How to Redo Tile Floors

Lay out your canvas tarp in the center of the floor. Use your sledgehammer to break up the tiles that are under it, letting the tarp hold down the broken shards. Break up the whole area.

More the tarp to the next section. Break up the tiles under it as before. Repeat, breaking up the whole floor. Scoop up the broken tiles with a coal shovel and discard.

Lay two intersecting lines over the exposed subfloor using your chalk snap line, crossing each other at the center of the floor, to divide it into four quadrants. Lay a square along one line before snapping the intersecting line and adjust as needed so the lines are exactly perpendicular to one another.

Lay thinset mortar over the middle of the floor with your notched trowel, over about 4 square feet, in one of the four corners formed by the intersecting lines.

Set the first tile at the intersection, in the mortar, lined up on two adjacent sides with the two lines. Set a second tile next to it, putting two tile spacers between them.

Repeat and continue, setting additional tiles and building out from the center to the perimeter of the floor. Spread more mortar as needed. Cover the whole floor.

Use the tile cutter to cut the tiles at the perimeter of the floor as needed, so they fit along the walls. Lay the tiles with the cut sides facing the walls.

Let the tiles set overnight. Remove the spacers.

Spread grout over the floor with a rubber grout float, forcing it into the lines and scraping it off the surface. Let it set according to package directions and use a damp sponge to wipe off the excess grout. Remove any remaining haze with a soft rag. Seal the grout if desired, applying according to package directions.