Tile Installation in Ohio
Porcelain and ceramic tile, set flat and evenly spaced for entries, kitchens and backsplashes.
Tile is the hard wearing floor by the front door and the easy to clean surface behind the stove. We install porcelain and ceramic floor tile in entries, kitchens and laundry rooms, and wall tile for kitchen backsplashes.
Layout comes first. We find the center lines of the room, dry lay a row or two and adjust so the cut pieces at both walls come out even, with no thin slivers at the doorway. Each tile goes into a full bed of thinset, spacers keep the joints true, and the grout lines run straight from one room into the next.
What the work includes
- Old floor covering removed and the base checked
- Backer board or membrane where the base needs it
- Layout planned from the center lines with even cuts
- Tile set in thinset with spacers and checked with a level
- Grout cleaned off the face and the joints tooled smooth
- A low threshold where the tile meets wood or carpet
Planning notes
Tile choice is as much about the room as the look. A matte or lightly textured porcelain gives better footing by the door in winter, while a smoother tile suits a backsplash. Grout color matters too: a shade close to the tile looks calm, and a contrasting grout makes the pattern stand out.
Tile floors and backsplash by house style
Century homes
A small tile field inside the front door that meets the oak hall at a clean, low threshold.
About century homesMid-century homes
A tile landing at the entry of a ranch, sized to the space between the door and the living room.
About mid-century homesNewer homes
Kitchen floor tile or a backsplash that ties the cabinets and counters together.
About newer homes
How the days go
Base
Old covering comes up and backer board or membrane goes down where it is needed.
Layout
Center lines are snapped and a dry row is laid to check the cuts at each wall.
Setting
Tile goes into thinset, spacers keep the joints even and each piece is leveled with its neighbors.
Grout
After the thinset sets, the joints are grouted, the face is cleaned and the edges are trimmed out.
Living with the floor afterwards
Sweep often, since grit is what dulls tile and grout. Clean with a neutral cleaner made for tile and skip harsh acids that wear the grout. Mats at the door catch the salt and grit of an Ohio winter before it is tracked across the floor.
Questions about tile floors and backsplash
What size of tile suits my entry?
Large tiles look calm in a big entry, while smaller tiles fit a narrow hall better. We bring samples and show the layout before anything is set.
Do you install backsplash tile?
Yes. We set wall tile behind counters and ranges, cut neatly around outlets and finish the edges with a trim piece.
Can tile go next to my wood floor?
Yes. We plan a threshold so the two floors meet at the same height or with a gentle step, finished with a matching strip.
How long before we can walk on it?
Light foot traffic is fine after the thinset and grout have had a day or so. We leave written notes for your floor.
Often booked together
Planning tile floors and backsplash?
Send the rooms and a few words about the house. We set up a visit, measure and put the plan in writing.