Preparation

• Clear the room of all floor trim and other obstructions. If there's anything other than wood on the floor (like carpet or tile), take it up. Install a layer of 5/8-inch cement board sheets, securing them to the floor with carpenter's glue and screws. Lay the sheets in staggered rows, so there are no points at which the corners of four sheets meet. Fill in the seams between the sheets with thinset mortar. Make sure the whole surface is smooth, sanding if necessary.
  
  

Mortar the Tiles

• Tiles should be laid out from the center of the room rather than the edges. Use a snapline to divide the room into four even squares. Spread thinset mortar into the corner of one of the squares, near the center, using an adhesive trowel. Press the first tile into place, using the two perpendicular lines as guides. Lay additional tiles along the lines and then build out from there. Keep 1/8 inch of space between the tiles. Once all the full tiles are laid, cut the tiles as needed for the edges of the room, using a wetsaw, and mount them in the same way.
  
  

Grout the Tiles

• Let the tiles set for a day, then mix your grout in a bucket with water, to the consistency of thick mud. Let it "slake'' in the bucket for 10 minutes. Spread it onto the tile with a grout trowel, which has a rubber pad and will allow you to squeeze the grout off the tile face while pressing it into the lines. Allow the grout to sit on the tiles for one minute, then wipe it all down with a damp sponge to take up the excess grout, making sure not to dig it out of the lines. After the grout sets for two days, use liquid grout sealer to protect it against stains and moisture.