A poorly planned project can turn into a nightmare. Lack of material, wrong tools, waste of time; the result could be not what you hoped for.

In this article, you will learn how to plan a ceramic tiling project.

The material

The first thing to take into consideration, is very important when you plan a ceramic project: be sure to buy enough material.

If you are missing a few tiles, you won’t have the choice other than to buy more, delaying your project’s completion.

Generally, it is recommended to buy about 10% extra material in case of loss; that is, for material breakages and cuts.

Plan to have all you need and you will save time!

The substrate

The second thing to do is to make sure to have the appropriate substrate on which to glue your ceramic.

The traditional substrates are:

• Plywood or cement for floors ;
• Gypsum or cement boards for walls.

There are many possibilities. Make sure to have a good preparation and that the substrate is clean, even and enough robust for the installation of the ceramic.

The installation products

Choose the right cement and the right grout, depending on 3 factors :

• Which type of material are you installing?
• On which substrate are you going to glue it?
• In which situation? That is, in which room? Inside or outside?

If you are not sure about your choice, give these three details to a sales advisor. He or she will be able to tell you which cement to use.

On the design side

You imperatively have to think in advance about the way you want to position your ceramic tiles. For example, do you want a brick pattern, or a herringbone pattern?

It is strongly recommended to make a plan and lay down your tiles in the space in order to have a global impression of the final result before you start.

For example, installing your ceramic tiles with a brick pattern will have a widening or lengthening effect on the room, depending on the layout of the room.

The importance of the inspection

More advice for a ceramic project well planned: Check your tiles before the installation. Make sure that they are not damaged before installing them.
Finally, if you buy a certain series of ceramic tiles in two steps, or if you have to buy additional tiles, make sure to buy more from the same batch lot, even if you go back to the same store!

These details will help you succeed with your future ceramic projects.

Don’t hesitate to write us if you want to share comments, questions, or if there is any subject you want to talk about. You also can make a phone call or come to see us in person in one of our branches. It will be a pleasure to help you with your ceramic projects.