DIY: Tile Flooring In The Living Room - Family and Home Articles

Americans generally reserve tile flooring for that kitchen or the bathroom. But if you've ever spent time inside a Mexican hacienda, you realize the deep, exotic pleasure of walking barefoot across beautiful tiles in the space not meant for dripping dishwater or stepping out of the shower.


My husband and I honeymooned in San Miguel de Allende, in a villa with Saltillo tile flooring. When we obtained a house this past year with some ratty carpeting in the living room, we started wondering, what's stopping us from recreating that here?


At First Coast Living we had been looking at terra cotta colored ceramic tiles, with all the idea of bringing our honeymoon into the house in as exact a replica as possible. Honestly, I think we'd have loved that, too. Those were essentially the most romantic days of our lives, all things considered.


But we are now living in Portland, Oregon, where the rain falls along with the grass grows green, and it seemed just a little out of place. We wanted a tile floor that referenced Mexico, but also honored Portland. You know, Be Here Now.


Then we happened upon piece of rock tiles, and that we fell in love once again. We selected a random sized mosaic of sliced pebbles in a very shade of green called "Taipei" (as soon as the capital of Taiwan) that reminded us for all you world of creek beds on hikes we take inside the Oregon mountains.


Here is a little tutorial on DIY tile flooring, according to our experience. We've been walking across our pebbled family room for six months now, and I swear I've never felt so much peace in a very non-vacation home. Married bliss, or perhaps one fine damn floor? A little of both, as we do say so, ourselves.


1. Make sure the floor is clean. Get on your hands and knees and scrub, basically. Dust, oil, wax or grease will prevent the tile adhesive from functional.


2. Work through the center while you plan your layout. You want any cut tiles with the wall edges. (Ideally you desire the cut tiles at each and every end in the room to be the same size, but with our pebble mosaics, we weren't required to worry about this.)


3. Lay all of the whole tiles first. When you are able to do all of the cut tile, go and work with a professional tile cutter. Seriously. I won't name names, but a specific someone I've vowed to enjoy through sickness and health, etc. thought he could cut the tiles himself together with his circular saw, and basically, long story short, we'd to order another batch of tiles. Live and learn!


4. Grouting pebble mosaics is time-consuming, I won't lie. It's also a little tricky. This tip is vital: SEAL THE PEBBLE TILE BEFORE YOU GROUT. Because the pebbles possess a natural finish, they absorb the grout. Insert frowny face here. But if you seal the tiles (after the adhesive dries), voila, no absorption. Insert happy face.


5. Cover the entire tile with grout. Gulp. Wait twenty minutes. Wipe with a damp sponge till it's pretty again. Hey perfectionist, don't wipe so desperately that the grout involving the pebbles disappears!


6. Allow the grouted tile flooring to dry all day and night. For the initial few of those hours, venture out for a drink, both of you. You deserve it.


7. Seal it.


8. Hi, honey, I'm home? You can leave your hat on, but please, leave your shoes through the door.