The next day, wash away thinset residue with muriatic acid, and, to protect the stone from grout stains, apply a sealer. Step 6 Grout the Joints Photo by Wendell T. Gently remove excess thinset from the joints with a putty knife, and swab the stones with a damp sponge. For each tile, smear thinset on its underside, press it firmly in place, and make sure it's flush with its neighbors and that the joints are even. Comb out parallel ridges with the notched trowel.
Spread unmodified thinset over an area about 3 feet by 16 inches, filling the membrane's square dimples. Pick a starting point that will keep you from stepping on stones after they're laid. Once the entire floor is covered, dry-lay a line of tiles between each pair of walls to judge how best to minimize cuts and get a pleasing layout. Do the same after laying each remaining section. Immediately after the membrane is laid, use a grout float to press every square inch firmly into the thinset, as shown. Step 4 Secure the Membrane Photo by Wendell T. Repeat until the first roll reaches the end wall. Spread and comb out another 6-foot section of thinset, and unroll the next portion of the membrane onto it. Butt the first membrane section into the corner and immediately roll it out onto the fresh thinset. Webberĭon't let the thinset sit-any delay could prevent a good bond. Step 3 Roll Out the Membrane Photo by Wendell T. Starting at a corner, spread the mix evenly over a 6-foot section as wide as the membrane, then comb it into long parallel furrows with a ¼-inch notched trowel, as shown. Mix a batch of thinset: Use polymer-modified thinset on plywood and unmodified thinset on cement-based substrates. Number the sections, set them aside, then vacuum the floor. Step 2 Spread the Thinset Photo by Wendell T. Lay out and cut the remaining sections so that their edges butt together and they cover the entire floor. Trim as needed to get around pipes, ducts, and doorways. At the end wall, crease the roll into the corner, as shown, and cut along that crease with a utility knife. Starting in a corner, roll out the membrane, flocked-side down, beside the room's long wall. Step 1 Cut the Membrane Photo by Wendell T. Be sure to use unmodified thinset, as the latex-modified kind won't harden properly when sandwiched between the tile and the membrane. Once the membrane is cemented in place, the tiling proceeds as usual. Although many tilers still slap stone directly onto the subfloor, I won't guarantee any of my jobs without the membrane. Here, we used Ditra ( ), a dimpled plastic sheet that resembles a thin orange waffle.
Slate tile floor install#
Second, install what's called an uncoupling membrane to isolate the rigid stone or ceramic from the subfloor's flexing joints and seasonal movements. First, stiffen the subfloor by gluing and screwing a second layer of ¾-inch sheathing to the existing layer.
Slate tile floor crack#
Anything we need to know before we begin?Ī: If you're going directly over subfloor, tiles are likely to crack or pop loose unless you take two extra steps. Q: We're remodeling our kitchen and want to install a stone-tile floor.
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