How to Install Wood-Look Tile Flooring

Move out your appliances and remove any base moulding. The installation takes a few days, so plan accordingly.

Your subfloor must be in good condition, of proper thickness, uniform and level, as well as clean and dry. For wood subfloors, make sure the panels are securely attached to the floor joists.

To verify the thickness of wood subfloors, check a floor register or drill a small hole and note the depth of the bit when it goes through the subfloor. A 5/8-inch plywood subfloor should be sufficient for floor joists spaced every 16 inches, but check the substrate directions for specific thickness requirements. Add another layer of OSB (oriented strand board) or plywood if your subfloor isn't thick enough.

Make sure the subfloor is uniform — a flat subfloor is critical to keep plank tiles from cracking. It doesn't need to be completely level (one side of the room may be a bit lower than the other), but the surface must be flat. Placing a long level on the subfloor helps locate low and high spots. Use a leveling compound on low spots and sand down high spots.

Use a saw to cut the jamb about 1/16 inch above the tile. Cut doors 1/8 inch above the tile.

Unroll the uncoupling membrane across the floor and cut it to length, accounting for a 1/4-inch perimeter expansion gap.

Set the membrane aside and mix latex Portland cement mortar according to the product instructions. Spread the mortar with the flat side of the trowel. Comb over it in straight lines. The membrane instructions may indicate the type of trowel to use. We used a 1/4-inch x 3/16-inch notched trowel. Place the membrane on top and use a float to press it into the mortar. Remember to leave the 1/4-inch expansion gap.

Waterproofing the seams is a good idea in a kitchen. Mix some unmodified thinset mortar according to the product instructions, spread it across the seams and press the waterproofing band over the mortar.

Cut out any floor registers.

Allow the thinset to cure, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Measure from the center of the room to the starting wall, then subtract the 1/4-inch expansion gap and the width of two tiles and two spacers. Mark this distance at the two ends of the starting wall. Snap a line between the marks to get a straight line near the wall and check it for square. This is your starting line.

Do a dry layout with tiles and spacers to determine if you'll need narrow tiles near the perimeter. Your floor looks better if you shift the layout to accommodate wider tiles.

Make adjustments and re-snap your starting line if needed. Check for square.

Position a straightedge on the starting line and hold it in place with bags of mortar or grout. You'll start laying tiles with this row.

Spread the mortar over a small work area, pressing it into the cavities of the membrane.

Spread additional mortar and comb it with the notched side of a 1/2-inch x 1/2-inch notched trowel held at a 45-degree angle. This type of trowel is critical to create the proper ridges for the tile. Don't make swirls.

Back butter a tile by spreading a little bit of thinset mortar on the bottom surface. Proper back buttering is necessary for a good installation.

Finish laying the tiles for the first couple of rows, placing 1/8-inch spacers in between the tiles and frequently checking that the tiles are even and level. Be careful to not stagger the joints more than 1/3 the length of tile. A wider stagger might cause lippage (image to the right) — a difference in height between adjacent tiles — because long, plank tiles are often crowned in the middle.

After a couple of rows are down, you can install the row against the wall where you used the straightedge.

At row ends you need to cut the planks. Mark and cut them with a tile cutter or wet saw.

See Cut Tile with a Wet Saw for tips on using a wet saw.

At doorways, install tile edge trim or transitions while the thinset is still wet.

Continue laying the tiles. For the final row, you may need to cut the tiles to the necessary width.

After about 20 minutes, wipe the grout lines with a clean, wet sponge. You can remove any remaining residue with a haze remover. After grouting, don't walk on the floor for about 24 hours.

When the grout has dried, remove any spacers from the expansion gap around the perimeter of the floor and apply silicone sealant to the gap.

Watch our DIY Basics Video — How Do I Use Caulk? — for tips on applying caulk and sealant.

Apply a grout sealer to the grout lines to help prevent stains.