Never Do These 7 Things With Your Tile Floor
Even though tile has survived thousands of years in Rome and Greece, it is still a tricky material to install and maintain. Heed these 7 warnings about tile flooring to ensure that it will last for decades--if not millennia.
What causes cracked tile? Usually, the answer lies not in the tile itself but in the substrate--the underlying surface. As The Tile Council of North America points out
The way to prevent this is to install a cementious substrate, such as HardiBacker or Durock. Cement board will not expand and contract at different rates the way wood does.More »
Everyone wants to know if they can tile over vinyl flooring. The answer is a qualified yes.
The qualification has less to do with issues of the condition of the vinyl floor but with the substrate--yes, the substrate again.
Tile does not do well with deflection since it is a rigid, non-flexible material. Yet one chief reason why homeowners install vinyl flooring is because their substrate flexes too much for ceramic. Vinyl is a supremely yielding material; it will happily go over major waves and undulations and can flex with spongy substrates.More »
Tile is only as strong as the material underneath it. Sandwiched between your substrate of cement board and the tile is a goopy layer of mortar, which dries hard and holds the tiles tightly in place.
When pulling your mortar with the square-notched trowel, make sure that no gaps are left in the mortar. Vacancies left in mortar mean that tile is susceptible to breakage in that spot.
While it will not break from a person standing on that area, it may break if it receives a sharp blow from a falling can or cooking pan.
Grout--that filler between your tiles--is likely sanded, which is a way of saying that it contains sand as its main substance. If you have ever seen ocean waves quickly permeate beach sand, you know that sand is highly porous.
To combat grout's porosity, you will need to wait at least 48 hours for the grout to fully cure and then apply sealer to the lines with a roller or brush applicator or with a spray can.More »
When tile guides advise you to do a dry run layout, this is what they want you to avoid. Skinny tiles along the perimeter of your floor look awful. Not only that, they are structurally unstable if they happen to be along the edge of a step.
Plan well, taking into account seam width, in order to avoid tiles that are less than half-width. If you can't avoid this, consider using border tiles.More »
You will become an instant believer in the power of gel mats to relieve back and foot strain when you place a couple of them in your kitchen. Recommended: one by the sink and another by the stove. Our Ergonomics Expert calls the Gel-Pro brand mat "bliss inducing" and he gives it 5 stars.
If you're not interested in spending big bucks for a gel mat, even cloth or sisal mats provide some comfort. For the sake of safety, make sure to buy rubber-backed mats or add a separate skid-proof underlayment.
Because ceramic tile appears to be rock-hard, homeowners make the mistake of thinking that it is rock-hard. Not so.
About's Housekeeping Expert makes the point that both the surface of glass tile and ceramic tile's paper-thin glazing are easily scratched by abrasive cleaners such as steel wool and scrubbing powders. Instead, stick with soft mops or towels.More »
1. Never Install Tile Directly On Wood
What causes cracked tile? Usually, the answer lies not in the tile itself but in the substrate--the underlying surface. As The Tile Council of North America points out
Cracked tile is [often due to] excessive deflection in an installation over wood. Excessive deflection in the substrate will cause compressive and tensile forces on the grout and tile. Typically, with excessive deflection, the grout will crack first. In more severe cases, the tile will also crack.
The way to prevent this is to install a cementious substrate, such as HardiBacker or Durock. Cement board will not expand and contract at different rates the way wood does.More »
2. Never Assume You Can Tile Over Vinyl
Everyone wants to know if they can tile over vinyl flooring. The answer is a qualified yes.
The qualification has less to do with issues of the condition of the vinyl floor but with the substrate--yes, the substrate again.
Tile does not do well with deflection since it is a rigid, non-flexible material. Yet one chief reason why homeowners install vinyl flooring is because their substrate flexes too much for ceramic. Vinyl is a supremely yielding material; it will happily go over major waves and undulations and can flex with spongy substrates.More »
3. Never Install Over a Gap
Tile is only as strong as the material underneath it. Sandwiched between your substrate of cement board and the tile is a goopy layer of mortar, which dries hard and holds the tiles tightly in place.
When pulling your mortar with the square-notched trowel, make sure that no gaps are left in the mortar. Vacancies left in mortar mean that tile is susceptible to breakage in that spot.
While it will not break from a person standing on that area, it may break if it receives a sharp blow from a falling can or cooking pan.
4. Never Fail To Seal Your Grout
Grout--that filler between your tiles--is likely sanded, which is a way of saying that it contains sand as its main substance. If you have ever seen ocean waves quickly permeate beach sand, you know that sand is highly porous.
To combat grout's porosity, you will need to wait at least 48 hours for the grout to fully cure and then apply sealer to the lines with a roller or brush applicator or with a spray can.More »
5. Never Lay Skinny Tiles
When tile guides advise you to do a dry run layout, this is what they want you to avoid. Skinny tiles along the perimeter of your floor look awful. Not only that, they are structurally unstable if they happen to be along the edge of a step.
Plan well, taking into account seam width, in order to avoid tiles that are less than half-width. If you can't avoid this, consider using border tiles.More »
6. Never Go Mat-Less In Traffic Areas
You will become an instant believer in the power of gel mats to relieve back and foot strain when you place a couple of them in your kitchen. Recommended: one by the sink and another by the stove. Our Ergonomics Expert calls the Gel-Pro brand mat "bliss inducing" and he gives it 5 stars.
If you're not interested in spending big bucks for a gel mat, even cloth or sisal mats provide some comfort. For the sake of safety, make sure to buy rubber-backed mats or add a separate skid-proof underlayment.
7. Never Clean With Abrasives
Because ceramic tile appears to be rock-hard, homeowners make the mistake of thinking that it is rock-hard. Not so.
About's Housekeeping Expert makes the point that both the surface of glass tile and ceramic tile's paper-thin glazing are easily scratched by abrasive cleaners such as steel wool and scrubbing powders. Instead, stick with soft mops or towels.More »
Source...