Tiling a Porch

When it comes to flooring options for a front or back porch, you will have many choices in the types of materials available. If you want an elegant porch, you can choose marble tiles and tiling a porch is not a difficult task. This option is not a cheap one because marble tiles are expensive, but they pay off in the long term with their durability and versatility. This stone has been used in construction since the earliest times, especially on porch floors. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are also good choice to look at and are not as expensive.

First you have to look at the foundation of your porch. It is not advisable to lay tiles on a cement base, so if this is the case, you might want to consider laying down a wooden floor first. This is easy to do by screwing cement board to the concrete foundation. When you start the tiling project, you will need certain tools, which include:
• Tape measure
• Wet tile saw
• Grouting float
• Grouting sponge
• Notched mortar trowel
• Tile spacers
• Mortar
• Grout, and
• Grout sealer

Make sure all the areas are level and that the floor is completely clean of any dust and dirt. Start working from a corner and smooth the grout over the floor. Lay the tile in place and wipe off any excess grout. Use tile spacers to keep the tiles apart. This space will be filled in with grout afterwards. Set the tiles in place with a rubber mallet. Let the tiles sit in place for 24 hours.

After the tiles have set, start applying the grout float in the seams and wipe any excess off the tiles. Once this has dried, you can apply the sealant to give the tiles a glossy shine.