Score the lines you want to cut with a utility knife.
Installing floor tile requires a strong, flat, stable surface that can support the tile and the adhesive holding it in place. Unless you have a concrete subfloor, you will probably have to install an underlayment, a layer between the subfloor and the tile. Your underlayment material must be easy to work with and water-resistant. Gypsum wallboards fit both critera. It is strong enough to support the weight of most tiles, quick to cut through with a scored and snapped line, and simple to secure in place with a few ring shank nails.
Instructions
1. Move the gypsum wallboard into the room where you intend to install the underlayment at least 48 hours before installment to allow the boards to adjust to room conditions.
2. Clean the subfloor thoroughly, using a mop and a pH-neutral cleanser. Rinse with water and allow the floor to dry.
3. Lay the boards onto the floor, butting the edge of the gypsum panels together. Maintain a distance of ¼ inch from the edges of the walls. Place full boards onto the surface of the floor until you reach the edge, where you'll use a partial board for filling the space.
4. Measure the distance from the edge of the last full board to the wall, using a tape measure. Subtract ½ inch from the measurements and cut the board to fit by scoring the board with a utility knife and snapping the board along the scored line. Lay the board onto the partial space with the cut edge toward the wall. Use a hand saw if a corner or notch needs cutting in the board.
5. Begin the next row with the remainder of the partial board from the first row, placing a full board after the partial to stagger the seams between the rows of boards. Continue in this manner, staggering the seams with each row until you've covered the entire floor.
6. Secure the boards with ring shank nails, driving them through the boards and into the subfloor with a hammer until the nail heads lie flush with the surface of the boards. Place the nails 1/2 inch from the edge of the boards, installing nails around the board perimeter every 2 inches. Place a nail inside the perimeter of the board every 4 inches.
7. Sand the seams of the boards until they are smooth. Sweep the dust from the boards.
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