New Home Communities | Tiling seems like a simple (and maybe even fun) project for the newbie homeowner. With the help of some grout, rented tile saw, mortar, and spacers, you can have a gorgeous backsplash or entirely new flooring.
Easy, right?
Well, yes and no.
The actual act of laying tile isn’t terribly complicated, as long as you plan out the process and pay attention to the basics. But truth be told, there are lots of ways you could screw up your work—from selecting the tile to ignoring critical steps while prepping.
We enlisted the help of tile contractor savant Mike Penrod who knows more about tiling than most people know about themselves—to find out which first-timer mistakes are the most dangerous.
1. Buying tile too early (or too cheaply)
While its price tag might seem high, tile is actually the cheapest part of the job—so don’t skimp.
“Buying the cheapest tile means you’re going to see cheap tile as long as it sits there,” says Penrod sensibly. “That’s all that shows when the dust settles. Think it through a little, and make sure it’s going to last.”
Also, don’t stockpile for a future home project. Penrod recommends waiting to buy tile until immediately before installation. Otherwise, you might end up buying tile you love now but hate three years later when you’re finally ready to lay down mortar.
2. Skipping prep
All the miscellaneous steps you need to do before you actually lay down the tile (e.g., refastening the subfloor to the joists and mixing your own mortar) might seem like easy things to skip or phone in, but don’t you dare.
“Plan to do a lot of prep,” says Penrod. Installing the tiles themselves is relatively simple, although you might need a bit of practice. But the prep work can be complex for a newcomer.
If you’re doing a floor job, pay particular attention to the subfloor: Many builders use cheap nails, which loosen over time. Penrod suggests renailing your subfloor with sturdy ring shank nails to make sure it doesn’t shift.
Done correctly, it makes “a nice, tight floor,” he says. Done improperly or skipped completely, you risk movement underneath the floor, which will eventually cause cracking tiles or grout lines.
3. Ignoring the directions
Different tiles require different adhesives, from thin-set mortar to mastic to epoxy thin-set. Sure, the wrong adhesive might hold your tile in place—until it doesn’t.
“You can make huge mistakes by buying the bucket of premixed stuff at the store,” Penrod says.
That goes for the type of tile, too, especially in bathrooms. Not only do you need to make sure to choose a nonslip tile—designed to be less slippery—for the shower floor, you also need to make sure you don’t use the nonslip tile on your walls.
“It makes it extremely hard to clean,” Penrod says. You’ll also be stuck with large grout lines, which never look good on the walls.
4. Going for trends
We won’t tell you to avoid trends you love, but you should definitely consider them carefully before slapping them semipermanently onto the wall or floor.
“Timeless is really, really important when you do these expensive things that you want to be staples in your home,” says Penrod. “You can do it in a trendy ‘This is what I like’ way, not realizing you’ll want to change it in 10 years.”
Penrod’s golden rule is natural and neutral: Choose nonclashing colors that won’t compete with whatever trends might come next.
“Design is an opinion,” he says. “A design person looks at things that are hot and trending and up to date, but they don’t concern themselves about it being there for decades. Get a few opinions about your idea from different age brackets.”
If you want to add some flair, consider doing so in a smaller area, like the backsplash.
5. Not consulting a professional
Even if you’re not hiring a pro to install your flooring, spending a little money to get her opinion can be useful. The world of tiles is both broad and deep, and understanding the nuances of your tile, adhesive, and subfloor can go a long way toward a painless installation.
“Every year I look at 1,000 jobs and see 900 ideas that need to go immediately,” Penrod says.
“DIYers don’t always know they need help, but they often need some pointers and advice to make good choices.”
6. Buying tile from the wrong place
If possible, purchase your tile directly from the manufacturer. Penrod lets us in on a big secret: Bulk tile supply warehouses are filled with products that “don’t sell so well anymore or didn’t come up to spec when they were made,” he says. “They had to sell them to somebody, and those ‘somebodies’ are all those houses out there with dated tile.”
If you don’t care, that’s fine: Dated tile is still tile, and your happiness is the only thing that matters. But if you’re planning on selling your home soon, or even much later, be careful about the tile you select, otherwise your home might unintentionally scream “expensive remodeling job required.” - Realtor
No comments:
Post a Comment