How to Lay a Stone Tile Floor Use an uncoupling membrane to prevent tiles from cracking or popping loose Q: We're remodeling our kitchen and want to install a stone-tile floor. Anything we need to know before we begin? —Meghan Fouracer, Ithaca, N.Y. A: If you're going directly over subfloor, tiles are likely to crack or pop loose unless you take two extra steps. First, stiffen the subfloor by gluing and screwing a second layer of ¾-inch sheathing to the existing layer. Second, install what's called an uncoupling membrane to isolate the rigid stone or ceramic from the subfloor's flexing joints and seasonal movements. ), a dimpled plastic sheet that resembles a thin orange waffle. Although many tilers still slap stone directly onto the subfloor, I won't guarantee any of my jobs without the membrane. Once the membrane is cemented in place, the tiling proceeds as usual. Be sure to use unmodified thinset, as the latex-modified kind won't harden properly when sandwiched between the tile and the membrane.
Starting in a corner, roll out the membrane, flocked-side down, beside the room's long wall. At the end wall, crease the roll into the corner, as shown, and cut along that crease with a utility knife. Trim as needed to get around pipes, ducts, and doorways. Lay out and cut the remaining sections so that their edges butt together and they cover the entire floor. Number the sections, set them aside, then vacuum the floor. Mix a batch of thinset: Use polymer-modified thinset on plywood and unmodified thinset on cement-based substrates. Starting at a corner, spread the mix evenly over a 6-foot section as wide as the membrane, then comb it into long parallel furrows with a ¼-inch notched trowel, as shown. Roll Out the Membrane Don't let the thinset sit—any delay could prevent a good bond. Butt the first membrane section into the corner and immediately roll it out onto the fresh thinset. Spread and comb out another 6-foot section of thinset, and unroll the next portion of the membrane onto it.
Repeat until the first roll reaches the end wall. Immediately after the membrane is laid, use a grout float to press every square inch firmly into the thinset, as shown. Do the same after laying each remaining section. Once the entire floor is covered, dry-lay a line of tiles between each pair of walls to judge how best to minimize cuts and get a pleasing layout. Pick a starting point that will keep you from stepping on stones after they're laid. Spread unmodified thinset over an area about 3 feet by 16 inches, filling the membrane's square dimples. Comb out parallel ridges with the notched trowel. For each tile, smear thinset on its underside, press it firmly in place, and make sure it's flush with its neighbors and that the joints are even. Gently remove excess thinset from the joints with a putty knife, and swab the stones with a damp sponge. The next day, wash away thinset residue with muriatic acid, and, to protect the stone from grout stains, apply a sealer. When that's dry, mix up a sanded grout and push it diagonally into the joints with a grout float.
Wait 10 minutes, then wipe off grout residue from the stone with a damp sponge, rinsing it often. Don't disturb the joints. The next day, rub off any haze with cheesecloth and wipe on a final sealer coat.Demolish the existing floor down to the underlayment. If the underlayment is solid, use it as the base for the new tile floor. If the underlayment is in poor condition – marked by crumbling or deteriorating material – you’ll need to pull that up and install a new underlayment. Talk to a tile distributor for what material will be the best for the project. Once you have a solid underlayment, cover it with a skim layer of thinset using a trowel. The material for the field of this slate floor project is a 12x12 inch "Rye with Red" slate – which will be installed on the diagonal. The border measures 8-3/4 inches in width and will consist of two parts – a 4-inch decorative border composed of 1x3 inch slate tiles and a back border made of field tiles cut to fit. Find the center focal point of the room.
Find the center of each wall, and snap a red chalk line to mark each axis. Where the two lines meet is the center or focal point of the room. Mark the border on the floor using a straightedge and pencil or blue chalk line. Dry set the 12x12 slate tiles on the diagonal along each axis all the way to the border starting at the center of the room. The goal of this step is to space the tile so that it looks like there are equal cuts on either side where the field tile meets the border. If the cuts are drastically different on either side of an axis where it hits the border, adjust the tile to create the illusion that the tile cuts match. To do this, adjust from the center of the room. Divide the tile that starts at the center into quarters and shift the row over a quarter – this should open up the cuts. Once you have decided on the starting point for that first tile at the center of the room – mark that location. Create a four-tile template starting at that first tile. Space it out with 1/8 inch spacers.
Trace that tile template onto the floor, remove the template and snap a red chalk line on each axis of the traced template. The grid that you’re creating will be the guideline for setting the field tile.Floor tile is increasingly popular with excellent durability and an abundance of colors and materials available. But with so many choices it can be tricky... Marble, travertine, granite, porcelain, ceramic, slate, Saltillo, vinyl and still more wood flooring options... which one is best for your kitchen or bathroom tile design? Well, you're in luck... because I broke it all down for you. Keep reading to get a great start on your tile flooring project with full descriptions of the different types of tile available, cleaning requirements, characteristics, comparisons and recommendations below.... The classic floor tile material exuding elegance, luxury and style. The look of travertine and marble tile flooring is often imitated by ceramic and porcelain. A wide variety of colors available especially earth tones.
Marble, limestone and travertine tile are all calcite-based stones and thus have similar properties regardingNot as care-free as man-made tiles, but cleaning marble is relatively simple once you learn how. Sealing may be necessary and etching can be an issue; however, most problems are simple to solve. Using the proper cleaning products is a must. So, a little more work and care, but no other tile will look as good in your home.Marble, travertine and limestone can be used anywhere in your home for: kitchen tile design, bathroom floor tile,Keep in mind that the kitchen is the most common area for etching, although floors aren't nearly as susceptible to If you choose the right variety, granite tile flooring is essentially indestructible and can be used in any room without worry including an outdoor patio or entry. do not etch like marble, travertine and limestone can and staining is generally not an issue. You also have thousands of gorgeous and unique patterns and colors to choose from.
For the most part granite has simple maintenance requirements although polished granite (like any polished stone floor) may require periodic re-polishing depending on the degree of use and wear.Some granite tiles may need a granite sealer applied to help diminish staining and although not absolutely critical, it's best to use made specifically for stone. Many people love the look of slate tile flooring. It's certainly distinctive, but it is also a maintenance nightmare. The quality of slate can vary widely from hard and dense to soft and crumbly. Most slate will stain easily and thus must be sealed. will also etch (marks of corrosion) when in contact with acidicAlso, the most popular cleft finish collects dirt easily. Get it honed and use only in small or low traffic/use areas like an entryway, hallway or office. Ceramic is the most common tile found in homes today. wears well, provides good traction, is essentially water and stain proof and easy to maintain using almost any cleaning chemical.
it can be installed in any room without any particular concerns. Nearly unlimited color and pattern choices are available making ceramic a versatile tile flooring, although it can look a bit "manufactured" or "plastic." Take a look at the ceramic tile flooring page to see how ceramic compares to other materials. is becoming a very popular alternative to stone and ceramic. harder and more durable than ceramic... almost like stone. also provides a better imitation of marble, travertine or other stone patterns, colors and textures with plenty of choices to match anyLike ceramic, porcelain tile is nearly impossible to stain, scratch resistant and easy to maintain. Install it anywhere you like. Like slate, many people love the unique look and vibrant yellow-orange colors of Saltillo tile, but when compared with other options, Saltillo has some drawbacks. of clay, it is very porous and stains easily, so it must be sealed often and is not a good choice for a kitchen or bathroom.