Lay Out and Set Floor Tile

A. Finished-Project Specification

Quantity: one defined tile field covering the inspection area, set on established control lines, with movement joints preserved, verified mortar coverage beneath every tile, maintained joint width and lippage tolerance, and accurately cut perimeter, doorway, pipe, and obstacle pieces.

B. Tile-Setting Schedule

Item	Target Condition	Verification Method
Dry layout	Reference rows placed in both directions with no unacceptable narrow cuts or poor doorway alignment	Visual check against control lines and doorway centerline
Control lines	Two perpendicular control lines established and verified square	Chalk line and measured diagonal check
Movement joints	Perimeter and field movement joints identified and marked before mortar is spread	Written record on plan and visual marking
Mortar mix	Mixed to the specified water ratio, mixing time, slake, and remix procedure	Timed mixing and visual consistency check
Mortar coverage	Full mortar contact on tile back and substrate at every lifted representative tile	Physical lift-and-check of representative tile
Joint width and lippage	Joint width consistent with the specified pattern; lippage within the manufacturer or industry tolerance	Spacer or leveling-device check and straightedge across adjoining tiles
Perimeter and obstacle cuts	Every cut tile fits with the required clearance and maintains movement space	Direct measurement at each cut location

C. Material Takeoff

• Tile: quantity sufficient to cover the inspection area plus the waste allowance specified by the tile assembly specification, sorted by lot before setting begins.
• Mortar: thinset mortar in the quantity specified for the trowel size and total field area, purchased in whole-bag quantities to avoid a partial mix mid-field.
• Spacers or leveling devices: sufficient quantity for the entire field based on tile size and the specified joint width.
• Movement-joint material: flexible material sufficient to mark and preserve every designated movement joint identified in the layout plan.
• Documentation: one Tile-Setting Record per inspection area, plus photographs of the dry layout, control lines, mortar coverage checks, and completed field.

D. Acceptance Standards

Check	Standard
Layout accuracy	Control lines square and verified against a dry layout with no unacceptable narrow cuts at any wall or doorway
Mortar coverage	Every lifted representative tile shows full mortar contact on both tile back and substrate with no skinned or hollow areas
Joint width and pattern	Joint width and pattern consistent across the field within the tolerance specified by the tile assembly specification
Lippage	Adjoining tile edges within the manufacturer or industry lippage tolerance at every checked joint
Movement joints	Every designated movement joint free of mortar intrusion and marked for flexible treatment in Chapter 13
Perimeter and obstacle cuts	Every cut tile accurately sized with required clearance maintained
Cleanliness	Mortar removed from tile faces and joints before hardening
Documentation	Tile-Setting Record complete with layout, mortar batch, coverage checks, and cure entries

E. Layout and Reference-Line Establishment

1. Review tile size, pattern, room dimensions, joint width, movement-joint plan, mortar, trowel, coverage requirement, and cut locations. Confirm every value against the approved tile assembly specification before proceeding.
2. Confirm the substrate has passed inspection. Verify the Chapter 11 backer-board inspection record shows an approved plane, support, fastening, and seam condition for the inspection area.
3. Dry-lay reference rows. Place tile without mortar in both directions across the inspection area using the specified joint width.
4. Establish perpendicular control lines. Chalk two lines perpendicular to each other from the confirmed dry layout and verify the intersection is square using a measured diagonal check.
5. Adjust layout to avoid unacceptable narrow cuts and poor doorway alignment. Shift the control lines and re-check the dry layout until every perimeter cut meets the minimum width and the doorway alignment is acceptable.
6. Plan movement and perimeter joints. Mark the location of every required movement joint at the perimeter, at changes in plane, and within the field before mortar is mixed.

F. Tile Sorting and Cutting Setup

1. Sort tile for color, size, pattern, and damage. Set aside any tile with visible defects before it enters the field.
2. Cut sample pieces and verify wet-saw or cutter setup. Confirm the cutting equipment produces a clean, accurate edge before cutting field quantities.

G. Mortar Mixing

1. Mix mortar using the specified water, mixing, slake, and remix procedure. Measure water to the specified ratio and mix for the specified time.
2. Do not add water after the permitted mixing sequence. Discard and remix a batch that has begun to stiffen rather than adding water to restore workability.

H. Mortar Spreading and Tile Setting

1. Spread only the area that can be covered within open time. Limit each spread section to the area the crew can set with tile before the mortar skins over.
2. Comb mortar in one consistent direction. Use the specified notched trowel to comb ridges in a single direction across the spread area.
3. Back-butter tile where required. Apply mortar to the tile back in addition to the substrate when the tile size or mortar manufacturer requires it.
4. Set the first tile on the reference lines. Align the first tile precisely to the established control lines before continuing the course.
5. Move the tile perpendicular to mortar ridges to collapse them. Use a slight perpendicular motion when setting each tile to fully collapse the combed ridges into solid contact.
6. Install spacers or leveling devices where approved. Place the specified spacer or leveling-device system at every joint as tile is set.
7. Maintain joint width and pattern. Check joint width against the specification at regular intervals across the field.
8. Check tile plane and lippage frequently. Run a straightedge across adjoining tiles at regular intervals and correct any tile exceeding the lippage tolerance before the mortar sets.

I. Coverage Verification and Correction

1. Lift representative tiles to verify mortar coverage. Remove at least one tile from each spread section while the mortar is still workable and inspect the back of the tile and the corresponding substrate area.
2. Correct low coverage, skinned mortar, or hollow areas immediately. Re-comb or re-spread mortar and reset the tile before continuing to the next section.
3. Keep mortar out of movement joints and excessive joint depth. Tool or trim mortar away from every marked movement joint before it hardens.

J. Perimeter, Cleanup, and Cure Protection

1. Cut perimeter, doorway, pipe, and obstacle tiles accurately. Measure each location directly and cut the tile to the actual dimension.
2. Maintain required perimeter clearance. Preserve the specified gap at every wall, column, and fixed object.
3. Clean mortar from tile faces and joints before it hardens. Wipe excess mortar from the tile surface and from within the joints using a damp sponge before it sets.
4. Protect the installation from traffic and vibration through cure. Restrict foot traffic and following-trade work for the mortar manufacturer's specified cure period.
5. Inspect layout, joints, coverage, lippage, cuts, and movement details. Complete the full field inspection described in the Common Readiness Inspection section before proceeding to Chapter 13.
6. Document mortar, trowel, batch, coverage checks, and cure. Record every required entry on the Tile-Setting Record.