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Installation CriteriaThe following is a list of factors that will affect the amount of time and the type of tools and materials required to complete your tile work. Your installer needs the following information in order to give you an accurate cost estimate. Some of these things will be apparent when he comes to inspect the site and take measurements, others things will need to be decided ahead of time. Knowing the criteria ahead of time will help you determine if the estimates you have received are fair.
Substrata - One of the first things an installation professional will look at during a site inspection is the substrate – the surface onto which he must make the tile stick. If the floor or wall material is a substance which reacts poorly to tile adhesives, or is too damaged to support the weight of the tile, it may need to be removed, fortified or covered with a membrane.
For floors, cement-based poylmer-modified mortar known as ‘thinset’ must be used in order for the installation to be able to bear weight. Thinset only sticks well to three things; cement, plywood and certain types of linoleum. It will not stick to tar, paint or dust-covered surfaces and makes pressed boards such as OSB or K3 swollen and mushy.
Ply wood floors need to be at least 1.25 inch thick to eliminate any bounce or movement that might crack the tile. Cement floors with cracks or radiant heat will require anti-fracture membrane to reduce the affect of expansion and contraction. Humps, bumps, crests and trenches might need to be dealt with before tile can be installed.
For walls in dry areas, tile glue known as ‘mastic’ is used. In wet areas, we use a non-sagging wall set mortar. As long as the drywall panels have been taped together and painted, the washing stage of grouting will not dissolve the drywall mud and there will be no movement to crack the tiles. In wet areas, cement board should be used, never drywall. Cement board does not require paint, but the panels must be taped together.
If all of this seems a little excessive, it is important to note that it is the integrity of the substrate, not the strength of the tile that will determine the longevity of the installation. Laziness or incompetence in dealing with substrates can cause the installation to fail within months of completion.
Square Footage - The installation professional will want to take his own measurements of the job site, even if you offer him yours. Often, laypeople forget to measure the areas under the fridge and stove, or the floor space inside closets. The square footage is what your installer will use to order enough adhesives, grout and other materials to complete your installation, so it important not to omit areas.
Always ask your installer how much tile to order. You will need more than the exact square footage to allow for waste. Like a tailor making a suit, your installer will be cutting tiles to fit along walls, cabinets and doors, and will be left with bits and chunks he can’t use anywhere else. Your installer will know how to compensate for this in his measurements. Also, don’t forget to ask for some extra tile to keep in case a repair is needed. Within two years of installation, your tile will be discontinued by the manufacturer, and if you do not have enough extras, you may be faced with having to replace the entire installation one day.
Size and Type of Tile - Larger tiles are sometimes faster to install than smaller ones. Oversized tiles sometimes require special equipment to carry and cut them. Ceramic and porcelain tiles require little in the way of special treatment, while natural stone products may need special sealers, thinsets or polishing equipment. What all this means is that you must select the tile you want before the installer can quote you an accurate price.
Layout and Custom Details - The easiest (and therefore the least expensive) layout is to set the tiles with the grout lines running the same direction as the walls (set ‘on square’). Diamond patterns (set ‘on 45’), brick patterns and off-set patterns using more than one size of field tile make cutting around cabinets and door frames much more difficult to measure accurately and usually create more unusable waste pieces. Decorative inserts and feature mats are also more time consuming, requiring greater skill and will therefore be more expensive for materials as well as labour. Again, you must decide on these details before asking for estimates.
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