If you are asking this kind of a question I can almost guarantee that within a few weeks the tiles you put down will start to crack and come loose. I read a question from a woman once whose boyfriend tried to surprise her by putting ceramic tile down in her bathroom while she was away for a week, but in a matter of a few days the tiles were all breaking and her question had to do with ripping it all up.
There is a right way to install ceramic tiles in a bathroom but almost everybody does it the wrong way. If you do it the wrong way the tiles will begin to crack or work loose, and the grout will fall out. You need to research this carefully before you begin, but in answer to your question:
1. Use a 1/4x 3/8'; square notch trowel.
2. Use thinset mortar to set the tile.I'm installing a ceramic tile floor in my bathroom. What kind of adhesive do I use and what kind of trowel?
You will want to put a layer of thin set (just go in and say 'I need some thin set for tile' and they will know) on your backer board (I recommend Hardi-backer wonder board) with the straight end of a rectangular little trowel that has a straight side on one side and squared off teeth on the other. Get the stuff down with the straight edge and then go over it with the teeth.
Before you do any of that though you will want to lay out a column and a row of your tile to judge how it will fit. You wouldn't want to start off in a corner and then end up with a one inch row in the end of the bathroom when everything is 6 inch tiles. Make a few cuts with a tile saw (most home improvement stores will rent them) and start laying down the tile one row at a time placing 1/4 inch spacers in between. They look like a little plus sign and you only want to put them facing up like a t on each of the sides of the tile and not laying down in the corners like I've seen too may times.
You allow the this set to set up and then can grout. You specified ceramic tile but if you used glass tile you'd need to get a specific grout that won't scratch the glass. Anyway, mix the grout and spread it over the tile getting it in to all those little crevasses (work in manageable sized areas) then wipe off excess with a damp sponge. This may take a few times and even then there will still be residue. Once you get done, go over with the sponge again changing water often. Depending on the tile you use, seal it and you're done!
Thin-set mortar and a 1/4'; square notched trowel for floors. Adhesive and a smaller V-notched trowel is okay for walls. There is a lot more to it, like others have said, like making sure your subfloor is adequate (1/4 or even 1/2'; Hardibacker over 3/4'; plywood is best), and the all important layout. If you mess it up, you'll pay a lot more to have it torn out to start over. I'm sure you can find step-by-step videos on the net.
I have never seen tiles glued straight to the floor in bathrooms. Sounds dodgy. I'v always thick bedded the floor first with a fairly dry sand cement mix (heaps more sand then cement). then create your slopes towards your drains. Then while its still wet, start at the back of the room and throw down some dry raw concrete mix, then wet it well by squeezing your sponge over it and throw your tiles straight down on that. Then as you lay them the concrete squeezes up between the tiles and creates the grout, simply sponge the tiles off nicely as you go.
Have you done the water proofing yet?
START OUT WITH THIN SET TO LAY IT TO THE FLOOR THEN AFTER IT DRIES OVERNIGHT USE GROUT TO FILL IN THE SPACES , GROUT COMES IN MANY COLORS . I USE A 1/4 X 1/4 SQUARE NOTCH TROWEL . GET A 5 GALLON BUCKET TO MIX IT IN AND USE A 1/2'; DRILL WITH A GROUT / CEMENT MIXER , IT MIXES WITH WATER ---FOLLOW THE BAG INSTRUCTIONS . ALL THIS CAN BE BOUGHT AT LOWES OR HOME DEPOT , ANY HARDWARE STORE , TILE SUPPLE STORE . DO A CAREFUL LAYOUT WITH A CHALK LINE AND USE THE PLUS ( + ) SIGN TYPE SPACERS AND ALL WILL LAY NICELY
Any hardware store like Lowes will have the mastic and trowels. Just ask and they will show you what you need for ceramic tile. You can google ';how to install tile'; for complete details.
if you need to ask that, do your wife a favor and hire it out, or at least go to building ctr for one on one instruction
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