• Purchase tools for laying tile at your local home improvement store.ceramic tile image by Karin Lau from Fotolia.com
  
  Ceramic tile is a very popular choice for floors, tub surrounds, backsplashes, and countertops. It is a relatively easy material to work with for do-it-yourselfers. Laying tile is no different from most construction jobs, in that having the right tools makes all the difference. You need several tools to make a tile job go smoothly and have the finished product look both beautiful and professional.
  
  

Cutting Tools

• When you work with tile, at some point you will need to make cuts. There are several different tools that can be used. Tile nippers or "biters" are the most basic tool. They look a bit like pliers and work just as the name implies--they "bite" or nip off pieces of the tile. They work well for making rounded corners, but note that someone who does not have experience with this tool may find them a bit challenging to work with and may produce a final product that is a bit ragged. Cost for a tile nipper tool is usually less than $20. A less expensive option, a tile cutter, can be used to make straight cuts. It scores the tile using a diamond wheel; after scoring, you break off the excess tile. A tile cutter can cost as little as $15 on up to $300. A wet saw, basically a circular saw that incorporates water into the cutting process to keep the saw blade from getting too hot, is probably the most expensive option for cutting tile. An inexpensive saw costs about $50, but a professional-grade saw can cost as much as $2,000. However, if you plan to do quite a bit of tiling or have tricky cuts, then a tile saw may be a good investment.
  
  

Thinset and Grouting Tools

• There are several tools needed for laying and spreading the grout. First is a margin trowel, a kind of all-purpose tool used to mix the thinset and smooth the grout. Many professional tilers say this is one of their handiest tools. A notched trowel spreads the thinset material over the work area. There are two edge-types on this kind of trowel--a flat side and a notched side. The flat side is used to initially spread the thinset out evenly. The notched side is dragged over the thinset to create grooves in the material to create a better bond. Use a tile grout float to spread grout over the tile after it has been put into place. It has a rubber face that is designed to help "push" the grout into the spaces between the tile.
  
  

General Tools

• Additional tools for a tiling job include a grout sponge, which is used to remove any excess grout from the tile and between the joints. A grout sponge is a necessity as a typical kitchen sponge is not a good option. Purchase a carpenter square since this tool is very useful when determining angles and where you need to cut. Use a level to determine if your work surface has a slope or slant. A chalk line helps you lay the tile perfectly straight. If you just "eye-ball" it, you can end up with rows that are wavy or slanted. Knee pads cushion your knees and prevent a lot of pain when working on the floor. Other necessary tools include a tape measure and bucket.