Installing tile flooring is a highly specialized home renovation project requiring human expertise and special tools. It’s also one of the most capital-intensive aspects of most construction works.
So, once the tile has been duly installed, it’s essential to implement a robust care and maintenance plan to enhance its beauty and durability. Proper care should start right after the installation by ensuring you and other household members do not walk on freshly laid tiles.
Perhaps the one question now lingering on your mind is – how long should I wait before walking on new tile flooring?
Read on as we provide a definitive answer to that question.
How Long Before I Can Walk On New Tile Flooring?
Getting your floor installed with new tiles can improve your home’s curb appeal and, consequently, its resale value. Even if you have no plans of listing the property for sale, fresh tile flooring can enhance your home’s interior décor significantly.
So, it’s understandable why many homeowners would want to interact with new tile flooring by walking across it.
However, experts recommend waiting at least 24 hours before treading new tile flooring. The average wait period is 24 – 72 hours, depending on the tile type and installation technique.
Read more on how long after laying tile can you walk on it to avoid damaging the floor and incurring unnecessary repair costs.
How Does A Typical Floor Tiling Process Work?
Installing tile flooring can vary from contractor to contractor based on certain parameters of your house. However, it typically begins by finding a licensed and experienced company for the job and inviting them to survey the installation site.
The contractor would thoroughly assess your property and then issue you a quote depending on the projected work scope. If you agree, you pay the quoted amount and okay the project.
As a general rule, only the contractor and their handymen should be walking on the floor during the actual tiling process. You and other household members can monitor the project from a safe distance to avoid interfering with the work.
But even after the initial installation job is finished, the work isn’t done yet. There’s a curing and grouting process to follow. The curation may take 20 – 30 minutes, depending on the square footage covered and the type of tile installed.
Many homeowners would be eager to walk on the floor after the curation process. If anything, the project is as good as wrapped.
But as we’ve just indicated, it’s unwise to tread on the floor just yet. Allow ample time for the mortar and grout to set in before they can safely accommodate a significant amount of weight and pressure. The following section expounds further on the difference between mortar and grout.
Why Should I Wait?
Waiting 24 – 72 hours before walking on new tile flooring allows the mortar to cement correctly. Mortar is the thick, brown, or gray substance used to secure individual tiles to the underlayment sets. As mortar cements, the new tile becomes firmly set on the ground, preventing it from dislodging from the floor’s underlayment sets.
Mortar requires a longer time to settle. And while some may be ready to be trodden on within 24 hours, it’s safer to wait a little longer. A longer wait time guarantees the material’s beauty and durability.
Another reason to wait longer before walking on a new tile floor is that it allows grouting. It’s important to note that the floor tiling process occurs in three distinct phases.
The first phase entails cutting the tiles to the correct size to fit uniformly into the floor. Not all tiles would need to be cut, though. Cutting is only done to tiles closer to the wall, where the remaining space may not be large enough to accommodate a full tile.
The next step after cutting is mortaring. This helps to adhere the tiles firmly onto the floor.
The final step is grouting to fill in the spaces between individual tiles. Grouting should only happen once the mortar is properly cured and the new tile is firmly in place.
Many tiling contractors would prefer to do grouting the following day. That explains why waiting at least 24 hours is imperative before stepping on newly installed tile flooring.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
After grouting the new tiles, there should be more curing to help the grout set into the spaces. You’ll then have to wait longer to step on the new tile lest you dislodge the grouting material. If you add the two separate wait times, you realize that you need about three days before you can safely tread on freshly laid tile flooring.
Walking on a new tile before the mortar and grout are firmly set could damage the new tiles or cause individual tile pieces to shift. This might create an eyesore on your floor, beating the logic of laying new tile flooring.
It’s only worse when you consider tiling one of the most expensive home improvement projects. Professional floor tiling costs between $8 and $44 per square footage. The price could be higher depending on the tiling material (ceramic, porcelain, or travertine) and your property’s location. Since you’ve already spent a significant amount to have your home installed with new tile flooring, you shouldn’t mind waiting for the material to dry before walking on it.
Should I Follow the Contractor’s Recommendation on Wait Time?
Many tiling contractors will tell you to wait for at least 12 hours before walking on a new tile floor. That’s regardless of whether they’ve already done the grouting or not.
Remember that the average wait time is between one and three days.
The fact that the contractor has already completed the most challenging part of the project and has probably been fully paid could make them less concerned about what happens after they leave your property. In fact, some may not even bother advising you to wait for the grouting to dry.
This underscores the importance of hiring a professional tile contractor. It’s great to find someone who’ll make follow-up calls several days later just to check on the condition of the new floor.
Wrap Up
Professional tile installation contractors recommend waiting 24 – 72 hours before walking on freshly installed floor tiling.
If you must walk on the floor sooner, only do so on a plywood walkway.
