Here are some Questions and Answers to help you with your project.........
1. How can I figure my square footage?
Multiply the dimensions of the room, including closets and offsets. Add 2%- 5% for waste, more if installed on a diagonal pattern (45 degree angle)
2. What patterns are there?
Straight lay, brick or staggered joint, basket weave, and herringbone. With larger rectangular tile.....they can be laid straight or staggered joint.....but because of slight warpage that is inherent with rectangular tile, it is recommended to run them with 1/3 offset......I can explain if you need me to, you can email me. All can be laid on a diagonal. There are other patterns that cannot be explained in words.
3. If I have a leaky shower, how do I know where the problem is?
9 times out of 10, it isn't a plumbing leak. Call me, email me, or call a plumber first. A plumber will probably charge for this. A tile expert won't, but he may need to tear out some areas to determine correctly.
4. What else is involved, for installation, beside my tile?
You will also need setting mortar and grout. If the floor is extremely uneven, you will need floor leveling. If there any cracks in the slab, you will need a crack suppressant applied. If you have wood subfloors under your existing floor, you will need backerboard or some other approved underlayment......such as Schluter's Ditra
5. What flooring is the hardest?
Here is the chart on hard surface flooring. Marble is the softer than anything else, except slate (that's a toss up) and is only recommended in a bath area or very low traffic area. Plus marble can stain (no kitchen area). Granite is very hard, but expensive. Glazed ceramic tile is better for higher traffic areas. Glazed porcelain is the best. Wood and Laminate floors are somewhere in the middle.
6. What is involved if my shower is leaking and it is not a plumbing problem?
Most of the time a leakage through the tile is in the floor around the drain and walls up to about 3 feet high. To solve the problem, you need to have the floor, pan, and walls removed to a determined height. Possibly the drain setup as well. New drain, if needed, new waterproofing pan or membrane, backerboard and wall tile to that height. If the wall studs are starting to deteriorate, they need replacement as well.
7. Can I go over my old floor with a new flooring?
Wood floors? No. Vinyl tile or sheet vinyl? Yes, if over concrete and not loose. Over bare wood sub-floor? No, a backerboard or backer material is required.
I have had a number of calls regarding patching tile or grout on (mainly) floors. Usually if you have loose tile, regrouting is a temporary fix. Loose tile or grout cracking out of the joints, is a sign of a deeper problem. If the tiles and grout are coming loose, there is movement under the floor and too much movement is problematic and costly. Unfortunately, if there are no defects in materials, it is an installation or prepwork problem. An installation done right over the properly prepared substrate should theoretically last forever.
For additional questions, please send an email, and I will help guide you.
Thank you.