How to Lay Tiles in a Container House

Laying tiles in a container house requires proper ground preparation, layout, tiling, and finishing work. The specific steps are as follows:

I. Ground Preparation

1. Leveling and Roughening
   If the ground is made of concrete, it should be leveled first and then roughened (with a thickness of 5-10mm and a spacing of 30mm). Remove floating dust, mortar, or oil stains, and wash with water if necessary. Ensure that the ground flatness error is within 10mm to avoid hollowing.
2. Waterproofing (if needed)
   If the container house is used in humid areas (such as bathrooms or kitchens), waterproof coating should be applied to the ground. It is recommended to adopt a 'rigid-flexible combination' approach: first apply a 1.5mm thick rigid waterproof layer, followed by a 1.5mm thick flexible waterproof layer. The waterproof height on the shower area walls should be no less than 2000mm.

II. Layout and Marking

1. Marking the Reference Line
   Starting from the entrance door, use a chalk line to mark a 90° reference line to ensure that the initial tiling starts with a whole tile. Non-whole tiles can be reserved under furniture or in inside corners.
2. Pre-laying Arrangement
   Pre-lay the tiles according to the ground dimensions and tile specifications, adjusting the positions of non-whole tiles to avoid uneven gaps. Use tile spacers to control the width of tile joints (2-3mm for floor tiles, 3-5mm for antique tiles).

III. Tiling Construction

1. Soaking and Drying Tiles
   Tiles with a water absorption rate greater than 5% should be soaked in water for more than 20 minutes until no bubbles appear, and then dried to prevent them from absorbing moisture from the mortar after tiling, which could lead to hollowing.
2. Applying Mortar
   Evenly apply cement mortar to the back of the tiles (with a thickness of 3-4mm), or use a 'tile adhesive' mixed in a 1:1 ratio for application.
3. Tiling and Tamping
   Lay the tiles from the outside in, gently tapping the tile surface with a rubber mallet to expel air and ensure flatness. Use a level to check and adjust any misaligned tiles in a timely manner.
4. Wall-over-Floor Technique (recommended)
   When laying wall tiles, press them over the edges of the floor tiles to avoid exposed joints, enhancing waterproofing and aesthetics.

IV. Finishing Work

1. Joint Filling
   2-3 hours after tiling, fill the gaps with white cement or tile grout, ensuring they are full and flat, and wipe off any excess material.
2. Hollowing Inspection
   Use a hollow sound detector to gently tap the tiles and check for hollowing (the hollowing rate of a single tile should be ≤5%).
3. Finished Product Protection
   Avoid walking on or placing heavy objects on the tiles for 72 hours after tiling. Cover the tile surface with PVC + knitted cotton for protection.

V. Precautions

• Expansion Joints: Reserve 5-10mm expansion joints at the junctions between floor tiles and wall tiles to prevent cracking due to thermal expansion and contraction.
• Slope Design: Areas with floor drains should have a slope of 1%-2% to ensure smooth drainage.
• Tool Preparation: Tools such as a tile cutter, rubber mallet, level, and tile spacers should be prepared in advance.