Mosaic tiles are highly popular in the world of flooring. These are commonly used for gracing interior and exterior areas. While you plan to use these for covering your house floors, there are an array of options in terms of types, colors and design patterns in mosaic tiles which you can explore. These are commonly found in 2 inch or smaller pieces and in square shape. You can also find odd and uneven shapes in these in the crafts and hobby stores. You can opt for ceramic or porcelain material in these tiles as both of them offer good flooring surface. Mosaic tiles come packaged on paper or mesh sheets which help hold the small tiles together in a properly design pattern. The ready design patterns make it easier to form the same designs while installing these tiles on the floors. Very small pieces of mosaic tiles in odd shapes or single color, these are packaged in large bags.
Install the Tiles
Well, installing mosaic tiles, is a procedure which is much similar to installation of any other type of floor tiles. If you are wondering about working on the mosaic floor tile installation job then here are some tips to help you in the same.
Preparation
The very first step which needs to be followed while laying a mosaic tile floor is to removing the existing floor tiles and ensuring that the sub-floor is clean and flat without any indentations and cracks. You can level the concrete floors using a leveling compound if required.
Dry Fit
While you install mosaic floor tiles, setting them right can be quite tricky due to their smaller size and a huge area to be covered. A smart way to do so is to opt for a dry fit and get an idea of how the patterns work and how much space they take up. You can decide a design pattern, choose the right combination of tiles and start installing the first row of tiles. Make sure that you work slowly and carefully. Lay out 2-3 rows in a dry run and use masking tape if required. Markings done with chalk lines while you dry fit the tiles will help you in the final installation process.
Final Installation
Now mix thinset mortar in a plastic bucket well to get a peanut butter consistency. Leave it as it is for 7-10 minutes. Remove the tiles laid initially. Start spreading thinset mortar on the surface using a small square notch trowel. Now start laying the tiles on this spread. Make sure you follow the decided patterns and pick the right tiles. Once the installation is done, leave it for drying and make sure that you do not walk or put any sort of pressure on these newly laid tiles.
Grouting The Tiles
Next day you need to grout the tiles. Start the procedure from the corner opposite to the door of this room. Apply a pint of grout on the floor and work it into the joints using a rubber grouting float. Press the grout firmly into the joints so that the tile joints are thoroughly filled in with grout . Go on applying a pint of grout, pressing it in the joints and sponging up the excess amount as you proceed.
Hope the aforementioned steps give you an idea of the mosaic tile installation process. You can browse through various design patterns and choose the best pattern and color for your floors. Fancy multi-colored mosaics or elegant single colored mosaic floors, choice is yours!
