PREPARATION
As with all tiling, make sure that the surface to be tiled is clean, flat, and structurally sound. New surfaces should firstly be primed using Davco Ultraprime. It is not advisable to tile over existing tiles or water based paint.

When renovating it is often easier to remove the old wall sheeting, tiles-paint and all, then resheet with new fibre cement sheeting. If you are tiling over a waterproofing membrane, you should not use a premixed adhesive as setting time is increased dramatically.

SETTING OUT
Using a spirit level and a straight edge, find the lowest part of the floor and place a mark 1 tile high on the wall. Measure approximately 20mm down from this point and nail a timber batten along the wall, making sure that it is level.

This will be removed after you have finished and the last row will be cut in to allow for falls and irregularities in the floor. You may have to adjust the height of the batten to ensure that there are no small cuts along the top of vanities or baths. Next, find the centre of the wall, and using a plumb bob mark a true vertical line. Lay some tiles out with the proper spacing, and make sure that you aren’t going to end up with small cuts. It is better to have 2 cuts of 3⁄4 of a tile than 1 thin strip. Remember that most internal walls are not perfectly vertical so usually you will have to cut the last row to suit. Avoid the temptation to start with a full tile against a corner!

LAYING THE TILES
Prepare the adhesive as per the instructions on the bag or drum. Use your 6mm or 8mm notched spreader to spread the adhesive using horizontal strokes covering no more than 1m2 at a time. Press the tile firmly into the adhesive before a skin forms. Check your levels every few rows with your spirit level, and ensure that any adhesive on the surface of the tiles is wiped off. Place the cut tiles last, making sure that you leave a gap in internal corners.

CUTTING THE TILES
Either buy or hire a decent tile cutter, the real cheap ones really aren’t worth the aggravation!

Mark the top of the tile with a fine felt pen and mark
the piece you don’t want. Place the tile into the cutter and line up the mark with the scoring wheel. Then, using 1 firm motion, score along the glaze. Place the breaking wings straddling the score and with a firm downwards action, break the tile. Remember that practice makes perfect, ask for a demonstration before buying or hiring the cutter you will be using, and practice on some extra tiles. Odd shapes and tapholes, etc. can be carefully cut out using a diamond blade on an angle grinder.
Make sure you wear eye protection! It’s a good idea to give the cut edges a rub with the back of your off cut to remove any jagged pieces of glaze.

GROUTING THE TILES
After the adhesive has set, usually 24 hours, it is
time to grout. Mix the grout to a smooth, creamy consistencies using a mixture of 50% clean water
and 50% Davco 4 in 1 Grout Additive. (Davco 4 in 1 gives the grout greater flexibility and strength). Using your squeegee or grout float, work the grout into the gaps with a firm diagonal motion leaving the tile surface as clean as possible. Remove the excess with a damp sponge. DO NOT let the grout dry on the tile. Keep your sponge clean by rinsing often in clean water. Don’t worry if a haze is evident, as the final task is to polish the tiles after the grout has set (Again, usually 24 hours). Finally, fill in the internal expansion joints with a silicone sealer.