How difficult is it to lay tile throughout the house?

If ceramic, the key is a good underlayment and accurate tile-to-tile spacing. Also dry fit to determine where and how you will cut the tiles.

What kind of tile?

Ceramic tile is a cast-iron pain in the ass.

Vinyl tile, on the other hand, raltively simple. Linoleum, of course, is easiest.

Ceramic is a bitch because it is damn hard to cut the ceramic tile to fit in places where a whole tile will not fit. You can rent a ceramic tile-cutter. But it's still a bitch, even with a tile-cutter.

ON EDIT: and the guy above me is right...you want a VERY STURDY floor under your ceramic tile...or it will chip and break.

ceramic tiles will break if you don't score them correctly. they are sharp as knives and will cut your hands. you have to lay the grout evenly or your floor will be uneven. you have to "wash" the floor after laying the tiles to remove the excess grout. it's all a hard labor back breaking job. if you go ceramic it is best to hire a professional unless you are an exceptional skilled individaul.

vinyl tile on the other hand is much easier to do and a layperson can do that it you follow the package directions. depending on the flooring you will put this tile on you may have to put in a underfloor or remove older flooring so the pattern of the old floor won't show through the new tile.

*how do i Know? I am a layperson who has assisted with laying of ceramic in my home and done vinyl all by myself.

Maybe some flowers, some soft lighting....

I just got that one..

to the skills you possess. For me it would be easy, although it's a lot of work, especially ceramic.

If you've never done it before it would most likely be, as stated above, a pain in the ass. A ROYAL pain in the ass.

Do some research on the do-it-yourself sites before you commit to anything.

Good luck.

I've done bathrooms and small spaces as a DIYer. Measuring correctly is most important. Off a fraction of an inch will keep doubling until you reach the wall with one end hitting and the other end off a couple of inches. Use pre-mixed mortar. It is more expensive but it is correctly mixed and simple to use. Buy a good quality tile cutter. It is well worth the expense. Make sure to treat the grout to seal it. You can do a fairly professional job as a first timer. Good luck and take your time. It pays off.

wood pieces that snap together than looks like a wood floor. Do you know what I am talking about? If I use the wood looking floor I won't need to re-tile my kitchen and the area in front of my flireplace. My bathrooms are linoleum.

I have no idea how to do any of this.

So, let me ask you another question?

Should I just buy tiles every time I get my pension and SS then hire someone to lay it?

squares that slide together with tongue and groove thingies. He had some basic knowledge of DIY, but he was no expert by any means. It was fairly simple and straight forward, but again, it was a very small foyer. A whole house? I would suggest getting help for at least some of it.

it took DH and I 4 solid 10 hour days to lay about 800 or 900 square foot. Our kitchen and foyer have ceramic tile so we didn't do those rooms. we did 2 baths, 2 bedrooms a long hall and the living room

we have odd angles so it took some practice getting the cuts right (buy plenty extra as you will trash several pieces on the trickiest angle cuts)

i would love the stuff you're talking about but our pockets weren't deep enough.

I will say that we got the pattern consistent from one end of the house to the other and 5 years later it looks fine (when I have it mopped and shiny) :)

There is something called a tongue and groove system that acts as the install guide. One board is grooved (think of a 1/8" wide by 1/8" groove along the side of the board), and the other board has a corresponding tongue that fits into it. By doing this with all the boards, you maintain an even space between them, which is the idea.

To lay them correctly, you need to start against one wall. Rather than try and explain it, I'll ask you to go to the website for the Do-it-Yourself channel (I think it's DIY.com, but I'm sure someone here will know). I remember a while ago they had an excellent program on concerning this very thing, and I am sure it is archived at their website.

Good luck, and feel free to ask questions of me or anyone else here. BTW, I am a woodworker by trade, so I know enough about floors to pretend like I know a lot more. :)

Alloc was the first to offer the snap together planks, and they now have three grades. There are very nice colors and patterns, and they go together very quickly. I have done several jobs with it, and the most complicated was over 800 SF. It took two days. There are wood tones, and patterns that look like tile and stone.

www.alloc.com

Other manufacturers make glue-less laminate now, as well. There are also real hardwood floors that use the same sort of tongue and groove fastenings. They are harder to work with, as it takes a lot more force to put together.

Good luck.

I've done this also. The cuts are simple and they interlock without glue if these are the types you are using. It is also easier to measure the room to get it even. If you are thinking of doing odd angles or square centers that radiate outward, you should hire someone. Or if you can't figure how to have a professional look for any transition places like rug to floor, hire someone. These floors are easy to lay and don't cost much to install.

but do not suggest ceramic except for entry way or
bathroom. You might look into laminated flooring
about the same price as carpet however much easier
to maintain. Not as difficult as ceramic and a bit
more difficult than vinyl but worth checking out as
alternative.

1) Some types are easier than others. Conventional ceramic tiles are glazed only on the surface, so if they chip during the install process you're out of luck. Portuguese tiles, on the other hand, are fired with color throughout the tile, making install a bit easier. They also cut much easier and "truer" than ceramic, for some reason.

2) What type of thresholds are you using, if any? Thresholds are the "dividers" at door openings that separate rooms, and it is a bit easier during the layout phase if you only have to dry fit one room at a time.

3) What size tiles? 12X12 (or greater) require a VERY sturdy sub floor, and a VERY level one. All tiles do, of course, but the bigger the tile...

4) Is this a patterned floor, i.e. multiple types of tiles? If it is, learn to love your chalk line. :)

are 8x8. But, what about the new type of wood slats that are out?
No patterned floor, wood looking floor hopefully. This should go with my bathrooms and kitchen.

Have you heard (I wish I could remember what this is called) but it is from what I understand is glazing a floor under the carpet. I heard this was cheaper but do you know anything about it?

Basic rules: Make a straight line- Lay tile on line-Make 90 degree line off straight line(if you don't know what I'm talking about get out phone book) I'm a tile contractor, if you want accurate long version I'll be back in 30 min. Let me know.