You may not have installed the tiles before but, trust me, it is nothing that you cannot do. All you need to have is the right tools and the right technique. It is rather better to install them on your own to save money and time. You can buy cheap porcelain tiles in the UK and do the labour yourself. One can definitely try to put some of the leisure time into a constructive activity. Or maybe you have already made the decision to do it yourself. In such a case, you must be planning to buy the tools and items for tile installation. But before that, this guide can help you save some cash and headache.
Before starting the meticulous work of tiles installation, you should have the following things beforehand.
Manual Tile Cutter:
You may know that tiles are not fixed on surfaces as it is. They need to be cut and adjusted with the dimensions of the area. But as you know that the tiles are robust in nature, they cannot be cut into shapes with a scissor or paper cutter. Different cutters are designated to do the job.
A tile cutter is the most significant tool for tile installation. It is cheap yet the most useful tool for cutting the tiles precisely and diligently. It is a manual machine that can even work with one hand. It efficiently does the job of cutting the tiles and does not affect the quality of the material.
Drill Bits:
Drill bits are the tools used to make a hole in the tiles. They come in different sizes and shapes, thus make different sizes and sort of holes. They are attached with a drill to do the process. Quite often when installing the tiles, you may have to make holes for drainers, pipe, and tap connections. In such a scenario, a drill bit will come to your rescue. You better have it on your checklist. You should have different drill bits of different sizes that can operate on granite, porcelain, and marble tiles.
Nippers:
It is not always that you may need to make straight cuts on the tiles you may also need to make lots of irregular tile cuts. Therefore, you will need tile nippers or pincers to help in making the accurate curves. They are also used to enlarge the holes in tiles.
Mortar Mixer:
When beginning the task, you will need to mix cement, paints, adhesives, resins, and other materials to make the base to affix tiles. To make a strong and appropriate base you need to mix the material properly. A mortar mixer is a machine that blends the ingredients of the base together. It also makes the task easy and efficient. I have not mentioned a plastic bucket as a separate tool, but yes, you will definitely need it to mix the mortar. If you have a spare one, you can use it otherwise, put it into the checklist.
Notched Trowel:
A notched trowel is the best tool to spread the adhesive on the surface. They are made of different materials like some are made of aluminium and some are of stainless steel. Buy the right material towel for tiles installation. Notches of trowels come in different sizes and shapes. Square notches are better for the floor as they make a thick bed and curved notches are a great choice for the walls.
Tile Spacers:
While installing the tiles you may notice that you are unable to make a standard alignment. It is actually the spacing of the tiles that makes a conscientious alignment. Tile spacers are small handy tools that you can use to make a standard spacing throughout the installation.
Must Read: How to Tile Your Subfloor
