Tile Flooring Installation

The total cost of your tile project will depend on the size of your space and product you select, but, on average, tile customers spend $2,600, including all labor and materials. To learn more about the cost of having tile installed, visit our tile installation cost guide.

Installing new tile is a multi-step process that typically takes 1-3 days, depending on the space and size of your project. First, you have to prep the surface, ensuring it is clean, flat, and ready for tile installation. Next, you set the tile with mortar based on your tile type. Lastly, you grout the tile and apply a sealer. This final step will vary by tile, as most ceramic and porcelain tiles don’t need to be sealed, but all unglazed tiles need to be sealed before they are grouted. The grout you use will also vary based on the size of your joints, as sanded grout will need to be applied for wider joints, and unsanded grout is suitable for thinner joints. There are multiple options and tools for each step of the tile installation process. It’s important each step is done properly and efficiently, with the right products for your tile. Our tile contractors have the experience to get the job done correctly and as quickly as possible.

Whenever new flooring is installed, there can be gaps between the floor and the baseboard. When your new tile is installed, you will need to have trim called quarter-round or shoe molding installed to cover those gaps and create more of a transition from your floor to your wall. Our installation professionals can help you make the right choice of trim based on your room’s needs.

Porcelain tile is denser and more durable than ceramic tile and often has a higher PEI Rating. Porcelain also absorbs less water making it a great choice for bathrooms, high traffic rooms, and exteriors, but stone tends to be the best option for exterior tile since they are a natural material.

Ceramic is not suited for outdoor use. Ceramic tile is softer than porcelain, which makes it easier to cut for installation and a great choice for projects that are on a tight budget.

Tile is classified by hardness and durability for foot traffic, which is known as a PEI Rating. Different rooms of your home require a certain durability. Following this rating will help you make the right selection. Rooms that receive a heavy amount of foot traffic will require a harder and denser tile than a room that doesn’t get much traffic. The PEI Rating ranges from 1 to 5, with 1 receiving no foot traffic (wall tile), to 5 which receives heavy foot traffic (like a commercial floor). Most residential floors will need a 2 or 3 rating tile depending on the room and amount of traffic. For example, your bathroom might receive a small amount foot traffic (2), but your kitchen floor sees a much heavier flow of traffic and would need a 3 rated tile. You’ll also want to learn how slip resistant your tile is, which is known as the Coefficient of Friction. On a scale of 1-10, a tile with a 10 rating will be the most slip-resistant. Our professional tile installers are here to help you make the right selection.

Glazed tile has an additional layer of liquid glass applied to the top as the final step of the firing process. Glazed tiles come in a larger variety of colors and styles than unglazed and are more stain resistant.

Unglazed tiles are more slip and scratch resistant than glazed tiles.

Subfloor is the layer of floor that is directly under your flooring and above your floor joist. It exists to provide support for your flooring and creates a smooth, flat surface for your installation project. Concrete provides a stable subfloor for tile installation, but plywood is not recommended, as it can expand and contract. Backer board will provide extra stability for your subfloor. Our installation professionals are equipped to answer your questions before your tile installation project begins.

A floor joist is the support layer below your subfloor. Joists are either solid wood or engineered wood and can be spaced at different widths. The wider apart they are, the greater the bounce, which makes the floor less suitable for tile installation, as the tile could break, bend, or crack. Ask your tile installer if your floor joists will support tile before you begin the installation process.