Tiling a Bathroom Floor for Beginners

Whether you’re tired of looking at old and shabby bathroom tiling or simply want to try a new look, when it comes to tiling a bathroom it can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re a first-timer. Fortunately, all you need is a bit of planning, preparation, the right tools, our top tiling tips and a little bit of patience, and you can achieve a professional-looking tile job you can be proud of.

Choosing to go the DIY bathroom tiling route offers several benefits too. From saving you money on labour costs to tile a bathroom and equipping you with new skills, to providing a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment once you complete the job. If you’re keen to try to DIY your floor tiling but you’ve been wondering, ‘How do I tile a bathroom floor?’, here’s a quick and easy step-by-step guide to get you going, for bathroom flooring you’ll love.

Just like that, you’ve successfully tiled your bathroom floors, and all that’s left is to stand back and admire a job well done!

So the next time you need to decide whether or not to DIY your bathroom tiling, now you know that you’re capable of getting the job done. Just ensure you plan and prepare properly, take your time, follow our guide carefully and consult CTM for professional help and advice if need be and for high-quality, durable bathroom tiling. Visit CTM for everything you need to tackle your tiling with confidence.

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1. Planning and Prepping for Tiling Your Bathroom Floors

When it comes to how to tile a bathroom floor, planning is essential to ensure you know just what you’re going to do and that you have all the tools you need to get the job done. So here’s what to do when planning to tile your bathroom:

Get your measurements: Start by measuring the bathroom floor area you want to tile so that you can determine how many tiles you'll need to purchase. We recommend buying an extra 10% of tiles to make up for inevitable cuts and breakages.
Get the right tiles: Next, you get to have some fun choosing the type of tiles you’d like for your bathroom floor. You'll want to choose tiles that are suitable for bathroom floors, as they need to be durable and water-resistant. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are popular options for bathroom flooring as they’re both durable and affordable. Explore our incredible selection of quality bathroom floor tiles at CTM in a variety of styles, colours and finishes to find the perfect fit to suit your bathroom floors with ease.
Gather your tools and materials: For DIY bathroom tiling you’ll need: a tile cutter, notched trowel, tile spacers, grout float, spirit level, adhesive and grout. You may also need a tile saw if you're making complex cuts.
Consider the costs: The cost to tile your bathroom floor will depend on the type of tiles you choose, the size of your bathroom and the cost of the necessary tools and materials. However, remember that doing the tiling job yourself will save you money on labour costs and it’s a rewarding way to enhance the look and functionality of your bathroom, develop new skills and add value to your home.

2. Preparing the Bathroom Floor

Before you can lay your bathroom tiles, you must prepare the floor surface. Here’s how:

First, remove any existing tiles, adhesive or grout from the bathroom floor.
Next, you need to ensure the floor is level. For concrete floors, use a levelling compound to ensure it's flat and even. For wooden floors, install a plywood subfloor to prevent the tiles from cracking.
Then, clean the floor surface thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner and a damp cloth, making sure there's no dust, debris or moisture on the surface before proceeding.
Next, measure and mark the centre of the bathroom floor with a chalk line. Then carefully use a tile cutter or tile saw to cut the tiles to the desired size and shape. Make sure to wear safety goggles and gloves while cutting the tiles.
Then finally, it’s helpful to dry lay the tiles to see how they will fit. Start laying them from the centre point you had identified, going towards one wall at a time. Insert spacers between each tile to ensure even spacing.

Tiling the Bathroom Floor

With all that prepping and planning out the way, it’s time to get started laying your bathroom tiling. Here’s what to do:

Using a notched trowel, apply the adhesive evenly on the floor surface. Make sure you apply it in small sections to avoid the adhesive drying out before you can lay the tiles.
Next, lay the first tile at the centre of the bathroom floor, aligned with the chalk line you marked earlier.
Continue laying tiles until you've covered the entire bathroom floor area, laying them in such a way that you are able to exit the room without walking across newly laid tiles. Lay the tiles in a straight line, using tile spacers to maintain even gaps between them.

Once your bathroom tiling is laid, allow 24-48 hours for the adhesive to dry before moving on to the last few steps.

After the adhesive has dried, remove the tile spacers and use a grout float to apply grout between the tiles. Wipe off any excess grout with a damp sponge, being careful not to remove too much.
Then finally, leave the grout to dry for 24-48 hours before sealing it with a grout sealer. The sealer will protect the grout from moisture and stains.