We all know that the recent quarantine imposed on several countries across the globe due to the coronavirus pandemic has changed a lot of things, including the way most people see their homes.
This is because the quarantine causes people to spend almost all their day in the house. The house was now the office, school, entertainment arena, and a whole lot more to millions of people worldwide.
It is natural to get bored after staying in the house for weeks. Instead of walking around the house bored, why don’t you pass the time doing some home renovation work?
There is probably some work that needs to be done at home, but you keep pushing it aside under the pretext that you are always busy at work and do not have time to return home.
Now you have more time than ever, so it is probably time to get with the work.
For those who do not have anything to do, maybe you can think about retiling the bathroom in your home.
I am sure that the bathroom is probably looking a bit out of place, and you know perfectly well that it will do with a new set of tiles.
If you agree with us, then this article will be helpful to you.
This article will guide you in setting up and retiling your bathroom to look as good as new. Although people will rarely come into your bathroom, it still needs to be clean and pleasant because that is the place you take your shower, and having the site looking outdated does not speak well of any man.
Table of Contents
Tools You Will Need
Before you can start retiling your bathroom, there are some tools that you will need to get before. These tools are listed below.
- Measuring tape
- The new tiles
- Utility knife, hammer, putty knife
- Backer board
- Circular saw
- Grout
- Grout trowel
- Mortar mix
- Gloves and protective glasses
- Caulk
- Wet saw tile cutter
- Sponge
- Notched trowel
So these are the tools you will need to retile your bathroom. After you have assembled all these tools, please follow the steps below.
Step By Step Guide On Retiling A Bathroom
Determine The Number Of Tiles Needed
Before you begin, you will first have to make sure that you know the number of tiles that you will need for the job. After selecting the area you wish to tile, you order about 10% more than what you think you need.
Using the tape measure will allow you to have full coverage over the designated area. It will also help you know the amount of mortar, grout, and backing board you will need.
Removing The Old Tiles
This may be the most tedious part of the whole work. Now remove the old tiles on the wall to make room for the new ones.
Before doing this, you will also need to remove the showerhead, and the shower handles with a drill. You can also remove them with a screwdriver if the shower wall is redone.
For removing the old tiles, you will need a hammer and your utility knife or the putty knife.
Place the prying tool at the side of the drywall. But you must be careful not to dig into the drywall or the floor while you work. Repeat this process until you can remove all the old tiles from the bathroom wall.
After you have removed all the old tiles, use the putty knife to get rid of any mortar that was left.
Preparing The Surface
After the old tiles have been removed, you can now clean and prepare the wall’s surface for the new tiles.
Before that, you have to check thoroughly to ensure that no amount of mortar has been left on the wall after removing the old tiles.
If you leave any mortar on there, it will cause non-proper retiling. You should always invest a little time in this section of the bathroom retiling project.
Preparing Underlayment And Attaching A Backer Board
When it comes to shower retiling, you will need a particular substrate, also known as a cement board or a backer board.
Due to the fact the bathroom is one of the places that see a lot of water and moisture, the substrate will create a sturdy surface that will protect the new tiles against moisture and cracks.
You can also attach an underlayment of cement board to the sub-flooring of the bathroom floors, giving it a level and sturdy surface so that the new tiles you put up will adhere to the bottom quickly.
The circular saw will help you cut panels that will fit the bathroom floor and cut holes that you will use to accommodate the toilet and other fixtures.
With your drill, attach the backer board to the subfloor with spacing in the screws at 6 inches each.
The backer board can also be used to retile the shower walls, and the tub surrounds.
All you do is fasten the backer board to the shower frame with a screw or a nail with a spacing of 8 to 12 inches.
Choosing The Tile Layout
After you are done with the underlayment, you then lay the tiles out ahead of time to allow you to figure out how you will lay them on the walls or floor.
This will also let you know if the tiles will fit together or not. When you align the tiles and determine the layout, you will be able to make all the necessary adjustments that you need to make before you finally apply adhesive to the tiles on your bathroom walls.
Laying them out helps you decide how you will want them.
Installing The New Tiles
Now is finally the time to install the new tiles on the bathroom walls. Know that this is the central part of the project and will take the most time.
This is when you commence the retiling project by applying adhesive to the tiles to stick them to the bathroom walls and floors.
Cover the first half of the wall with the mortar mix and then spread it with a notched trowel.
Use the spacers between the tiles for the grout that you will add later. Now repeat the same steps until you reach the top part of the wall.
Use the same process for the bathroom if you are retiling that part. Spread mortar mix on the floor and then use a notched trowel to spread it across the floor.
You will also need to cut the tiles to fit the ends well when you reach there since a full-size tile may not fit the ends. Trim tiles near the cabinet in the bathroom can also be considered if you feel like it.
You can do the same around the shower niches or the doorways, and the flooring stops. It would help if you used the wet saw in cutting these trims when necessary.
After you finish installing the tiles, you can now rest for some minutes and look at the work you have done. I hope you like it.
Adding The Grout To The Tiles
After you are done resting, now is the time to add the grout to the newly installed tiles. You are now almost done with the retiling project you started a few hours ago.
When it comes to adding grout to the tiles, you will need to wait until the next day to make sure that the mortar has dried entirely on the bathroom walls and floors.
After ensuring that the mortar has dried, remove the spacers from the cannon and then spread the grout over the newly installed tiles. Use a sponge to clean any excess grout after applying it over the tiles.
Keep in mind that you will need to hurry with this step because the grout will become hard and get glued to the tiles within minutes after they have been applied.
So make sure to work when you apply the grout to the tiles. After using the grout to the newly set tiles, leave for about 24 hours.
You should not have a bathroom to shower in (I hope you have a second bathroom in your home if you need to shower).
From the floor tiles, you should apply heavy traffic for about 72 hours so that the grout can dry adequately.
Make sure to caulk the vertical lines along the walls and the horizontal lines along the floor.
After this, you should leave the caulk for about 48 hours, during which time the grout will also be drying.
Tips To Keep In Mind When Retiling Your Bathroom Walls And Floor
Retiling your bathroom may be easier than you have been thinking. After getting the job done, you will realize that it is not hard.
Although it may not be hard, there are some things that you will have to keep in mind when you are retiling your bathroom walls and floor.
This is a task that you approach methodically. Below are some things that you have to keep in mind when doing this task.
These tips will make the work easier for you and help you retile your bathroom precisely how you want it.
- Make sure to wear protective clothing before you begin retiling your bathroom. You should be wearing gloves and glasses, at least. These protective clothing are essential, and you should not start work without them.
- Removing the old mortar is also very important for retiling your bathroom. Removing the old mortar helps you get the job done correctly when installing the new tiles. This is a rule in retiling, and it goes like this, the better you remove the old mortar, the easier it is to install the new tiles.
- When installing the new tiles, make sure to measure the height and use caulk to draw a line above each tile. You should apply the mortar below the line marked with the caulk. This will aid the next layer of mortar to hold the tiles firmly in place.
- The grout should be applied evenly and thoroughly. This is usually the last step in the bathroom retiling work. This can erode when water begins to touch the tiles when there is a lack of grout, and I am sure you would not want to see the work you did start to ruin within a few weeks. So always make sure to apply the caulk evenly and thoroughly.
Conclusion
So these are the steps through which you can retile your bathroom walls to give them a new lease on life.
Although it may look like a challenging task, you will realize that that is the opposite once you start retiling the wall.
I hope this article has been quite helpful to you, our cherished readers. Please make sure to leave your thoughts and comments down below.
