Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Need advice on flooring.

Good choice

I'm becoming a little more educated. I now know the difference between porcelain and ceramic tile, and sanded vs. nonsanded grout. Now we just need to find a supplier with a showroom....the local big box home improvement stores haven't carried a tile that called to us.

The floor joists are on 16" centers, and they are 2 x 10's. The native lumber was cut on site, so they are a full 2" by 10". I helped saw them almost 30 years ago. They span 14', and are covered by 5/8" subfloor.

We looked in flooring stores, but eventually settled on a porcelain tile from Lowes. Such things are really a very personal choice.

If you have a big room go with a bigger tile. Nothing nicer than a 18X18 tile with very small grout line.

We used a new grout that is epoxy with sand. You need to work fast and clean as you go. This grout will stay flexible and can easily be cleaned over and over.

Cheers Don.

Actually, it is now recognized that big tile looks good in not so big rooms too. We used a pattern meant to look random where the largest tiles were 18x18". A photo is posted earlier in this thread. One thing that is very important in long runs, is to snap chalk lines and start laying the tiles in the middle of the room. We drew lines out so we would not get the pattern goofed up. Another advantage of tile that looks like stone, is that it cleans easier than real stone because all of the texture is rounded so it releases from the forms.

if the sub floor is in good shape than every thing is up to code and tile can go down, with an under layment, dietra is probably the best, but you coulduse 1/4 in cement board mudded on and screwed and nailed.

For your tile know what the tolerances are, some large tile are much more crooked than others and they cup and bow ect. Tile leveling spacers come in handy in those cases.

We never had problems with porcelain tile not being near perfect. Natural stone is a bit different. If some tile is not flat or square, do not buy tile from that company! What brand of tile did you find cupped or not squared properly?

It was an Italy made porceluan but I don't remember the name. Talked the supplier into never ordering it again after the 1600 ft floor we installed. You win some and loose some. The dark die or color seemed to be what was warped and it was a thinner tile. 20"x20" and a hair under 3/8 thick

Wow! I am glad that I never came across anything like that!

The latest thing we are installing in our spec houses is the wood tile. Our local guys have 50 different types of tile that looks like wood planks. From rustic hickory to smooth alder. All of which are porcelain tile. Looks really good too.

We like the wood plank look also. With a thin, dark grout line they can look very realistic.

I installed some simulated wood tile in our hall bathroom and we really liked the look of it. We had an appraisal done last year and the appraiser was so convinced that it was hardwood she bent down to feel the floor.I think she thought I was pulling her leg. I used a thin dark grout that closely matched the tile.

It is amazing how some of the wood looking porcelain floor and wall tile look.



Home Depot "Wood" Tile