Tile Installation
Helpful hints for proper installation of natural stone & ceramic tile flooring for best results.
Before Installing Your New Tile
Prior to installation, please ensure that the following tasks have been completed:
Furniture
- All furniture & furnishing must be moved off the existing floor (if it is to be replaced) or from the area where new flooring is to be placed.
Doors
- All doors must be removed if they are in an area where tile will impact their movement (i.e. closets, adjoining rooms, etc.).
- There is always the possibility that the door may not clear the new floor, which may require a carpenter to shave off the bottom of the door.
Fixtures
- Tile is normally placed around articles attached to the building (i.e. radiators, railings, etc.). Should you wish to have your new flooring extend under these items, please have them removed prior to the arrival of our installers.
Wires
- All wiring for televisions, stereos, telephones, etc. must be moved away from the installation area prior to the arrival of the installer.
Closets
- If closets are to be done, all contents on the floor must be removed.
Electricity
- Proper lighting must be available for good installation and ready access to electrical outlets is required.
Climate
- In cold weather, please ensure that the installation area is heated to at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit for 48 hours prior to the installers' arrival.
Pre-existing flooring
- If you remove your old flooring, do it at least one day before for cleanup and floor preparation.
Leave tack strips in place. - Pull the staples out of the floor from the original pad.
- Retouch any painted baseboards, woodwork, and paint.
Subfloor Surface Preparation
- This may need preparation for new tile. Please discuss surface preparation and installation procedures with your sales associate.
- Some subfloors, walls & countertops are more suitable to tile or stone. Do not install new tile over existing tile, particle or chip board, cushion vinyl or single layer plywood.
- Different backerboard is required in areas of high moisture (bathrooms, showers, etc.).
- On walls, do not install over Masonite, wallpaper or composition paneling.
- It is recommended that tile on countertops using specific procedures.
Moulding
- Please remove all floor mouldings.
- If our installers remove floor mouldings, we cannot be responsible for damage to either the moulding or the wall behind the moulidng. While our installers will make every effort to avoid creating scuff marks on walls or floor boards, it is suggested that you have a small amount of touch-up paint available to cover these marks after installation.
Squeaks
- We are not responsible for squeaky floors resulting from the installation of new flooring or for flex in flooring due to poor construction.
Estimates
- Occasionally estimates may need to be revised because of unforeseen damage to subfloors, which is not possible to see until the existing flooring has been removed.
- You will be notified of wet subfloors, water or pet damage, or if any similar condition is discovered.
- On special order materials, we will keep you informed of any mill production delays.
Shortages
- If Great Floors did not measure the job, we accept no responsibility for shortages or overages. We cannot return any altered remnants into inventory.
Cleanup
- Installing new tile will produce waste, which is usually collected by your installer and left at your trash collection site.
- Hauling away is usually an additional cost.
Added Great Floors Services For Tile Installation
Great Floors offers the following services for an additional fee.
Existing Flooring
- We'll remove & dispose of your existing flooring material.
- Great Floors can also prepare your site for new flooring.
Moulding & Doors
- We'll remove & replace floor moulding & doors.
Furniture & Appliances
- We'll move & replace heavy furniture, appliances & other objects.
- If using this service you should empty drawers, bookcases & refrigerators & drain waterbeds.
- Great Floors will not do any plumbing, gas or electrical work including connecting or disconnecting ice makers, dishwashers or gas lines. We will not move organs, pianos, pool tables, grandfather clocks, aquariums, stereos, computers, firearms, collectibles or fragile items.
After Tile Installation
A few final things to ensure that your floor performs at its best:
- Establish good ventilation.
- Floor tile requires 24 hours to set-up before it is grouted.
- After grouting, do not walk on your floors for at least 24 hours, as mortar and grout need to cure.
- Grout & stone should be sealed before use.
- No tile, stone or grout is stain proof, even after sealing. Always clean up spills quickly to prevent staining.
- Heavy or sharp objects dropped on tile or stone can scratch or chip the surface.
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