A question that often comes up with our customers is how to prep a floor for tile installation–particularly when the existing floor is a soft surface material like vinyl or carpet. The Capital’s Jim Rooney breaks down the problem and gives great advice for making sure that your new ceramic tile or stone floor has the support it needs:
Take the proper steps before upgrading kitchen floor
The Times Union reports on trends in metal tile, glass tile, and of course ceramic tile:
Tile in style
They say there is always a silver lining to every cloud, and for the tile businesses in Iowa, that seems to be the case. The Globe Gazette is reporting strong sales of flooring–especially tile because of how it holds up to water damage–in the wake of last month’s floods:
Flooding has meant overflow of work for area flooring businesses
We occasionally have clients ask us about cracking tiles or grout joints. Here is an expert advice column from the Eagle Tribune that addresses just that concern:
Q. I recently had ceramic tile installed on my kitchen floor. The tiles are pavers and are 12 inches by 12 inches. A short while after installation, a crack that is several feet long appeared in the grout. A number of these cracks have appeared, some at right angles to the others. The contractor said the floor was flexing but it seems pretty solid to me. Why are the cracks appearing and what can be done? (click here to read more)
Many owners of mid-century homes are remodeling and looking for ceramic tiles that update the home while preserving some of the original aesthetic. A design column in the Baltimore Sun explains how you can achieve both:
Our 60-year-old house, which we’ve been slowly renovating, contains a guest bathroom that’s in need of new wall tiles. The original floor, still in place, consists of the small black-and-white tiles that were the norm back in the ’40s. And you can guess what color all the fixtures are. We’d like to retain the style that the homebuilders chose for this small but functional bathroom, even though it’s kind of dull. Can you suggest ways of introducing a bit of visual fizz without altering the basic design? (click here for more)
What kind of preparation needs to happen when replacing tiles that have come loose? The Vancouver Province posted this article with advice:
I laid down ceramic tile over our exposed aggregate outdoor patio. These lasted about five years. Now, many of these tiles are lifting and some sound hollow underneath. My question is: What process would you recommend to prepare the surface to create a smooth finish before reapplying tiles? (click here for more)
