Tile Installation Checklist
Installing tile is a fun home improvement project (after it’s completed) but often can be a big pain in the rear during the process. Any handy homeowner who’s done any maintenance or installation work knows that tile is the one thing that is best left to the professionals. Before you go and spend your money and just blindly trust a contractor though, it may be a good idea to know what goes into the tile installation process and figure out the steps you need to take to ensure great results at the end.
Here are four simple steps you must take in order to ensure a successful tile project followed by a handy infographic checklist below.
Choose the correct material
Not every material will work for every project. Some floor tile will not work on a wall, and glass mosaic backsplash will not work on your bathroom floor. Some things may seem common sense and straight forward but to the average homeowner might not be.
Typically porcelain and ceramic can be used for both floors and walls.
The larger the tile the more difficult it is to lay especially on a vertical surface (wall).
Porcelain and Ceramic tile is generally tested and rated for a certain slip resistance (check the rating before purchasing tile).
Natural stone tile can often times be less durable than porcelain and ceramic.
Natural marble tile needs to be sealed and even then is prone to etching and staining due to the chemical makeup of marble.
Glass is a slippery material and is never advised to be used on any flooring surface.
These are just a few basic pointers that everyone must know before selecting a tile material.
Visit a local flooring store or showroom and browse the tile products that they have. Pay close attention to the size of the tile and how it will look relative to the rest of the room that it will be laid in as well as factors such as slip resistance, warranty information, design, and of course pricing.
Your best friend is Google, if you have a question concerning which tile material works best in your specific situation ask Google. We cannot answer every single question for you, and neither can the sales person selling you the tile. A simple Google search however is able to bring up thousands of articles written by professionals exactly on the topic you are searching.
Choose the correct contractor/installer
This one is probably even more crucial than the material that you choose. A subpar installer will cause more damage to your project than good. We witness this firsthand on a weekly basis. Tile is a tricky process and an unskilled hand will not be able to give you the results that you are seeking.
Ask the store you are purchasing tile from if they recommend any installers or if they install themselves. Google the installer you select and check reviews as well as potential complaints. Ask your friends who they have used and how they did. Lastly ask the contractor to show pictures or proof of completed work.
A botched job is difficult to fix after the fact and saving a penny or two may not be the best idea when hiring a contractor.
To guarantee a beautifully tiled shower, perfect kitchen backsplash, or bathroom floor you must ensure that the job is done correctly the first time… not the second.
Check out our recent post: How to Hire a Contractor!
Research Research Research
Going hand in hand with the previous two tips, research during a home improvement project is your best friend. Already mentioned, look up any questions that you may have online. If you are questioning something, are unsure whether the product you are selecting is the right one, or are hesitant of the method of installation your contractor says is best: Google it.
Although it may seem like this is the answer we’re giving you for everything, it works. In our day and age almost any question you may have can be answered online, so if you’re not going out and researching you’re allowing yourself to walk into something very expensive blindly.
Please spend some time educating yourself, it’s the most valuable thing you could possible do.
Shop Around
Price is important, it is the most important factor when making a purchasing decision for every customer. Quality and price create value. When searching for products to buy cheapest is not always best… the best is the product that provides the greatest value. “Most bang for your buck”.
We encourage you to spend some time shopping around for various tile products and reading reviews. Often times you’ll be able to find tile for an unbelievably cheap price, but you might also notice that the quality of the product is poor.
Visit multiple stores and showrooms and get a feel for the various products you see. Afterwards spend some time researching these products online or in different stores to not only find the best deal but also find out what other people have said about this product.
Here’s where you can start… shop our online store or showroom for tile backsplash products as well as floor and wall tiles.
If you follow the above four steps and perform due diligence in educating yourself you will guarantee amazing results hands down. With the amount of resources available to the average consumer online, every single homeowner is adequately prepared to handle any home improvement project well.
We hope this post was helpful, if so please share this post with your friends and family. Also subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive home improvement tips and tricks.
So how do you hire a contractor in 2016? You can do a simple google search and find dozens of potential contractors in a matter of seconds. Picking someone at random though is not the best option. There are countless factors that must be addressed in order to ensure that the project you are working on gets done right, with no issues the first time around. No matter the size of your project, large or small it is crucial that you find the best contractor for the job.