Tile Installation in South Dakota

About this floor

Tile is the floor for the spots that take the hardest wear: the front entry where winter boots land, the back door from the garage and the kitchen floor in front of the stove. Porcelain is dense and very hard wearing, ceramic is a little softer and lighter, and both come in sizes from small squares to long wood look planks.

Good tile work is mostly layout. Before a single tile is set we find the center lines of the room, decide where the cut pieces will fall, and make sure the grout lines meet the doorway square. We also set kitchen backsplash tile on the wall between the counter and the upper cabinets.

How the installation goes

1. Plan the layout

   We dry lay a few tiles to show you the pattern and the grout width, and pick a starting line so no thin slivers end up at the door.

2. Prepare the base

   The old covering comes up. A tile underlayment or backer board goes down where the base needs it, fastened on a tight pattern so the floor stays stiff.

3. Set the tile

   Thinset is spread with a notched trowel and each tile is pressed in, leveled with its neighbors and spaced evenly. Large tiles get back buttered for full contact.

4. Grout and clean

   After the thinset cures, the joints are grouted, tooled smooth and the haze is wiped from the surface.

5. Edges and thresholds

   A finished edge or transition strip meets the next floor, and baseboard is set back in place.

Where it fits

• Front entries and back doors where grit and salt come in all winter.
• Kitchen floors that see dropped pans and constant cleaning.
• Kitchen backsplashes between the counter and upper cabinets.
• Small mudroom style landings by the garage door.

Read about the rooms: Entry Kitchen

Before install day

Plan for the room to be out of use for a day or two while the thinset and grout cure. Clear counters and the wall area for a backsplash. For an entry, we will talk about where you can come and go while the tile sets.

Living with it

Sweep often, because grit is the main thing that dulls a tile surface. Mop with a neutral cleaner made for tile and grout. A sealer on cement based grout, renewed now and then, keeps the joints looking clean.