Here are a few tips to help you during the renovation experience-at least the part that deals with tiles and stone.

• When selecting material for a wall or floor, whether it is for the bathroom, kitchen, basement or hallway, keep some things in mind.

• When purchasing tile with one solid colour, make sure that before it's delivered or taken along that all the boxes are from the same dye lot or same run. The same colour but from a different run can look different from another when held side by side. This is even more evident in darker shades. And if that occurs during installation and you're installer has to wait while you rush out to exchange for the right shade that's on the wall or floor that's time wasted which he/she will bill you for.

• You may have to pay a percentage to the shop for a restocking fee sometimes up to 20%.

• Worst case scenario. There may be no more in the shade that you're seeking and you'll have two or three shades of the same tile for the job. That means that you will either have one shade ending and the other beginning or the installer can pull some up again, clean them off and then mix the shades over the course of installation.

• Always check the code on the box showing the run and that there is enough to do the job. Get a guarantee from the shop that if there are any problems you won't be charged extra.

• The larger the tile is, the more waste there will be at the end of the job. Always factor in about 2-5 square feet extra for waste and breakage and to have some left over incase any have to be replaced in the future.

• The smaller the tile, the more grout grooves per square foot and the more grout is needed, not the other way around.

• When selling a house, it's always a nice feature to have several square feet aside. It's reassuring to the new owner.

Why it costs more to set tiles in (stone, ceramic or porcelain) that have shade variation

• The colour variations should be spread out over the area to avoid a blotching of dark or light shades in one area. To do this one can either work out of four of five boxes at a time which doesn't guarantee a good colour spread especially within a small area. The most accurate way is first to sort the shades out into piles and work from these. That takes time and can easily double the installation time needed.

• With stone (marble, slate, granite & limestone) it's important to make sure that the same shade and/or vein structure is present in the amount being used because it's a natural product. Unlike manufactured tile where there is a set amount of a certain dye lot run which can be calculated to the square foot, here there are no guarantees. When stacking the crate for delivery, stone with various shades and vein structures can be piled together under one name and it's up to the buyer to be aware.

Pros & cons of ceramic and porcelain tile

  Pros

• Less cost than stone to buy and install
• More durable
• Huge variety to choose from

Cons

• Less “wow” factor
• May be more difficult to replace years down the road when the tile is no longer produced or imported

Stone floors and walls
 
Pros

• Sounds great when talking about your new marble, granite, slate, quartzite or limestone floor
• Potential buyers of a home like stone floors
• Can be replaced years later with the same type of stone. May not be a perfect match but because it’s a natural product no one will ever know.

Cons

• More expensive to buy and install
• Usually has to be sealed (some slates however are very dense and it’s optional)
• If not properly treated after installation, can be stained by grout colour if very porous.
• Surface will get scratched even after being sealed. It’s unavoidable especially with dogs and children around.
• Main walk area will get dull whereas surface around walls stays fresh. However this can be re-polished but that is an expensive job and will take some of the surface of the tile making it thinner.
• Most types of stone tile that is in direct contact with water should be sealed with a clear impacting or impregnating sealer to prevent the stone from absorbing water and darkening, staining and overall ease in cleaning.
• Don’t use a cheaper surface sealer. It will take the shine from your stone and leave a layer of film that will have to be stripped off with a chemical stripper. It’s very messy and frustrating.
• Even after stone is sealed, have to be careful with liquids like red wine, coffee, oil. They may leave rings or stains if left on the surface for too long.
• On high polished surfaces, only unsanded grout should be used to avoid scratching the surface with sanded grout.

Glass tile

Pros

• Looks great, easy to clean
• Each year there is a better selection

Cons

• More expensive to buy and install
• Have to be careful with installation. Even with an opaque backing, most glass tiles can be seen through. This means that some glass tiles have to be buttered separately on the back with a trowel and then pressed to the wall or floor otherwise the teeth marks from the trowel might show through after the tile is installed which ruins the look.
• Can be tricky to cut especially when on a sheet. Count on paying around $12/square foot to install plus setting material and grout. If the installer is charging less, then they might not know what they’re getting into. It can be a slow and laborious job depending on the glass tile and design of the work.
• Some glass such as frosted glass can chip when being cut which can show a flaky edge where the cut is.

• When considering glass tile, educate yourself with the installation rules from the manufacturer so no warranty is voided. In most cases white thin set not glue is suggested.