A dry layout shows small cuts before the adhesive is mixed
The Tile Council's installation FAQ says a dry area with a smooth, sturdy substrate is the simplest place to learn. Layout should avoid small cuts along walls and other transitions. Those cuts are hard to make and look poor. Placing the tiles on the floor before any adhesive, a dry layout, lets you move the centerlines and the joint width until the edge pieces are a reasonable size.
Boxes, shade, and the handbook
If several boxes are used, they should share the same caliber and shade. Boxes are usually coded. Opening them and mixing the tiles is still wise. The FAQ recommends the Tile Council handbook for accepted details and says the handbook is not a training manual. Product bags for mortar, backer board, and grout carry instructions that should be followed. The adhesive has to match the tile, the substrate, and the location.
Jobs the FAQ says to leave
Steam rooms and showers are among the assemblies the page says a first attempt should not take on, because a poor installation can fail. Knowing that limit is part of the layout decision, not a separate product choice.
Source
Fetched 2026-10-11 from Tile Council ceramic tile installation FAQ. The sentences above follow that page. They are not a contractor promise.
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