Some of the tools you will need
brick chisel
Hammer
screwdriver
5 gallon bucket
trowel
margin trial
not trowel
Some of the skills you should be comfortable with
the ability to mix per the instructions on a bag of thin set
the ability to apply cement or thin set
be comfortable with breaking out in old tile
The first step in the process is to strike the top of the broken tile until it breaks into enough pieces that you can remove it with a screwdriver.. Once this is been completed you will be able to get a look at how much concrete is on top of your sub floor. The next step is to get out your brick chisel in your mallet, and begin chipping away at what ever is between you and the sub floor. This process can take between 5 min. and half an hour depending on how much and how strong it is. You want to make sure to remove absolutely every bit of it as you need to make sure that the surface of your newly installed tile is flush with your other tiles.if there’s any extra cement left on the floor it will raise the height of the newly installed tile above the existing floor. For this reason it is a good idea to take the brick chisel turn it at a 45° angle and strike it along the concrete floor into all the old inset is removed.
Once you have the old tile removed and the space that it was in clean and tidy, it’s time to begin installing your new tile. If the tile that you removed was anything other than a full tile you need to begin matching the same cut that was there to begin with. After you have the tile cut [if necessary] it is time to work on installing it. Take your clean 5 gallon bucket add the appropriate amount of thinset [mortar] to the bucket and the appropriate amount of water. Stir this for 3 to 5 min. with your margin trial, and then let it sit for 5 to 10 min. After it has sat for 5 to 10 min. you will see that the thinset has begun to “fluff.” Once this “fluffing” process is finished you can stir the thin set for another 2 to 3 min.
Take your margin trial and scoop out inappropriate amount of thin set into the hole where the old tile was, and smooth it around with the appropriate notched trowel [1/8 inch to 1/4 inch] once this thin set has been properly installed in the space available, you can take your margin trial and clean a quarter inch to a half-inch around the entire perimeter of the space.
Take your new tile [making sure that your hands are clean] and gently insert it on top of the newly laid thinset. Carefully align all the edges so that you maintain the same distance between this new tile. Once you are sure that it’s aligned properly can gently but firmly pressed down on the tile until it recesses to the same height as the existing floor. You should hear satisfying vacuum closing sound as the thin set bonds to the tile.
Once the tile is installed and you have let it dry for one day at least, you can begin the process of grouting. Take a clean 5 gallon bucket and follow the directions on the back of grout, leaving the same amount of “fluffing” time as you did or the thin set. Take a soft grout float or sponge and carefully work the grout into the gap around the tile. Give this 10 to 15 min. to set up, and then begin the process of cleaning up to grout. Usually when we clean up grout you want to use two buckets one with perfectly clean water, and one with water that you rinse the dirty sponge in. However because this is such a small job, it’s only necessary to have one bucket of water. Make sure and be cautious, but if any grout haze is left behind you can remove it with a piece of cheese cloth [available at any home improvement store].
Hopefully this do-it-yourself tile project went smoothly for you, if so there is a whole world of do-it-yourself projects waiting to be done.