterboard, and check that walls and floors do not flex or bounce.
- Clean and dust-free: remove paint, oil, or adhesive residue. Sand glossy surfaces or apply a bonding primer (SBR or dedicated tile primer).
- Flat: for wall tiling, hollows and lumps greater than 3 mm over a 2 m straightedge need filling or grinding. For floors, use a self-levelling compound to achieve ±3 mm tolerance across the area.
- Dry: fresh plaster must cure for at least 4 weeks before tiling. New cement screeds need a minimum of 3–4 weeks plus moisture testing below 75 % RH (or per the screed manufacturer’s guidance).
For plasterboard in wet zones, use cement board (e.g. Hardiebacker or Aquapanel) rather than standard plasterboard. Standard plasterboard will fail behind tiles in a shower or around a bath within a few years.
Step 2: Set Out Your Tiles
Setting out is the most important step and the one most beginners skip. It determines where cuts fall and whether the finished result looks balanced.
For walls:
- Find the centre of the wall (or the most prominent focal point — a window, bath edge, or niche).
- Dry-lay a row of tiles from centre out to both sides, including spacers. Note where the cut falls at each end. Aim for cuts of at least half a tile; if you get a sliver, shift the centre line by half a tile.
- Establish your horizontal datum line — usually the top of the bath or floor, plus one tile height and one spacer. Use a spirit level and mark this line across the full wall. This is your first-course reference.
- Use a batten temporarily fixed to the wall at the datum line as a ledger to support the first row while the adhesive cures.
For floors:
- Find the centre of the room from two pairs of opposite walls and snap chalk lines. These cross at the centre point.
- Dry-lay tiles from centre out to the doorway (the most visible entry point). Adjust so the doorway threshold has a full tile or equal cuts.
- Never start tiling from a wall — walls are rarely square, and working from a wall guarantees misaligned grid lines.
Step 3: Apply Adhesive and Set Tiles
- Mix adhesive to a smooth, lump-free consistency (or use ready-mixed as supplied). Do not add extra water.
- Apply adhesive to the wall or floor using the flat side of the trowel, then comb with the notched side at a consistent 45° angle. For tiles larger than 300 × 300 mm, also back-butter the tile itself (apply adhesive to the back).
- Press each tile firmly with a slight twisting motion and use a rubber mallet to beat it flat. Check level frequently — every three or four tiles — using a spirit level.
- Use spacers consistently. Pull spacers out before the adhesive goes off if you are grouting with tight joints (2–3 mm); leave them in for wider joints.
- Do not tile more than 0.5–1 m² at a time in hot or dry conditions — adhesive skins over quickly. Cover unused adhesive between batches.
- Leave adhesive to cure per manufacturer’s instructions before grouting — typically 24 hours for walls, 48 hours for floors. Never walk on newly tiled floors before adhesive is cured.
Step 4: Cut Tiles
- Manual tile cutter: score a firm, single-stroke line across the tile face using the cutting wheel, then snap over the breaker bar. Effective for ceramic tiles up to 600 mm.
- Angle grinder: use a dry diamond disc for notches around pipes, electrical boxes, and L-shaped cuts that a tile cutter cannot make. Wear eye protection and a dust mask — silica dust from tile cutting is a health hazard.
- Wet saw: essential for porcelain, natural stone, glass tiles, or tiles larger than 600 mm. Hire cost runs £30–£60 per day from most tool hire shops.
Silica safety: porcelain and stone tile cutting generates respirable crystalline silica dust, regulated under COSHH. Always use a dust mask rated P2/FFP2 or better when dry-cutting. Wet cutting is preferred.
Step 5: Grout
- Allow adhesive to fully cure before grouting.
- Mix cement grout to a smooth paste (or use epoxy grout as directed — epoxy has a working time of 20–30 minutes).
- Apply grout with a rubber float held at 45°, working it diagonally across the joints to fill completely.
- After 10–15 minutes (when grout starts to firm), wipe off excess with a damp sponge in a circular motion. Do not use too much water — it weakens cement grout.
- After 30–60 minutes, polish the haze with a dry cloth.
- Leave cement grout to cure 24–48 hours before applying sealer in wet areas.
Silicone, not grout, at all changes of plane — floor-to-wall junction, wall-to-bath, wall corners in a shower. Grout cracks at these joints because tiles on adjacent planes move independently. Use a colour-matched sanitary silicone and finish with a wetted finger or caulking tool.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Tiling onto damp or uncured plaster/screed | Adhesive bond fails; tiles drop or grout cracks |
| Using wrong adhesive grade | Tiles delaminate in wet conditions |
| Inconsistent spacers | Grout lines look crooked even when tiles are level |
| Grouting too soon | Adhesive cannot breathe; bond compromised |
| Mixing grout too wet | Weak, crumbly grout that stains easily |
| Using grout at wall/floor junction | Cracks within weeks due to differential movement |
| Not sealing cement grout in wet areas | Staining and mould penetrate porous grout |
When to Get a Professional Tiler
Consider a professional for:
- Large-format tiles (600 mm+): these require very flat substrates, back-buttering, and mechanical fixings in some cases.
- Heated floor systems: tiles must be bedded without air pockets, which requires skilled screeding.
- Wet rooms: the tanking system and falls must be right before any tiling begins.
- Natural stone (marble, travertine): porous materials need specialist adhesive and sealing; some stones discolour with standard grey adhesive.
Professional tilers in the UK charge £30–£60 per m² for labour on standard work, or a day rate of £200–£350. That represents the full cost of doing the job right the first time.
