How To Lay A Concrete Floor Outside

Often people want to cover a concrete patio or porch with tile and need to know how that differs from indoor tile installation.

How to lay a concrete floor outside.

Measure out the space you wish to fill with concrete. As you move on to the subsequent rows use the spacers to keep your pattern square. Mark the height you want the concrete to reach. You can purchase it in sheets or in liquid form.

Your first task in laying tile outdoors to build a patio will be to provide a solid base. A damp proof membrane is put down. In most cases your builder will install your floor although it is possible to do it on a diy basis but it is not a one man task. My husband harrison and i have wanted to change out our patio floor since the day we bought the house.

Setting up a slab perimeter 1. Determine your starting wall. Ripping up concrete and building a deck seemed like a daunting and expensive task so when we saw newtechwood deck a floor we thought it would be absolutely perfect for our space. Lay the tiles into the mortar and using the spacers make sure you are running even with the chalk line.

Snap the chalk line over the top of the concrete or moisture barrier between the marks on opposite walls making a cross in the center of the room. Use the measurements to. When possible always begin layout or installation from the straightest wall generally an outside wall. You will lay the flooring lengthwise to this wall.

Add another thin layer of sand and use the push broom to spread it across the patio. This will help prevent cracking of tiles. Hardcore or a type 1 floor seal is compacted using a whacker plate. Spread a light layer of paver sand over the entire area.

The following article deals with preparing an existing concrete base but it also links to a resource devoted to pouring a new concrete slab. Once a tile is set try to avoid touching it again. Purchase an anti fracture membrane to lay over your leveled concrete. Slab thickness is important and depends on your plans for your home.

Within a day our. Use a push broom to sweep the sand into the gaps between the pavers and run the plate compactor across the patio surface. Sand blinding will take place if necessary. How to lay a tile floor article how to lay tile on a concrete slab article video transcript danny lipford.

Run the plate compactor over the area one last time. Opt to cut sheets of ditra membrane to fit the area you are tiling.