How to Anchor Tiles to a Floor

Combine a powdered tile adhesive with a latex additive in a 5-gallon bucket, following the mixing recommendations on the adhesive. Mix the adhesive with a drill and mixer attachment until the adhesive is the consistency of thick glue. Allow the adhesive to rest for 10 minutes before you apply it.

Place adhesive in the center of the area you are tiling. Use a metal trowel to smooth out the adhesive into a 1/8-inch-thick layer, covering a 2- to 3-foot square area.

Spread more adhesive over the surface of the thin coat. Hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle, with the notched edge scraping against the floor, when you spread this second layer. The notches control the depth of the adhesive and leave behind furrows, which allow air to escape from beneath the tiles as you lay them.

Lay the tiles on top of the adhesive in your predetermined design. Most tiles have spacer notches on their sides. Lay these tiles with the notches touching. For tiles without notches, set a tile spacer between the edges as you lay the tiles. Remove the spacers after you lay a 3-foot-square area, so they do not dry into the adhesive.

Wipe away any excess adhesive that comes up around the tiles with a rag soaked in a tile adhesive solvent. The excess adhesive requires removal before it begins to harden.

Anchor the remaining tiles to the floor, working outward from the center of the room. Apply the adhesive to no more than a 3-foot-square area at a time, or the adhesive may begin to harden before all the tiles are set in place.