Tiling in Riga - walls and floors in an apartment

What decides whether the tiles will hold

A tile is only as stable as the surface under it. In its waterproofing data sheet, the manufacturer Ceresit requires the base to be dry, load-bearing, stable and clean, and crumbling surfaces are primed before the work. For the Ceresit CM 17 tile adhesive, the manufacturer states that a cement screed and plaster under tiles must be at least 28 days old and have a moisture content below 4%.

That is why the tiling price is closely linked to the condition of the walls and floor. If old tiles have to be removed, plaster is coming away or the floor is uneven, you need demolition of the old tiles or floor levelling before tiling. These jobs are separate lines in the estimate.

Laying tiles in the usual order

1. Removing the old finish If there are old tiles or loose plaster on the wall or floor, they are removed down to a stable base.
2. Preparing the base Uneven surfaces are levelled and crumbling surfaces are primed. According to the manufacturer's data, Ceresit CT 17 primer dries in about 2 hours.
3. Waterproofing in wet areas In a bathroom and shower, waterproofing is applied before tiling, and tape is set into corners and joints.
4. Fixing the tiles For Ceresit CM 17 the manufacturer requires the adhesive to cover at least 65% of the back of the tile, and tiles are not soaked in water.
5. Grouting According to the CM 17 data sheet, walls are grouted after at least 12 hours and floors after at least 24 hours.
6. Silicone joints In corners, at the floor edge and next to plumbing fixtures the manufacturer recommends silicone rather than grout.

Floor tiling

Floor tiles in an apartment are usually laid in the bathroom, toilet, kitchen and hallway. A floor has to wait longer before grouting than a wall. According to the data sheet for Ceresit CE 40 grout, you can walk on a grouted floor after 6 hours, it tolerates water load after 24 hours and reaches full strength after 5 days.

If the floor is levelled with a self-levelling compound before tiling, the manufacturer of Ceresit CN 76 specifies movement joints: one area indoors of up to 36 m², a length-to-width ratio of up to 1.5, and joints also at room thresholds. According to this manufacturer's data, tiles can be laid on a levelled floor after 3 days. If there will be underfloor heating under the tiles, write this in your request.

What to decide before tiling

• Tile size: laying large-format tiles is a separate job with a different price.
• Which walls are tiled and how high, and whether the floor is tiled too.
• Pattern: straight rows or offset, diagonal or another pattern.
• Whether you will choose the materials yourself. In your request, write if the tiles are already bought.
• Whether you will also change the plumbing: then it is easier to plan the whole bathroom tiling together with waterproofing.

In your request, write the address, the rooms, the area of walls and floor in m², the building series or year of construction, and the condition of the walls and floor. If the tiles are only for a kitchen wall, see kitchen splashback tiling.

How much does tiling cost per m²?

Tiling: from €24/m². Demolition of old tiles: from €9/m². Bathroom waterproofing: from €6/m². Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate.

Example: a 10 m² kitchen floor with old tiles removed. Demolition 10 × €9 = from €90, tiling 10 × €24 = from €240, in total from €330 for labour.

The price depends on the condition of the walls and floors, the area of the room and the number of corners, the chosen finish, and the tile size and pattern: large-format tiles and patterns cost more. All prices are on the page renovation prices. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.

What is and is not included in the price

We agree the price and the list of work before the job starts.