Give your kitchen and bathroom a makeover by laminating the tiles

A squeegee is being used to stick tile laminate onto a white wall tile. — Clean the surface thoroughly before applying the tile laminate.

Introduction

Without a doubt, the quickest and most flexible way to redesign bathroom or kitchen tiles is to apply coloured, cut-to-size tile laminate. This is because you don’t have to mask off anything in the room before applying the laminate, you don’t end up creating plumes of dust and, best of all, you don’t have to wait for it to dry when you’re done. You can completely redesign a room in the blink of an eye, all without breaking a sweat. Not to mention the fact that you can let your creativity run wild. Read our article to find out how to go about it.

It should go without saying that your safety is paramount at every stage of the project. Make sure you take the necessary precautions to protect yourself. You can find everything you need to know about the protective clothing required for each type of task in our guide.

You need

Tools

Utilities

squeegee for applying the felt to the wall
pocket rule
pencil

Materials

Tile laminate in the right size
Surface cleaner
Cleaning cloth

L: Length, W: Width, H: Height, D: Diameter

Let's go - step by step

Step 1 4

Cleaning the surface

A woman is holding a cloth in one hand and applying some surface cleaner for tiles with her other hand.

You need: Cleaning cloth, Surface cleaner

The first thing you need to do is to remove any dirt from the surface. To do this, clean the tiles with a surface cleaner and a cleaning cloth until they are free of dust and grease. This is especially important in the kitchen, where a layer of grease tends to build up on the tiles. After wiping the tiles clean, you should dry them with a cloth.

Step 2 4

Applying the tile laminate

A piece of black tile laminate is being applied to a light-coloured wall tile.

You need: Tile laminate

You’re now ready to start laminating your tiles. Start by taking the first piece of tile laminate and place it at the top of your tile. It’s important to apply the laminate precisely horizontally. If you don’t, it’s inevitable that the laminate will be crooked and not look as good. Once laminate has been placed on top of the tile, smooth the top part of it down with your thumb.

Step 3 4

Sticking the laminate to the tile

A red squeegee is being used to apply black tile laminate to a light-coloured wall tile.

You need: squeegee for applying the felt to the wall

Once you’ve applied the laminate to the top edge, you can slowly peel off the backing film while smoothing the coloured laminate down with a squeegee, going from top to bottom. Using a squeegee will help you to apply the laminate without creating any air bubbles. Take your time with this step and slowly run the squeegee over the tile. Going too quickly could end up leaving scratches.

Step 4 4

Cutting the tile laminate to the right size

A pocket rule is being used to measure the width of a wall tile.

A pencil is being used to draw a line on a square tile laminate.

A cordless screwdriver with a cutting adapter is being used to cut square tile laminate along the middle.

You need: pocket rule, pencil, Tile laminate

You can also give smaller end pieces of tiling a new look by laminating them. To do this, use a pocket rule to note down the exact measurements of the end pieces (image 1) and transfer them to your normal tile laminate (image 2). You can use a pair of scissors or an IXO with a cutter adapter to cut the laminate (image 3).

Once all the pieces of laminate are in place, check all the edges again and press the laminate firmly into place. You can then enjoy your new wall pattern and redecorate the room however you like.