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How to Tile a Concrete Basement Floor

Azmin Taraporewala
Laying the concrete basement floor with ceramic tiles is an excellent way to enhance the beauty of your basement.
A concrete basement need not look drab. You have the resources to transform your concrete basement floor from drab to dashingly swish. Ceramic tiles are wonderful to be laid down to make your concrete flooring look beautiful, with an added dimension.
The tiles engineered today, with upgraded technology, are applied in order to tile the concrete basement floor. The tiles that were engineered earlier were not very durable, however, they were later tremendously improved for the tiling purpose.
The practicality that the tiles offer is that they can be tiled without any additional infrastructural support in terms of construction, and cost. The installation is direct on the concrete floor. In the upcoming section of this article, we will instruct you on how to tile a basement floor.

Important Spots to Consider

Tiling your basement floor could be an inviting proposition at first; however, one may have to dig into details to check if the basement is suitable for tiling. First things first, make sure that the floor remains stark dry.
No trace of moisture should be trapped while tiling the basement; however, if you reside in an area prone to floods, the water may seep in and the floor would be a virtual breeder of mildew. Also, you must ensure that the floor is leveled well.
Leveling the basement with concrete solutions could prove helpful, as you may go ahead with the tiling procedure. Watch out for cracks. If this is the case at all, make sure that you get it fixed prior to treating your basement with the ceramic tile installation.

Tiling a Concrete Basement Floor

Here are the step-by-step instructions. Prepare the requirement list before you embark on your mission of tiling the floor. For your convenience, we have prepared the list for you. Instructions for the procedure are mentioned in here as well.

Requirements

  • Vacuum Cleaner
  • Mop
  • Bleach
  • Tile Nippers
  • Thinset Mortar
  • Spacers
  • Rubber Mallet
  • Trowel
  • Ceramic Tile
  • Chalk Line
  • Grout
  • Ample time for inspection followed by tiling

Instructions
1. The first step is to inspect the floor completely, to check if it has sustained any damage. Inquire if it has sustained any cracks, rough surfaces or leaks. If there are any flooring anomalies, get them corrected before installing ceramic tiles.
2. Next is to clean the concrete flooring. Dust and debris found in your basement concrete floor, should be eliminated by using a vacuum cleaner.
3. If you find dust that is stubborn and does not leave the surface easily, you could remove it by soaking a mop in a solution of bleach and water.
4. Mop the entire floor area of your basement so that dust and stubborn dirt is not left behind. If the mopping activity is not executed thoroughly, you should not be surprised if your tiling job does not yield the desired results.
5. After you are done with the mopping, you must leave the floor to dry completely.
6. Determine the design of the tiles you would like to install.

7. After the final decision has been taken, you must start cutting the tiles with a tile nipper to the desired size.
8. Mark the room flooring in order to make quadrant divisions with horizontal and vertical lines. You must do this only when you find that the tiles have dry-set. This is a preparation that guides you to ensure that the tile application will fit the area where the flooring needs to be laid.
9. Remove the tile pieces and apply the thinset mortar. To apply the thinset mortar, you must first read the product instructions perfectly well. Failing to do so can spell trouble for you, during the process.
10. A product manual is important as different manufacturers have different ways with which the thinset needs to be mixed. Make sure that you follow the instructions with diligence for this idea to succeed.

11. Apply the thinset mortar on one quadrant at a time. Put this mixture onto the concrete flooring by using the flat side of a trowel.
12. Now is the time to set the ceramic tiles. In order to do so, the ceramic tiles should be positioned into the mortar. Place the ceramic tile in its proper position with the use of a rubber mallet.
13. The grout should be mixed as instructed. Take out the spacers in between the tiles. Put the grout into it and allow it to settle for some time. If there is any excess grout, wipe it with a washcloth. The grout should then be allowed to cure for about 48 hours.
Caution: When you are cutting the tiles, you must be careful as to not harm your eyesight. You could resort to wearing goggles, and only then go about cutting the tiles to your desired size.
Hopefully, you have understood the process of tiling a concrete basement flooring. Ensure that your basement's flooring is fit to sustain the tiling process. If not, make the necessary changes to proceed with the tiling work.