How to lay tiles on plasterboard

Drywall (GKL) is considered to be one of the most versatile building materials, which has a wide range of applications. It is used for finishing private houses, apartments, offices, shopping centers, etc. The great success of this building material is achieved due to its unique physical and hygienic characteristics.

Drywall is resistant to moisture, so it is used when laying tiles.

Drywall can be used in rooms with a high level of humidity, which includes the bathroom. Facing gipsokartonnogo basis tiles allows you to achieve an impeccable appearance of the bathroom. Laying tiles on gypsum board is not a difficult task, so even a novice builder can cope with it. The main thing is to follow all the instructions and recommendations of specialists. Next, we will consider how to put the tile on a drywall.

Preparatory work

Before installing the ceramic tiles on the plasterboard in the bathroom, you need to choose the right material and glue composition, as the quality of the works will depend on their quality. Buying a tile, you need to take into account its characteristics:

Stages of laying tiles on the floor of gypsum board.

1. Flatness of tile. Despite the fact that there is absolutely no tile, you should not buy uneven tiles, as this will significantly complicate the installation process, and the laid surface will not have an attractive appearance. To determine the evenness of the material, two tiles must be applied to each other and the gap between them determined.
2. Presence of a pattern. The surface of the ceramic tile should be smooth and not have smeared pattern, divorce and other defects.
3. Hardness of the material. To determine this parameter, lightly hit the tile. If you hear a deaf sound, then the tile is good.
4. Quality of the reverse side. If on the side where the glue will be applied, there is no picture, mark and name, then the material is of poor quality, so it is not suitable for wall covering in the bathroom.

When laying tiles on plasterboard an important role is played by the quality of the glue, so it's worth taking it with all seriousness to its choice. The following glue mixes can be used:

1. Liquid Nails. They are quite expensive type of glue, so it is better to use it when some element falls off.
2. Cement-based glue has a low price, but also average performance characteristics, so it is better to use it only if you can not purchase a more expensive adhesive.
3. Elastic adhesive is available both as a ready-made mortar and as a dry mix. It has better performance characteristics than the second option, so its use is more advisable.

Installation of plasterboard

Laying tiles in the bathroom is carried out using such tools and materials:

Tools required for laying tiles: a notched trowel, a flat cutter, a ten centimeter trowel, a "balerinka", a rubber spatula.

• tile cutting machine;
• Drills with a nozzle for mixing glue;
• level;
• containers for preparation of glue;
• spatula with a flat and ribbed edge;
• brushes;
• roller;
• tile adhesive;
• deep penetration primers;
• guide rails;
• PVA;
• honeycomb mixture;
• polypropylene plaster mesh;
• tiled crosses.

The main difficulty that can arise when installing ceramic tiles on this surface is that the adhesive composition can cause deformation of the drywall. To prevent this, you need to use guide rails that are mounted on its surface every 0.4 m. In addition to racks, a polypropylene plaster mesh is also mounted on the drywall with PVA and special brackets, which further protects the base from deformation. Then the base is primed. Priming walls is recommended twice. The second layer is applied 30-60 minutes after application of the first layer.

After that you can start preparing the adhesive composition.

The optimal option is to buy a dry mix, specifically designed for the processing of drywall.

The scheme of laying tiles on gypsum board.

Dry powder is poured into a container, into which water is added. The required amount of water is indicated on the packaging from under the glue. All is thoroughly mixed with a drill with a special nozzle. Do not knead a lot of glue at a time, as it quickly hardens and becomes unusable.

The installation of ceramic tiles begins with the second row, under which the guide rail is installed. Its evenness is checked with the help of a building level. First, a plaster glue is applied to the drywall with a flat spatula, which is smeared on the finishing surface with a notched trowel. After laying the first element, a vertical row is mounted, and then a horizontal row.

To maintain the same distance between individual elements, crosses are used, mounted in the joints of four tiles. After laying the tile, crosses are removed, and the seams are cleaned of excess glue and filled with a trowelling mixture. Seams can also be treated with silicone sealant or liquid glass to further protect the substrate from moisture.

Installation diagram

Scheme of installation of tiles on plasterboard.

The choice of this or that scheme of installation is made depending on the perimeter of the facing surface. First, you need to calculate the desired number of horizontal rows of tiles, and then divide the length of the wall by the width of the tile, taking into account the width of the seams. If the resulting number is more than ½ the width of the tile, then the installation work should begin from the front of the wall, placing the trimmed tile in the corner of the room. If the calculated value is less than ½ the width of the tile, the laying starts from the center of the wall. Laying of ceramic tiles is carried out in small portions (3-5 rows), between which you should take a break for a time of 1 to 1.5 hours.

After the end of the installation work, you must wait about a day to give the adhesive the time to dry completely. After that, you can start cleaning and trowelling of tile joints. After grouting the seams, you need to wait another day, and then using a brush to apply a protective coating on the seams.

Laying tiles on gypsum cardboard allows to get both a homogeneous surface, and unique decor elements, allowing to hide possible defects of the bathroom and communication systems.