Tile / Tile installation
Tile is the part of our name that comes first, and it is the work we plan most carefully. A tile floor is unforgiving: a slightly hollow spot, a wavy base or a grout line that drifts by a quarter inch across a room will show for as long as the floor is down. So most of the time on a tile job is spent before the first piece is set.
We lay porcelain and ceramic tile on floors, on kitchen backsplashes and in entries and mudrooms. Sizes run from small mosaic sheets and subway pieces up to large format porcelain. Layouts include straight lay, brick offset, herringbone and diagonal, and you can try each one on the tile layout board on our home page before the visit.
How the work goes
Layout before anything
We find the center of the room, snap lines and dry lay a row or two. If the room is out of square, we decide where the taper goes so it lands under a cabinet toe kick or along the least visible wall.
Base and backer
On wood subfloors we add the right backer or membrane. On a slab we grind high spots and fill the low ones. Large tile needs the flattest base of all.
Setting
Thinset is mixed in small batches and combed with a notched trowel sized for the tile. Larger pieces get thinset on the back as well, so there is full contact and no hollow sound.
Grout and cleanup
Once the thinset has set, the spacers come out and grout goes in. We tool the joints, wipe the haze and leave the room swept.
Floor tile, backsplash and entry tile
On floors we see the most tile in kitchens, entries, laundry rooms and mudrooms, where boots, salt and sand come in all winter. Matte porcelain with a little texture is a common pick there because it hides grit and stays easy to walk on.
A kitchen backsplash is a smaller job with more detail. We protect the counter, set a level starting line just above it and work around the corners and the cabinet ends so every edge is finished with a trim piece or a clean factory edge. Subway tile in a brick offset is the classic, and herringbone or a stacked vertical layout are easy alternatives.
Entries are where a diagonal layout or a patterned tile earns its place. A small square entry looks wider when the tiles run at an angle, and a hexagon or two tone pattern gives the first room of the house some character.
Planning notes for tile
Pick the tile size with the room in mind. Small tiles have more grout lines and more grip underfoot. Large format tiles look calm in open kitchens but need a very flat floor, which we check at the visit and spell out in the estimate.
Grout color changes the look more than most people expect. A grout close to the tile color makes the floor read as one surface. A contrasting grout shows off the layout. We bring a few grout samples to the visit so you can hold them against the tile.
Order about ten percent extra for straight layouts and a little more for diagonal and herringbone, which produce more cut pieces. Keep a few spare tiles in the garage. If one ever cracks, a matching spare makes floor repair simple.
Questions about tile installation
How long before we can walk on a new tile floor?
Light foot traffic is usually fine the next day, once the thinset and grout have set. Heavy furniture and appliances wait a little longer. We leave a note with the timing for your materials.
Can tile go over our old vinyl floor?
Sometimes, if the vinyl is a single thin layer that is stuck down firmly and the floor is flat. Often it is cleaner to lift it. We decide at the visit and write the choice into the estimate.
Do you seal the grout?
Cement grout benefits from a penetrating sealer once it has cured. We tell you when it is ready and which kind suits your grout. Many people do it themselves after a few days.
Can you match an existing tile in another room?
If the tile is still made, yes. If not, we look for a close tile and plan a clean threshold where the two rooms meet, so the change looks deliberate.
