Toilet Tile
By: Amanda Campbell
Updated: March 3, 2011
Tool List:
We mentioned that the tile we used was from American Marazzi. The company is the largest maker of tile in the world. As the world's premier producer of glazed and unglazed ceramic tile, The Marazzi Group manufactures over half a billion square feet of tile a year. While most of the manufacturing is still concentrated in Italy, the company also has plants in Spain and in the United States. To find out more about American Marazzi, get a list of distributors in your area and decorating ideas for your home, check out their web page at www.am-marazzi.com. You might also stop by a tile store in your community and ask to see their samples of products from American Marazzi.
If you are considering doing this, or any other job that requires removing the toilet, it might be a good idea to have some sort of wet/dry vacuum on hand. This will prove very handy for removing the water from the toilet bowl, prior to actually lifting the commode off the floor.
Also, before you remove the toilet, make a plan for where you’re going to put it. Many people never think of this and end up putting the commode in the bathtub. This is not the best idea. The commode is heavy – your hands may be wet – and it’s easy to drop it. If you drop it into the tub, you’ll find yourself having to call someone to repair the tub. It’s best to plan on putting the toilet on the floor. Spread some towels, or some plastic sheeting, on the spot in advance. And make sure, in advance, that you have a new wax ring. You’ll need it to re-install the toilet when you’re done.
You’ll notice that in our project, we used a trowel with teeth that measure 3/16 of an inch. Ask your tile dealer about the proper size trowel for your job. The right size trowel will put just enough adhesive on the tile and the surface for the work to hold.
After you’ve put the tile in place, avoid the temptation to finish the job right away. The mastic needs a good 24-48 hours to dry. If you go ahead and grout it immediately, the mastic won’t dry properly, because the air won’t be able to get to it. This may result in tiles that later become loose and fall out.
Once the mastic has had the chance to dry, it’s time to mix the grout and go back to work. The mixing is also critical. Try to combine enough grout with water to make a mix that has the consistency of toothpaste. Remember, too much water and the grout may recede when it dries. Too little water, and you’ll find it difficult to move the grout into the gaps.
- Wrench
- Measuring tape
- Mastic
- Pliers
- Level
- Trowel
- Wet/dry vacuum
- Pencil (or chalk line)
- Tile cutter
- Tarp or plastic sheeting
- Tile
- Wet saw (optional)
- Safety goggles
- Wax Ring
- (2) Buckets
- Spacers
- Sponge
- Float
We mentioned that the tile we used was from American Marazzi. The company is the largest maker of tile in the world. As the world's premier producer of glazed and unglazed ceramic tile, The Marazzi Group manufactures over half a billion square feet of tile a year. While most of the manufacturing is still concentrated in Italy, the company also has plants in Spain and in the United States. To find out more about American Marazzi, get a list of distributors in your area and decorating ideas for your home, check out their web page at www.am-marazzi.com. You might also stop by a tile store in your community and ask to see their samples of products from American Marazzi.
If you are considering doing this, or any other job that requires removing the toilet, it might be a good idea to have some sort of wet/dry vacuum on hand. This will prove very handy for removing the water from the toilet bowl, prior to actually lifting the commode off the floor.
Also, before you remove the toilet, make a plan for where you’re going to put it. Many people never think of this and end up putting the commode in the bathtub. This is not the best idea. The commode is heavy – your hands may be wet – and it’s easy to drop it. If you drop it into the tub, you’ll find yourself having to call someone to repair the tub. It’s best to plan on putting the toilet on the floor. Spread some towels, or some plastic sheeting, on the spot in advance. And make sure, in advance, that you have a new wax ring. You’ll need it to re-install the toilet when you’re done.
You’ll notice that in our project, we used a trowel with teeth that measure 3/16 of an inch. Ask your tile dealer about the proper size trowel for your job. The right size trowel will put just enough adhesive on the tile and the surface for the work to hold.
After you’ve put the tile in place, avoid the temptation to finish the job right away. The mastic needs a good 24-48 hours to dry. If you go ahead and grout it immediately, the mastic won’t dry properly, because the air won’t be able to get to it. This may result in tiles that later become loose and fall out.
Once the mastic has had the chance to dry, it’s time to mix the grout and go back to work. The mixing is also critical. Try to combine enough grout with water to make a mix that has the consistency of toothpaste. Remember, too much water and the grout may recede when it dries. Too little water, and you’ll find it difficult to move the grout into the gaps.
