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Tile Floor Installation Considerations

Tile flooring is a beautiful, durable choice of flooring for any room, but before the installation of your tile flooring there are a few things to consider. Tile cost, patterns, accents, grout, and sealant are all things that must be looked into when making your tile floor choice.

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What You Should Consider Before Installing Tile

The durability and versatility of tile makes it one of the most popular materials for a variety of applications and rooms throughout your home. Although tiling projects do not seem difficult to plan, there are countless variables to consider that will have a significant impact on your tile's decorative appeal, overall installation cost, longevity and versatility. For this reason, it is very important to take your time and make some important considerations before starting your tiling project.

Tiling Selection Considerations

Homeowners rarely run into problems when it comes to selecting the type of material and size for the tiles to be used in their projects. Ceramic tile is a popular choice due to its reputation for stain resistance and decorative versatility. Alternatively, stone tile offers unmatched durability and timeless textures. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages depending on the intended application and personal taste. Factoring in the price of installation, both options are comparable in overall cost (stone tile is slightly more expensive) and deliver extremely similar levels of consumer satisfaction.

The size of the tile a homeowner selects for a project should be approached with a greater degree of thought as this can have a much larger impact on the final overall cost and visual impact of the project. Square 12" tiles work well for a variety of projects and are popular as they are relatively easy to install and are reasonable in price. Deviating from a 12" square tile generally results in additional costs. Smaller tiles require more time and patience during installation. Compared to a square 12" tile, selecting 6" square tiles actually quadruples the number of needed tiles as well as the time required to lay them. Conversely, tiles larger than 12" are considerably more difficult to install evenly, as it is necessary for the subflooring to be perfectly level in order to avoid noticeable pitch differences at the tile's edges.

Tile Accents, Patterns and Cost Considerations

If approached with a planned budget and the right amount of decorative creativity, a tiling installation project can deliver incredible results. The versatility of tile offers countless options to consider with regard to borders, inserts, and patterned accents. A word of caution - always consider the impact on the installation cost of your design idea before purchasing your tile. What might seem like a simple design variation could have significant budget implications depending on the size and scope of your project. For example, adding a simple "dot insert" accent to your tile layout could add thousands of dollars of cost to your project as this type of accent requires substantial additional tile cutting.

Grout and Sealant Considerations

There are almost as many approaches to installing tile as there are variations you can do with it. As far as grouting is concerned, the two main options are cement-based and epoxy-based. Epoxy grouts deliver legendary longevity, but with some drawbacks worth considering. Once epoxy grout is applied, it pretty much stays applied. If mistakes are made they are very difficult to fix. Or if you ever decide to change the tile for any reason, you are in for a real difficult undertaking. Cement-based grout is much easier to work with and if applied properly in conjunction with a good sealant, there is no reason why your tiling installation won't last 50 or more years.

Consider the Details and Get Great Results

Taking the time to define a vision for your tile installation project is the key to obtaining great results. After you define your budget, devote the necessary time to research all the available options offered by the tile manufacturers as well as consult the advice of professional tile contractors early in the project. Their expertise can save you considerable time and money if included in the planning process.

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