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If you’re considering installing tile in your home or business, we’ve broken down what you need to know to help you make your tile installation decisions!
You might know something about tile, but there are still a few lingering questions that you may want answered. Is there something about floor or wall tile that has you stumped, don’t worry! Our FAQ page compiles the most common questions we hear from our customers and provides the answers to our most asked questions.
When you’re thinking of tiling your kitchen or bathroom floor, take into consideration the disruption in your daily life. Some preparation can be done in advance. You will ned to remove any items from the areas to be installed.
The difference between floor and wall tile is defined by their characteristics such as hardness, durability and resistance to wear. Typically, for floor tile, you will need a stronger, more resistant material, such as ceramic or porcelain. As for wall tile, you will require a less dense, less thick and glazed finished tile.
Outdoor tile is made to withstand and endure conditions, such as weather and temperature. The tile is finished with a textured surface to enhance traction and withstand wear and tear, cracking, and freezing.
Glazed tiles are made the same as unglazed except that a glass layer called a glaze is fused to its’ surface by means of tremendous heat. The glaze provides an unlimited array of colors and designs. The glaze also protects the tile from staining. Unglazed tiles are very similar to glazed tile, except that their surface is not coated. Unglazed ceramic tiles do not show wear because their color extends throughout the tile, making them ideal for commercial applications.
The major difference between ceramic tile and porcelain tile is how it’s made. Both ceramic and porcelain tiles are made from a clay mixture that’s fired in a kiln, but porcelain tile is made from a more refined clay and it’s fired at higher temperatures. This makes it much denser and more durable than ceramic tile.
Tile is usually sold by the square feet, so the area to be tiled needs to be carefully measured to establish how many square feet overall. Preferably this will be done by your tile contractor. Note that there is always a degree of waste resulting from the cuts required to achieve your tile layout. The contingency allowance for wastage is best estimated by your tile contractor, but is typically between 10% on a straight lay and 15% on Diagonal lay, depending on the tiles being used and the complexity of the particular design and layout. Also, consider that it is always wise to keep several spare tiles just in case replacements are required at a later date.
Yes you can tile over sheetrock so long as it’s not a wet area ( tub enclosure, shower area, etc.) yes, you can. Even stone tile will adhere well.
Using a grout that is the same color as the tile will create a blended effect, making the floor more uniform in appearance. For some, this may be the desired effect. However, using a contrasting color grout will emphasize the grout joint. You don’t want to go to extreme or your floor will end up looking too busy and you will tire of it quickly. The best bet for grout selection is to choose one the blends well with the tile.
There is always a remote possibility of an individual fractured tile, usually caused by not being bonded properly and then being affected by an object dropping on it. That type of fracture is repaired by replacing the damaged tile. A rule of thumb to determining the problem: if the crack goes from one tile to another on a continuous line through the grout joint, the problem, without any doubt, is in the substrate; which is usually a crack in the slab. The damaged tile would have to be removed, a crack isolation membrane put down and the tile reinstalled; which should solve the problem.
Whenever there are cracks in the slab other than a hair crack, spider webbing surface cracks, it has to be addressed before installing the tile or you will more than likely have cracks in the tile. There are several ways of doing this, but the best is a crack isolation membrane. The joint should be thoroughly cleaned and filled with a resilient filling agent ( before Installation )
As long as you don’t chip at the tile with any heavy or sharp objects, tile should last for the life of the home. Tile was found intact in the ancient ruins of Rome and various other places. After all, it’s made of finely ground stone, and hardened in a kiln. Just basic maintenance and avoiding heavy drops should definitly keep your tile lasting and looking great for many years to come.
You should wait at least 24 hours before walking on your new floor. Some installations will take longer, and you should check this with the manufacturer.
This depends on the sealer being used. Because of the different formulations, different sealers require different waiting times, anywhere from 3- 28 days, and the best advice I could give you is to check your particular brand of sealer for its recommendation. Generally speaking, there are two main types of sealer, water and solvent based. The solvent based sealers generally require the shorter waiting period, but they’re also much more expensive. I suggest waiting at least 14 days for everything to cure before sealing.