Laying tiles on drywall
Drywall is a well-deserved success in the building materials market. Multifunctionality, versatility, ease of processing and excellent compatibility with other components of the decor are the main advantages that have determined its leading position. It is even possible to use GCR in high humidity conditions. Moreover, you can put tiles on drywall and easily create a flawless look in the bathroom. In general, the stacking process is not difficult and even beginners can afford.
Content
- Tile preparation
- How to choose a tile
- Which glue to choose
Tile preparation
Before starting work, you need to choose the right materials. Some do not really focus on this. And it’s completely in vain, because the quality of styling directly depends on the quality of finishing products.
How to choose a tile
You need to choose a tile carefully, thoroughly studying the qualitative characteristics of each element
When going for a purchase, you need to focus on the following parameters:
- pattern quality. Low-quality tiles can be easily recognized by minor defects of the front surface: blurred, blurry pattern, line mismatch, stains. This facing option is not even worth considering;
- Smooth surface. Any builder will say with confidence that there is no even tile. This statement is not without truth. Even the highest quality tiles will not have a perfectly smooth surface, but there are samples that are better not to get at all. To determine the degree of evenness, take 2 tiles, attach them to each other with their front sides and evaluate the fit, swing between them and the gaps;
It is important!
Pay particular attention to the corners. They should be straight and straight. Do not be too lazy to attach tiles to each other on different sides. The smoothest Spanish tile. The reverse side is of no small importance. If the pattern on the back is not defined, the name and brand of the tile are not visible, then this copy is not for you.
- hardness of the tile. This indicator cannot be detected by eye, although a red-hot tile (which becomes very fragile) gives an unevenly lying color and a shiny reverse side. Hardness can be determined by the sound: a good tile makes a dull sound with a slight impact.
Specialist advice!
The number of tiles needed is more convenient to count individually, rather than by meter.
Which glue to choose
Glue is crucial in the finishing process, so when thinking about how to lay tile on drywall, you should take care of a high-quality adhesive base.
There are several types of glue that are acceptable for use:
- cement based adhesive. As a rule, materials based on cement are not applied to the gypsum surface, but since in our case the adhesive will come into contact with paper, this method is quite acceptable;
- elastic glue. Available in the form of a dry mixture or ready-made solution, poured into containers. The second option is much more expensive;
- liquid Nails. This is the most expensive method, which is more appropriate to use if it is necessary to glue the fallen off single tile. But if all the same the choice fell on him, buy moisture-resistant brands of liquid nails.
How to lay tiles on drywall: procedure
Laying tiles requires patience and strict adherence to technological sequence.
The tile is laid on the drywall in the bathroom in several stages, each of which has its own characteristics.
Set of necessary tools
To work, you will need the following tools: a spatula with a flat and ribbed surface, a level, a drill with a nozzle for mixing glue, a brush, a tile cutter, remote plastic crosses.
Surface preparation – primer
Primer surface optimizes adhesion, reduce the consumption of binder material
First of all, you need to primer the surface of the drywall.
Specialist advice!
For a primer it is better to use “Mira 4120”, “Tiefengrund Knauf” or their analogues, which are presented in a wide assortment in any supermarket.
In order to ensure tightness and maximum surface strength, the primer must be applied in 2 layers.
Layout selection
Tile on drywall is applied based on surface area. It is necessary to calculate the exact number of rows of tiles horizontally, and then divide the length of the surface by the width of the tile (do not forget to consider the width of the gaps).
In the case when the remainder of the division exceeds half the width of one whole tile, the masonry should start from the more “visible” side. Then the forcedly cut tile will be in an inconspicuous corner.
If the remainder from the division is less than half the width of the tile, then it is better to start laying from the center of the wall. So the trimmed tile will look neat and symmetrical.
Glue preparation – follow the instructions
The leader in popularity is dry glue that attracts consumers with an optimal price / quality ratio. It’s easy to cook, the main thing is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Pour the dry mixture into the prepared container and add the strictly necessary amount of water, mix thoroughly.
It is important!
It is convenient to mix glue with a drill with a special nozzle..
Do not knead a lot of solution at once, especially if you do not have experience in laying. It is better to dilute a smaller amount, which will allow the glue to be used up until it hardens. Experienced builders advise you to prepare a solution that is enough for about 1 m2.
First row gluing
Before laying, fasten a wooden lath at the bottom of the wall, which should be at such a distance that a row of tiles fits from the floor to the plank, i.e. at the height of the second row. The rail is best fixed strictly horizontally using the building level..
Laying large elements of tile cladding is better to start from the center of the wall
Laying tiles on drywall starts from the edge or from the center of the wall. Having laid the first tile on the bar, lay the vertical row up and left or right – horizontal, filling at the same time the gap between the tiles.
It is important!
In the process, it is also necessary to fill the space between the tiles with the solution.
To maintain the same distance between the tiles, special crosses are used, which are inserted end-to-end four tiles. They come in different sizes and are sold in any specialized department of the supermarket..
Grouting – finishing touch
Grouting is done to protect and decorate the seam.
After the adhesive has hardened, the remote crosses should be removed, the seams should be cleaned of excess solution and filled with grout for the seams..
Also, for additional protection against moisture, you can treat them with liquid glass or silicone.
Important recommendations of the masters
- not any drywall is suitable for laying tiles. Use moisture resistant gypsum fiber sheets (GVLV). If this is not possible, then under the sheets of ordinary drywall, you need to put guide strips at a distance of 40 cm from each other. Using self-tapping screws or a construction stapler, we fix gypsum plasterboard sheets on these guides;
Metal guide rails
It is important!
Sometimes, instead of planks, a polypropylene stucco mesh is laid, which will help prevent gypsum board deformation during swelling. The mesh is glued with PVA glue and additionally fixed with brackets.
- the primer is applied at intervals of 45 minutes in 2 layers;
- the primer can be applied with a roller or brush, but professionals use a toothed grater: put a primer with an even edge, and distribute with a toothed one so that there are even stripes;
- to achieve the highest adhesive properties of the adhesive, dilute it to the consistency of thick sour cream;
- press the tile to the adhesive surface with your hands; for large tiles, you can use a plastic or wooden hammer with rubber pads;
- it is better to lay the tile in several stages, 5 rows at a time. After each series, it is recommended to take a break of 60 minutes, which will allow you to remove the voltage that has arisen in the base;
- the lined surface should dry for at least 24 hours. During this time, the adhesive composition will have time to polymerize, i.e. fix the tile thoroughly;
- after grouting the joints, it is necessary to apply a special varnish to the rubbed areas, which will protect the applied composition from dirt and moisture.
The result: beautiful, durable, and most importantly – economically!
Now you know how to glue tiles on drywall in such a way that the result obtained pleases with reliability and impeccable appearance for a long time.
