I am in the middle of redoing my son’s bedroom and just laid this click and lock DIY concrete tile. You read that correctly – CLIC-FIT tile. No mortar, or traditional thin set is used with this tile. Pretty amazing, right? Let me show you how awesome this new REVOTILE is by Daltile! I shared the step by step video process on my instagram story highlight and also have a FAQ at the bottom of this post answering all the questions!
Here’s the carpet situation that I started with. There wasn’t anything wrong with it per say, but it’s a very low quality carpet and was already pretty worn and dirty after only 2.5 years. Plus, this new DIY concrete tile goes perfect with the industrial theme I want to accomplish in this space.
Step 1: Install Underlayment
After I removed the carpet and baseboards, I started laying the underlayment for the tile. This is sold separately from the tile but necessary for the process. It took maybe 20 minutes to lay this for the entire room!
I taped each seam with this FAST Underlayment Tape that I also purchased along with the rest of the supplies.
I easily cut around the closet and walls with scissors. And now I’m almost ready to start laying the tile!
Step 2: Cut Door Jambs
Before I laid the first row, I used my multitool to cut the door frames so the tile fits under them.
Step 3: Dry fit REVOTILE
Then, I dry fit my first row of tile. Dry fitting and figuring out where to start the tile is probably the trickiest part of the process. As you can see in the photo above, I needed to rip the entire first row down and cut off about an inch to make it line up flush with the tile in the hallway. I don’t like using transitions and wanted the two tiles to line up seamlessly.
Step 4: Cut DIY Concrete Tile
I used my inexpensive tile cutter that I’ve had for years for this tile job. This tile cuts just like traditional porcelain tile. The only thing different is to pay attention to which sides you are cutting based on the where the tongues and grooves are.
Here are the first two pieces laid and you can see how nicely they align with the hallway tile without needing any transition. These two are locked together at the joint in the middle and now I can continue clicking and locking subsequent pieces in order.
Step 5: ClIC-FIT DIY REVOTILE Together
As you can see in the photo above, you simply angle the tongue of the piece you’re holding and fit it into the grooves of the piece above it. After that you mallet it in place as pictured below.
I used the accessory kit (sold separately) to fit the tiles together. It comes with the gray piece pictured above that I used to tap the pieces together with my mallet. The accessory kit also comes with a handy tool that allows you to mallet pieces together snug even when it’s against the wall.
Here’s a tricky cut going around my closet hardware. I made multiple passes on my same wet saw to create lines that chipped out for this cut.
Step 6: Grout
The grouting process for the REVOTILE is just like it would be for traditional tile. The only difference here is that the grout has a special flexible formula to allow and account for any movement and prevent cracking. I use a grout float to spread and pack the grout into the spaces in small sections.
Having a bucket of water and use a sponge to clean off the excess grout immediately is necessary. The grout dries quickly so I make sure to work in pretty small sections. Rinsing your sponge and cleaning multiple times is key to getting a nice finished product.
Here’s a close up that shows the difference between the grouted tile (right) and non grouted tile (left). I chose a gray grout that matched the color of the tile in order to create the look of a concrete floor as close as possible.
Here’s how the transition came out after grouting. Again, I prefer the look of no transition, but you could easily add one here, especially if you are transitioning between two different flooring materials.
I completed the space with another accent wall, and new trim and baseboards. Here’s the finished look:
FAQ: DIY Concrete Tile
- Can this tile be used in bathrooms? YES
- Does the floor sound hollow? It sounds slightly different than traditional tile, but it feels very secure.
- Does the grout crack because it’s a floating floor? NO, it has flexibility built in.
- Does it come in other colors? YES. Many other options, make sure to check the daltile website.
- Where can I buy REVOTILE? Visit the daltile website and find a dealer local to you!
- Is this easier to install than traditional tile? Absolutely!
- There really isn’t any mortar or thinset? NO! Each tile simply clicks and locks together.
- Is it waterproof? YES!
- Do you need spacers? NO. The tongue and groove built into the tile automatically gives perfect spacing.
- What all do I need to purchase? The tile, the underlayment, the accessory kit (I totally recommend) and the grout are the supplies you need.
- Do I need a wet saw? I definitely recommend one. It’s possible to cut these with a snap and score tile cutter but a wet saw makes the job 10x easier.
- For additional questions I may have missed, make sure to visit the FAQ on their website.