Floor, backsplash and entry tile in South Dakota
Floor tile, backsplash tile and entry tile, planned from a center line. This is the work we are named for.
Tile asks for more planning than any other floor we install, and it pays that back for decades. A well set tile floor does not wear through, does not mind winter salt and grit, and cleans up with a mop. The trick is in the parts you never see: a flat base, full thinset contact and a layout that puts the cut pieces where they look intentional.
We group our tile work into three kinds of rooms, because each one asks for something different.
Floor tile
Kitchens, laundry rooms and open living areas. Medium and large porcelain tiles are the usual choice, set in a straight or brick offset layout. The base gets checked with a long straightedge and leveled where needed before the first tile goes down, because a large tile shows every dip as an uneven edge.
Good for kitchens, laundry rooms, open dining areas
Tile installation in detail
Backsplash tile
The wall between the counter and the upper cabinets. Small tiles, subway pieces and mosaic sheets, set level from a starting line above the counter and finished with clean trim at every end. It is often a one day job, plus a return visit for grout.
Good for kitchen walls, coffee bars, laundry walls
Tile installation in detail
Entry tile
The first few feet inside the door take the most wear in a South Dakota winter. Matte porcelain with a light texture is easy on boots and hides grit. Entries are also the place for a pattern: hexagons, a diagonal layout or a simple border.
Good for front entries, mudrooms, garage doors into the house
Tile installation in detailHow we plan a tile room
Every tile job starts with the center lines. We find the middle of the room in both directions, then shift the lines so that the cut pieces at the walls are at least half a tile wide and the same on both sides. In a doorway, we want a full tile or a clean, even cut, because that is the edge people see first.
Then comes a dry layout: a row of tiles laid without thinset along each line to check the plan against the real room. Walls in most houses are not perfectly square, so this is when we decide where any taper should go.
Sizes and layouts
Small tiles have more grout lines, which add grip and suit backsplashes and mudrooms. Medium tiles around twelve inches are the most forgiving. Large format tiles look calm and open but need the flattest base. You can try the four layouts and three sizes on the tile layout board on the home page and send your pick with the form.
Work that pairs with tile
Tile floors meet other floors, walls and stairs. These finish the job.
Planning a tile floor or backsplash?
Tell us the room, the tile you like and the layout you picked. We measure, check the base and write it all down.