1. Finding the middle of the ceiling - your starting point.
To lay tiles evenly, you should start your work exactly in the middle of the ceiling (Hint: very often your ceiling
lights or fans are located exactly in the center of the ceiling). To find this point, use two strings drawn along the ceiling
diagonals (Figure 1). Ideally, this should be done with another person's assistance. Now, through the middle of the ceiling,
draw two perpendicular lines to divide it into four equal rectangles (Figure 2).
2. Putting mastic on a tile.
On the back of a tile, put a half-inch to one-inch thick layer of mastic (Figure
3). The thickness of the mastic on the back of the tile should depend on a surface you are putting the tiles on. If the surface
is too porous, for example popcorn ceiling, you might need to add some extra mastic. On the other hand, if the surface is
flat, you may need to reduce the quantity of the mastic. The mastic should be placed close to the corners of the tile and
in the middle of it. If you feel it is necessary, add the mastic in a few more places. Some extra mastic won't bother. The
mastic pieces should be a couple of inches in diameter, and they should have cone-like shapes. Don't spread the mastic so
that it is completely flat. Each piece of mastic you place on the back of a tile should look like a little hill. When you
press the tile against the ceiling, the mastic will spread under the tile, making it adhere properly to the surface of the
ceiling.
3. Laying the first tile.
Lay the first tile
at a right angle to the walls, with one of its corners places exactly in the middle of the ceiling that
you found earlier (Figure 4). Make sure its edges follow the perpendicular lines.
4. Proper gluing.
When laying tiles, you should make sure they are pressed hard enough for the mastic to
adhere thoroughly to the surface without damaging the tile.
5. Parallel rows.
Lay the subsequent tiles in parallel rows (Figure 5). Make sure there
are no big gaps left between their edges. Move the tiles as close to each other as possible.
6. Applying caulk.
After all the tiles are finally
glued to the ceiling, you will need to fill existing gaps between the tiles with caulk (Figure 7). Even if the seams are almost
invisible, it is still recommended to use caulk, for it helps to make your ceiling look seamless and solid.
The caulk is playing the same role here as the grout when you are putting floor tiles. Use matching color or clear
caulk so that it wouldn't be very obvious to a naked eye. Using a "caulking gun," spread a thin strip of caulk between
the joints of the adjacent tiles along the entire length of the gap. Since the caulk will be staying on the top of the gap,
you will need to squeeze it with your finger so that it gets inside the gap between the two tiles.
Some
of the caulk will still stay on the top of the tile after this procedure, so it needs to be removed by wiping it off with
a wet sponge. Wash the sponge occasionally and squeeze out excess water so that it stays clean and wet.
Don't let the caulk stay too long on the surface of the tile because it will dry fast and so
will be difficult to remove.
